shoulders, ‘of course not. That was why they were great warriors.’
‘No, Taem, you’re wrong. That was why they failed . Trust me,’ Hirandar squeezed Taem on the shoulders, ‘the flames will not harm you.’
Taem looked into the Wizard’s bright blue eyes and saw what he had always seen, a rare kindness that could never cause harm to anyone.
‘You have helped me my whole life,’ Taem smiled at the Wizard. ‘I will trust you.’
Taem started walking towards the blue flame, weaving through the skeletons. Hirandar felt a shadow fall on her heart. The Wizard was filled with fear and dread. What if she was wrong? She wanted to call Taem back. She felt guilty that she had brought the boy here to die, guilty she was using him to retrieve the sword. Hirandar opened her mouth to shout for Taem to stop. But no sound came out, and Taem walked on towards the blue flame.
Taem looked down at all the dead skeletons, as he stepped past and over them, and was terrified he was going to become one of them. He could make out a sword lying on a pedestal behind the wall of blue flame. He moved closer to the blue flame, and was disturbed to find the flames were silent.
Please, by the Light, the Wizard prayed to herself, let no harm come to this innocent boy . Hirandar felt her hands shake with fear as she watched on. Her heart was in her mouth. It was beating so hard it felt as if it would burst through her chest. For one terrified moment Hirandar almost screamed for Taem to stop, but she knew this was the way it had to be.
Taem stood next to the blue flame. His hands shook and there was a lump in his throat. He was so close the flames were baking his skin, and he had to squint his eyes. Taem could just see a sword lying amongst the blue flames. It was so hot that sweat was forming on his forehead. He edged his shaking hand towards the blue flame, and his fingers felt as if they were burning. He wanted to pull back. The heat was unbearable. But some small courage made his fingers reach out and touch the flame. Pain shot through his hand. Blue flame engulfed his hand and arm.
‘Aaargh!’ Taem screamed in terror, as the flames danced over his skin.
‘No!’ Hirandar yelled, running forwards.
‘It’s alright!’ Taem shouted, gesturing for Hirandar to stay back. He looked down at his flaming arm in wonder. The blue flames were roaring over his arm, but his flesh was not burning. The pain had gone.
‘The Light be praised!’ Hirandar gasped. She had never been more relieved than she felt in that moment.
‘I feel the flames touching my skin,’ Taem shouted, ‘but they’re not hurting!’
‘Get the sword!’ Hirandar said.
Taem reached into the oval inset, grasped the scabbarded sword and withdrew it from the blue fire. The flames disappeared and the blue light of the cave winked out.
Taem held the sword in his trembling hands and examined it with wonder. It had a simple black leather scabbard and a black leather hilt binding, but that was where the plainness ended. The crosspiece and hilt were made of the finest steel, inlaid with sparkling silver. There was a swirling pattern engraved into the silver crosspiece that seemed to have the illusion of never ending. Taem caught his breath. That shining metal was too bright! The crosspiece was not inlaid with silver, but with zildar! Taem drew the blade from its scabbard and gasped with amazement. It was the finest blade he had ever seen. It was of a quality that surpassed exceptional craftsmanship; it was a thing of beauty. The sword had a curved single-edged blade, the elegant weapon of a Sodan. The simplicity of it only served to enhance its magnificence. As he held it up to the light of the torch, Taem saw the blade was not made of steel, but of a metal that had a blue shine to it. Taem ran his finger along the edge of the blade, and was surprised to see that it had drawn blood.
‘Careful!’ Hirandar rushed over to Taem, and put a hand on his arm. ‘This sword is
‘No, Taem, you’re wrong. That was why they failed . Trust me,’ Hirandar squeezed Taem on the shoulders, ‘the flames will not harm you.’
Taem looked into the Wizard’s bright blue eyes and saw what he had always seen, a rare kindness that could never cause harm to anyone.
‘You have helped me my whole life,’ Taem smiled at the Wizard. ‘I will trust you.’
Taem started walking towards the blue flame, weaving through the skeletons. Hirandar felt a shadow fall on her heart. The Wizard was filled with fear and dread. What if she was wrong? She wanted to call Taem back. She felt guilty that she had brought the boy here to die, guilty she was using him to retrieve the sword. Hirandar opened her mouth to shout for Taem to stop. But no sound came out, and Taem walked on towards the blue flame.
Taem looked down at all the dead skeletons, as he stepped past and over them, and was terrified he was going to become one of them. He could make out a sword lying on a pedestal behind the wall of blue flame. He moved closer to the blue flame, and was disturbed to find the flames were silent.
Please, by the Light, the Wizard prayed to herself, let no harm come to this innocent boy . Hirandar felt her hands shake with fear as she watched on. Her heart was in her mouth. It was beating so hard it felt as if it would burst through her chest. For one terrified moment Hirandar almost screamed for Taem to stop, but she knew this was the way it had to be.
Taem stood next to the blue flame. His hands shook and there was a lump in his throat. He was so close the flames were baking his skin, and he had to squint his eyes. Taem could just see a sword lying amongst the blue flames. It was so hot that sweat was forming on his forehead. He edged his shaking hand towards the blue flame, and his fingers felt as if they were burning. He wanted to pull back. The heat was unbearable. But some small courage made his fingers reach out and touch the flame. Pain shot through his hand. Blue flame engulfed his hand and arm.
‘Aaargh!’ Taem screamed in terror, as the flames danced over his skin.
‘No!’ Hirandar yelled, running forwards.
‘It’s alright!’ Taem shouted, gesturing for Hirandar to stay back. He looked down at his flaming arm in wonder. The blue flames were roaring over his arm, but his flesh was not burning. The pain had gone.
‘The Light be praised!’ Hirandar gasped. She had never been more relieved than she felt in that moment.
‘I feel the flames touching my skin,’ Taem shouted, ‘but they’re not hurting!’
‘Get the sword!’ Hirandar said.
Taem reached into the oval inset, grasped the scabbarded sword and withdrew it from the blue fire. The flames disappeared and the blue light of the cave winked out.
Taem held the sword in his trembling hands and examined it with wonder. It had a simple black leather scabbard and a black leather hilt binding, but that was where the plainness ended. The crosspiece and hilt were made of the finest steel, inlaid with sparkling silver. There was a swirling pattern engraved into the silver crosspiece that seemed to have the illusion of never ending. Taem caught his breath. That shining metal was too bright! The crosspiece was not inlaid with silver, but with zildar! Taem drew the blade from its scabbard and gasped with amazement. It was the finest blade he had ever seen. It was of a quality that surpassed exceptional craftsmanship; it was a thing of beauty. The sword had a curved single-edged blade, the elegant weapon of a Sodan. The simplicity of it only served to enhance its magnificence. As he held it up to the light of the torch, Taem saw the blade was not made of steel, but of a metal that had a blue shine to it. Taem ran his finger along the edge of the blade, and was surprised to see that it had drawn blood.
‘Careful!’ Hirandar rushed over to Taem, and put a hand on his arm. ‘This sword is
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