Lionheart

The Final Test Of Ablitiy

"Where did you see this sword?" Linley stood there frozen at one place, his lips did not even twitch, seeing this Maud asked again but this time in a much polite voice," Linley, do not worry, just tell me where you saw this sword?".

Linley thought, "Should I tell him or should I not?" this question came into his mind again and again. He thought for a while and finally came to a decision he found the most pleasing.

He decided not to tell Maud about his dream, although it seemed foolish Linley thought it to be the best idea at the moment. He wanted to keep his thoughts, his dreams a secret.

"I have never seen it, teacher, but I just created it in my mind, I thought hard and created this sword for it seemed perfect to me".

Maud looked away at Tarrion after hearing Linley's answer. Linley could tell that Maud was not satisfied by his answer. Linley thought that Maud would keep forcing him until he tells him the truth, but to his surprise, Maud told him to go home and take rest.

When they reached Linley's door Maud told Linley that Tarrion would soon place a handle on the sword and then Linley could have it as a gift from him. Linley smiled and said with a happy expression on his face," Thank you teacher", Maud also told him to meet him by the river in the morning.

It seemed a bit odd to Linley as they usually practiced at noon but he did not ask anything further because of his laxness caused by using magic the whole time, he agreed and went to sleep.

The next morning Linley woke up, and after his daily chores hurried to the bank when he reached he saw Maud with The new sword in his hand. It looked magnificent. Linley could not help but keep staring at it as he walked towards the bank. He was mesmerized by how elegant and beautiful the blade looked in sunlight.

It was grey with a light tint of blue on it, it was iridescent and it looked sharp, so sharp that it seemed to cut even the light that fell on it. When he closed In he noticed the handle Tarrion had placed on it.

It was an elegant handle which was ornated with gold, it looked beautiful but the one thing that seemed weird to Linley was a huge hole in the pommel of the sword. When he neared he asked Maud about it," Why is there a hole in it, teacher?", Maud moved his hand into his bag and took out a shining ruby-like stone from it, "This piece is supposed to be in there".

Linley looked at Maud and said," Then let me place it in there" moving his hand towards the shining blue stone, but was interrupted when Maud said," No....No this is not just any ordinary stone this a rune stone, these are very rare to find, I will not give you this until you deserve it ".

Linley looked at Maud and said," What should I do to deserve it, teacher?" Linley asked in a voice filled with haste.

Maud smiled and said," I am going to give you a map, Linley and you have to go to the mark following the path, if you are deserving of this stone you shall easily pass but if you fail, I shall not give you anything, not even the sword", Maud looked at Linley and said "Think of it as a final test of your ability".

Linley smiled and took the map from Maud and as he looked at it he was shocked to see that the Map was of someplace Linley had never seen.

"Wha......what is this place, teacher?" Maud laughed and said, "You shall see when we get there".

Linley looked at Maud hesitated and nodded in agreement, Maud held Linley's hand and then cast a spell, suddenly a gust of wind surrounded then it was so fast and fierce that Linley was scared that he would get thrown away by it.

Fear struck he closed his eyes and kept them closed until the gushing wind calmed. When he opened his eyes the view struck him like a lightning bolt. He saw a place he had never seen or even heard of before, he saw trees with faces on them, their eyes glowed and stared at him, it was night and soo dark that he could barely see anything but he heard birds which chirped or rather made a spooky sound that sent shivers down his spine, he held tighter to Maud's hand, but Maud just shook it releasing his grip and said," Your test begins Linley follow the Map and you shall reach The Mountain Of Doom, on the Top of which you shall find a fountain, on the top of the fountain I have placed the rune stone if you reach the fountain and remove it from there you shall deserve it ".

Maud moved away from him as he said so and finally disappeared into the dark forest. Linley was all alone, he wanted to move into the forest, but his body refused, he could hear his heart beat so fast that he feared that it would explode, his forehead was wet with sweat, and his eyes filled with tears.

He mustered all the strength left in him thinking," I have to do this". He looked at the forest ahead of him and stepped forward, only one thought filled his mind "So this is the test of my abilities".