If he had been a dwarf, he would’ve said he had somehow reclaimed a portion of the old hedgewitch magic. But he wasn’t. He couldn’t even have dwarven ancestry and be a spellster. Those things just didn’t mix. His very-much-human ancestors had thoroughly confirmed that in their quest to tear the unreachable power from dwarven hands. Or maybe…
Maybe after using such an untapped source of raw energy, he was merely more aware of its presence. That didn’t explain the flashes of images or the whispers, but that could easily be stress warping his senses. Not much longer now. Just until tomorrow, then he wouldn’t need to tiptoe around everyone.
When the other two boys arrived, their passage through the forest was more of the same skulking and waiting whilst Bruce and Mac drew attention to themselves. Then further scurrying past to the next safest spot to wait some more for their return. The time it all took trickled through Darshan’s mind. How long did he have to reach the finish line? Midday.
He glanced up at the treetops during one of their pauses. The sun seemed awfully high.
Only once did he get spotted, resulting in a graze that surely would’ve been a hit had his shield not formed in time. He had discovered then that the projectiles weren’t powder as he’d first thought, but thin sacks of coloured water that were designed to stain.
Eventually, the times between when the children would split up grew longer. He heard little of his competitors other than a few distant and surprised yelps. Even the forest seemed lighter, the canopy more open and the undergrowth less restrictive.
The boys halted beside the wide trunk of an oak, crouching amongst its exposed roots. Darshan took the pause as a chance to rest. They peered around the tree and shot meaningful looks at each other before shaking their heads.
“What is it?” Had they come across some particularly nasty little trap that they couldn’t get around? “Trouble?”
“It’s nae that,” Bruce said. “We cannae go on the rest of the way with you, nae without being caught. But the end is straight ahead.”
Darshan peered around the tree trunk. Through the gaps between the trees, he spied splashes of colour that could only mean a crowd. His chest tightened. Hamish would be waiting there with the favour tradition insisted he gift to one of the competitors. “Any obstacles I should know about?” He was so close to making it through this trial, it wouldn’t do to trip up now.
All three boys shook their heads. “We’ve passed all the bleeding lobbers,” Ethan elaborated, offering up Darshan’s glasses case. “The forest run bottlenecks from here. It’s just the finish line now.”
Tucking his glasses away, he solemnly handed the case back. “Take care.”
“You too,” Bruce replied. “One of the cheeky sods might try to lob one at your back. So, keep a watch out.”
“Noted.” He would do well to keep a shield up until he was at those ferns Hamish mentioned yesterday. “Thank you for the assistance, I doubt I would have gotten this far on my own.” With one hand on the rough bark, Darshan slowly circled the tree trunk until he was on the opposite side. Around him, the swathes of green and grey blurred dreadfully.
Darshan put his back to the tree and gathered himself for this final push. Who knew that spending the better part of the day avoiding people and skulking through the undergrowth would be so strenuous?
All that was behind him, now. Straight ahead. Simple enough, all things considered. A rather refreshing change of pace. Pass through the ferns. There was no other requirement for this task.
He focused on wrapping a shield around him. It took much of his concentration and a touch of finagling to keep the upper half relatively solid but also malleable to allow for the leaves and grass he had to walk through. All whilst keeping the barrier close to his body and transparent.
Completed, he tucked what little focus he needed to divert into the back of his mind. The shield would remain in place as long as he didn’t attempt to alter its very particular construction.
Darshan swayed slightly as he left the tree’s support and strode towards the crowd waiting near the finish line. What he wouldn’t give to be able to slink off to bed after this, but there was the customary feasting and dancing to be had and he wasn’t about to leave Hamish to face that alone.
Others emerged from the forest, mere shadows on the edge of his vision. He twitched at the appearance of each new figure, waiting for the moment that one tried to attack him. None dared.
The crowd grew more pronounced as people rather than blobs of colour. Their cries echoed through the forest, brash and infectious. Even though he knew none of the cheers were for him, he couldn’t help picking up his pace. The closer he got, the harder it became not to bolt for the finish.
His legs almost gave as he strode through the ferns. He released his hold on the shield, letting it dissipate. He had made it. Not fully under his own power, granted, but what did that matter? Only the final trial stood between him and Hamish now. And with his lover directing the arrow, there’d be but one outcome.
A hand fell upon his shoulder. “Wait right there, lass,” a deep voice boomed behind him with all the gravity of an approaching thundercloud.
Darshan stiffened. It took all his willpower not to retaliate. Even one spark, one flicker, of magic would negate all he had been through these past few days.
“Look,” the voice commanded.
Heeding the instruction, he twisted to find the man holding him pointed at the back of Darshan’s boots. Dark specks adorned the brown leather. It didn’t look like
