Nethermost Realm: Prisoner of Arlunn

Chapter 22

Please note: I am updating this draft of The Prisoner of Arlunn. The most important change is that the main character's name has been changed from Philip to Rian.

22

The Arena at the college on Arlunn had been transformed, no doubt by illusion, to look a bit like a gothic church with a high pointed ceiling and tall, arched windows decorated with statues of wizards and, in some cases, dark monsters. An audience had already begun to fill the seats. It looked like the place could hold hundreds of people.

Rian's progress at learning magic had been painfully slow. No doubt the Arlunni saw that he'd never be ready for the Challenge, and they had decided not to postpone it any longer. For this, Rian was a little relieved. He'd felt discontentment from the other students about waiting for the Challenge to start.

Rian's presence at the college was seen as a joke by the other students. The others shunned him. Since he had trouble with the language, this suited him. Most of the conversations he had with the other students ended with him feeling very stupid.

He sat at the back of the classes and muddled through the most remedial books, ignoring the furtive glances and laughter of his classmates.

On this day, prior to the ceremony, all the students collected. Rian had hoped that his mother would make it to Chuness by then, in time to attend. He was a little disappointed when Aldena showed up, alone. Not even Anya had come with her. Aldena was accompanied by another man.

"Rian!" said Aldena, giving him a hug. "This is an old friend of mine, Powell."

Powell nodded. "Your highness."

"What about Mom? Isn't she coming?"

Aldena hesitated. "I visited her a few days ago on Earth. She is still making preparations. There's the house and all her things."

"I've begun to wonder if she's coming at all," muttered Rian.

"This whole thing has been really hard on her," said Aldena, gently. "Seeing Molan again. Nearly losing you, the way she lost your father. Kyran. It's all been very difficult."

Rian nodded numbly. Perhaps his mother would stay on Earth after all.

"And your studies? How are they coming?"

"Terribly. I'm the worst student ever. I lost my language charm and spend half my time trying to learn the language. I can barely cast the smallest spell. I don't know what I'm doing here."

Aldena considered him a moment. "You know, you don't have to enter the Challenge. It can be dangerous; people can die. If you withdraw, I would understand."

But then he'd have to leave Arlunn and Kyran would be at the mercy of the Arlunni. "No," said Rian. "I'll stick it out a while longer."

Aldena nodded. "All right."

The other contestants had their families there with them and they were also talking, but the ceremony should begin soon.

"I wanted to ask you," said Rian. "About Kyran." He tried to think how to put it. "I wondered—did mother know what he was, when she first brought him home?"

"Not immediately. She brought him to me—and I knew what he was."

"Can I ask—why did you both keep him, if you knew how dangerous he was?" asked Rian. "I mean ... not that I think you shouldn't have."