The Edvan Empire was one of the greatest empires at the time, and to many, it was the greatest. Its military might that used wizards as knights made it a formidable foe, and in a time when war raged all over the world, Edvan was fairly peaceful and was deemed untouchable by foreign invaders. And even more frightening was the Commander of the Edvan army; the High Wizard of Edvan – Aliath Renan who attained this position no younger than seventeen years of age. To many, he was the greatest wizard of all time, whose legendary powers were said to be stronger than the combined might of the entire Edvan army. To others, he was a sham who rose to power because he was best friends with the emperor of the Edvan Empire – Kanath Edvan as soon as he took the throne after the death of the previous emperor. Not many had seen Aliath's powers and it is believed that many who had did not live to tell tale. Aliath stood proud, however, at the age of twenty-seven, he had achieved a lot more than many could dream of. And yet, there he stood, in an inn that could pass for a royal dining table elsewhere. Before him sat possibly the most beautiful and mysterious woman he had ever seen. But for the first time, the sight of her made him uneasy. He couldn't put a finger on it, but she smelled like trouble.
"A name would be good. I am—" Aliath began, only for the mysterious lady to cut across his words with a calm confidence.
"Aliath Renan. I know."
The recognition sparked a glint of pleasure in his eyes, and his lips curved into a proud smile.
"Exactly! You're someone who knows your onions," he declared, puffing his chest slightly. "I bet you recognised me the moment I took off my mask, didn't you?"
"Actually," she said evenly, tilting her head with the faintest trace of amusement, "I overheard your conversation."
Aliath's grin faltered into something closer to a pout, disappointment obvious in his expression. Still, she went on, her tone smooth but edged with curiosity.
"Although, I must say I was surprised to find the High Wizard of Edvan in a town as modest as this. My name is Hela."
"Hela what?" Aliath pressed, arching a brow. In Edvan, it was custom—an unspoken rule—that introductions carried one's full name.
"Just Hela," she replied, her gaze steady, offering no explanation.
Aliath exhaled softly through his nose, forcing a smile. "Very well. I can work with that. But I wouldn't call this town lowly. The storm may have clouded my view of the city itself, but this inn… it speaks volumes."
Hela's expression softened as her eyes drifted to the wooden beams above them. "It wasn't always here. Lord Ravaan ordered its construction when the winds first began threatening, a few months ago. He built it to serve as shelter for those who might be stranded. The main structure lies beneath us."
Aliath's gaze sharpened. "He knew about the winds long before the capital received word only days ago? Who is this Lord Ravaan?"
"I can't say much," Hela admitted. "But he is… benevolent. A man who acts before others even think to move."
Aliath's eyes dimmed, a shadow crossing his face. His mind tugged at a thread of suspicion, but he left it loose, unwilling to draw conclusions too soon. "He sounds… interesting," he said at last, his voice carefully neutral.
Hela studied him for a moment, then leaned forward ever so slightly, a flicker of intrigue in her eyes. "He is. But tell me, Aliath—are you truly as powerful as they say?"
A slow smile crept back onto his lips as he straightened his robes. "Even more. Anyone who has witnessed my full power and lived… only survived because I chose to hold back."
Her laugh was light, but her words carried a sting. "At least you're as arrogant as the rumours suggest."
Aliath smirked, lifting his chin proudly. "Can't be disappointing the rumours now, can I?"
Before Hela could reply, a hurried voice cut through the air.
"Master! You might want to see this!" Bitrus exclaimed as he re-entered, the innkeeper trailing close behind him.The innkeeper was a man in his mid-fifties but looked a tad bit older as both Aliath and Bitrus were a few years short of thirty. He led them to beneath the inn, just as Hela had described. Although Aliath had an idea of what to expect, it did not prepare him for the shock he received. Hela had called it a shelter, but it was like a town below a town – Khaloran below Khaloran!
"Lord Ravaan provided this for us," the innkeeper said.
Bitrus walked towards Aliath as the innkeeper walked just ahead of them.
"This is creation magic. There a very few wizards who can use it throughout history and even less in recent times," Bitrus said. "The only person capable of something of this magnitude in all of Edvan is…"
"Me," Aliath said. "This is mirror magic more specifically. And this confirms my suspicions. This Lord Ravaan is an outsider, and so is Hela."
"Hela? Who's that?" Bitrus asked.
"The lady I was speaking with above. They must be linked with the recent information we received."
"But why will outsiders be helping us? This is contrary to what we received."
"What if it's not? Even I could not predict a storm like this before it happens. Unless of course I plan to create one."
"I'm sorry, but you are no longer welcome," the innkeeper said, appearing out of nowhere before the two.
"We've seen enough. Thank you. We will report this situation to the capital and send resources to help."
"We need nothing that does not come from our Lord Ravaan. He has already provided us with all we need."
"I'll report that too," Aliath said, as the pair return through the staircase they came.
Aliath searched for Hela as they walked to the exit, but she was nowhere in sight. Bitrus was met with a lot of farewell wishes while many barely acknowledged Aliath's presence, with the rest ignoring him altogether. As the pair mounted their horses, Bitrus pierced a path through the storm once more, but as they left the inn, it vanished without any trace that it existed.