The Maz-Loh Flame

The low ceilings trap the smoke and drunken shouts within the small Legis tavern walls. “Do you ever get the feeling you were made for so much more?” I ask Greylin and Leptan. “Just look around this tavern. Half of these Legis Defenders only fight in the Arena so they can buy more drinks and the other half never knew what they were fighting for to begin with.”

“Ere he goes agen.” Greylin says, elbowing Leptan. “What maw could we want Slatey boy? We’re young Defenders making our mark and every night we getta come back to dis fine establishment and drink to our heart’s content.” He takes a swig and pats his big round belly.

“Can’t you ever just be happy with what you got Slate?” asks Leptan.

“I’m happy for you guys. You both enjoy what you do, but I can’t shake the feeling there is something else I need to achieve.”

“The first step to making anything happen is asking for it. Ask and it’s yours Slatey.” Greylin sings.

“But you’re already a Defender, what more could you ask for?” Leptan asks.

“I guess the only thing I do know right now is what I don’t want to be.”

“You could always go searching for the Maz-Loh Flame.” Greylin jokes.

“You laugh, but that’s the type of adventure I need.”

“Careful what you wish for Slatey. To get to the Flame you need to make it past two powerful demons, Phobius and Dubio. No one who faces them survives to tell about it.”

“Or maybe no one tells about it because they don’t exist.”

“If its change you’re searching for, my father’s offer is still open.” Leptan says. “The Dreamcatcher just came back from the Source Sea and he’s looking for a new crew.”

“I’ll keep it in mind Leptan. I need to grab some fresh air, I’ll see you guys in the Arena tomorrow.”

≈

I walk the familiar path, breathing the island air. My legs carry me while my head soars above in the clouds. The warm breeze is calming and the sound of waves grows strong as I approach the beach. The full moon illuminates the white sand. Small pink crabs scurry in and out of their little holes. I didn’t mean to come here tonight but something was pulling me back to this place. Back to the beach where Counselor Caynar found me years ago. He pulled my body from the sea and revived me. I woke up with no memory of how I came to this island or who I was. I only remember waking up next to a fire and the small balding man sitting on a water-logged tree stump staring at me. He said his name was Caynar and he named me Slate.

I walk up the beach for a few moments until I find the stump. I’ve spent many nights sitting on this stump staring out at sea. Wondering why I came here, and who I was before. I look up at the moon which sits full and alone in the night sky. I search for stars but I get dizzy. Losing balance, I try to grab the stump but topple over into the sand.

Turning over, I see a flash of silver in the sand where the stump stood. I brush some sand away to find a shining blade with a golden hilt. I pick up the sword to examine it in the moonlight. The handle feels familiar, as if it was molded for my own hand. Did Caynar hide it from me, I thought to myself. He lied to me all these years. Forgetting the time, I stand up and start towards Caynar’s chambers to get answers. Distracted by my curiosity and still very drunk, I trip over the stump falling face first on a rock buried in the sand.

≈

I was startled awake by a dream that crashed and receded like the waves I slept beside. I stayed still on the beach staring straight up at the moonlit sky feeling the sand beneath my head. Sitting up slowly and breathing in the scent of the ocean, my eyes focused on two stars sitting on top of the moon. Stars? Seeing the two stars brought the dream rushing back to my mind.

I saw myself standing atop a hill looking out over a dark field. At first, I felt utterly alone facing that darkness. But then, I grew aware of others. A feeling of connection, support and love. I turned around to find an army of thousands at my back, waiting for me to lead them on. As I faced them, every warrior pointed their sword to the sky. I felt overwhelming strength and purpose. Drawing my own sword, the blade glowed with a burning blue light. The warm light spread like wild fire through the ranks reaching as far as the horizon. The light grew stronger and brighter and with it my own strength flourished. The light spread and expanded until I saw nothing but the blinding light and was forced awake by its power.

I sit stunned but energized by this reverie. Where I had fear, I now have courage. Where I had doubts, I now have confidence. Where I once knew only despair, I now have hope.

≈

Counselor Caynar isn’t expecting me to show up to his chambers this early. He answers the door, and before he knows what hit him, I pin him up against his bookcase. My right forearm is barred across his throat and my left fist winds up for another jab. Caynar is a small old man but he’s not weak. He slips my arm bar and shoves me back. I draw my new sword and Caynar pulls a knife from his belt.

“You lied to me.”

“I saved you.” He shouts back.

“I trusted you and you betrayed me!”

“I did no such thing Slate. You lost your way, so I showed you my path. You had forgotten your dream so I shared mine.”

“I didn’t know any better.”

“Whose fault is that?” Caynar threw his knife to the floor and turned to face the window. “Fine, you’re right. I misled you, but it was only to protect you. When I found you, you were lying dead in the sand, spit out by the Source Sea. You were in golden armor clutching that sword. I took off your chest plate so I could pump the water from your lungs. I didn’t want scavengers to see the gold so I buried your things while you warmed up by the fire.”

“Why didn’t you give them back to me?”

“I needed the money.” He raised his hands apologetically. “I almost changed my mind, but one collector was extremely interested. He offered a price far above my asking because of a symbol of a flame within a triangle on the side of the armor. It was a Maz-Loh flame, the symbol of the League of Light.” He paused for a quick laugh. “Obviously, the man had spent too much time out on the Source Sea. But his gold was real enough. I paid off my debts around town and with the left-over coin I sponsored you in your first Arena battle.”

“How could you use me like that?”

“Grow up. You either fight to build your own castle or you help someone else build theirs. You relied on me to hold your hand through life, to guide you to happiness.” Caynar wags his fore-finger in my face. “You blame me for leading you astray when it is your own fault for blindly following.

Anger is replaced by disappointment. Caynar’s words stung because they were true.

“Every man defines happiness differently. We are all on our own journeys, responsible for pursuing our own paths. But you should thank me. I got you into the Arena and you’ve learned so much from the fight.

“I still don’t believe you. If you sold everything, why was this sword buried on the beach?” I raise my sword again.

“On the beach? I don’t know.” Caynar shrugs. “Honest, I have no clue.”

“I didn’t find any golden armor.” I say, thinking aloud.

“Go ask your friend Leptan’s father. He’s the collector who bought it from me.”

≈

“Welcome! I’m happy you finally accepted my invitation to talk young Slate.” Surrounded by his guards Ovis and Pecus, Leptan’s father greets me at the edge of the dock where the Dreamcatcher is moored. “Come aboard, we have plenty to discuss.” I walk past the guards’ appraising eyes and onto the ship. It is the largest ship in all of Legis.

“Thank you, Captain.” I say.

“Please, call me Zendoof.”

The interior resembles the hallways of the extravagant Legis castles lined with gold-framed paintings and marble statues. Zendoof is a whale of a man with a dark moustache that curls up towards his ears. He tells me about the paintings and I pretend to listen but my eyes search for the armor. He takes out a brass key and unlocks the door to his office. Ovis and Pecus stand guard outside. “Please get comfortable.” I settle into a wooden chair positioned in front of his desk. My eyes dart around the room. The office is clean except for one corner which is cluttered with maps and trinkets. My heart beats a little faster when I notice, pinned to the wall, a drawing of a triangle and flame. The symbol Caynar told me was on the armor.

“Are you familiar with the Maz-Loh Flame?” I’m caught staring just a little too long.

“Not exactly.”

“Well, I’m a bit of a fanatic.” He says excitedly as he sits down across from me. “Hundreds of years ago, the great Mage Maz-Loh was among the first Masters of the League of Light. A powerful collective of warriors who fought to maintain order and hope in a world filled with chaos and despair. After years of fighting, the League of Light accepted that they could not protect everyone everywhere. Then Maz-Loh realized the League’s destiny was not to protect others but to teach others how to protect themselves against the constant ups and downs of life. Against the evil spirits that invade our minds and trick us into settling for less than what we deserve. And most importantly, protecting our inner flames from being blown out.

“He traveled throughout the archipelago and beyond. It is said that upon each island he visited, he erected a magic fireplace to hold energy from his very own inner flame. As long as the Maz-Loh Flame continued to burn on the island, the people of that island would always find the light in the darkness. They would continue to dream and realize their true potential.”

“Is there a flame here on Legis?”

“Well unfortunately, the enemy learned of these flames and set out to extinguish them all. And it seems they succeded. Part of my job as Captain of the Dreamcatcher, in addition to seeking new trade routes for Legis, is to find the remains of these flames. Whoever controls an island’s flame, controls the island. For a long time, I had no luck.” My heart drops. “That is, until you washed up here.”

“What do you mean?” I say a bit too eager.

“The day after you arrived, I found that sword at the market.” He points to the sword on my belt. “I also found this.” He stands up and pulls a lever revealing a hidden compartment in the wall. He extracts the golden armor and holds it up for me to see. “This symbol here gave me hope again. After buying your things, I waited patiently for you to regain your memory but my patrons are growing impatient. I had Leptan bury your sword on the beach last night and, just as I planned, it reignited something inside of you.”

“But I’m nobody.”

“You’re the key to finding the Maz-Loh Flame.”

“How could you know?”

He stands up and walks to a door leading outside to a balcony at the back of the ship. I follow him outside. “You see those Slate?” He points towards the sky.

“Stars? So what?”

“You may not have noticed, but here in Legis, stars are rare. They say stars are guides for dreamers. Over time, since the island’s flame was extinguished, the people of Legis have given up their dreams and the stars gave up shining. These two stars appeared last night, the same night you found your sword. The same night you dreamt of the blue fire.” He speaks slow and deliberate. “Those stars are for you.”

“So what do you want from me?”

“It’s simple really.” He says excitedly. “Stars shine only as long as dreamers are around to chase the light. I’d bet this ship that they’re leading you directly to the Maz-Loh Flame.”

“You want me to help you find it?” I ask, growing uneasy by the way he’s looking at me.”

“Sorry Slate, but no.” He nods at one of his guards behind me. “I just need you to stay alive long enough for me and my men to find it first.” As he says it I feel someone huge grab me from behind. I try to draw my sword but can’t move my arms. I kick wildly trying to push off of something or hit someone.

“Throw him in the brig and chain him up, but keep him alive.” Zendoof orders and leaves me struggling on the balcony.

A few more moments of fighting and I realize there is no way I am going to break free. I stop flailing and think of another way to escape.

“Nice try Slatey, but you’ve nevva been a match for me.” I know that voice. I turn around and hope returns.

“I’ve never been so happy to see you Greylin!” I shout a little too loud.

“Stay quiet Slatey.” Greylin cautions with a smile. “Leptan came to get me and told me all about Zendoof’s plan to lock ya up. I snuck on board and knocked out those two guards. This is about as far as our plans go so I hope you got somethin’ up your sleeve.”

Zendoof’s door swings open. Ovis and Pecus are awake and pissed off. Up above in the crow’s nest, the lookout begins shouting to the others. Greylin holds off Ovis and Pecus while I search for another way off the ship. He grabs one of the guards by the shoulders and tosses him like a toy over the side.

“Can you swim Greylin?” Before he can answer, I pull him over and we follow the guard into the water below.

≈

The Source Sea carries us back to shore right back to the old water-logged tree trunk. Before tonight I’d think it just chance that brought me back to the place where I washed up years ago and where I rediscovered my dream. But I know better now. crawling out of the water I hear grumbling to my right. Greylin spits up some water and turns over on his back in the sand.

I tell him about my dream and what Captain Zendoof said. “Look those two stars right up there.” I say pointing. From the beach we can see the stars shining just above the Northern Forest at the opposite end of the island. “But how am I supposed to get there? And what about my armor?”

“You’ve come this far without your armor Slatey boy.”

“All that I have known here on Legis has been erased again. I don’t know who to trust or where to go.”

“Just trust yourself and follow those stars. Go finish what you started. Don’t let the demons in your head get in your way. If you stay hungry life can be greater than you ever imagined.

We hear horses approaching. Zendoof’s men found us. I stand and draw my sword ready to fight my way off this beach. But only one horse comes out of the forest onto the beach.

“A lot of nerve you have coming here Leptan.”

Leptan jumps off his horse and hugs me. “I had no idea what my father was planning until it was too late. I’m sorry. There’s no time for apologies. Take my horse and get out of here. And take this.” He shoves the golden armor into my hands. I look to the armor and then back at Leptan and Greylin, confused and surprised. Ask and its mine, I was beginning to see what Greylin meant in the tavern. I mounted Leptan’s black horse and raced towards the stars without looking back.

≈

I follow the stars for most of the night, and approach the outskirts of the Northern Forest. I’ve never been to this side of the island. I remember Greylin’s joke about the demons Phobius and Dubio and hope he was actually joking. Beyond the forest is a small mountain. If I can just make it there, maybe I will find what I came here for.

Shaking off the ghost stories, I prod the horse to continue on. The dense trees block out the light from the full moon. The darkness is like a blanket that swallows everything beyond my horse’s nose like entering a cave. The silence is oppressive, not even crickets chirp in the blackness. We walk very slow unable to see where we’re going. The slow procession through the dark brings a tidal wave of thoughts. I am hopeful that I will find the answers at the top of that mountain. But what if I don’t like the answers? What if I must start all over? What if all of this was for nothing?

My mind reels with negativity. I need to shake my head a few times to cut off the thoughts. I am confident the answers will be exactly what I need to hear. I am not afraid of beginning again. But am I worthy of a fresh start? Am I really the right person for this journey? I’m a nobody, a lost, delusional drifter.

“Get out of my head!” I scream into the darkness. my heart is racing now. I can’t see them, but I know my enemies are present. I draw my blade and look around for signs of them. I hear laughter ahead of me. More laughter from behind. If the Maz-Loh Flame was real, I should have known the demons Phobius and Dubio would turn out to be true too.

A light glows to my right. It is a sinister green flame. The flame shoots towards my face and I dodge it at the last moment. I turn to see the flame burning on an arrow lodged into the tree beside my head. More green flames begin glowing throughout the forest. There’s no time to waste, I kick the horse hard and we sprint through the darkness.

“There’s no escaping your fate young warrior.” Phobius calls out.

“You do not have what it takes to pass through this forest.” Dubio shouts.

The storm of flaming arrows whizzes past my head. The horse lets out a sharp whinny and we both go down hard. In the green blaze I see an arrow found its way through the horse’s heart. I jump up and run on. I run and I pray that the armor is strong enough to deflect the arrows. The arrows stop flying but I continue running. Up ahead I see the shape of a man. His head seems to be engulfed in green flames. “You have failed young warrior. You have let your friends down.” Phobius calls out from the fire.

I stop and turn back, maybe I can make it back out of the forest. But a second figure, Dubio stands behind me.

“You were never strong enough to succeed. You should have stayed in the Legis Arena where you belong.” Dubio taunted.

I thought back to Caynar saying we are responsible for our own paths. I thought about Zendoof saying those stars were for me. They appeared to lead me to my dream. I thought about Greylin’s words, Life will be greater than I ever imagined.

I felt the power of courage, hope and faith surge through my body. Reacting to my energy, the golden armor shined like the sun illuminating the dark forest. Phobius and Dubio charged at me from both sides. “I am ready to accept my fate” I shouted gripping my sword, “but my journey is far from over.” My sword explodes with the burning blue light I saw in my dream. Stunned, Phobius and Dubio shield their eyes from the light as I cut them both in half.

≈

The forest opens at the foot of the mountain. Without a second for thought or rest, I climb the mountain. On my way, I take stock of what I know for sure. I am not the same man I was yesterday or the day before. I know I have a purpose but do not yet know what it is. Like riding the horse in the darkness, I must focus only on the next step and have faith that the path will be revealed when the timing is right.

After a full day’s climb under a baking sun, I finally reach the summit. A large glass pyramid sits there patiently. It looks so serene and natural, as if it grew straight out of the mountain itself. I approach the glass structure. It towers over me. There is a large door through which I can see stacks of fire wood. I draw my sword and with a single thought, the blue flame comes to life around the blade. I touch the flame to the wood which catches fire instantaneously. The flame grows to fill the entire pyramid. Back in the arena, the people of Legis watch the sparkling light on top of the mountain. The Maz-Loh Flame.

≈

On the other side of the mountain, I find a beach and a small boat. My journey on Legis has come to an end, but I know there are more places in need of light. So I set sail as the sun sets. Drifting away from shore I see the sky above Legis Island glittering with stars. The people of Legis are dreaming again. Finally, I see my own two stars still dancing above the moon, guiding me to my next adventure.