The Mountain of the Burning Bear

Once the sword thrust too far, hoping for a swift resolution, yet Arathmus perceived the flaw I his perfection and struck out in a perfect symmetry. And Danthanar parried the glowing blade for the flaw had not come to fruition. Again Arathmus struck out and was again parried by a perfect response. But on the third strike was Danthanar hewn and thus he fell to the earth.

The bodies of Gods and Angels are not that of mortals of course and Danthanar had one more seed of evil to plant before he fled. Fleeing his body, he whispered poisonous advice to Dalanus, who yet still lived and he was indeed filled with an undying rage. While the cults and their dark angels fled the force of a God unopposed, he made his way to the summit. For even with the defeat of his God, he could not accept his own, and he wished to prove his worth before certain death.

On the battlefield he strived, climbing higher into the sky, when lo, an angel was there, and bonds of air interwoven by the magic of the heavens restrained him. Yet, a powerful mortal was he, perhaps the strongest, and the bonds were cast aside by his fury. And drawing his sword up into the air, he pierced the angel’s heart and cast the beautiful body onto the bloodied battlefield for all to see. And then the other angels were afraid and he was not impeded in the quest for the summit.

Arathmus did greet him there amid a throng of angels and Fanalain was present. Arathmus knew no fear and demanded words for the killing of heavenly pride. Yet words entered not the mind of Dalanus, nor did they enter the mind of Fanalain, save only to request that the hand of immortals would not interfere with the coming duel. And so the duel began upon the summit of the Burning Bear, even though the battle had been won by righteous glory.

The duel was the greatest of all mortal fights and it was regarded and recorded by the immortals that stood around. The heavens clashed when their swords collided and the earth shook at the beat of their feet. Both were weary from their labours, but honour did arouse them anew into greater labours. Their shields were soon lost to the battle that they alone inflicted and each had his turn of strength and weakness. But the rage in Dalanus was greater and he severed the head of the great knight in a blow of almighty and almost godly power. For, together with Fanalain, he was the closest mortal to divinity that lived.

Arathmus became aggrieved to a greater extent at the death of his most loyal servant, yet his hand had been stayed by Fanalain’s previous request for honour. Once more he asked the exhausted knight about the slaying of an immortal beast. Yet the fallen knight looked upon the head of his foe and wept in memory of their lost friendship. And then he turned to the God and uttered words of blasphemy so terrible that the angels around wept in their meaning. Yet to Arathmus is meant nothing and with one gesture the God extinguished the life of Dalanus and sent him to his master. To Fanalain, a memorial was erected at his resting place upon the summit and the mountain took the animal of his crest to its name; the bear. From the events of those days it has been remembered that even among the greatest of victories can come the greatest of tragedies as well.