Thaylis and the Challenge of Pelar Parts I-II

Thaylis and the Challenge of Pelar
By Ammika Beign

There was once a hunter of Pelar. He was known as the Blade of Pelar and his name is Thaylis Beign. A man unlike most among the humans as he did not brag nor boast of his deeds but in fact downplayed them to those that spoke of them; a most humble example of a man. He has gifted a charm that expresses itself in his smile. A smile that causes young women to giggle with lust, matrons of families must noble to plot their daughter’s path into this life, and can even gain the attention of a fey. He had more than he could ever dream of having. He was granted a keep for service to his nation in the war, he started building something unlike the others in the lands were doing, and instead of taking the safe route to ensure his position by marrying into a noble family. He chased after a strange fey from the gardens of T’Nanshi to be his and he got her too. This story isn’t about that.

For you see, long before he met the fey and enchanted her with his smile. Just after the war, he fought for his nation had ended. He was a Dragon Rider of Elysia! He served under his adopted sister Skyla Silverstrike, one of the most feared huntresses in her own rights. They fought in many battles defending Elysia and her allies from harm. Until, a dark force hatched a plan, a foulest and dark plan. To destroy the Dragon Wing of Elysia for once and all! The Dragons were tricked and flew to Hel’Byssia where the madness of the Blue Star was still most strong and harmful. As they flew over the accursed place. A dark figure in the shadows stepped out and cursed the Dragons of Astoria. Cursed them to forget who they were and what they were taught. Instead of defenders of good and right with honor; they became twisted in the thoughts and actions and darkness clouded the minds of these Lost Ones.

One of these Lost Ones was known as Strephonius and his rider was none other than Thaylis himself. They shared a faith in Pelar’s ways and that made them instant friends and they're bound so much stronger. With his mind twisted in ways that were not him. Strephonius was not himself and became rash and unstable. Their friendship shattered in his mind and emboldened him to challenge his friend for his title granted to him by Pelar! This was done to the shock of many that witnessed it and later heard it. With the challenged issued. Thaylis couldn’t back down or he would look weak and undeserving of this title. So, he had to accept for he has honor even though he didn’t want to face one that he considered a brother. His sickness was known. He was cursed and not himself but didn’t matter.

This worried Thaylis’s Pixie something awful. For she knew about facing family of that sort and its never good. So, while attending the Solstice Star Party of that year. Santus asked her what she wished for on the star that brings froth Peace and Joy. As she told him of her wish, he picked up the little fey and placed her on his shoulders as she whispered in his ear about the challenge. Her lights went wide as he said a name. That name was Hawk and to bring him snacks. Then they watched the fireworks celebrating the season of peace and joy before he put her back on her feet. As the party broke up the Pixie spied many delightful snacks and treats for her friend Hawk. She ran all the way to the gates of Hel’Byssia and laid out the treats and snacks on her cloak before shouting out for HAWK as loud as her little lungs would let her. She shouted for some time but no Hawk. So she took a deep breath and shouted something about Marble’s skill in a physical contest and that he was lacking in. Wouldn’t you know it? The gates flung open and there stood Marble with a stern look upon his face. Even though he saw the offering of delightful snacks and treats from the party and had also heard the words of the Pixie; he still glared at her a moment.

See Marble doesn’t speak in words but in images and he should her a questioning image and she replied about the challenge to her beloved hunted and needing Hawk. In response Marble showed her a series of images of possible futures which made her grow sad in her heart then slightly confused as there was one of her jumping out a giant cake? Marble grinned and smiled but the Pixie just stared back at him then smiled. He then showed her an image of Hawk and nodded that the message would be given. He took a cupcake and retreated behind the gates. Help had been sought and found.

On the day of the hunt, Thaylis had a long talk with his Pixie about how it might go but she wouldn’t hear of it. She hugged and kissed him and looked after him and let him know that her heart was his heart and she is with him. With that, there was a sound upon the roof of the keep and they would discover it was Hawk. Who was going to be the official to oversee the challenge. Then they jumped into the air and Hawk took Thaylis to the Challenge of Pelar.

As the first challenge was stated, there was a stag in the forest and to hunt the beast in the ways of Pelar. Frist to leave the camp was Strephonius and he broke off the path and into the forest. What happened next isn’t known to any but Hawk and Strephonius, himself. But the result is known. Strephonius had slain the stag and now it was up to Thaylis to match him in the hunt. The brave hunter departed camp in nothing more than his hunting grab and his sword. He broke from the trail and prowled the forest before him in search of his prey’s tracks; which he did find in the soft ground. From that moment, he was feral and consumed with the hunt for the stag. Crawling across the ground, through the mud and muck, always staying downwind of his prey he was. Until the forest thinned out into a meadow. There in the meadow was his prey. The stag he sought to fall in the name of Pelar to prove himself worthy of his title. There was a problem, the stag was white! Seeing that clearly, Thaylis refused to kill the stag and returned to camp. As he returned to camp, Strephonius noticed that Thaylis was empty-handed and proclaimed himself the winner of the round. Yet, as Thaylis told of the Stag and its holy meaning to Hawk and that Strephonius had felled a white stag in his desire to win. The round was given to Thaylis as he had respected the hunt and Pelar by not harming the white stag.

After a short rest, the second challenge took place. To stalk the might bear and slay it. Like in the first round Strephonius headed out first and stalked his prey. How he did such isn’t known to us but the results are known. As when he returned to camp he had with him the pelts of the bear and her cub. With that proclaimed he had felled two such beasts. As Thaylis left camp to stalk his prey. After a while, he broke from the trail and into the forest. Like a hunter, he sought the signs of the prey and in time found them. Being cautions he followed the signs and they did, in fact, led him to a large bear. As he stalked the massive bear; following it from downwind to hid his scent and careful of step as to not alert the beast of his being. As he did, the massive bear lumbered into a cave, and soon so would Thaylis to face the massive beast in close quarters. This did happen and in a fight for both their lives. The hunter bested the bear for its life. As he looked around the cave in victory and started preparing the kill in the ways of Pelar; he heard a noise coming from a darkened shadow. As he approached it the shadow the ground dipped down into a shallow and thereupon the shadows were a cub. He had slain the mother of the cub, who would now die in the winter as she was too young to make it on her own. But he wasn’t conflicted with what to do. He honored Pelar with his kill of the mother bear and knowing that the cub represented the next generation. It must be saved to live. So, he wrapped the cub up and took her with him back to camp. Where Strephonius, saw this as a failure on behalf of Thaylis for not killing it and argued for the round to be his and his alone.

With the point given to Strephonius, they were tied and the final challenge was to hunt a bird. Naturally, this was Strephonius talent given his flight and began taunting Thaylis about this. As he did. Hawk went over to Thaylis and tucked a feather into the back of his hunting garb and as Strephonius leaped into air. So, did Thaylis as wings grew from the feather and the hunt was on! But Thaylis only had one prey in mind, Strephonius. There they both were halfway to the clouds and fighting each other hand and fist. Thaylis not wanting to kill his brother and Strephonius wanted to be the Blade of Pelar by all means necessary. They fought and climbed higher and higher as they only backed off enough to charge the other and force him down. Finally, in one such charge as they charged. Thaylis didn’t position himself to strike him but to grab him. Soon enough as he held on to Strephonius throwing punches with his free hand and trying to grapple him. He was able to force Strephonius to the ground and by Hawk’s own ruling. Thaylis had taken a mighty bird from the air.

With that Strephonius surrendered his life to Thaylis. Thaylis was unwilling to take it cause he knew Strephonius was not himself due to the curse. Was at this point that Thaylis gave Strephonius life but in doing so had Hawk put him to sleep and contained within a pebble from a very special river. As the Lost Ones, were just that, they were lost and doing things that weren’t in nature. With that Hawk and Thaylis took the air and flew to where it all started. The home of the hunter; where the Pixie had been pacing and wearing out the stairs going to look for signs of her beloved. The staff of the keep was more on edge cause of her nervousness and everyone was tense. Then a guard ran into the Great Hall and shouted that two figures were approaching in the air. The Pixie took to her feet and ran so fast, that her toes might not even have touched a stone as she rushed to the top of the tower.

There as she ran out the door and around the turret. They landed, Hawk first and then her beloved hunter. He had wings! He was dirty, caked in mud and blood and she embraced him like she hadn’t seen him in years. As she did, Hawk plucked the feather from Thaylis’s back and the feathers that made up his wings scattered in the winds above the keep. As Hawk coughed they parted slightly and he handed Thaylis a bundled up bearskin. Which he in turned gave to his Pixie. As she held it, it started to move and then a bear cub’s head popped out from the skin and licked her face to her delight. With that, thanks were offered to Hawk before he took to the air and headed back to Hel’Byssia. As the couple, went into the keep. So that the Hunter could reap the rewards of this hunt, in threes!



Strephonius was cured of the curse as were all the Lost Ones. In the time since then, he is a beloved member of House Silverstrike and a trusted soul of those that live at Drakehall. For his actions, were not of his making and cannot be placed upon him. These words are not written to insult him but as a tale of what happened and why. To tell of mercy and love even when the other is seeking one’s own death. That there is always room for mercy and understanding; with that, we respect our brother Strephonius greatly and know he is one of the finest hunters around. For Thaylis, he is no longer the Blade of Pelar. He has taken the mantle of Breath of Pelar as his own these days and hunts the lands for pray and foes. May Pelar bless them both and all hunters in their hunts.