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@denali-christianson

I was just scrolling through Tolkien quotes when I came up on this one. Some of my other favorite Tolkien quotes include, “Fly you fools!” and “You shall not pass!” (Huh, all my favorite quotes seem to come from Gandalf XD)

My post picks up right after the man says, “Rest easy, my children.”

ENYDD

I wanted to cry. Not from sadness but for joy. For amazement. For sheer wonder.

I stood before the one who had rescued me from myself and from whom I was becoming. The one who had opened my eyes.

“You have faced much death and hardship in this castle, and I imagine, much confusion. Although I cannot give you the answers to the riddle that is this castle, I have come to grant you a gift,” the man said. “In celebration of salvation’s sacrifice, I have been granted to opportunity to come and grant each of you one wish.”

“What’s the catch?” someone asked.

I marveled that the others could still talk. My mouth was sealed.

The man smiled. “The catch is, this castle has some strange rules to it, so I cannot just gift you a wish without you first proving your worth for it.”

“We have to earn it?” another person asked.

“No, you cannot earn it,” he said. “It’s a gift, but you need to prove your commitment to the castle before I am allow to gift it to you.”

“How do we do that?” Abirami asked.

“The castle has already set up the event,” said the man. “Around this room, there are hidden small eggs. Crack them open, and inside you will find a riddle. Answer the riddle, and I shall grant you one wish. My friends, if you look closely, you shall see that this room is not all that it seems. Now, one last thing, you are only allowed one wish each, so I suggest you each find one egg, and leave the rest for your fellow travelers.”

We scattered, patting the walls, lifting up rugs, and shaking the curtains. I moved through these motions mechanically. I glanced at the man. For the first time in years, I felt at home.

I laughed softly. I was only a few feet from the Truth, and here I was searching for an egg of all things.

“Abirami’s got one!” Ku squealed.

In his hand was an ornate egg. It glowed as purple swirls glided across its surface.

Abirami bowed before the man on the throne. “Is it alright to break it?”

“Abirami, your heart, as ever, is true and honest. You have my permission to break it. The riddle lies beneath,” the man replied with a gentle smile.

Abirami crushed the egg and drew out a slip of paper.

I speed you up, when you have no time, a thrush in a bush makes no rhyme. I cause mistakes when I’m by your side, but I push you back behind the line. What am I?

I snorted. What on Thrae was it talking about?

I wasn’t the only one confused by the riddle. The rest of the people fell silent as each pondered the answer.

“Oh, it’s football,” the armored man cried out suddenly.

Football?

“What’s football?” Abirami asked.

“It’s a sport. A game,” the man explained. “If you rush the quarterback, you can tackle him behind the line of scrimmage. It pushes the entire opposing team back for the next play. It’s called a QB rush.”

“I guess I’ll have to take your word for it.” Abirami turned to the man. “The answer is rush.”

“That is correct,” the man affirmed. “What is it you wish for?”

Abirami paused, sinking deep into thought.

“Be careful how you phrase and ask your wish, young Abirami, for the wish shall only be in accordance to how your wish is worded,” the man warned.

After another moment, Abirami finally spoke. “If possible, sir, would you grant each of us an elixir that will fully heal us, even from the brink of death.”

The man smiled. “You wished one for each of you, although you are strangers?”

I bowed my head. “Yes, I do, sir.”

“Your heart is your strength, Abirami, and your love and trust in the goodness of others and for that which is right shall bless you with dividends. It is a hard and difficult path you have chosen for yourself, but stay true, and your hardships shall produce diamonds along the path for you to walk on. Your wish is granted.”

A vial of crystallized, golden liquid appeared my feet. I picked it up and held it up. The liquid inside seemed radiate with light. I stepped forward to thank the man and Abirami for the gift, but as I did so, I stumbled over a bump in the ground.

“I think I found another one,” I announced shakily.

I crouched down and pulled an egg out from under the carpet. The egg was a calm, rolling blue with slivers of light appearing then disappearing on the surface.

Ignoring the people surrounding me, I carefully broke off the top of the egg and shook out another slip of paper.

“The more of me, the higher I go. The higher you go, the less of me you see. About everything moves by me, and never can I be slow,” I read aloud.

I sighed. Oh wonderful. This one didn’t make any sense either.

I shook my head. Being pessimistic wasn’t going to help me solve the riddle.

The riddle didn’t seem like it was describing any living thing or emotions. That only left the sort of stuff Ellis was always rambling about. The stuff that “effects our very existence even though we can’t see it.”

I racked my mind for his lectures. Was it oxygen? No, it wouldn’t match the first statement. What then?

“Hah!” I exclaimed. “That hot air balloon thing Ellis was talking about! It rose because of the heat from the fire! Remember?”

I was met by incredulous stares.

I was unfazed. “You know, the hot air balloon? From Kellentiad? The one…never mind.”

I read through the riddle again. Heat fit each of the descriptions. I grinned triumphantly. Ellis would be pleased that I finally recognized the value in his never-ending lectures.  I turned to the man on the throne. “My lord, it’s heat!”

The man chuckled. “You are correct. Now, what is your wish, Enydd?”

“Oh,” I gasped. “I forgot about that…” I bit my lip. My bag reminded me that I wasn’t in need of anything except stain removal, but I wasn’t about to ask for that. I surveyed the people around me. Should I ask for food? Water?

“Sir,” I began hesitantly. “I ask for strength for each of us to make the right decision in the face of trials that we will face.”

“It is granted, Enydd, but you must know that not everyone will want this gift. People will not be forced to make the right decision.”

I nodded. “Understood.”

“Enydd?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“A good and faithful servant you have been. Continue in what you are doing, and remember, I am with you always.”

Joy welled within me. “Thank you,” I murmured.

“Here’s another one,” someone said. “People and animals have me and can never escape me. Music, painting, and characters fall flat without me. My influence on your choices is strong though you may not realize it. What am I?”

 

I came up with this riddle today, and if it’s too vague, feel free to change it. Hint: this thing cannot be seen, tasted, smelled, or heard though it can be felt (in the broadest sense of the word)