[Valier]

Eoln tended to the fire and brought a hot cup of steaming tea to the lone adventurer. "Come now friend, you must be tired. I have readied a place for you to sleep as we await the others. I beg you please do not tell anyone that you have won, just wait for Berrick..." Eoln took the stumbling traveller to a soft bed made from tree boughs, not far out of the light of the fire. "But when will I meet Berrick? and when will...." "Hush now!!" Eoln interrupted the winner. " All your questions will be answered in time." Eoln put his finger to his lips, winked and was gone. The tired victor snuggled down into the comforting boughs. The lovely scent of the Elf still lingered long after he was gone. This lulled the adventurer off to sleep.

One by one the other adventurers began to appear, and one by one Eoln whisked them away to lovely scented beds of their own. Each traveller did not know weather he himself had won, Eoln said nothing, just hushed them, like he had the others and sent them to bed.
The moon was high in the evening sky when the last Adventurer made his way into Eoln's camp. They too were sent off to bed. The fire died down and all was quiet.




The dawn broke with such vibrancy and colour that each traveller awoke as if they were being silently called to awake. There sat at the now roaring fire, a bent, cloaked figure. All around the fire sat large logs fashioned into benches. A large pot sat bubbling away as the bend figure reached to stir it's contents.

"Do not be afraid! Come my friends, come sit and let's talk while I still have time"
The voice that came from beneath the cloak was calm but commanding at the same time. There was a shuffling of feet and a loud cough, but they all managed to find a seat. Everyone stared in awe and waited....and waited for the man to speak again. Then when they thought they could wait no longer the bent man lifted his hands and threw off his cloak and stood.
There stood a man of great age, bent from his life of travel. His eyes...his eyes were still young, like the blue skies on a clear sunny day. His body was wasted away and they began to wonder how he could even stand.

"I am Berrick" with that he sighed. " I know you all not, but in my heart I know you each intimately....I too had the lust for adventure and fortune. I have obtained these things....."He slowly went on, pondering each word before he spoke. He winced. Eoln appeared as if from nowhere and was at the old man's side to help him return to a sitting position.

" As you can see I have not long for this world......I will get straight to the point...." He sighed again, as if all the talking was making him tired. "I have wasted my life on treasure and adventure....Only now, do I regret not having had anyone to share my joys and sorrows with. I never married, never sired children....my only true friend is Eoln here....for what reason I know not, and he will accept no gold or riches from me, no matter how many times I try to sneak some into his belongings!!" With that Berrick gave a loud hearty laugh that gave way to a fit of coughing. Eoln again rushed to his side. "Sir you can not do this now!! You need rest!" "Rest? Rest! that is all I do now....no I must finish this now before it is too late....." His eyes wandered to the faces of the people around him, they simply sat and waited.

"Well enough babble....." Berrick reach out now to Eoln. "It is time." Eoln nodded his head and quickly ran to fetch a large woolen package. He handed it to the frail man, who bent even further under it's weight. Eoln winced, but stood still as he had earlier been instructed. With a dramatic swoop at the right moment, Berrick whipped the blanket from what lie beneath.

There he held a large Dragon trophy made of gold. It shimmered in the rising sun. He raised it as high as he could manage into the air and shouted...

"Thin-Gloomy Dwarf of the Misty mountains....You and only you have won this task I had set before you. I present you with this!!....." He handed the statue to the waiting Dwarf. "As well as everything I own, which Eoln will discuss with you later. And here is the map. The only map of where the hoard is hidden. I have hired some help for you to carry it where you like." He struggled for a moment, then clasped the Dwarf by the shoulders and held him close for a brief moment." I say this to you now and to all of you..." He swept his hand towards the astonished others. "Do not waste it!! Do not throw your life away as I did mine!! Settle down...Start a family... Enjoy every minute until the last....Have no regrets....." He turned towards the others. " I congratulate you all!! I am so proud of each and everyone of you for making it this far.I hope even though you did not win, you take away something from this great journey you have travelled, whether it be self confidence, or friendship.....or perhaps even love....."

The great man's legs faltered and wavered and he fell crashing to the ground. Eoln was there in a flash, and cradled the men's head in his lap.. " The travellers gasped and fell quiet.

"I Have to go...." He whispered. " I cannot linger any longer. I have waited......waited so long for this moment......" His eyes fluttered. " Goodbye..... and may you heed my advice." With that his vivid eyes dulled and closed. Everything fell silent. Noone moved. The silence was split by the wails of Eoln. His lamentation for this man...his friend was great. He turned to the travellers and almost yelled..." Go now, back to your own lives!! But forget this man not!! for he was wise and noble and great no matter what he may have thought! Take these." He tossed eight small hefty bags to each of the losing travellers." He felt so much for you all that he could not bare the thought of any of you going away with nothing to start your new lives with." Eoln's voice cracked. "You Thin-Gloomy, you will see on your map the very house that Berrick lived in, this is now yours. I shall meet you there to discuss your fortune. And to you all I bid you farewell, You are all great Adventurers...do not forget that. Just do not let that be your only life.."


Eoln lifted the body of the frail man and wrapped him in his cloak. He looked once to the sky, then back to the adventurers, and he was gone.

The race was over. Just like Berrick's life. But the lives of the Nine had just begun.