Three brothers, Eldrin, Malric, and Kieran, travel along the lonely path. The horizon is a watercolor of fading light, and as they approach the river, the sound of water grows louder, a constant, threatening rush. The river is deep and treacherous, a barrier too dangerous to cross without aid.
"We've come too far to turn back now," Eldrin declares, his voice filled with determination.
Kieran, the youngest, nods quietly, while Malric, ever confident, smirks. Together, they raise their wands, weaving a bridge from thin air, its boards shimmering in the dying light.
As they reach the middle of the bridge, a figure cloaked in shadow blocks their path. It is Death, the embodiment of the inevitable, his presence chilling and ominous. The brothers halt, sensing the weight of his gaze upon them.
"We should be rewarded for our cleverness," Malric suggests, his arrogance evident even in the face of Death.
Death, cunning and sly, agrees, offering each brother a prize.
Eldrin, the eldest, desires a wand of unparalleled power, and Death obliges, crafting it from the branch of an ancient Elder Tree.
"With this, I shall conquer all," Eldrin boasts, his eyes alight with ambition.
For Malric, the middle brother, Death gives a stone that can recall the dead, a tool of profound arrogance.
"I shall defy even the grave," Malric declares, clutching the stone.
Kieran, the humble youngest, asks for a way to evade Death's pursuit. Death, with reluctance, hands over his Cloak of Invisibility.
"May it serve me well," Kieran murmurs, gratitude in his voice.
Eldrin journeys to a distant village, his mind set on proving his might. There, he challenges a rival wizard, wielding his new wand with destructive prowess.
"None can stand against me now," he declares, unaware that his boastfulness will soon lead him to a fatal end.
Malric, meanwhile, returns to solitude, the weight of the stone heavy in his pocket. He turns it thrice, longing to see the face of his lost love, only to find her ghostly form pained and distant.
"I have been a fool," he whispers, the realization too late as despair consumes him.
Kieran lives a life of quiet contemplation, the Cloak of Invisibility his constant companion. Death searches for many years, but never finds him.
"In the end, it is peace I sought," Kieran reflects in his old age, as he finally removes the cloak and passes it to his son.
When Death finally comes, Kieran greets him as an old friend, accepting the end with grace. Together, they leave the world, equals in the face of eternity.
