Neussul spoke next. “I tend to agree with Master Maomran. We take a chance letting this young man roam around on his own. Were he to be here, we could train and protect him. The brotherhood is thin. We have not seen many who have the potential to join the high council in a long time.”
“True, there is risk,” Zhimosom replied. “But there is always risk. Here we could protect and train him, but I feel that out on the road, undertaking our work, is the best place for this young man.”
“You’ve spent time with the young man, Rotiaqua, what are your thoughts?” Neussul asked, taking his seat once again.
Rotiaqua rose again. She looked weary as she leaned on her staff. “I am not usually the one to make rash decisions or to throw out time honored approaches, but in this, I tend to agree with Master Zhimosom. The boy is unique, in my long experience. I have not seen one awaken and come to power so quickly. He could be a valuable asset to our cause even while he’s learning and growing in his powers.”
She raised a hand in caution to forestall any objection before continuing. “He will need close observation, to make sure he’s maturing along the lines the brotherhood wishes. He could still fall in with the priests, however strong his hatred of them. His subversion is a potential threat we must avert.
“Master Zhimosom, you were going to take his training on as a personal matter?” she asked, seating herself against the oak once more.
“I have already begun,” Zhimosom replied. He looked carefully at each of the others. “Are we of one mind in this, then?” he asked.
One at a time the wizards assented. Once again, they all vanished, except Rotiaqua.
“Are you certain this is the right course?” she asked Zhimosom once the room was clear.
“Certain?” he asked. “No, not certain, but I feel this is the best approach. It will not be easy on either of us, I fear.”
“Did you help him at the river? Or was that all his doing?”
“Only a touch. He did most of it himself. I supplied ideas and concepts, mere hints of what he could do. I supplied no power to assist him. It was all his doing.”
“I taught him to draw power from the fireplace and the room around him,” she explained. “He extinguished the fire and froze one of the pots hanging in the fireplace. He managed a single copper coin out of the effort.
“I had to relight the fire and restore the pots to room temperature before we were spotted. A priest showed up shortly after that, asking about the boys.”
“Do you think he suspected?” Zhimosom asked. His oversized white eyebrows contracted across his wrinkled brow.
“I am sure he did,” she replied. “I was carrying some pretty strong shields. Regardless, we got out of there as quickly as we could.”
“This explains your presence in the forest instead of a comfortable inn, I take it?” Zhimosom asked with a smile.
“We all have to make sacrifices,” she said. “We left abruptly and are making good time.”
“You sent the boy northward?”
“Yes, he’s off on the trail alone tonight.”
“I think I’ll allow him a good night’s rest tonight. I’ll contact him tomorrow.”
“You’re not tired already, are you?” Rotiaqua asked.
“Only slightly,” Zhimosom replied. “Only slightly, but I fear the worst is yet to come.”
“Of that, I have no doubt. It’s what keeps us young.”
Rotiaqua’s form faded into mist and vanished from the chamber. Zhimosom sat at his table in contemplation, with only the flickering candle light to provide illumination.
“Nothing for it,” he muttered, pulling another heavy book from the shelf behind him; he opened it on top of the one already there. This one held maps of the known world, illustrating where each town and village might be found and what the political and social conditions were at each location.
“So, my boy, where will we send you?” he asked himself.
He contemplated the map for a while, flipping the heavy pages back and forth, pondering. Finally, he slapped the book shut and returned it to the shelf from which he had extracted it.
“I hope we both survive this, young Lorit,” he muttered as he extinguished the candle and pushed his chair back.
Lorit made his way through the Muistur Forest keeping to the minor trails. Each night, he spent time practicing with the staff that Rotiaqua had given him. Just when he was starting to feel restless, the forest abruptly ended. Lorit looked down the hill on a town that was several times larger than Mistbury Tye was. The main street was straight and dotted with buildings that spewed smoke into the early afternoon sun.
The temple of Ran sat in the center of town, as always. This one was larger and more elaborate than the one in Mistbury. Lorit scanned the area for a likely place to get some food that he hadn’t killed himself and for a place to sleep that wasn’t hard ground.
He made his way down the narrowing lane towards the first of the taverns. The street was lined with carts selling vegetables, nuts, bread and the occasional cart filled with smoked or hanging meat.
“Care for some fresh bread, son?” called an old woman standing behind a dilapidated cart filled with a few meager loaves of brown bread.
Lorit was reminded of Shandyl, who’d first pointed him towards the stables in Mistbury Tye. He examined the loaves and decided on one that looked particularly fresh.
“Thank you, kind sir,” she replied, taking the proffered copper and quickly stashing it in a hidden pocket in her dress.
Lorit strolled down the market street breaking off chunks of bread and eating them as he went. It was only slightly stale but tasted delicious after several days in the forest with nothing but game and a few roots to eat.
On the corner was a young man about Lorit’s age. He stood on a discarded crate so that he was visible above the thronging crowd. The young man wore a long brown robe with the hood pulled back. It was secured in the middle by a stained and frayed red rope. He waved his arms wildly and flicked his hand. Suddenly, there was an apple in his outstretched hand.
Lorit stopped to watch the show, leaning against the building across the street corner. The young man gestured once more. There was a flash of thick black smoke and the apple disappeared. The sparse crowd surrounding him departed as the young man called after them, “Magic, sirs and madams. Magic performed right before your very eyes!” He gestured towards a battered copper cup on the ground. “Surely that’s worth a copper or two?”
One or two individuals stopped and tossed a copper into the cup, most just walked away.
Lorit crossed the street and walked up to the young man. As he approached, the youth stepped off the crate. He was about Lorit’s height, fair of face with short brown hair. He turned as Lorit approached.
“Magic, kind sir?” he asked.
“Sorry, not today,” Lorit replied.
“The name is Enat,” the young man replied.
“I am interested in how you do that. Do you care to share?”
“Sorry, a Wizard is sworn to secrecy,” Enat replied. He reached down and picked up the battered copper cup. He rattled it a bit then poured the coins out into his hand. He pocketed the coins, then the cup, and stooped down to pick up the crate he’d been using as a stage.
“Are you a wizard?” Lorit asked.
“Yes, I’m a wizard! I’m a Free Wizard, although I’m only an apprentice.”
“Where did you learn?” Lorit asked, following Enat as he started down the street.
“I pick things up where I can,” Enat answered. “Why do you ask?”
“I want to learn magic. Can you show me where you learned these things?” Lorit asked.
Enat continued walking without replying for nearly a block. Finally, he turned back to Lorit and said, “Why do you want to learn these things?” he waved his arm through the air encompassing the whole world. “What will you give to learn these things?” he continued holding his free hand out as if accepting coins.
“I have nothing to give,” Lorit replied.
“How about your staff? That looks like a nice staff for a wizard.” He eyed Lorit’s staff longingly.
“No,” Lorit replied clutching it closer to him. “Not my staff... I have meat fresh from the forest.”
“I don’t need any meat,” Enat replied. “But there is one thing I could use your help with.”
Enat reached into his sleeve and pulled out a roll of parchment that was tied with a red ribbon. It was stained and flattened from wear. He untied the ribbon and unrolled the parchment. It contained strange symbols that Lorit did not recognize.
“Do you know what this is?” Enat asked Lorit.
“I’m not familiar with these symbols.”
“I’m sure you’re not. These are the ancient runes of the Free Wizards. They carry power beyond most people’s understanding. They’re sacred and passed only from master to apprentice.”
Enat guided Lorit down the alley off the market street. It was dark and dingy, with debris and discarded crates strewn about. They dodged the trash as they made their way along.
“Where did you get that?” Lorit asked.
“Where do you think I got it?” Enat answered. “I stole it.”
“Stole it! Where did you steal it from?”
“From the old priest. That’s where we’re going, to get more of these,” he said as he rerolled the scroll and tucked it back into his sleeve. “That’s where I need your help.
“I need you to help me sneak into the old man’s place and gather a few more of these. They’re valuable and powerful, and he’s senile and won’t miss them,” he explained. “The priest is old and decrepit. His magical powers are all used up. He can’t run after us. We can take whatever we want and make off with it before he can summon help.”
“I’m not sure about this,” Lorit answered. “We shouldn’t have to steal to obtain magic, it should be freely given.”
“Have you ever seen a priest give anyone anything?” Enat asked. He stopped and confronted Lorit, hands on his hips.
“No,” Lorit replied. “I never have.”
“Well, there you go.” Enat turned and headed down a side street that was lined with dilapidated buildings. Gnarled old trees shaded the street and gave it a dismal gloom as the day faded.
They waited in the shadows as, one by one, the lights came on in each house. Lamp light flicked in the windows as the occupants prepared for the night. When dusk had set in, they crept up to the house Enat had pointed out earlier.
“I will open the door, sneak in and get the documents. He keeps them in a drawer in his study,” Enat explained.
“What am I supposed to do?” Lorit asked.
“You keep lookout.”
“I don’t think this is such a good idea.” Lorit looked the house over. It was old and ill maintained. There was light coming from only one window, and by the flickering, it appeared to be the fireplace.
“There’s nothing for you to worry about,” Enat whispered. “You just keep a lookout and holler if anyone comes.”
“I still don’t like it,” Lorit answered.
“You want to learn magic, don’t you?”
“Yes, but I don’t think this is the right way.”
“You’re free to go if you want to, but then there’s nothing for you when I get out,” Enat finally declared. He turned and headed for the door.
Lorit decided to wait and watch even though he knew that what Enat was doing was wrong. He crouched beneath a bush just to the side of the house, where he could see the walkway and the door.
He saw a figure approaching, far up the street. The Priest wore a long robe and carried a staff. Lorit wasn’t sure if the figure was headed for the house, or just passing by. He waited silently hoping for the best.
“You, there!” a voice yelled. “What are you doing there?”
Lorit froze trying to decide the best response as he scanned the area for an escape route. Suddenly, he felt as if ropes had been wrapped around him, and were slowly tightening in place. He struggled, but was unable to move his arms or legs, and fell over as he lost his balance. He tried to shout out, but something seemed to cover his mouth.
The figure strode over to where he lay and looked down at him. “I will be back in a moment for you. For now, just rest there while I check out the house and see what your friend is up to.”
Lorit could hear the door open. The figure called out again, “Whatever you’re looking for, you’ve decided to look in the wrong place.”
Lorit struggled against the bonds, but was unable to make any headway. He lay there and listened. At first, there were a number of crashing sounds, as if Enat was winning his escape, but they suddenly died down. He could hear the voice again from inside the house say, “Well, well, well. We’ve finally caught the little thief.”
Lorit heard the muted sounds of a struggle, but no response from Enat. The voice continued, “We have your friend outside all trussed up and ready for the Patrollers, but for you, I think something more is in order.
There came the sound of a raging fire and muffled screams from the inside of the house. The light emanating from the windows flared brightly and subsided. After Lorit’s vision recovered, the only light remaining was the flickering of the fireplace.
He could hear the sounds of footsteps cross the house and knew the priest was on his way back outside to deal with him at his leisure.
The Patrollers arrived shortly and claimed Lorit. They trussed him with real rope and tossed him into the wagon. The priest stood watch over the process. “Take him to the temple and turn him over to the guards,” he instructed them. “We have some special interrogation planned for this young man.”
“Yes, Father, we’ll transport him there straight away,” the Patroller responded.
“And make sure he arrives unharmed,” the priest added. “I reserve that for myself.”
“Right away,” the patroller replied. He jumped up into the seat of the wagon and jerked the reins. The horses lurched forward, throwing Lorit off his knees onto his side.
Lorit was bounced around uncomfortably for some time before the wagon came to a stop. The Patroller stepped down from his seat and came to the rear of the wagon, where Lorit lay. Two temple guards arrived. One carried a brass lantern that illuminated the wagon.
The first guard rolled him onto his back. “Cut his legs free,” he said. “I’m not carrying this prisoner all the way to his cell. He’s walking.”