The Destiny of Amalah (39 page)

‘Good morning,’ they said in unison.

‘Robert has convinced me to listen to your story, of how you climbed Qomo. He says Kenaz told him everything so I think you should tell me everything too,’ Garrick said looking at his sons intensely as he took a chair and sat down at the table.

He beckoned for his sons to sit down and they did, looking nervously at each other but Robert winked at both boys and nodded his head, assuring them that things would get better. Rakan and Kalon recounted the story back to their father and Robert who was just as spellbound and enthralled the second time he heard it.

Garrick listened intently as his sons told them of their feat through Qomolangma and how they reached the top. They told Garrick about the avalanche and what had happened to Rufus and Waldon and how they saved each other, and they explained how they felt when they were on top of Qomolangma and what the view was like. They told him of the people in the east of Santeb and then Rakan told of Mantor and how Kalon saved Waldon and nearly died himself but didn’t and Garrick was taken aback to learn of Kalon’s nearly fatal encounter with the deadly mamba and surprised that his son had nearly given up his life for another without hesitation.

‘It wasn’t Qomo that nearly proved fatal to your youngest; it was a snake in Mantor,’ Robert added.

‘The point?’

‘Perhaps nowhere is safe and no one gets the final say on when our lives end.’

Garrick listened as Kalon and Rakan continued to tell their stories of their journeys until they arrived back in Amalah. Garrick and Robert sat in silence. Robert was in awe once again and Garrick sat there thinking.

‘Robert is right,’ Garrick said. ‘You were brave and you have gone on to become young men and I respect the fact that, despite your fear and hunger and cold, you went on and conquered your fear and conquered Qomo. All six of you proved your courage and your grit to yourselves, each other and to me. But it still does not change the fact that your decision to do so was extremely stupid and reckless – Gangay even warned you so. I am not saying this to take the courage of Qomo or achievement away from you, I am saying this because you are my children and I love you, with all of my heart and I always will, but I need to know that when I leave you alone, or when you leave Amalah, you will take care of yourselves and each other and not engage in such risks.

I do not want either one of you to lose your lives so recklessly or so unnecessarily, it would be such a waste; both of you are so gifted and so young and have so much to live for,’ he said passionately. ‘And I know that as your father, I do not want to outlive either of my sons. That would be a fate far too terrible for me to bear and I know I could not face another day if I lost either one, or both of you.’

The two boys watched and listened to their father speak; they saw his passion, his love, his fear and his vulnerability and they saw how much he loved them and how much it pained him at the thought of losing them.

‘I am truly sorry,’ Kalon said, rushing to his father to hug him. Garrick hugged his son tightly and closed his eyes as he held on to his youngest.

‘I love you Kalon and I always will.’

‘I love you too father.’

‘I am sorry father,’ Rakan said, remaining in his chair. He understood his father’s feelings now and he understood his anger but he still felt a little stung at having taken the brunt of his father’s wrath.

‘I love you Rakan.’

‘And I you father.’

‘Perhaps I have been somewhat harsh on you both. However the fact remains, Rakan you did defy me and Kalon, you may be the youngest but you still have a mind of your own. Rakan tend to the horses for two weeks and be back in the house by sunset everyday for a week. Kalon tend the horses for one week and during that time you too must be back in the house by sunset.’

‘Yes father,’ Kalon said, glad of the reduction and the abatement of his father’s anger.

‘Yes father,’ Rakan replied, also glad of the reduction but not at all happy for being punished for what he saw as an achievement of a lifetime.

Rakan and Kalon helped out the guard, they cleaned and kept the horses and spent what little time they had with their friends and returned to the house by sunset everyday for the first week.

Kalon could not apologise enough to Rakan and Ellora for landing them in so much trouble at the palace. He promised Rakan that he would help him with his chores, as it was his fault that he had been punished. Rakan reassured his brother that he was not angry and Ellora too assured Kalon that she was not angry with him for his slip.

In the second week Kalon held true to his promise and helped his brother tend the horses and work for the guard. When Rakan and Kalon had finished working, things returned to normal and soon the six friends were now back at the palace, taking lessons in the morning, but it was clear that all six of them had surpassed their teacher’s knowledge in many areas. Now, only Gaerwen could hold Rakan and Rufus’s attention as she taught them and Amara more magic.

‘Rakan, what herbs do we use for protection from evil?’ Gaerwen asked.

‘Acacia, ague root and bladder-wrack.’

‘Yes good. Amara, what do we use for scrying?’

‘Elfwort and crystal quartz.’

‘Yes. Rufus, for sight or psychic power, what would you use?’

‘Well it depends, you can use a combination,’ Rufus began.

‘Of?’

‘Uva ursa, damiana, bay leaves and bladder-wrack.’

‘Anything else?’

Rufus thought for a few seconds and then smiled before he answered. ‘Yes, lemon grass and sandalwood.’

‘Excellent,’ Gaerwen said, smiling at Rufus, to which Rufus blushed. ‘You are all coming along so well,’ she told them.

The three friends worked on their powers under Gaerwen’s close supervision. They could all throw fire and energy balls and they could all levitate. They were surprised to hear that few sorcerers had the power to expel energy and fire as they could and that those who were able were often very powerful.

Although the three had those powers in common, they each had individual powers too: Rufus could freeze people, Amara had the power of telekinesis and could throw objects and people with her arms and Rakan could teleport. As Gaerwen continued to teach and encourage them, they learnt how to make lotions and potions, and how to master more complex spells, which, for the most part were in Latin.

‘Your power is within you,’ she told them at one lesson. ‘But your hands are the expression of that power, bind a sorcerers’ hands and you bind his or her power: gag him too and he is fully bound – for spells need to be uttered.’

The three always listened to her carefully and she in turn, was always patient with them and as they spent their time together, she taught them how to bring their magic under control and how to harness their power properly.

As time passed, life in Amalah returned to some semblance of normality. The six were no longer to have classes anymore until a new teacher could be found and that would not be until the New Year, but then the six would separate for the first time in their young lives, but for now they were going to spend the next three months in Amalah city working in the palace in one way or another, or taking classes in magic, or escaping to the forests or country at the weekend.

The time passed by quickly for four of the friends but for Rakan and Rufus the time dragged; they missed the open and the freedom that they had had on their travels and they longed to be out in the open once again.

They were rather envious of Kenaz and Waldon, whose parents had given them all the freedom they wanted on their return; but Rufus and Rakan were still bound by rules and restrictions and as each day went by it would irk them even more.

‘I feel as though I am in a cage,’ Rakan complained to Rufus one day.

‘As do I,’ Rufus replied in a melancholy tone.

‘Father won’t even let me use any magic unless I am supervised,’ he said, sounding more peeved with every word that passed his lips.

‘Nor mine.’

‘I can’t wait to escape to Lansten to the school of sorcery, there I will be free.’

‘And there we can use our magic,’ Rufus said smiling.

‘Yes we can,’ Rakan said agreeing with his friend and smiling.

As time went by, the six came to terms with the fact that they were soon going to be separated and things would probably never be the same again, and so, as their time together grew less, they became more saddened with each passing day.

The four elder boys were looking forward to their new way of life but they knew that they would miss the present and miss it deeply. They were nineteen years old now and they had been in each others company since they were three and the longest time they had been apart since then was two weeks.

In the final weeks before they would separate, the four boys made their preparations and the six had dinner at each others houses and exchanged presents once again. It reminded them of when they were planning and preparing for their travels and sometimes they got excited, in the moments when they didn’t think about how much they would miss each other.

They held a final farewell dinner in the palace and everyone who was in attendance was in good spirits. The parents made speeches about their children and the hopes that they had for them and the six made speeches about each other, their friendship and their hopes for the future.

Rakan and Rufus were going to be the first to leave, and everyone was going to travel out with them to the outskirts of Amalah City and from there they would make their journey to Lansten. When the morning came: the six friends, Garrick, Häkan, Amara, Michael and Rufus set out to Amalah City and when they reached the edge of the city, they dismounted and said their goodbyes.

The six friends talked and hugged and kissed, and Kalon held onto his brother and the tears streamed down the younger brothers face.

‘Don’t cry little brother,’ Rakan said feeling emotional himself.

‘I will return soon and you can always visit me.’

‘It’s not the same though Rakan is it?’ Kalon said forlornly.

‘I know its not,’ Rakan replied. ‘But something’s will never change. You will always be my brother and I will always love you.’

‘I love you too,’ Kalon said.

The two brothers hugged one more time and Rakan smiled at his brother. ‘Take care and take care of our father and take care of Ellora,’ Rakan said, smiling once again before he turned to his father. ‘Father…’

‘Rakan stay safe my son. I wish you a good journey and I will miss you terribly when you are gone.’

‘I will miss you too father.’

‘I love you Rakan don’t every forget that.’

‘Never!’ Rakan said shaking his head.

Once again farewells were said and well wishes were given, and Kalon, Ellora, Kenaz and Waldon watched, as Rufus and Rakan rode off in the direction of the east. The four friends watched on until they were out of sight and they felt extremely sad as their friends disappeared. They held onto each other for comfort and support and out of solidarity for what was left of their once inseparable group of friends.

Another week had passed by and now; it was time for Waldon and Kenaz to leave. This time the farewells were said from Waldon’s house and only Kalon, Ellora, Amara, Garrick and their parents were there to say goodbye; this time the goodbyes were even more tearful as they realised that the six had now truly broken up. The next day Ellora and Kalon watched as Kenaz and Waldon rode off to north Amalah to train with the guard.

The two friends were inconsolable and cried on each others shoulders. Not only did they miss their friends and brother but they felt as though they had been left behind. Life at the palace and in Amalah City seemed quiet now that four of the boys had gone and Kalon and Ellora became inseparable from then on. They would spend time at the palace or at Garrick’s house, who was glad of their company and to have another child in the house, and wherever the two of them went, they went together.

‘I can’t believe they’ve gone,’ Ellora said one day, feeling rather crushed.

‘They haven’t even been gone a month and yet it feels like forever,’ Kalon replied, equally as glum.

‘Things will never be the same.’

‘I know. Waldon and Kenaz will be away for a
whole
year and Rakan and Rufus will be gone for three years.’

‘Forever!’ Ellora replied despondently.

***

Rakan and Rufus rode to Lansten together; it took them eight days and eight nights to reach the west of Lansten and when they arrived, winter was in full season. The two had packed their heavy blankets and winter clothes for they had been in Lansten before and they knew that where they were going, there were only three climates: cold, colder and freezing.

They reached west Lansten on a late afternoon and when they arrived, teachers from the school were there to greet them. They ushered them to a nearby green and instructed them where to stand. The two young men stood in the snow cleared green with their horses and belongings and they looked around with great curiosity.

They saw a few students scattered around, waiting anxiously for instructions or news as to what would happen next, and as they looked around they watched as more students were ushered into the green with their horses and their belongings. Rakan continued to survey his surroundings and noticed strange etchings on the ground that encircled him and everyone else and he pointed them out to Rufus.