White Hall (The High King: A Tale of Alus Book 10) (42 page)

Sighing at the girl, Ylena replied, “You aren’t the first to complain or have trouble learning the words of power. Common might work for basic mage spells, but the truly powerful magic requires tapping into something beyond the basic world around you.

“Once you’ve spent a few years studying magic, you will understand what the words mean. Some you will discover match our common speech easily, though others will just hold more of a feeling that might be equal to two or three words or an entire phrase. Then you may even get to the point where you can work with the words of power making your own spells or learning short hand for the same magic using those command words.”

Few people in Southwall needed to learn another language. Nothing beyond common was taught in the town schools and few even in Hala learned of languages beyond their land’s. Common was spoken in most of the north and a large part of Taltan the continent where most of their ancestors had once lived. While there were supposed be area dialects that almost seemed like a foreign language there, it just didn’t matter to a girl born near the center of her nation.

Alec had knocked all three of his targets onto the ground and was working with the air to try and push the balls around in the grass which was just beginning to turn green and grow again. The air novice was certainly more at home with this spell than she was. Since Katya was predisposed to use coercion magic and not air, the elements which would be everyone’s primary focus when they weren’t specializing with their personal mentors, would be more of a challenge. Of course, when they moved from element to element, most had difficulty with the foreign feel of the spells and had to work harder outside of their comfort zone.

“What do you think of Magnus’ display of magic against that apprentice the first night we arrived in White Hall? He used mage versions of the spells and used others that no one had ever seen here. My brother managed to recreate the magic of another country’s wizards during the tournament, so Magnus had to learn those from him... a battle mage.”

Ylena chuckled and started to answer revealing what had amused her rather than answer the girl’s question and her inferred reason for asking, “You are certainly a future diplomat wizard. That is for sure. Only one of our kind would try to create such a logic trap.

“Well, like my parents used to tell me as a child when I questioned them, do as I say for now. It is my duty to train you properly; but if you decide like Magnus that learning from the battle mages is what you wish to do, once you are a full wizard that will be your decision. Right now, you are a novice and you are like a baby learning how to crawl. Don’t try running before you can walk, Katya.

“Now do it again the proper way,” the wizard ordered pointing at the last of her remaining targets.

The morning continued the same way for Katya and her fellow novices. By the time lunch was nearing, the girl discovered that she was sweating. The air remained cool, though the sun was making a bit of a difference as it neared its zenith. The girl had removed her jacket by then, thinking the strain of the three simple spells of wind shouldn't have made her feel worn out by the time they were allowed to leave the courtyard.

“Either get some rest in your room or maybe go to the girls’ baths, Katya,” Ylena said putting her arm around the younger girl’s shoulders like a big sister. Ylena was taller and the dark haired wizard looked like the antithesis of her student in all physical ways; but despite the difference between her and Katya’s real older sister, Ylena often did feel like a second sister to her.

“Yes, mother,” the little blond said instead with a weak smile as she carried her jacket.

Giving a mock shiver, the wizard replied, “Don’t make me feel like an old woman with words like that. Each year I feel like you students keep getting younger as it is. I can’t possibly be old enough to be anyone’s mother!”

Katya had managed to get her mentor to confess her age weeks ago in a conversation that the wizard swore had to have been an abuse of the younger girl’s magic. Doing the math quickly in her head, she stated with a wicked grin, “My mother waited until she was twenty one to have my brother and was twenty three when she had my sister. That is the difference in our ages, Mistress Ylena,” the novice finished with exaggerated reference for the woman who truly didn’t seem as distant in age from her as she was.

Groaning at the truth of Katya’s mathematics, the wizard retorted, “Keep it up, my student, and I will work you twice as hard this afternoon. You had better get what rest you can and build up some energy with your lunch.”

The novice smiled at the good natured threat, though she didn’t doubt that the wizard planned to work hard on her training. They had been working harder each week as a month’s progress had barely made a dent in the hundreds of spells in the books and scrolls of White Hall’s library.

A second thought loosely tied to what they had spoken of came to the girl’s mind and she said, “I received a letter from my sister yesterday. Her plans for her wedding haven’t changed even though I had to come here.

“Do you think that I would be allowed home to stand up as her maid?”

It was the question of a young girl who had been a farmer’s daughter and had just under a month to adjust to her new life. Katya knew that the students were allowed to go home from time to time and were even encouraged to do so. The idea was that returning home helped remind the wizards and mages why they were setting aside their old lives to serve Southwall. Family and friends were the strongest reason for most, so returning home helped maintain that bond.

That was true for cadets and apprentices, but Katya had heard that novices were considered a bit more delicate for some reason however. She was curious what Ylena thought of the idea and the older woman looked pensive before replying, “Mera is almost a week’s ride. You are still learning to control your powers. You will drop almost two weeks behind your friends as well.

“While I can certainly bring the idea up to the headmaster, I am not certain that it would be a good idea.”

Frowning at the reply, even if it wasn’t phrased as a ‘no’, Katya countered, “I haven’t had any lapses since my magic was tied to this necklace.”

She lifted the gem which glittered in the sunlight and wondered how much sparkle came from the magic inside of it as well. Unlike Darius’ binding of her power with his magic, Katya had never noticed any drawbacks to using the charm. While it slowed the ability to use her power, she would easily take the slight delay over the permanent dull headache caused by a powerful wizard containing her power. Darius had said that it hadn’t been completely contained, but her head had always felt like it was being pressed inward. After a few weeks of that, the necklace’s abilities were a godsend.

“The gem helps stop accidents, but it doesn’t mean you have full control yet. These preferred uses of mage like spells lead me to think how close you are to being a wilder, Katya,” Ylena replied brushing at a lock of hair as the breeze began to pick up again as they walked towards the door leading back into the school. “Wilders are always on the verge of having their magic go out of control. They do have certain advantages, but the dangers do not keep the balance in a way that anyone would wish to see.

“I have heard of wilders that have gained enough focus to aim their magic with a word or a gesture, which is fast like a battle mage; but most have the power bubbling under ready to come out whether they intend it or not. Many have what is called responsive magic. If they are in danger or perceive to be in danger, it can lash out indiscriminately as much as it might be accurate in its focus.”

Katya knew what she meant, and said, “A friend I met from Kardor is called a wilder. Sebastian told me that she has the ability to generate lightning and her skin always seems to vibrate with the static it causes.

“She seemed safe enough and went quite far in the tournament. If a wilder could gain some control and had a mix of instinctual casting and standard wizard magic, would that be so wrong?”

Releasing a great sigh of frustration, Ylena complained, “Why did I get stuck with a natural diplomat wizard for a student? You seem capable of arguing about anything.”

“Does that mean I have a point?” the younger girl asked with a smile.

Rolling her eyes, the wizard asked, “Can you ever give me a break?

“More importantly, can you just try to do as I ask? You have been a student wizard for under a month and this system has been around before Southwall even existed. The practice and teaching of magic isn’t something we started. Wilders have been a danger to others and themselves since the first wizards appeared thousands of years ago.

“If you follow our teachings, you will become stronger. Believe in it and me. Just try to study the way we are showing you and soon you will see what I am talking about.”

Entering the school, the light cast by magical lamps on the walls of the stone hallway became minor points of light as Katya blinked for her eyes to adjust from the sunlight outside. Normally, it seemed bright enough, but there were few clouds outside to cast shade this day.

“Sorry, I don’t mean to be trying and I don’t mean to question the system. I’m sure having the disciplines down will help me, but I see what my brother does and Magnus too because of him and just wonder.

“All the extra hand movements and the strange mystic language are hard to learn, while the battle mage way just seems so much easier.”

“It is easier,” the taller woman replied as they walked towards the tower stairway where they would part for awhile, “but it also has to be for their sake. Unlike your brother and Magnus, who knows both systems; most battle mages have certain limitations not only in their power over magic, but their ability to learn complicated forms.

“Though few mention it, and of course many wizards would simply use their limitations to put them down as being lesser beings, most battle mages don’t have the same kind of memory for the longer forms. Like the depth of a wizard’s power also affects their memory retention, mages need a shorter version of the same spell.

“I have heard that your brother can heal, which is a complicated spell, but the way he does it is to start the spell and then he works through the actual healing; or so Wizard Alum and the others who witnessed him do it said. While what he does is technically complicated, apparently the spell to begin using his magic is not. It does also have its limitations though.”

Katya looked to the floor a moment in thought. She had witnessed her brother do many things that mere farmers would call miracles, and believed because he had done so well in the tournament that what he did wasn’t inferior to the wizards he fought. Many wizards from distant lands had odd ways of casting, so Southwall’s way wasn’t the only way. Which kind of spells could be considered superior, might be argued; even though Magnus had been the victor.

The pretty lady from Malaiy had taken second and several other wizards in the top eight were from other schools of magic as well.

In the end, as a student new to the whole world of magic, Katya knew that she had to trust those who had pioneered the teaching system which obviously worked. If the thousands of wizards before her had success, shouldn’t she at least work through it as best she could?

“I will try my best to follow what you and the other teachers say, Wizard Ylena,” the younger girl agreed humbly.

“You don’t have to be that formal, but thank you for seeing my side of this, Katya,” the dark haired wizard said with a nod.

They were at the stairs and Katya couldn’t resist teasing, “Well, since you could be my mother I was always told to respect my elders.”

She grinned, as Ylena groaned at the girl, and hurried up the stairs to avoid any retribution from her teacher.

Returning to her room, Katya was surprised to see Neira already sitting on her bed reading through her spell book. Her hand moved in distinct movements as she tried to commit a new spell to memory. The strength of a wizard’s memory compared to a battle mage was something new that Ylena had conveyed to her and she wondered if it were true.

Sure mages all used simple versions of wizard spells, and there was a certain advantage to it beyond the ease of use. Their spells were quicker and to the point after all; but even Sebastian rarely demonstrated an ability to delve into the greater battle field spells the girl had glanced at already. They were true bears as magic went. Groups of wizards were sometimes required to power the greater ones.

Could even her brother crack that kind of spell?

Neira glanced at the girl looking lost in thought as she stood in the doorway and complained, “In or out, Katya? I don’t need the extra distraction. Maybe you can goof around and still learn a new spell, but it takes all of my attention; so decide what you are going to do, girl.”

The older novice was only seven months older, but often tried to lord her slight age difference over Katya. Having Cheleya around seemed to disrupt much of Neira’s attempts, which was partly why the three never seemed to get any closer. They were roommates, but not really friends. It was a shame in Katya’s mind, because the other girl always seemed defensive with her instead of trying to get to know her or Cheleya.

Stepping into the room as she pulled the door closed, Katya tried to cross that divide again asking, “I think I need a mental break and to soak for a bit. Do you want to join me in the bathhouse, Neira?”

A frown crossed the older girl’s face and she retorted, “Didn’t I just say that I don’t have time to goof around? I need to focus. You may still be on the easy spells, but I am getting closer to the apprentice level now.”