by Guy Antibes
“Wait until you are as old as I am,” Grigar said. He sighed. “I suppose it is one of those unexpected circumstances to this quest. I will admit, I thought we could breeze through Masukai with my friend showing us the way. Even old men can be naive.” Grigar pursed his lips and looked at Jack.
“Young men too,” Jack said.
Helen flicked Jack on the side of the head. “Young men are always naive.”
“Until they aren’t,” Tanner said, smiling.
Jack was going to say the same thing about women, but he thought better of it. “I can’t see any good complaining about everything. I’m going to get started on these.” He put his books into the sack that Okiku had brought. It was heavier than he thought, but he just shrugged. Metal rods were better than wood anyway.
“Youth,” Grigar said as Helen and Tanner agreed. Jack was just as happy to take his leave.
He found his room easily enough. Nothing had changed from before except someone had placed clothing on his rumpled blankets. He moved the stack aside and sat. The alternative was to sit on a cushion on the floor at a low table. He dragged the table in front of him and began to imbue the rods. As he suspected, there were more metal rods than wooden ones. He laid them out on the table and decided he would charge half wood, half metal for each type and got to work.
Forty-eight rods later, Jack put his production back into the sack. He shoved the table back and put his little library on the top before he decided to get a little rest. It had to be about midday.
A knock on the door woke him up. Okiku stood waiting for him to open it up. There wasn’t a lock that he could see, so he appreciated her honoring his room.
“I’m done,” he said.
Okiku’s eyebrows went up briefly. “I thought that might take you a few days.”
Jack shook his head. “I’m tired, but you can take the sack with you.”
“Actually, I am hoping to take you with me as well. It is time for a meal, and then we test. Bring your objects of power.”
“Some of those are underneath the floorboard of the wagon.”
Okiku nodded. “We recovered those that were taken when you were captured and will have the rest delivered to the testing room.”
Jack had no option but to take the sack back and follow Okiku to the dining area. His friends hadn’t yet arrived. The wizardess motioned to have Jack join her. Grigar and Namori joined them before Okiku could say anything else.
“Now that you are both here, I can tell you that Helen Rafter and Tanner Simple are out on their test,” Okiku said.
“Out on a test?” Grigar said. “Like the incarceration test?”
“Similar. We took them to a rougher part of Yomomai to retrieve a Pearl Mist who was caught by the Red Herons. It happens once every month or two. We are active rivals in the capital,” Okiku said. “We will see how they fared when they return.”
“Are Grigar and I going to do something similar?” Jack asked.
Okiku shook her head. “I am the chief evaluator of magical talent here, and I have seen enough of you in action. Your test will be quite different than normal. I am interested in what your innate talent is and what enhancements your objects of power bring you.” She looked at Grigar. “You will be evaluated by another wizard. I suspect you will know more in some areas than he does.”
They ate their lunch, and Jack followed Okiku, carrying a sack of rods and another bag with his objects of power. She led him into a room on a second floor with a set of windows with paper panes lining one side of the room.
Jack put his burdens on a real-sized table. Okiku sat on a stool and leaned on the table with one arm.
“Show me how you made a rod. There are a few in that big chest in the corner.”
Jack leaned over and lifted the cover. His armor and his Corandian weapons were inside. A small sack held Takia’s Cup and his copy of the Serpent’s Orb. He already wore his black bracers and always wore Eldora’s box around his neck. A few rods were tossed on top of his things.
“It isn’t anything to look at,” Jack said, handing the empty rod to Okiku. He half-sat on the table and took the rod back and infused the rod with Fasher’s healing spell. After five minutes he handed it back to Okiku. “Can you feel the difference?”
She nodded. “I can’t tell you what the spell is, but I can feel the energy you placed in the rod. Very impressive. Let’s go through the other objects.”
Jack showed her everything. He couldn’t demonstrate Takia’s fire since it could burn the wooden warehouse down. “This orb also emits a different kind of fire. I copied the spell from the original, but I wouldn’t be able to tell you what the spell is. I originally thought it was a power repository, which it is, but I needed a weapon. That is when I learned it could throw a liquid version of fire. I duplicate objects of power more by feel than anything else. They are all keyed to me, as a result.”
Penny had a weapon that she could use, but he wouldn’t tell Okiku that he could make objects for others. He might become a slave of the Pearl Mist if he did something like that.
He removed his Corandian knife and sword from the bag. “The sword blade is like a wand, but it stores some power. The guard has a weaker version of wizard’s fire, and the pommel gives protection from coercion spells. The knife enhances invisibility, and the hilt acts like an energy rod.”
“You can imbue multiple objects into the same vessel? That is unheard of.”
Jack shrugged. “I tried it, and it worked. Fasher didn’t blink an eye when I eventually told him.”
“Show me invisibility,” Okiku asked.
Jack took his knife and disappeared. “My shadow is unaffected by the spell. It is more an illusion than true invisibility.”
“I can see,” Okiku said. “Can you do the same without the knife?”
Jack nodded. “The spell lasts for a third of the time.” He spoke his trigger word and disappeared for a count of ten and then appeared again.
“I can’t tell the difference,” Okiku said.
“It is the same spell. Objects just allow the spell to last longer before draining away.”
“You can do all these spells on your own?”
“I can,” Jack said. “But nothing lasts for long.”
“The spells you’ve shown me have short durations, even for high-level wizards. You don’t know any other advanced spells?”
“I can initiate telepathy. Isn’t that a Fifth Manipulation?”
“We don’t use manipulations in defining our magic.”
Jack figured they did, but the Masukaians must call it something else. Now that Okiku mentioned it, Namori taught them a few discrete spells and never classified them. Jack didn’t know if that was a deficiency in the Masukaian magic lore.
“Telepathy is very advanced. Can you link with me?”
Jack took Okiku’s hand. He lowered his mental shield and uttered the keyword before pushing a little energy into her.
Can you hear me? Jack asked.
Okiku’s eyes widened. “I can,” she said. She cleared her throat. I can, she said in her mind. I didn’t believe you when you said you could do this. Only a few of our wizards have this capability. I can’t initiate a link, but as you can see, I can communicate once established. You are amazing.
“No, I’m not,” Jack said. “I only know a few spells, but I do them well.”
“As you said before. The spells you know range from simple to highly advanced. I am changing my mind about you,” she said verbally.
Jack lowered his mental shield.
“I can’t hear you anymore,” Okiku said.
“I shielded my mind. I don’t care to pick up your stray thoughts. It isn’t polite,” Jack said.
“Teach me how to do that,” Okiku asked.
Jack did what he could. He never knew if anything he relayed to other people would work or not, but he lowered his shield and sent another thought.
Okiku smiled with relief. “You trust me,” she said.
; Not really, Jack thought, but he said, “You now know all I know about telepathy. If that is trust, then I do.”
“I’m not going to teach you any Masukaian magic in Yomomai. You certainly qualify for Deep Mist. If your friend qualifies as well, and I think he will, you can go together. You will learn more spells there.”
“We are done then?” Jack said, heading to the box that held his armor and weapons.
“One more test. Take all the objects from your body.”
Jack only wore Eldora’s box, but he removed it and bowed. “I am just me, right now,” he said, feeling a tug on his mind. Okiku was going to ask him to do something.
“Move that table,” she said, pointing to the table with the objects.
“No,” Jack said. “You are trying to coerce me, and I have a natural resistance to those kinds of spells.”
“Impossible!” Okiku said. She sighed. “Very well. You may keep the box since it does nothing but lend you power. You may take the wrist guards and the other objects,” She looked at the rest of the objects on the table, “but your Corandian weapons will stay in Yomomai, and you will not need them while you are here. You will be able to imbue other weapons?”
Jack nodded.
“You will receive new ones in Deep Mist, better weapons than we have given you to date.”
Jack sighed, but what could he do? “Are we done?”
“For now. The rest of your days in Yomomai will be spent working on the mundane martial arts and Masukai language.”
Jack retrieved all his objects except for those imbued into weapons and left the room after executing a bow. He imagined Okiku could summon a servant to take the charged rods away. She stayed in the room, looking at his sword.
He returned to his room and began going through his new books. None, of course, contained any Corandian words. Jack pursed his lips and sat against the wall.
After shutting his eyes, Jack concentrated on contacting Fasher.
Do you want a report? Jack asked when the connection slid into place in his mind.
Of course. I am currently gazing at my wife as she does the accounts as you so ably did. Better than her, I might add, but don’t tell Corina. Fasher said.
I won’t, Jack told him of their trip from Simaru up to his recent test.
You have to treat everything as a test, Jack, Fasher said. The Masukaians won’t trust you, ever. Just keep thinking that. Learn what you can. At least this errand isn’t time-critical; so continue to think of it as a university education about Masukai. I imagine that you would be able to write a book about the country when you return.
Jack smiled at the thought. Maybe he would. Tanner and Helen are out on a testing foray, but they haven’t yet returned. Any words for them?
None. Keep at it and keep me posted, Fasher said.
Jack felt Fasher disengage. He sighed and continued to sit with his eyes closed. He concentrated on Penny and connected immediately. She didn’t have the control over telepathy that Fasher had.
Are you bothering me again? You always contact me at the most awkward times. Penny paused for a moment, but then said, What are you doing?
Jack could feel the curiosity in her voice. She still didn’t know Jack could detect her emotions, and instead of bothering her, she had been pleasantly surprised. The girl still liked her games.
I was just checking in after I talked to Fasher. He told her of his recent adventures, which he could tell she was interested in. He didn’t hesitate with embellishments, but he didn’t need many. What is happening with you?
It has been nine months in Dorkansee, and I am continuing to learn. The herbal part of one of my courses is over, and I have been studying anatomy for the entire time I’ve been in Dorkansee. Sometimes I think my best friends are cadavers.
Just don’t join them, Jack said.
I do have a wider circle of friends now.
A real boyfriend?
Or three, Penny said. She was lying.
Protection is always a good thing, Jack said. You are surrounded by wizards, though, I forgot.
Protection is still a good thing, Penny said, especially among young wizards. I remember that you turned twenty recently, so happy birthday. I have another month to go.
Happy late birthday. It’s time to get back to my studies. Goodbye.
He shut off the communication. Their communication was short, and that still was how Jack liked it. He had to smile, though. Penny remembered his birthday, the only one.
Chapter Fourteen
~
N amori barged into his room, interrupting his studies. It was early for dinner.
“Tanner and Helen are back with other warriors. Their test didn’t turn out very well, and they are injured.”
Jack stood up and adjusted his headband, heedless of his book, dropping to the floor. “How bad?”
“Grigar has joined our healers to treat them. No one escaped untouched,” Namori said.
She didn’t wait for Jack as she turned and let him follow. Jack hadn’t been to the area where Namori led him. She opened the door to a large room filled with beds that looked like Fasher’s examination table.
Jack noticed Helen by herself. Her shoulder was wrapped along with the hand on the other side.
“You were ambushed?”
“No,” Helen said. She looked a bit despondent.
Jack took her unwrapped hand and sent a healing spell into her. “Just think of me as a large healing rod,” he said.
Helen winced. “Tanner and I were outclassed in every way. I was feeling pretty good with our testing, but the reality is much different. The elite Masukaian warriors were trained to be very fast. If our opponents had wanted to kill us, we would be dead.”
“Wasn’t it a test?”
“With real opponents,” Helen said. “The Pearl Mist warriors did commend their opponents. It wasn’t just our side that had wounded.”
Jack nodded. His work done with Helen, he sought out Tanner, who lay with his arm over his eyes. Jack noticed his hand was bloody. Grigar was at his side. When Jack walked up, he gasped when he saw the gash in Tanner’s stomach.
Grigar looked back. “Oh, it’s you. Give him some healing love.”
Jack took Tanner’s other hand and grasped it. As Jack sent healing energy into Tanner, his friend gasped. “Too much. Take it down a little.”
Tanner had complained when he was sick in Fasher’s house when Jack had returned from retrieving Grishel’s Feather.
“You can recharge that rod,” Grigar said, pointing at a table with his chin. Jack did as he was asked and let Tanner grip that. The Lajian wizard pulled Jack away from his friend. “You might have to come here every hour for a day or two. Between what I did and the Pearl Mist healers, he barely made it.”
“I can do that. Helen is all right?”
“Her injuries were a little more straightforward. I was able to save her arm, and it should heal completely. Tanner should, but he is still in shock.”
Jack nodded. “I guess there isn’t anything else I can do now?”
Grigar shook his head. “You gave both your friends the energy they need. The Pearl Mist refused to be helped by you, but your rods are a different story. You will probably be asked to make some more.”
“I can do that. I’ll head back to my room.”
Jack had a hard time concentrating. He returned to the clinic sometime later and infused Helen and Tanner with more energy. Grigar wasn’t there, but one of the Pearl Mist healers handed Jack a sack full of rods.
“Can you make all of these healing rods, this time?”
Jack nodded. He found a chair and began his task. He had to grasp Eldora’s box a few times while he worked. His power was waning a bit. When he finished, he bolstered Tanner again while the man slept.
Helen motioned him over. “You don’t need to work on me again. I’m sorry about complaining. Please forget about it. I don’t want you to think—”
“I don’t care what you think. You just h
ave to get better.”
Helen grunted. “That is the point, isn’t it? I have to get better, much better. The warriors who visited their friends told me that both of us have potential, but we have to become faster.” She grunted again. “Speed is my advantage, Jack. The warriors on both sides were incredibly fast.”
“And they are probably the best of the best. We fought the brigands, and they weren’t invincible,” Jack said.
Helen nearly smiled. “You are right. Not every Masukaian is like what we faced today.”
“No,” Jack said. “Think of the opportunity to improve.” Jack smiled, and Helen patted him gently with her wrapped hand.
“You will need to improve as well, Jack.”
Jack sighed. “Then I will have to improve,” he said as he returned to his room.
Before dinner, Jack followed a warrior he had never met to a large training room. They were the only people there. Jack was ready to be thrown a wooden practice sword, but the man had him choose a real blade. He observed Jack select the weapon that best suited him and led him out into the packed dirt floor of the facility.
“Try to break through my defenses.”
The Pearl Mist warrior stood in front of Jack, blocking every blow that Jack tried as if the man were swatting flies, and connecting each time. Jack understood now what Pearl Mist warriors were like. The constable who tested him in Taiyo was nothing compared to these men. At least Jack didn’t have to lose blood to appreciate their speed like Tanner and Helen.
“You aren’t bad for a wizard,” the Pearl Mist warrior said. “It is good you are young. Your older friend was worse than you, although he is good enough to merit more training, but not at your level.”
“I’m not going to be dismissed like him?”
The warrior smiled. “No. You will join your two warriors as we attempt to teach you how to fight properly.”
Jack could hear the condescension in the man’s voice. The man obviously expected Jack to fail, but if he could learn the secret to their speed, he would rise to the challenge and overcome it.
~
Jack, Tanner, and Helen sat cross-legged on cushions in a room. Warrior candidates younger than Jack joined them in meditation drills.
