To Challenge a Maestro

by John Buttrick

  “These are all the required spells written out musically. Study the content. You have learned the spells by ear, now learn to read them off a page,” Harmon instructed, behaving as though his assault was now a distant memory. “Can you play any instruments in addition to the guitarn?”

  Daniel figured he could pluck a tune out of any stringed instrument but that was not the same as actually mastering it, which is really what the Instructor wanted to know. “No, Instructor.”

  “An Accomplished should master at least four instruments. Pick three more.” Harmon Gramm said, and waited for the proper reply.

  “Yes, Instructor, your will be done.”

  “Naturally,” Gramm replied, and then went on to torment another Talented.

  Daniel opened the book. On the pages were horizontal bars with circles and dots of differing sizes and squiggly lines. This was his first time seeing music written out. The first couple of pages explained the notes, beats, measures, and the musical scales. He memorized each page and knew the book from cover to cover three quarters of the way through the class. Now all he needed to do was choose three instruments and master them. This was a challenge he did not expect but decided it might be nice knowing how to play more than just the guitarn.

  Simon came over and sat beside him after Samuel moved to the right to make some room. “Learning a new instrument is fun. I have mastered twenty and can play another thirty reasonably well; eventually I will master them too,” he stated, and then asked, “Do you know what three you want to learn?”

  “What I learn to play will depend on what I can find. The guitarn is my only instrument,” Daniel answered. He had no idea where to get another instrument, let alone three.

  “I own fifty, you can borrow three of mine,” Simon offered.

  Daniel smiled at the Talenteds generosity. “Thanks, that is kind of you.”

  “I’m always glad to help a new guy get started, even if he is starting in second place,” Simon replied, then glanced toward Harmon Gramm, and added, “I better get back to my assignment.”

  Simon went to the corner of the room and removed a Serinian horn from its case and began to play a Melody. Daniel looked to Samuel. He was ranked number three over all among the Talenteds and number two in the ninth floor dorm. Being an Accomplished, Daniel did not think about his ranking among the Talenteds. “Am I considered number two in our dorm?” he asked the Teki.

  Samuel smiled at him sideways. “In the room, yes, grade wise, no. Your grades, if you have any yet, have never have been posted, so you don’t yet have a grade average,” he replied, and then motioned for Daniel to hand over the book. He opened it and flipped through the pages. “Write out musically the Melody on page seventy.”

  Sherree handed Daniel a blank sheet of paper and he drew the lines, measures, bars, and added the notes. His rendering was not nearly as neat as the book but it was a credible job. Samuel and Sherree examined the sheet and compared it to the book.

  “This is the first time you have ever seen notes written on a page,” Sherree said, though it sounded more like a question.

  “Yes.”

  “Then, you will be number one when your grades start coming out,” Samuel stated, without a trace of resentment over the possibility.

  Daniel did not care about grade averages or rank because he had no intention of staying long enough for them to matter. Both Talenteds went on talking of standings among their fellows, who was rising and falling, and who was closest to graduating.

  Joanna, the red-haired Talented who had sat beside Daniel in Jason’s class, was now playing a flute, her potential glowing with a soft magenta, focusing on a flat stone. The stone grew twice its size and then formed into a horse.

  “Acceptable,” Harmon Gramm said after examining the quality of her work.

  A stocky Talented from the far Northeastern kingdom of Zune stood glowing in a light shade of green. He blew a wrong note on his trombone; the spell collapsed with a bright flash, and threw him up against the padded wall. He dropped to the equally padded floor and rolled over on his back looking a little dazed. His naturally dark pink skin was now red.

  Harmon Gramm rushed over to the fallen Talented and placed a glowing hand on his forehead, apparently casting a diagnostic spell of some sort. He shook his head and released the young Aakacarn. “Let this be a lesson to everyone. Spell casting can kill you. This is why I discipline you hard. Darrell here has nearly succeeded in cooking himself from the inside out,” he announced and then fixed his steely gaze on poor Darrell. “This is why conformity is important. To modify is to die. Blowing a wrong note or holding the correct one for longer than required is the same as modifying. I would punish you for this if you had not already done a thorough enough job on your own. Go over to the Aloe Guild and request the aid of an Accomplished. You have internal burns that require a specialist to heal,” he paused, evidently for dramatic affect and then added. “They may have to cut you open in order to heal the damaged organs and tissues.”

  Darrell’s eyebrows nearly climbed his forehead, he was so frightened. Unfortunately for him, the Instructor might be right. Many healing spells do require direct physical contact with the injury. “Your will be done, Instructor,” he replied, and stood up, slowly making his way out of the room with only his growing pain for company; the Instructor gave no one else permission to go with him.

  The class ended and Daniel was glad of it. He was passed off to Jerremy and had to sit in a class on the laws and customs of Aakadon. He also learned the penalties for failing to conform. His next class had the Serinian, Samuel, and Sherree in it. Geography was not terribly interesting but Daniel could see where the knowledge could be useful. The holographic maps they were taught to create were far more accurate than any hand crafted one he had ever seen; memorizing it all proved easy enough. He could now track anything across the continent without getting lost.

  Sherree guided him to his next class and then went on to her own. The room was equipped with half the desks the other classrooms had, but made up for it with five long tables, upon each were materials; wood, silver, gold, and a broad assortment of precious stones. The only other person in the room was the Instructor, a slim two-bolt female Accomplished of the Aqua Guild. Her hair was the color of mud but her eyes were a dazzling blue and her cheeks were dimpled. She looked like a person who laughed often. The Instructor glanced up from her pine desk, watching as Daniel entered and went to stand in front of the first desk on the front row.

  “I am Instructor Sheila Pevin and I have heard much about you. Sit. Good. Now we can get started. Daniel Benhannon, you are the only Talented ready for this class. This is where you will learn to apply spells one thirty-nine and one forty. Name them for me,” she said in smooth alto voice.

  “Spell one thirty-nine is, Setting the Amulet and Spell number one forty is, Potentializing the Baton,” he replied.

  “Very good, you have performed these spells on a type two crescendo in the presence of Instructor Renn and he has certified that you are ready to create an amulet and a baton. Proceed over to table three and I will guide you in the making of an amulet,” Sheila told him.

  Daniel followed her over to table three. On the surface were silver and gold settings on the left side. On the right were diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and other precious stones.

  “Choose a stone and a setting,” Sheila directed him.

  Daniel took a gold setting and a topaz; because it was the exact color of his potential.

  “Place the stone in the setting and bind it.”

  Daniel did so with a spell.

  “The stone can hold virtually any spell the caster chooses to lock into it. Amulets can be used as triggering devices, activating pre-cast spells with a touch without the caster having to perform the Melody audibly or mentally. They can even be adjusted for non-Aakacarn use, though such is rarely done. The most common use for an amulet is communication. You will mentally perform spell twenty of the Eagle Guild but instead of
focusing on me, focus the potential into the amulet, then add a Da Capo, and tie it off onto your life force,” Sheila instructed in a no nonsense way.

  Daniel held the amulet in his hand and played the spell, Talk to Me, in his mind. The topaz blue of his potential formed and he focused it into the stone, mentally added a Da Capo, and then visualized his life force energy and tied the repeater to it.

  Sheila was wide-eyed “Sixty-five seconds, that was quick, most Talenteds take at least a mark to complete the task,” she commented and then extended her hand. “But does it work?”

  Daniel handed over the amulet and wondered if he had made a mistake, not in the creation, in completing it so fast. Most Talenteds barely have a bolt of potential, not six, but Daniel did not dare mention the fact. Fortunately she did not give him permission to speak so he did not feel compelled to explain.

  “Daniel Benhannon,” Sheila’s voice sounded inside his head. “Remarkable, I had heard you were a prodigy and now I see for myself. Very well, it was my thought the entire class period would be taken up in the creation of the amulet. I believe we have plenty of time to work on the baton. Do not answer with your voice. I will instruct you through the amulet.”

  Daniel pictured the Accomplished in a sound proof compartment and locked her away from the rest of his mind. “Your will be done,” Daniel sent to her.

  “You have learned to compartmentalize your mind. That is rare in one so young, but then if I were linked to the Dark Maestro as you are, I would learn to guard my thoughts from intrusion as well. Now, go over to table five,” Sheila sent to him.

  Daniel did as instructed. On the table were objects of wood, silver, gold, and copper. They took up half of the table. The other half had the assortment of precious stones.

  “Instruments are natural crescendos, you play them, potential flows from you, through them, is amplified, and flows out to perform the task. Residue builds up in them over time. The baton is an artificially created crescendo. The baton is also the most versatile of the crescendos and can be made out of any of the materials on this table. However, if you choose to form your baton out of wood, you must also use a precious stone or a metal. Some Accomplisheds form batons using metal and precious stones, some just metal, and some out of just the stones. Obviously you will be creating a level one crescendo. The spell will assess your potential and make the crescendo to match. Only a trickle of your potential will be in the baton until you focus more of your life force energy through it, then it will build up over time. The more you use it, the quicker the residue builds up.”

  Daniel did not know what to do. If the spell assesses his potential; his true rank could be revealed right here, right now. “Will anyone else be able to tell my potential from handling my baton?”

  Sheila smiled; warm and friendly, and she seemed to be stifling a greater urge toward merriment. “You Talenteds are all the same, desiring the graduation ceremony so you can learn your rank, and yet fearful before the fact that you might not have a bolt. You need have no fear your classmates will know your rank by playing with your baton, but they can sense the amount of residue within the crescendo.”

  What a relief! His secret was safe; all he need do is refrain from casting High Powered spells through the thing. He glanced at the Instructor and she was clearly struggling to contain her mirth.

  “Your secret is safe, but you should not worry. The speed in which you created this amulet causes me to think you could very well possess two bolts. Now, back to the lesson, you will choose your materials, fashion them together, and then use spell twenty of the Stone Guild, which is one forty of the required spells, add a Da Capo, and then tie it onto your life force.”

  Daniel decided to keep it simple. He chose a piece of ebony a cubit in length, formed it into a baton about a finger width thick, and then bonded a two finger length gold cap on the end. He then summoned the potential for, Potentializing the Baton, and felt a tingle in his shoulders while the spell was assessing his rank. He then focused energy into the baton, added the Da Capo, and tied it onto his life force.

  “Eighty seconds,” Sheila sent through the amulet. “Now let’s see how well it works.”

  “May I?” Daniel sent the thought back at her.

  “Very well,” she replied, and folded her arms.

  Daniel pointed the baton at the table, a topaz beam of light shot from the crescendo, struck the table, and sent it floating up to the ceiling. He held it up for several minutes before gently returning the table to the floor.

  “Well done,” she sent through the amulet. “We have plenty of time so I will answer your question more thoroughly. Members of the Stone Guild have the specialized spell that allows them to determine what level of amplification a crescendo is capable of. The other way is to use it. Obviously, if I were to summon one bolt of potential, focus it through, say a level four crescendo; five bolts of potential will flow out the end. This is why the caster must be careful when focusing potential through a crescendo and adjust the flow accordingly. The situation is the same with a type one level one crescendo, but the effect is much diminished. It would not be possible for your classmates to assess you because almost all Talenteds are near, if not slightly above a bolt.”

  Daniel was suddenly glad she allowed him to test the baton, he never could have explained away creating a level four crescendo. He made a mental note to guard the baton closely, but still had some questions. “Four is the highest level for a crescendo, but I have heard that the flute of Della Lain has an amplification of eight bolts, yet is considered a level four, why is that?”

  “Good question. Level four is the highest classification and in point of fact the weakest level four crescendo amplifies potential by four bolts. Only a five-bolt Accomplished and above would even be able to make a crescendo with amplification above four bolts. Della Lain died an eight-bolt Accomplished and the flute, a natural crescendo, was the last one she used, which is why the type two is a level four and amplifies eight bolts. Remember, the spell used in the making of the crescendo assesses the rank of the caster and creates the amplification to match. Now, if that answers your question and you have no others, I believe this was your last class of the day. We have more than accomplished the lesson plan so you are free to go,” Sheila Pevin said and handed over the amulet. “The amulet and baton are yours, use them well.”

  “Thank you, Instructor, your teaching is appreciated,” Daniel replied and meant it. He exited the classroom and went all the way out of Tames Hall.

  He was surprised when Sherree caught up to him on the wind swept street. Her white hood was up, hiding her yellow-gold hair, his hood was down. He preferred his straw hat but that would have been out of place, making him guilty of nonconformity. He smiled and showed her the amulet he had created and she smiled and congratulated him. Her expression soon turned serious.

  “I’m sorry Harmon Gramm was so hard on you. He is a harsh man,” she said sympathetically. “You didn’t even flinch. I’m amazed.”

  Daniel shrugged his shoulders. “Compared to Tarin Conn, that Instructor is a nasty child,” he replied and then glanced back at Tames Hall. The pearly building glowed brightly in the late afternoon sun. “I would very much like to humble him.”

  Sherree’s face grew pale and she grabbed his arm, which felt kind of nice. “No, you must not. He’s a full Accomplished!”

  Harmon Gramm deserved to be taken down a peg or two but doing so would not be prudent and Daniel knew it. “I’ll try to behave,” he promised, knowing that it was a weak promise with the word, try, in it.

  The Lobenian sighed, looking doubtful. “It’s been a long day, tomorrow will be better,” she said in an obvious attempt to cheer him up. He appreciated the attempt.

  An audience with the Grand Maestro was the only thing Daniel could think of that would make tomorrow better. “I can’t have a good day until Efferin Tames grants my petition,” he told her.

  Sherree acknowledged his reply with a single nod and walked with him int
o the dormitory and up the stairs. They bade each other a good evening and parted on the eighth floor. Daniel continued up to the ninth and stretched out on bed number two. The baton was hidden in his silks, tucked into his pants. He liked Sherree but did not trust her enough to show her the baton.

  Simon entered the room carrying four instrument cases. “If these don’t suite you, I have more to choose from.”

  Daniel sat up in bed with his feet hanging down the side. The Talented had brought two vyolins and two Serinian horns. “Why, two of each?”

  Simon smiled as if the answer should be obvious. “It is easier to learn if someone teaches you.”

  Daniel touched the Serinian horn; it had three valves on a brass body that curved around and up to a bell-shaped opening. “This looks interesting.”

  The next several marks were spent learning the basics. The melodies Simon taught him were just melodies; spells would come when he could demonstrate greater skill. The lesson stopped when the other Talenteds began filing in and getting ready for bed.

  Chapter Six: Enough Is Enough

  Daniel filled the tub with water and climbed in. His nerves were on edge. At least the Talenteds had given up trying to enter the washroom while he was bathing, there was that. He warmed the water with a spell and tried to relax. Tomorrow he would start his fifth day in Aakadon. He soaped up while contemplating his accomplishments to date, which did not include any word on when his audience with the Grand Maestro would be granted.

  Day two on the class schedule was about the same as the first, except he learned nothing new beyond Simon teaching him the vyolin. Jason proved to be a good teacher and worthy of respect. At the end of day three, Daniel made an effort to see Terroll. The Maestro was busy and would not grant an audience. Frustration grew, especially since Efferin still had not sent word on when an audience would be granted. The only positive thing was Simon showing him how to play the flute. Daniel could play all three instruments but still had not mastered them; doing so would take more time then he intended to invest, he would be gone just as soon as the link to Tarin Conn was broken.