A Warden's Purpose (Wardens of Issalia Book 1)

by Jeffrey L. Kohanek

  “Nor Torin must be nearly two hundred miles from here.”

  Jonah grinned broadly. “That’s right.”

  “That’s a long way to walk.”

  Jonah sighed. “There’s no denying that. It took me five long days to reach Fallbrandt.” He pointed past Everson. “You’re next.”

  Everson turned around as the boy in front of him stepped aside and headed toward the corridor at the back corner of the room. When he approached the table, a girl with dark hair glanced up at him. Framed by long lashes, the girl had large eyes, brown like Everson’s.

  “Name, please.”

  “Everson Gulagas.”

  She looked through the papers, her finger trailing across them until she found his name.

  “Here you are.” She frowned. “Have you requested a roommate?”

  “Um…no.”

  “What about me?” Jonah asked. “You could room with me.”

  Everson turned toward Jonah. “Are you sure? You don’t mind that…” He gestured toward his legs.

  Jonah shrugged. “Not as long as you don’t care that I’m a ginger.”

  Everson frowned. “A ginger?”

  Jonah’s big grin returned. “Yeah.” He gestured toward his head. “You know…the red hair.”

  Everson frowned. “Why would that matter?”

  “Exactly.”

  Everson’s frown turned into a smile, driven by a rush of gratitude. He felt glad to have met this boy.

  “All right, then.” Everson turned toward the girl. “I guess he’s my roommate.”

  She looked toward Jonah. “And your name is…?”

  “Jonah Selbin.”

  She flipped the page and scanned the list before nodding. “You two can have room 1021. It’s the closest one that’s open.”

  The boy behind her turned toward a cart that included a series of wooden pegs, keys hanging from each peg.

  “I thought you would rather not have a room at the far end of the wing.” Her eyes flicked toward Everson’s canes. “It’s a bit of walk.”

  Everson gave a weak smile. “That’s considerate…but don’t worry about me. I can get around fine.”

  The boy appeared beside her and held out two keys, each dangling from a brown leather cord. Everson grabbed one and looped the cord around his neck as Jonah grabbed the other.

  While pointing toward a corridor that led east, the girl spoke again. “The boys’ wing is down that hallway. You’ll find your room on the first floor.” She pointed toward the center hallway. “The dining hall is the first door down that corridor. Lunch is served at noon. There’s a mandatory meeting right afterward, so don’t be late.”

  Jonah grinned at the girl. “Thank you, my dear…”

  “Stella,” she said with a smile at the corner of her lip.

  “Thank you Stella.” Jonah bowed to the girl. “I hope to see you again, soon.”

  He then turned and crossed the tiled floor, toward the boys’ wing. Everson hurried to follow, catching Jonah as he entered the wide corridor.

  Although the hallway was windowless, there was plenty enough light thanks to a blue glow emanating from various tiles in the floor. Everson stared at them in wonder, having never seen so much glowstone in his life. He paused and tentatively tapped one with a cane before continuing on.

  When his focus shifted to the walls, he noticed tapestries filling the empty spaces between closed doors. The nearest pair of doors were stained a deep walnut color and marked with a plaque that read Hall of Truth. He frowned and considered what the room’s purpose might be.

  Jonah spoke, drawing his attention. “So, where are you from?”

  Everson shuffled faster to catch his new roommate. As he reached him, they both resumed their trek toward the narrow hallway ahead.

  “I’m from Cinti Mor.”

  “Hurnsdom?” Jonah raised one brow. “I expected you might say Vinacci, or perhaps Kalimar.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  Jonah shrugged. “Most Hurns have lighter hair with green or blue eyes. You clearly are not like most Hurns.”

  Everson’s thoughts turned to his family and his friends in Cinti Mor. He had never acknowledged it, but Jonah was right. His dark hair and dark eyes made him different.

  “What is your talent?”

  “What?” Everson looked at Jonah. “What do you mean?”

  “Why are you here?” Jonah shook his head. “They don’t let just anyone into FAME.”

  Everson’s brow furrowed. “FAME?”

  “Yeah. Fallbrandt Academy of Magic and Engineering.” Jonah grinned. “FAME.”

  “I haven’t heard it called that, but it makes sense.”

  “I’m here to learn magic.” Jonah’s eyes glowed as he said it.

  A pang of jealousy quivered within Everson, more so than when he saw other kids running or jumping or doing other physical feats that were beyond his capabilities. The idea of magic excited him like nothing else.

  “That’s…amazing.” Everson hoped he sounded supportive.

  The hallway narrowed, becoming just wide enough for the two boys to walk in tandem comfortably. Glowing tiles continued to light the way, intermixed with the dull gray of standard stone. Every few strides, they passed a closed door on each side.

  “You still haven’t told me why you’re here.”

  “Oh, sorry. I’m here to become an Engineer.”

  “You’re smart, then.”

  Everson shrugged, “I guess.”

  “Have you invented anything?”

  He nodded absently as he peered through an open door and found a boy sitting on a bed, reading something.

  “I knew it.” Jonah smiled, his excitement apparent. “Maybe we can invent some new stuff together. I’ve heard that FAME holds the secrets to enchanting.”

  Everson stopped outside the door marked 1021 as Jonah used his key to unlock it.

  “Enchanting?”

  Jonah opened the door and stepped aside. “After you.”

  Everson shuffled past him and into a room with two beds – one along the left wall, the other to the right. Sunlight shone through a gap in the dark blue curtains covering the window opposite the door, providing a bit of light. A desk and a chair sat below the window, while a wardrobe stood beside the door as the only other furniture in the room.

  Jonah rested his pack on the bed near the door and moved to the window, parting the curtain. “Enchanted items have magic embedded in them, forever. They are objects of power, rare and valuable.”

  “I don’t know anything about magic.” Everson backed up to the other bed and sat before sliding his pack off his shoulder. “They tested me for it before I left Cinti Mor, but I don’t have the talent.”

  Just thinking about it caused Everson pain. He desperately wished to learn magic – dreamt of discovering what impossibilities it might make possible. He then considered Jonah’s words, and the concept of inventing something enchanted by magic suddenly gripped him. In his mind’s eye, a mysterious corridor appeared, filled with a shifting purple haze. A closed door waited at the far end, beyond which, new possibilities awaited him. Somewhere within the Academy, he would find the key.

  13

  The Man in Black

  An ocean of students dressed in long blue coats filled the Dome. Circular in shape, the massive building was divided into eight sections of benches, each section facing the raised dais at the core. Everson sat at one end of a crowded bench. Jonah sat beside him, chatting with Garien, another first-year student they had met in the dining hall during lunch.

  Everson stared up at the crystal suspended from the center of the domed roof, its angular facets refracting the rays that streamed through skylights. The effect caused diamond-shaped rainbows to drift through the audience as the crystal slowly rotated. Everson found himself admiring the design and its ability to convert simple sunlight to an array of colors.

  Above the buzz of conversation that filled the air, Everson heard a commotion behin
d him. He turned to find a procession of fifteen people pass by, all dressed in purple and black coats, save for the man who led them.

  The silver panels in his black coat had a metallic effect that reflected light, although it was fabric. A well-trimmed brown beard and short brown hair framed the man’s face, narrow to match his squinty eyes. He appeared serious and confident as he climbed the stairs to the dais. When the entire procession arranged themselves in the chairs behind the man, he stepped to the podium and the crowd quieted. As the din fell to a hush, an odd series of scraping and thumping sounds echoed from the aisle. Everson and everyone else turned to find a man hobbling toward the dais with the support of a cane.

  Dressed in black with a black flowing cloak to match, the man’s long graying hair was tied in a tail that dangled to his shoulder blades. When he reached the stairs rising to the dais, he edged up them one step at a time, eventually cresting the top before he shuffled toward the last open chair. The grimace on the man’s face eased to the look of relief as he sat. Everson noticed that the man lacked a rune, unlike his comrades – every one of whom was marked with the rune of Issal.

  The man in the silver-paneled coat nodded to the men and women seated behind him before turning to face the podium. Tall and thin and middle-aged, the man wore the cloak of authority with practiced ease.

  “Welcome to the Fallbrandt Academy of Magic and Engineering. My name is Abraham Ackerson. As I begin my seventeenth year as Headmaster of this fine institution, I find myself reflecting on how the academy has evolved over time.

  “Founded over four centuries ago as a bastion of knowledge, the academy has forever existed with the mission to foster the natural talents of our students. With our help and guidance, academy graduates leave here to become the leaders of tomorrow.

  “Time passes. Seasons change. New babes enter this life while others die and move on to the next. Even kingdoms and empires come and go. Yet, the academy remains. This institution is not defined by individuals or nations, for it exists beyond borders and politics. By becoming a student of the academy, you take an oath to never abuse the knowledge you garner inside these walls. Rather, you must pursue the highest of ideals, for you have an obligation to humanity. Your life-long mission will be singular in nature, one that will foster a better tomorrow.

  “You and your fellow students have traveled here from all corners of Issalia with dreams of magic and inventions and new possibilities. Here, we will help you harness your abilities so you may use your skills to achieve things never before dreamt possible.

  “Some of you now take your first step on the path to becoming a master, while others find themselves nearing the end of their quest. The master instructors seated behind me will be your guides on this journey. Regardless of your specialty – be it ecclesiast, arcanist, or engineer – remember that the tools you develop here come with responsibility. You must never use your power with the purpose of taking innocent lives nor for pure personal benefit. Life is the greatest gift of all. Use your abilities to improve lives, to prolong lives, to enrich lives, and to save lives. In doing so, you will help usher in a new age.

  “The remainder of the day is your own. Enjoy the freedom, for tomorrow class begins after breakfast. You are dismissed.”

  Applause flooded the air, the cacophony dimming to buzzing chatter as the students in the room began to rise. As they poured from the benches, the herd gathered in the aisle and filtered through the door at the back of the room.

  “Come on,” Jonah prodded Everson. “Let’s go.”

  Everson shook his head. “No. I’ll wait a bit. I don’t want to slow anyone down.”

  “Okay. I’ll wait with you.”

  Everson twisted his body, pulling his legs aside so that others could pass by. Garien and the other students in the row shuffled past before following the others toward the door. Everson glanced at Jonah, who appeared ambivalent about needing to wait while the others departed.

  Just when Everson was about to get up, he noticed Headmaster Ackerson descending the stairs with the school instructors following. Again, the gray-haired man in black trailed the group, leaning heavily on his cane. The man’s face clenched as he descended the stairs, one step at a time. He reached the bottom and began up the aisle, the man’s hard eyes meeting Everson’s as he passed. Everson’s breathing stopped in a moment of exposed fear – fear that this man spied his weakness, the chips and cracks that lined his very soul.

  The man passed by and Everson exhaled, suddenly realizing that he had been holding his breath.

  “Everyone’s gone now. Let’s go.” Jonah said as he stood.

  Everson pushed himself to standing position.

  As he trailed behind the school leaders, Everson watched the man in black, his gait twisted and uneven, his weight leaning hard on the cane in his hand. Everson glanced down at this own canes and found himself wondering what others saw when they looked at him. Do they see an invalid? Does anyone think I’m capable?

  They emerged into the hallway, illuminated by glowing tiles amidst the dull gray stone floor. While everyone else headed toward the front of the school, the man in black turned left at the first corridor. When Everson reached the intersection, he stopped and watched the man approach an ominous pair of black doors at the end of the hallway. A single word marked the plaque above the doors, piquing his interest. Forbidden.

  The man opened one of the doors and slipped through, closing it behind him.

  “I wonder where that door leads,” he muttered.

  “That’s the entrance to the Arcane Ward, the big square tower at the back of the school.”

  Everson turned toward Jonah. “How do you know?”

  A look of surprise flashed across Jonah’s face, disappearing in a blink. “I’ve heard of it.” He shrugged. “I heard that it took fourteen years to build, with nearly three hundred people working on it the entire time…and it was built with the assistance of magic.”

  “It sounds incredible.”

  Jonah leaned closer and spoke in a hushed tone. “I also heard that the tower is restricted – no students allowed.”

  Everson turned toward the doors, black and ominous. “Why?”

  “That’s where the master arcanists live.”

  With a nod of thanks as Jonah held the door open, Everson shuffled outside, squinting in the bright afternoon sun that shone upon the lawn before the academy. He then methodically worked his way down the stairs until he reached the gravel at the bottom. Two students – a boy and a girl – walked past him and recognition struck Everson so hard that he almost stumbled.

  Almost four years had passed since he had last seen her. In that time, she had somehow become even more beautiful. Without even knowing it, her name slipped between his lips and sang in the air.

  “Rena?”

  The couple stopped in mid-conversation. The girl turned toward Everson, her green eyes coming alight and she wrapped her arms about him.

  “Ev! It’s great to see you!” Rena exclaimed.

  As she released him, her companion patted Everson on the shoulder. “I thought you might end up here. You always were the smartest kid in Cinti Mor.”

  Taller than ever, the boy towered over Everson. His auburn hair had been tamed, now combed to the side. He shared a friendly smile as Rena took his hand. Everson was stunned as pleasant and troubled memories of his past resurfaced in simultaneous contention. After a few seconds, he gathered himself enough to respond.

  “Torney?”

  Torney grinned. “Yep. It’s me.”

  Jonah stopped beside the trio. “You guys know each other?”

  Everson turned toward Jonah, thankful that someone else was present to divert the conversation…to hide his awkwardness.

  “Jonah, meet Torney and Rena.” Everson nodded toward them. “They’re both from Cinti Mor. We…grew up together.”

  Jonah smiled and held his hand out. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Everson’s roommate.”

  Torney shook Jo
nah’s hand and replied in kind before Rena did the same.

  Everson turned toward Rena. “What are you doing here? I heard that your parents moved to New Kardis.”

  “When they tested me at the temple in New Kardis, they discovered I had some talent with magic.” She smiled. “I came here last year and began training.”

  Everson looked at Torney. “What about you, Torney?”

  The boy shrugged. “I’ve been here two years. Like Rena, I’m training in magic, both Order and Chaos.”

  Curiosity stirred inside Everson, hungering for information. “Chaos? What is that?”

  Torney gave a knowing smile. “You’ll find out.”

  A frown crossed Everson’s face. He hated leaving his curiosity unfed. The hunger of it gnawed at him, consuming his attention until he spied Rena’s hand clasped with Torney’s.

  Confusion caused Everson’s head to tilt and his brow to furrow. Realization rushed in and an aching feeling flooded over his curiosity, leaving it drowned and forgotten.

  Rena followed Everson’s eyes, and she glanced at her hand. “Oh, yes. I…um…we should tell you that Torney and I began seeing each other last year.” She smiled at the tall boy. “Torney’s my boyfriend, now.”

  Everson wanted to respond, but found his tongue locked within a chest, the key nowhere to be found.

  “That’s great!” Jonah patted Rena and Torney on the shoulders. “I’m happy for you.” He turned toward Everson. “Everson is, too. Right?”

  With a forced smile, Everson gave a weak nod. His hands shook, causing his canes to wobble. He prayed that he would not fall over. Not now. Not in front of her.

  14

  Chaos Theory

  Noisy chatter permeated the dining hall, the tables filled with anxious students. Everson sat alone at a bench, his table empty amongst the crowd. As other boys and girls walked past him, his gaze would flick up toward them, only to flash back toward the table when they looked in his direction. None sat at his table.