by Jordan Baker
“So, what you’re saying is that we have no way of knowing anything about him?” she asked Calthas.
Calthas shook his head.
“I wouldn’t know the first thing about how to work around it. But, I can tell you this much, Aaron is not trying to hide anything. Had he resisted himself at all, he would be unconscious for a week, I think. From what I could gather, the ward seems very old, and though it is powerful, it has weakened in a few places. You said magic gives you headaches?” Calthas asked Aaron.
“Any time a mage would cast a spell at festivals, or at the Academy when all those Priests were using their magic to find spell books, I could feel it. If I’m too close, it’s painful.” Aaron explained. Calthas scratched his head in wonderment.
“So you’ve basically been avoiding magic,” he said. Aaron shrugged.
“I guess so,” Aaron replied.
“Well, at least the ward has saved you from the attentions of the Priesthood,” the mage looked to the Princess then back at Aaron. “Did you know that you have mage talent, Aaron?” he asked.
“What do you mean?” Aaron asked. Something about Calthas' question made him feel very uncomfortable. He noticed Borrican and Ariana staring at him more inquisitively now.
“As I said, there are places where the ward that’s on your mind has become weakened. The ward itself gives off the impression of blank space.” Calthas waved his hand in front of Aaron as if he were pointing out something material in the air between them. “If someone looks at you with mage sight, he will see nothing, absence. It is as though you are like a piece of dried wood, lifeless. Most people have a sort of living energy around them,” Calthas explained further. “They have an aura, and seeing that aura is the quickest way to get an idea of someone’s personality. Yours is only visible if you look carefully through the places where the ward is weakest. At the center of the aura is a spark or a tiny flicker of energy. Even the lowliest peasant usually has this little bit of magic in them though it can be infinitesimally small. But like I said, at first glance, you show nothing. It is as though you’re not even alive. However, I have made a special study of energies, especially those around living creatures, it is sort of my hobby, or speciality, so I was able to discern your energy to some degree. I doubt there are many who could do the same.” Ariana frowned at what the mage had told them. Aaron looked at Borrican who shrugged with an uncomprehending look.
“So I don’t have a spark in my aura,” Aaron said. He was not sure what that meant. “Maybe that’s why I don’t like magic.” Calthas chuckled.
“That’s just the thing, Aaron. You do have an aura, a powerful one, but it is merely hidden or perhaps inverted, I’m not quite sure. What I am sure of is that you have magic that is innate to you, otherwise the ward would not work. Your aura is there, it is simply hidden by the ward. You're a mage.”
“What does that mean?” Aaron asked, incredulous. He hated magic. It has brought him nothing but pain and misery his entire life. Calthas pondered for a moment, then tried to explain.
‘At first I tried looking directly into you and found only the sense of nothingness but you said that magic gives you headaches so I knew that there must be something magic in you or else why would you be sensitive to it. It came to me to probe indirectly with my power and that’s when things started to get complicated. I found a kind of magical framework almost indentical to you physically and spiritually, a framework that reflects...no, that's not the right word...absorbs energy from the outside world and then dispels it again. That's why anyone with power trying to use their power to see you sort of sees nothing. It's kind of like seeing through you. The problem is, you have a lot of magical power held inside that ward and it appears to have built up to the point that the ward is beginning to weaken from within.” Calthas now turned to the Princess and Borrican.
“You see how this could become a problem?” Ariana frowned again and began to pace. She knew that all mages had power constantly building and flowing naturally from them. That was, in essence, part of what an aura was. Hiding one's aura took a lot of effort and meant holding in that power, to the point where it could become uncomfortable, even painful. At some point the energy would need to be released. Ariana had once wondered how dangerous it might be for someone to be holding power for an extended period of time and Calthas had told her not to try, that it would be very bad, and would not elaborate.
“So, we still don’t know if he’s a threat,” Ariana said, focusing on her immediate concern. Calthas put up a hand.
“If he wanted to be a threat, he could easily have done so. And I think this is as much news to him as it is to us.” Calthas turned again to Aaron. “No doubt you are a little confused, Aaron. The basic explanation is that there is some kind of ward on your mind that keeps people from seeing who you are and whether you have any kind of power. I say it’s a pretty handy thing to have these days, what with the Priesthood around trying to convert all the magic users to their new religion.” Calthas was visibly impressed. “Have you ever noticed anything besides the headaches?”
Aaron thought about it and remembered that he had blacked out when he and Ehlena were surrounded by the soldiers. He took a deep breath and decided to trust them with some things that had been troubling him for some time now.
“Well, apart from the pounding in my head every time I’m around magic users, I have noticed that my vision gets really sharp, all my senses do, but then I black out, that’s when strange things happen. Like trees blooming in mid-winter or things catching fire, sometimes.” Ariana flinched as the mention of fire reminded her of a dream that had plagued her for years. Aaron continued. “Ever since mid-winter the headaches have been getting worse and sometimes they happen even when there are no mages nearby.” Aaron decided not to tell them about the attack at the cottage and how when he had blacked out, he awoke to find that all of Manfred's soldiers had all died. Now that he heard himself talking about these things that had been happening to him, Aaron realized how far he had put these things from his mind. It seemed as though even the thought of magic made his head hurt.
“Well Aaron, I don’t know too much about it but that ward cannot be too good for you, especially if its causing you pain. I don’t have the skill to do anything to remove a spell of that intricacy. I wish Lyssa were here. She was always good with puzzles like this, but she’s at Blue Island, recruited by the priesthood, of course, now another faithful follower.”
“What’s all this about the Priesthood?” Aaron asked. He had seen the Mage Priests countless times in the library and one or two had passed through Ashford a year earlier but it seemed as though they were everywhere in Maramyr. Calthas chuckled.
“Oh yes, they’ve made quite a religion of it. It’s spreading everywhere. I heard that over in the Xallan lands, Queen Calexis apparently made it the official religion and issued a law that all mages have to join the Priesthood.” Calthas explained. “To the Priesthood, magic is a sacred thing, kind of ritualistic and, of course reserved only for the faithful. They’re always harping about the ‘One’ and their wretched book. From what I understand, they believe their God is will soon come to walk on this world. Personally, I don’t believe a word of it and I seem to be doing fine.” Calthas scoffed. Aaron felt a brief twinge in the back of his head as the mage snapped his fingers and calling a tiny flame forth above his fingers. “They’re pretty aggressive about wanting anyone and everyone with any magical powers whatsoever to join their ranks and become true believers.”
“You can’t swing a cat in the palace these days without hitting a Priest.” Ariana complained. “But I’ve been careful to hide my power from them. So far the Priests have been nothing but courteous and helpful, except maybe that weasel Dakar.”
Calthas did not look convinced.
“I doubt it will be very long before they notice your powers and convince your uncle to ship you off to Blue Island for your so-called education.”
“I overheard my uncle talking to Dakar about
the Island. It will probably be some time soon,” she told him.
“Well, if it comes up, perhaps you should consider bringing this Aaron along with you.” Calthas suggested.
“Why?” Ariana was confounded. Calthas chuckled before responding.
“For one, he’d be good to have around if you wanted to avoid the Priesthood. From what I can tell, the ward extends a few arm spans around him and dampens any deliberate scrying. This room has actually never been safer from prying eyes than it is right now. And secondly, maybe he’ll get a chance to learn something about the ward and figure out a way to get it removed. The Priesthood, true to form, has been collecting up every magic book everywhere and shipping them all off to the Island. There’s bound to be something in one of them.” Calthas again directed his attention to Aaron. “And the worst case is that your headaches become unbearable and you’ll need someone powerful enough to find a way to remove the ward. While I hate to say it, if you run out of options, the Priesthood might be better than a life of excruciating pain, or possibly dying from it.” Calthas shrugged at this last, his eyes downcast.
“What do you mean?” Aaron asked him.
“Okay, magic for beginners…” The mage paused for a moment. “Um, while the Priesthood might disagree with me, here’s what I understand of how it all works. Think of magic as an energy that all people have. Some people have more of it than others. If you’re attuned to it and have the extra measure typical of mages, then you can sense it. Really, its everywhere, in everything, but concentrated more powerfully in some people. If you have enough of it to be a mage, then you learn how to manipulate it and that, is what we call magic. Whatever the case, here’s the trick of it. Mages tend to attract magic, we absorb it constantly and then cast it. The catch is that if you are a mage, the magic is part of you and the more a mage you become, the more at one you become with the energy.”
Aaron was not sure whether he understood correctly.
“So, once you begin to use magic, you become more powerful?” he asked.
“Not exactly. Every mage is gifted in different ways and to differing amounts. It’s just that, over time, and with use, you are more able to harness and control it. That’s the problem with the ward on your mind. While it prevents others from interacting with you magically, it also prevents you from connecting with your own power. You said that your headaches began during the winter?” Calthas inquired.
“Yes, I think so.”
“Although there have been a few exceptions, it is usually some time during early adulthood that most mages begin to feel their powers grow more sharply. While the power is always there, something changes and it begins to flow more powerfully, expanding beyond your physical self. It is strange, though, that the ward appears to be very old, as though it were put on you when you were much younger, before you would normally have shown any signs of being a mage.” Calthas paused, thinking for a moment. “Whatever the case, the ward is giving you trouble and it may only get worse. I would do whatever possible to get it removed.”
Calthas turned to Ariana and Borrican.
“I sincerely doubt that Aaron poses any threat to either of you. His aura is strong and true, that much is clear. If anything, he is a danger to himself if this problem is not solved.”
Relieved that Aaron had passed Calthas' inspection, Ariana was now frustrated and somewhat concerned for Borrican’s young friend. She also felt a little badly for how she had treated him and wondered if there was something she could do to help him.
“Calthas. You’re sure you can’t do anything about it? ” she asked. “You said the ward was weakened.”
“Weakened yes, but weak it most certainly is not. I like to think of myself as having some skill in these things but, like I said, this is way out of my league. I’m afraid that soon the only help to be found for him might be at Blue Island. That’s where almost all of the mages have gone, at least all the mages I can think of skilled enough to deal with this problem. The problem is, the place is practically run by the Priesthood these days. I fear it might not even be safe for you to travel there, Princess, though it may become necessary if you are to continue your training. Perhaps, if you travel to Blue Island, you can take this young man with you," he suggested.
As Aaron listened to Calthas and Ariana, he glanced over at Borrican who had remained silent throughout the exchange. He had been looking at Aaron with a strange expression, and there was something distant in his eyes. Suddenly aware that Aaron was staring back at him, Borrican turned his eyes back to the floor.
Ariana also realized she had been perfectly horrible to Aaron since the moment they had arrived at Calthas’ workshop. For all she knew, he could be another royal like Borrican although she figured, if that were true, she would likely have run across him some time before this. His accent was definitely Maramyrian, though his way of speaking made her think of someone older than he was. At the same time, she knew nothing about him and the fact that he had some mysterious spell on him that hid his identity made her even more suspicious. She was not ready to reconsider her position, quite yet and, given that she hardly knew him, Calthas' proposal that she take him with her anywhere, let along to the Mage School at Blue Island, was downright preposterous.
“I’ll do nothing of the sort," she told the mage. "I don’t even know who he is except that this lout brought him from the Academy.” She smacked Borrican in the chest. The Kandaran Prince looked again at Aaron then finally spoke.
“I guess it is a question that needs answering. Who are you, Aaron?” he asked. Aaron did not know quite how to respond and Borrican continued before he could say anything. “I know the rules at the Academy, but we’re not at the Academy now and it seems kind of important.”
Aaron felt badly. He did not mean to cause so much trouble for his friend and he agreed that answering their questions was important, except he did not know quite what to tell them, except the truth.
“My name is Aaron. I'm not a noble like you and the princess. I grew up in the country with my uncle and he taught me pretty much everything I know. There’s not much more to it than that,” Aaron told him. Borrican frowned.
“But you’re the best sword fighter at the Academy. You were better than everybody else before you even arrived. I saw you spar with Aldos your first day. He's one of the top swordmen among even the Captains and you were an easy match for him," Borrican said. "And you’re educated too, as well as any noble. I’m pretty sure that you don’t get that kind of training living out in the country. Who was this uncle of yours?” he asked.
Since first arriving at the city and meeting Ehlena's aunt, then heading off to the Aaron had felt very self-conscious about his low-born status. When he read books of history and heard stories about this king or that queen or various nobles, they had just been stories about people from far off places, the kinds of people that Aaron had never even considered he would ever meet. Things like status and rank had not mattered to him out in the country, but it mattered here, to the people whose families actually appeared in the books he had read. Aaron thought perhaps his uncle’s name might mean something. It certainly had with Lord Carlis and Captain Nathas.
“My uncle was from Maramyr,” he told them. “A long time ago, he was the Royal Armsmaster to King Gregor. His name was Tarnath. He didn't talk much about his time in Maramyr, but his family house was called Coromay, I think.”
“Tarnath is your uncle?” Ariana was incredulous. “The servants still talk about him though I barely remember him. I do know I used to call him Uncle Tarnath when I was little. And I remember I used to pull on his beard and he would stick his tongue out at me. I thought he died a long time ago.” Ariana looked as though she was reminded of something unpleasant.
“My uncle said he was part of the plot to kill my parents but I don't know if I ever believed that story. The older servants, the ones who were there and remember that night have told me he wasn't. Tarnath had nothing to do with the fire, with my parents. They told me his en
tire beard burned off trying to save them and that he was the one who rescued me. I never understood how he could have done that and still be banished from the city.” Ariana was saddened by the thoughts of those horrible things that had happened so long ago, and still conflicted by the differing stories she had heard.
Aaron had heard how Ariana's parents, King Gregor and Queen Aria had died in a terrible fire when she was only a child. He also wondered why, in all the years they had lived in the cottage, Tarnath had never spoken of the Royal Family of Maramyr. It counted for something, but there was still so much about him that made her uncomfortable.
“I believe that Tarnath was an honorable man." Ariana held out her hand, delicately and Aaron took it in his own. "Well met, Aaron," she said, briefly.
“Should I bow or something?” Aaron asked. Ariana laughed and let go of his hand.
“Bowing and curtsies, not if we can help it. I have never been one for that sort of thing. At court, in front of people, yes, but otherwise, no," she said. "Tell me, Aaron, how is Tarnath? My uncle Cerric told me years ago that he had died, but I'm glad to hear the old man still lives. There are many things I might ask him.”
“Tarnath was alive, until recently," Aaron told her, "Tarnath was killed in a fight near our home out in the countryside and the place where we lived was burned to the ground. That is why I have come here to the city.”
“I am sorry to hear that,” Ariana said, genuinely sad for Aaron's loss and, disappointed that she would not have the chance to meet the man whom she had been told was her father's most trusted friend.
