by Victor Kloss
“What?”
Charlie, mindful of Jimmy sitting next to them, spoke carefully. “We forgot to search for the other things.”
Guardians and Shadowseekers, Ben realised. How could they have forgotten? He consoled himself with the knowledge that there would be ample opportunity to research them in the future.
Ben glanced down at the book, Introduction to Spellswords, in front of him, and he was gripped with a rare eagerness to start reading. He opened the book and flicked to the first page.
“Spellsword was the first department to be established by Queen Elizabeth, only months after she discovered the Unseen Kingdoms. Initially they were soldiers, skilled in both spellshooting and weaponry, but their role quickly expanded, thanks largely to Michael James, the first Spellsword Director, whose contribution to the department remains unparalleled. Today they are senior and superior to the armed forces of most Unseen Kingdoms. Many battles can be avoided simply by their presence. However, should force be required, it is common knowledge that one Spellsword is the equivalent to a fully armed military squad.”
Ben paused, trying to digest what he'd just read. He was learning about his ancestor in the founding years of the Institute. It was crazy. How many times would Michael be mentioned during their studies? Ben had to resist the urge to see what else he could find, and continued reading. The rest of the chapter read like an enthralling fantasy novel. When Ben finished, he looked up, eager to discuss the chapter with Charlie.
But Charlie had disappeared.
“He's gone back into the library to search for another book. He seemed pretty excited about it,” Jimmy said, seeing Ben's confusion.
Ben had been so engrossed in the book he hadn't heard Charlie leave.
“Your friend is a really fast student,” Jimmy said. “He completed all the questions and left about ten minutes ago.”
“Questions?”
“You know, the questions you answer after studying the theory.”
Ben referred back to his handbook and to the Spellsword checklist. Jimmy was right; beneath the step detailing what to read was a set of questions to answer. It took Ben another twenty minutes to answer everything, occasionally having to refer back to the chapter he read. By the time he had finished, Charlie had returned and was watching Ben intently, his chubby fingers tapping against each other.
“Finally,” Charlie said, with an air of impatience.
“Where have you been?”
“Researching,” Charlie said, a smile creasing his face. He made a subtle nod towards Jimmy. “I'll explain on the way. Let's go.”
By the time they left the library, Charlie was bubbling with excitement. “I finished about thirty minutes ago. I didn't want to keep going as I thought it would be better if we were at the same point on the checklist.”
“How did you finish so fast?”
“I'm a quick reader,” Charlie said, waving a dismissive hand. “Anyway, while you were finishing, I thought I'd try to find what I could about Guardians and Shadowseekers.”
Suddenly, he had Ben's undivided attention. “What did you find?”
Charlie raised a chubby finger. “I know this is going to sound annoying, but I want to wait until we meet up with Natalie because I really don't like explaining things twice.”
Ben ran a hand through his hair. “That is annoying. When are we going to see her?”
“By the entrance at 3pm, remember? That's less than ten minutes away. I suggest we drop our handbooks off with the examiner and head over.”
“The examiner?”
“Oh yeah, Jimmy told me about him while you were glued to the book,” Charlie said, with a smile. “He's the guy who checks our answers. Look.”
Charlie was pointing to a door they had stopped by. Examiner’s Room. Knock Before Entering.
“Maybe I should double-check what I wrote,” Ben said, looking at his handbook with concern. His face lit up hopefully. “Could I compare my answers with yours?”
“Absolutely not,” Charlie said. “I'm sure you did fine.”
Ben knew better than to argue the point. There were some rules Charlie would never break.
With a little sigh, Ben knocked on the door.
“Come in, come in. By that I mean both of you.”
Ben exchanged a surprised look with Charlie.
“How did he know there are two of us?” Charlie asked.
“I don't know, but I have a feeling this could be interesting.”
Ben opened the door into a small office, dominated by one big desk in the middle. On the left side of the desk was a basket, piled halfway to the ceiling with Institute Handbooks. On the right was another basket with a smaller collection of handbooks. In the middle was a man, for lack of a better word, sitting on a chair. He was so small the table came up to his chin and his legs were too short to dangle off the chair. He had a long grey beard, which trailed down to the floor, tied together by a bunch of colourful elastic bands. His face was wrinkled and his arched eyebrows were accented by the bald head. In his long bony fingers was an expensive-looking pen. Three white diamonds hovered above his right shoulder.
Ben and Charlie stopped a respectable distance from the desk and watched with curiosity.
“Just a moment, please,” the man said. He mumbled something to himself, then shut the book and threw it with a flick of the wrist, sending it spinning upwards. It landed perfectly on top of the smaller pile of books.
He finally looked up, and Ben realised then that he definitely wasn't human. He had a long chin and a nose that would have rivalled your stereotypical witch.
“Ah, new blood! My name is Professor Rafakat. You can call me Professor, Rafakat, Professor Rafakat, Raf, or even Prof. I've been called them all and have no preference. What are your names?”
His voice was high-pitched and croaky, unsurprising given he was probably less than three feet tall.
“Greenwood, eh?” Rafakat said, after they had introduced themselves. He gave his beard a stroke. “An interesting family, with considerable history.” Rafakat turned to Charlie. “Hornberger? First generation to the Institute. Good luck to you.”
“You know about my family?” Ben asked.
“I know many people,” Rafakat said. When he smiled he revealed a set of yellow teeth. “I was friends with your parents. Your mum I especially liked. A fine-looking woman. Fantastic legs.”
Charlie made a choking noise and even Ben struggled to keep a straight face. His mum's legs were bigger than Rafakat's entire body.
“I'd love you to stay and chat, but as you can see, I'm snowed under for a change,” Rafakat said, nodding towards the huge pile of books. “Leave your books on my desk. They will be marked by tomorrow morning.”
Ben wanted to ask more about his parents, but knew it might not be a good idea to press the matter, especially if he wanted to pick the professor's brains at a later date. He and Charlie placed their handbooks on the desk. Rafakat took them and threw them into the air. The left pile must have been ten feet tall, but the books flew up and landed at the top with such deftness that Ben suspected magic was involved. Rafakat then pulled the bottom handbook from the pile with such speed that the remaining ones didn't even sway when they dropped down.
Ben and Charlie left the room, feeling in awe of the little man.
The Institute wasn't as busy as in the morning, but there were still plenty of people coming up and down the spiral staircase, creating an energetic atmosphere that Ben warmed to.
“There she is,” Charlie said, waving vigorously.
The three of them left the Institute and stepped out into the courtyard, which was bathed in pleasant sunshine.
“I know a great little café not far from here,” Natalie said. “For an extra five pounds they give you a silencer spell, so we can talk without being overheard. They also do fantastic cakes.”
“I'm sold. Let's go,” Ben said.
They passed the Institute's manicured garden, with its water fountain, and throu
gh the open gate. Soon they were heading down the hill along the cobbled path that was lined either side by trees and torch lamps. Halfway down, Ben caught a smell that made his mouth water. He turned instinctively and saw the most incredible cakes lining the front of a small café, with the words “Fuddleswell Tea Room” above the door.
“This is the place,” Natalie said.
Inside was busy – not surprising given the food on offer. Cakes, scones with cream and jam, and all sorts of teas and coffees created a feast for the eyes and nose. Small circular tables surrounded by chairs were laid out haphazardly across the room. By sheer luck, they managed to snag a table by the window.
A young girl dressed all in white with a black apron came over, took their order and gave Natalie a small white pellet. She loaded it into her spellshooter and, after the food had arrived, fired it above their heads. A shimmering field surrounded them and the external noise receded to an inaudible mumble.
“Privacy at last,” Natalie said, with a smile. “We can talk freely. The spell isn't that strong, but I can detect if someone penetrates the field. If that happens, I will slap the table lightly and we must stop talking at once.”
Ben and Charlie took turns bringing Natalie up to speed. When Ben recalled the incident in the library, her eyes widened.
“How certain are you of what you saw?”
“Not certain at all. I have no idea if I really saw a flash of steel, and even if I did, there could be a dozen possible explanations for it.”
“I'm not so sure,” Charlie said.
“Whatever. I'm not going to freak out about it,” Ben said. “And I'm certainly not going to tell the directors what I may or may not have seen. That would kill any chance we have of looking for my parents.”
“That's true,” Natalie said. She looked worried, but Ben was pleasantly surprised that she showed more understanding than Charlie had. “I wonder what Dagmar was doing,” she continued. “It was lucky she happened to be there, in case anything did happen. I know she's only a Scholar, and she might be rather small, but she is really good with a spellshooter. Wren wanted her to join the Department of Spellswords. I bet she could handle a Shadowseeker.”
“Speaking of Shadowseekers,” Ben said, turning to Charlie. “Can you let us know what you found out about them?”
“You managed to find something in the library?” she asked, sitting up a little straighter.
Charlie revelled in her disbelief, and his cheeks went a little rosy. “It wasn't that hard. You would have found it just as easily as me.”
“Moving on from the ego-massaging… what did you find?” Ben asked.
“I couldn't find much on Shadowseekers beyond the fact that they are a special forces unit that serve Suktar directly.”
“Draven said they were assassins,” Natalie said.
“Not always. I read an article where one was sent in to rescue a prominent dark elf captain from a heavily barricaded dwarf stronghold. That was basically all I could find. There were references to other books, but I have a feeling we don't have access to them.”
“Fair enough,” Ben said. “What about Guardians?”
Charlie smiled. “I made better progress with that. I found a book, by an author called Frederick Von Lipzig.”
“A nice, traditional English name.”
“Quite,” Charlie said. “I wanted to look him up, but I didn't have the time. Anyway, the book is called Truths, Myths and Legends of the Royal Institute of Magic. He discusses many different historical topics, and debates whether there is any truth in them or whether they are myth or legend.”
“So what did he say about Guardians?”
Charlie paused to heighten the tension. Ben almost felt like slapping him.
“A Guardian is a living ancestor of an original director,” Charlie said. “Which makes sense, as we know you're descended from Michael James Greenwood, the original Spellsword Director.”
“It makes sense, but we already knew that.”
“I'm not done yet,” Charlie said, looking affronted. “Frederick Von Lipzig writes that the Guardians have unparalleled access to the very heart of the Institute.”
“What does that mean?” Natalie asked.
“He doesn't say exactly. But he does say that the original directors were involved in the design and architecture of the building. ‘Only a Guardian truly knows the secrets of the fabled Royal Institute of Magic building.’ Lipzig's words, not mine.”
Nobody spoke for a minute.
“That is interesting,” Ben said, eventually breaking the silence. “The question is – did Lipzig say whether it was a truth, a myth or a legend?”
“He says it's most likely a bit of all three,” Charlie said. “Which isn't that helpful, I know.”
“Well, it's a lot more than we knew before,” Natalie said. “I think we should research this Frederick Von Lipzig fellow, and also see if we can find some early drawings of the Institute to see if it holds any secrets.”
“Good idea,” Charlie said, nodding a little too vigorously.
Ben didn't respond. Natalie had triggered an idea that made his heart leap. He slapped the table, making Charlie and Natalie jump, and leaned forwards, nearly spilling his tea.
“What if Lipzig is right? What if Guardians can access the building's secrets? What if there are areas that only they can get to?”
“That's a big 'if', but go on,” Charlie said.
“My parents,” Ben said. “Nobody can find them, right? What if all this time they have been hiding in the Institute?”
— Chapter Eleven —
Unusual Chores
Nobody spoke for a full minute. Charlie broke the silence, dabbing his cheeks with his napkin. “It's a long shot, but if true, then – wow. How would we find these hidden architectural nooks and crannies?”
“With Ben,” Natalie said, a smile playing across her pretty face. “He's also a Guardian. If there are any secrets in the Institute, Ben should have access to them.”
Ben's excitement didn't quite match Charlie’s and Natalie's. “How would I do that? I hardly know my way round the Institute.”
Neither Charlie nor Natalie had an answer.
A sudden popping sound made them all jump, and the noise of the café rushed back into their little table.
“The spell has expired. I guess that's meeting adjourned,” Natalie said.
Ben was tempted to ask for another silencer spell, but they were getting several dirty looks from other customers waiting for their table.
“I need to get back home,” Charlie said, glancing out the window. “My parents will suspect something if I'm not home by five.”
“I'll come with you,” Ben said, and Charlie gave a grateful smile. Ben had a feeling his friend might feel envious if he stayed to hang out with Natalie at the Institute. “My grandma will be expecting some more milk.”
As they said their goodbyes, Natalie ran a critical eye over their clothes. “Charlie, though I love your colourful fashion, make sure you're wearing something a little more casual tomorrow.”
“What does that mean?”
Natalie smiled. “Wear something you don't mind getting dirty.”
Charlie gave a worried frown as they left and headed down the hill towards the Dragonway. “Why did she have to leave us with a warning like that? Now I'm going to be worrying all night.”
“Relax,” Ben said, slapping his shoulder. “We're probably just going to be doing something that's going to wreck our clothes a bit.”
“That's supposed to relax me?” Charlie asked, giving him an incredulous look. “That would mean we're going to be doing something that involves physical exercise, which isn't exactly my strong suit.”
Ben stopped listening to Charlie's worrying, and he barely noticed when they arrived at the Dragonway, or when they boarded their dragon home. His mind played over his first day as an apprentice, with a mixture of pride and excitement. So much had happened, from the Shadowseeker attack in Croydon to
the Initiation Test, to the peculiar incident in the library. It was enough to fill a week, let alone a day. The thrill of starting the apprenticeship combined with the possibility that a dark elf assassin could be hunting him produced a peculiar set of contrasting emotions. To complicate matters further, there was his parents. Could they really have hidden at the Institute? Could they still be there? The thought was thrilling but frustrating, that they could be so close and yet remain out of reach.
“Well, that day was interesting,” Charlie said. “Same time tomorrow?”
Ben blinked. They were standing outside the Croydon headquarters on a pavement congested with commuters and shoppers. Ben had been so lost in his own world he could only vaguely recall the journey. The smell of petrol and exhaust fumes brought him back to the world he was used to.
Sleep that night did not come easy and his plan to go to bed early in the hope that tomorrow would arrive sooner backfired. He lay in bed, unable to drift off; his body was tired, but his mind was wide awake, wondering what tomorrow would bring.
Despite the poor night's sleep, Ben was up early, dressed and out the house at 7:30am the following morning, with only the minimum of sparring with his grandma. When he spotted Charlie coming down the road, Ben couldn't help laughing.
“What on earth is that?” he asked.
Charlie was wearing a pair of blue tracksuit bottoms and a white collared t-shirt. His backpack was smaller today, but he still had it strapped round both shoulders.
“This is my sports gear,” Charlie said. “They are the only clothes I have that I don't mind getting dirty. I realise I may not look as fashionable as usual.” He gave Ben a lookover. “I see that you still manage to look good despite wearing clothes I wouldn't give to a homeless man.”
Ben was wearing a black paint-splattered t-shirt and loose-fitting jeans that were torn at the knees.
“Do you have a good set of clothes as spare?” Ben asked.
Charlie patted his bag. “I'm hoping we'll be able to change out of these at some point. The sooner the better.”
Both Ben and Charlie were slightly anxious when they entered Croydon headquarters twenty minutes later, but unlike yesterday, the lift opened smoothly and their journey to Taecia proved uneventful. They talked almost nonstop throughout their trip and only stopped when they arrived at the gates of the Royal Institute of Magic.
