Secrets. Darkness. Deception. To understand any or all of them, one must delve into the darkness of humanity we keep hidden within our hearts and souls. As a governing dynamic of being mortal, we all fear, and that fear brings us to a point where we develop the need to deceive. Because of that deception, that wall of illusion erected to protect us from our expectation of pain, which is nothing more than deception itself, we cannot possibly hope to possess the power necessary to free ourselves from our fears. Those were but a few of his thoughts as he stood in the dim hallway illuminated by an everlasting candle of his own creation, while he remembered watching his longtime friend, Intellos, The Grand Wizard. He, Bengrako Engrosius, second only to Intellos, and in many areas of magic his better, was contemplating his latest area of study: Deception.
Whereas Intellos had devoted himself to the study of knowledge within oneself, Bengrako had devoted his attention and superior intellect toward the study of knowledge within others. And while his counterpart was outwardly powerful, often times given to greatly visible displays of his power, whether it be the creation of a lightning storm against an advancing army, or up ending whole swaths of earth to impede progression, Bengrako focused on the less visible demonstrations of power to achieve his results. For all results are the results of people, whether communally linked together in a society or individually performed as a single endeavor. Therefore, the greatest power is that of controlling those vessels producing results. The greatest power is controlling people.
Fear. Where did it come from? And for that matter, what is it? Yes, there was a process within the mind that lead one to be afraid, but where did this process begin? It was always interesting to him, not that deception was a secondary effect of fear, but that fear itself was something more complex than a simple basal reaction to a specific perception. And because, after the summation of his exhaustive research into the depths of fear using both himself and others, sometimes unwillingly, as subjects, it persisted in its insistence of being directly linked to our negative expectation. Therefore, he was forced to conclude that fear itself was the greatest deception of all. And as all great deceptions, it presented as tangible in both emotion and reason. Yet there really was no logical reason for the existence of fear.
So it was not fear he had to understand, but rather, the human tendency to negatively perceive situations. But if fear was nothing more than a reaction to a subjectively negative perception, could the same but opposite be said about courage? Could the same be said about all emotional states? Were all of our emotions simply the result of our cascading logic, functioning from the subjective nature of our own minds? And if so, then his current emotional state was the result of his negative perception of the event he witnessed last evening when he observed, while under the guise of invisibility, his longest and closest friend gain entrance into a secret room. A room, whose non-existence was built upon the very walls of deception Bengrako had concluded were the result of nothing more than a logical progression of a negatively perceived chain of event. What could possibly be contained within those walls that would cause the greatest wizard Avendia had ever known to have a negative perception which lead to a negative expectation which lead to fear which lead to deception?
He admitted to himself, as vexing as those questions might be, they would possibly never be answered; at least, not while the Grand Wizard insisted on holding secrets from the High Council. And judging by the change he observed in the thin wizard upon his exit from the room, those secrets would continue in their persistence and remain as such unto the wizard's retirement and beyond.
One of the techniques in his magical repertoire was his ability to see into the perceptive identities of those he observed. Necessitated in his study of human behavior, was an in depth study of perceptions and the identity based trends individuals would employ in regards to their perceptions. As such, the diversity of these perceptions would be subjected to only a very narrow variation when contained within a specific individual. And often times, these perceptions would be the only way he was able to, with complete confidence, know with whom he was speaking. Over the years, many individuals had attempted to deceive him with their appearance; yet on every occasion, once his study in identity had reached a particular level of advancement, his ability to remain unaffected by these physical deceptions was without error. Changing one's mental identity, which involved completely altering one's conscious and unconscious mind, was altogether a different undertaking than simply altering one's physical appearance.
He remembered each time as if they had occurred only days ago, yet none as vividly as his very first experience in ferreting out an imposter. Ages ago, when he and Intellos had only just completed their formal education at the University, they were sent by the then High Wizard to assist the then High King of the Silver Empire in his dealings with the Goblins. There always seemed to be many dealings with the Goblins. Yearly they sent emissaries to parlay with the High King with the endeavor to reduce the port tariffs the Goblins still felt were unfairly levied as a result of the Great Unification. Yet at the end of each negotiation, the Goblins never received their desired outcome. In truth, the High Kings of the Silver Empire allowed the Goblins to parlay as a courtesy, but never with the intention of extending anything beyond a courtly audience. Which was all the Goblins really desired as their collective insecurities drove the need for them to be heard and respected, which was enough to satisfy them to passivity for the rest of the year. However, the year in which the two kindred wizards were sent was quite different, and had it not been for the unique knowledge and developed magical talent Bengrako possessed, all-out war might have erupted threatening the existence of the Goblin kingdom, and quite possibly, the Silver Empire itself.
As he always did, Bengrako maintained a general spell of revealing whenever he was involved in any type of negotiations. While it was primarily focused on the physical identities, those most easily and most frequently disguised, he decided to extend this spell into the conscious motivations of the Goblin emissaries as an exercise in the development of his new found knowledge, not expecting to find anything remotely close to deception. But that is exactly what he found.
Over the years of his studies and adventures as a condition of being a wizard, he had many dealings with all of the different denizens throughout Avendia; though most of his knowledge, aside from men, was seeded within the motives of the Dwarves. This singular fact was the only reason his spell amounted to anything at all. After the initial negotiation, Bengrako consulted with Intellos regarding his findings. True, there were no physical deceptions either of the two wizards were capable of detecting, which is not the same thing as saying there were no physical deceptions employed, just none the wizards were able to reveal. However, when he extended his spell into the minds of the Goblin emissaries, he was surprised to find a pattern of thinking that was entirely Dwarven in its resemblance.
Upon revealing this to Intellos, the thin wizard was at first skeptical, but once Bengrako explained his reasoning and evidence, his friend was forced to agree with his conclusion that deception, of a very powerful nature, was being employed. But they were not sure of the motive. As a result of their investigations, it was later revealed that a rouge group of Dwarves, bent upon Dwarven supremacy over the Goblins, had enlisted the assistance of a very powerful and equally roguish Wizard. Once the Goblins were made aware that the death of their emissaries had been at the hands of these rogue dwarf imposters, although not believing they were acting entirely without the support of the Dwarven nation, they advanced their armies. Having no support from their allies because of the exposed deception, the Dwarves were forced to yield a portion of their land to the Goblins, who stuck with force and speed. To this day, the Dwarves still failed to occupy a portion of what had originally been theirs, and still blamed wizards in general. So when Bengrako, while employing the same spell he had during those negotiations ages ago, detected a shift in his friend's perceptive identity, both within the Grand Wizar
d's conscious and subconscious mind, he was sure that the he was somehow changed; and Bengrako did not like change.
It was quite by chance that he saw Intellos descend a flight of stairs that had apparently lead to nowhere. At least nowhere the Hecton Mangico of the High Council was aware of, until now. Out of a curiosity possessed by all wizards, he followed his friend to the conclusion of his journey and watched the Wizard stand in front of a seemingly solid wall. There the Grand Wizard paused, apparently lost in thought and deep contemplation of a nostalgic nature, for he did not notice the revealing spell Bengrako had placed upon his subconscious mind hoping to reveal his perplexing intent. Intellos then invoked a spell of manipulation and the wall slid open allowing the Wizard passage. When the door was opened, Bengrako was hit with what could only be interpreted as power. Raw, creative, total, and complete, this power dislodged any spell he began. It was simply dissolved away in the same manner all great things dissolved away all lesser things in life.
Driven by a curiosity approaching need, once his friend had passed through the door, Bengrako attempted to gain entrance as well by utilizing the same type of manipulation spell he sensed Intellos had used. But there was no response. The wall remained solid, and in spite of his escalating attempts, even so far as to use a blasting spell, it would not relent to the Wizard's intent of gaining entrance. Bengrako was left with no other choice but to wait for his friend to emerge. Yet, as the time passed, and Intellos finally emerged from the all but impassable stone wall, he was different. While his physical appearance was the identical reflection of what Bengrako had come to expect as the integral expression of his friend's identity, once the revealing spell settled upon his subconscious intent, Bengrako knew his friend had been altered. It was a subtle alteration, but an alteration nonetheless. Having been the epitome of Knowledge in Avendia for ages upon ages, Intellos's conscious and subconscious mental identities were naturally built upon this foundation. So when there was a change in the foundation of knowledge as the source of all power to something undefined within the Grand Wizard's mind, Bengrako began to investigate.
"Hello, My Long-time Friend. How fare you?" he addressed an unaware Intellos, still affected by his otherworldly encounter only moments ago.
At first, the High Wizard did not acknowledge his friend, not because he was intentionally ignoring him, although that is precisely the perception Bengrako held, but because he was too deeply seeded into this superior entity that he was still consumed. "My Dearest Friend, Intellos! How fare you?" Bengrako asked again with more emphasis in his voice.
"Oh! Bengrako! Yes! I am, well!" replied Intellos after obviously being jolted from the inner thoughts of his mind.
Pausing slightly and slowly walking toward the thin wizard, Bengrako asked, "Tell me, my friend, what is the nature of a secret?"
"Bengrako, we have been over this topic before. And I do not have time to entertain your superior knowledge in this area as a function of your assertion that you should have been named Grand Wizard. Do you have a point beyond satisfying your insecurity," Intellos replied, quite uncharacteristically. He had always suspected his friend's jealousy toward his appointment, but had never clearly seen it until now. And striking him as strongly as it did, he spoke out of character. Seeing that his friend had been momentarily struck by his abruptness, he continued, "I am sorry, My Friend. I spoke before I tempered my thoughts against our long-time friendship. Please accept my apology. I am quite content to entertain any discussion we may have at any time. Now, what is it you asked of me again?"
When one is changed outwardly, there is little change in their resulting behavior, and thus, nothing to really fear because their subsequent actions will remain quite stably predictable; however, when one is changed from within, creating a newness of an intentional aspect, then all subsequent actions and behaviors are subjected to this newness; hence, they are subjected to change and unpredictability. Bengrako was not quite at peace with not being able to predict his fellow wizard's actions, and Intellos, because of their long history of close friendship, was his best and most complete study. Yet now, with what his spell had revealed, there was a rift between what he had once known, and what he could now predict. "I had asked, my friend, what is the nature of a secret?"
"I would suppose its nature is seated within a fear. Otherwise, why the need to protect one against knowledge. For that is at the heart of every secret, a means of protection," Intellos replied.
"And what is the nature of fear?" replied the larger wizard.
"As you have told me on several occasions, Bengrako, fear is nothing more than our subjectively negative evaluation of an event that has yet to occur. Really, as much as I would like to discuss your research with you, and you know I really do, I do find myself in the middle of something that is becoming quite pressing. If we could progress to the point, and I'm sure you have one, I would consider it a favor."
"Right you are again, my friend. And you do know me so well it seems. Much better than I know you. Well perhaps not before, but certainly after you emerged from that room." He paused, waiting for Intellos to reply, but when the Wizard did no such thing after a few moments, he continued with a question, "If secrets come from fear, and fear comes from a negative perception of what is yet to come, what is your negative perception regarding this room and its knowledge beyond yourself?"
"Bengrako, long have we known each other. Long has our history been in the making, and longer yet has been our endeavor to help our great land of Avendia. But the longest we have shared in common has been our pursuit of knowledge and the understanding that knowledge, and knowledge alone, is the source of all power, and therefore, change. Yet, Bengrako, and I hope you hear me, there is something greater than knowledge. I know not yet what it is, but I do know, or rather believe, it is there. And it is this essence, I do not know to call it yet, that will save Avendia. Our land is turning, Bengrako, surely have you felt it; a shift in the balance, a shift in the knowledge of safety. When I have returned," just then he was interrupted.
"You are leaving? Surely the Grand Wizard's place is here, within the walls of the University, where we can use our collective skills to reveal the knowledge of this," he paused searching for a word, but finding none, continued, " essence you speak of."
"There would be no greater mistake I could make, Bengrako, but do not interpret that incorrectly. I wish nothing more than to involve my fellow wizards of the High Council, but I do not believe it would place us on the correct course. No, Bengrako, in spite of everything I know, through all my years of living, I must do this part alone. Perhaps there will be a time when we will all be working together, with the full strength of all the knowledge possessed by the University and its wizards, but that time is not now. I have delayed long enough, my dear friend. As always, the fullness of my position as Grand Wizard, all the powers and responsibilities pass unto you while I am away," and with that, Intellos put his arms around his friend, gave him a brisk but full embrace of trusted understanding, and strode away.
As he continued up the narrow and dark flight of stairs, more quickly than he had when making the descent, he could not help but admire Bengrako's mastery over light. The everlasting candle, as he had termed it, was nothing more than captured light made into a floating ball, but as simple as it sounded, it was one of the more complex and useful achievements Intellos had witnessed in his long history as Grand Wizard. But as this night had instilled within him a greater awareness than all the knowledge he and his colleagues had amassed, he was driven by a new found need that did not allow his thoughts to idly rest upon anything except that which allowed his progression into the completion of his endeavor. An endeavor that would see him cross the boundaries of space and existence, and right into the immersive potential of subverting time itself.
There was but one being, entity, life force, that could possibly answer the riddle of the language written within the edges of his map. Long has the myth of Dragons been woven into the very fabr
ic of Avendia. Since the first magical spell was cast, the first great leader made, the first moments of life understood, always were there stories of these great beasts invoking the power necessary for the very formation of the world. Even the ancient language of the Elves was fabled to be based off the ancient tongue of these great beasts. Yet the greatest of these beasts, whose name stood alone as the mythic supporter of all goodness within the physical realm, who's fabled as the source of all magic, the very power behind the power, was something Intellos, through his long and extensive knowledge of the world, had no basis to believe in. No basis, until now. No basis until his encounter with The Book of All. No basis until it spoke, deep within his soul, a single name: Lacorion, The King of Dragons.
As he continued his ascent, his sense of purpose began to increase leading to an instinctively growing pace beyond his normally calm and stoic wizard's gait. Operating on a subconsciously intuitive memory of the labyrinthine halls of The University, his conscious focus was given fully to his purposeful task of recalling everything he could concerning Dragons. But most tales were found in children's books. Yet there must be hidden meanings within them, and finding them was now his concern. Since they were labelled as myth, neither he, nor any other serious wizard gave them any credence resulting, now seen as a great unfortunate oversight, in their exclusion from the personal and collective libraries housed in the University, the largest and most complete gathering of recorded knowledge in Avendia. After all, they were nothing more than children's tales meant to both fascinate and control. The only gathering of books greater than the University's would be the Great Library of Light within The Starlit Castle of King Rendunial.
Though he had visited the Elves and their ancient and marvelous city of Meckthenial many, many times throughout his studies as a Wizard, he had only once gained access to their Library, and that only for a short time. Many thought Elves to be distant an innately arrogant, deriving from a belief that they possessed the greater extent of knowledge and refinement; however, this was a rather unfair assessment as the Elves were quite a humble race, not preferring to exclude others from their ways, but to protect the sanctity of all things Elvish believing that if all races became more Elvish, then the meaning of being Elvish would diminish.
Convergence (The Dragon Within Saga Book 1) Page 27
