“Tom! Wake up!” he opened his eyes slowly, looked annoyed at his sister, dragged himself reluctantly from his bed and into the washroom to dress; when he emerged, Kiræ had made his bed.
“Thanks,” he said yawning and together they walked to the old library where both Sara and Brean were waiting for them.
“Ah, good you’ve made it,” Brean said clapping his hands together, “now take a seat and we’ll talk about some of the basics.” The twins obliged, remaining silent. “Magic,” Brean began, “is not something you can ignore once it has awakened, if you do, it will consume-”
“Is that what happened to Bælana?” Tom asked.
“No, Tom, what has happened to her is far worse. If Bælana had been consumed by her magic then she would already have been destroyed. Magic is a powerful energy you see. It lives in your soul and spreads through your very being, becoming intertwined with all that you are. If you ignore it, then it takes over, being released at sporadic intervals until it eventually consumes the host and destroys them. No, Bælana is definitely in control of her ability, but she has been corrupted. Magic is powerful; you may have already used it without realising, especially when your emotions are heightened.” Kiræ thought back to the fire and Tom’s horse but remained silent.
“By controlling your magic, and your emotions you will be able to prevent it from being used without your knowledge, do you understand?” They both nodded and he smiled in a fatherly way, “now, let me tell you a little bit about the type of magic you have.”
“You mean there’s more than one kind?” Kiræ asked.
“Yes indeed,” Brean replied chuckling, “there are several different varieties; they tend to flow down the family line, which makes it easier to train those that develop the power. Generally every family member has the magical ability but for some it remains dormant for most or all of their life. So if Mutaforma Animalis runs in your family then everyone from the original line has the potential for that ability.”
“Mutaforma Animalis?” Tom queried.
“The ability to shape shift into animals,” Sara explained, the twins eyes widened.
“Yes it’s definitely one of the favourites,” Brean chuckled, “but the magical abilities that you both possess are like that of your mother, and many others from your original line, so I’m afraid there’s no shape shifting of any kind in store for you.”
“So, what magic do we have?” they chorused.
“Elementa Magic,” Brean explained, “it is the ability to manipulate and control the elements.”
“So I did create the fire!” Kiræ exclaimed and the others looked puzzled. “When we were travelling to Olai last winter I was trying to build a fire but the wood was so damp I couldn’t, then I could swear fire jumped from my hands and set the wood alight!” Brean nodded, “and Tom!” Kiræ burst again, “I think he did something too!” Brean looked at him and Tom shook his head.
“I’ve not done-”
“One of the first training sessions with our horses,” Kiræ continued, “you couldn’t get Myran to move, then it looked as if he’d been pushed, or dragged or something.”
Brean nodded, “That would be air manipulation. It’s a good thing we didn’t wait much longer as it seems your abilities have indeed begun to manifest themselves. We will start with fire as it is often considered one of the most cooperative elements.” He held out his left hand, closed into a fist, and slowly opened it palm upwards to reveal a small flame flickering and dancing in the centre. It remained there for several seconds, then fizzled to nothing. The twins looked fascinated.
“Tom, you can start first, since Kiræ has technically created fire, even if by accident.” Tom looked hesitantly at Brean.
“What I want you to do is hold your hands out together palms upwards, yes just like that, now close your eyes. You won’t need to close your eyes all the time but I find it helps at the start. I want you to think of fire, nothing else but fire, think about it springing from your soul, spreading through your veins, under your skin and into your hands. You’ll find your hands will feel warm and there may be a fast pulsing vibration emanating from them, that’s the fire’s energy, when that happens open your eyes.”
Silence fell and Tom began to concentrate; he thought of fire coming to life inside him, keeping him warm and springing onto his hands. He stood thinking about fire for several minutes and nothing happened. At one point he thought his hands felt warm but when he inched his eyes open he saw Kiræ holding a candle beneath his hands. He scowled and she grinned mischievously.
“Don’t worry Tom, these things take time, take a deep breath, that’s right, close your eyes and try again.” Tom took several deep breaths and tried to block out everything around him. Then he searched inwards until he found something bright, flickering and warm. He began coaxing it from its resting place and the fire obeyed willingly, spreading quickly through him. There was a tiny gasp from Kiræ as his palms warmed and he opened his eyes to see a large flame flickering happily in his hands. Brean clapped his hands in delight, causing Tom to jump and the flame to flicker then die.
“Wonderful Tom! Just wonderful! Though I feel I should apologise, I think my excitement broke your focus. Alright Kiræ, it’s your turn.”
Kiræ closed her eyes and placed both palms upwards in front of her. She started to imagine fire, thought of the flames dancing inside and around her, springing to life from the very centre of her soul. Like Tom nothing happened for a very long time and every time she opened her eyes she found her palms empty.
Don’t compare yourself to Tom, she thought as she suppressed the worry that she wouldn’t achieve what he had. She closed her eyes and began to concentrate again. She thought again of fire and eventually felt something warm deep inside her. She imagined it spreading through her and becoming part of her. This time she felt a warm, prickling sensation on her hands but she ignored it and continued her thoughts. It was then that she realised how quiet it was and she slowly opened her eyes to see several tiny flames in her palms. Kiræ’s eyes widened and she looked at Brean in disbelief.
“Well done Kiræ, well done! Now, you need to command the flames to shrink until they disappear.” Easier said than done. After several failed attempts, and a lot of cursing, the flames reluctantly shrank and vanished. She breathed a sigh of relief just as the first morning bell tolled.
“That can’t be the bell, we’ve not been here that long have we?” Kiræ asked.
“You have in fact been here quite a while, it often takes a long time to summon the elements on your first try but trust me it will become easier,” Brean explained.
“We’d better hurry then or we’ll miss the morning meal,” Kiræ said grabbing her brother by the arm and dragging him towards the door.
“I shall expect you back here tomorrow morning,” Brean called cheerfully as they shouted a hasty goodbye and ran through the library, stumbling over books on their way out into the sunlight.
During the morning training session the learners competed against each other in pairs using their sword and shield combination. Kiræ was currently paired with Keolan.
“I should warn you Kiræ, the extra training from Gary and Hazime has really improved my skills, but don’t worry, I’ll go easy on you.” She smiled as she raised her sword to a high guard position and held her shield out for protection. Keolan lunged towards her and Kiræ stepped back as she blocked, then pushed him backwards. He staggered and she brought her sword down towards his legs. Keolan jumped back and tried to swing his sword towards her neck. Kiræ blocked with her shield, stepped sideways and forwards, then hit Keolan in the side of the head with her elbow causing him to lose balance. He landed on the hard ground with a thud; Kiræ rested her sword on his chest.
“What’s that you were saying Keo?” They laughed while she helped him to his feet.
“Very good,” Sir Nyme said walking over, “Now Kiræ I want you to go and help Tana over there, she needs a bit of help with the defensive moves. Keol
an, pair up with Aurora.” Kiræ walked to the other side of the training ground where a slim girl, with waist length chestnut hair, tied back in a braid was waiting.
“Hi, I’m Kiræ” she said smiling warmly.
“Tana,” the other girl replied nodding politely.
“Shall we start? Sir Nyme said you’re having some trouble defending,” the other girl nodded.
“I don’t seem to be able to think fast enough,” she said sounding annoyed at herself.
“One of the best tips I was given recently was try not to think, just let your instincts guide you.” They took their positions and began sparring.
Keolan sauntered over to Aurora who was leaning idly on her sword. He raised his weapon as he approached and Aurora reciprocated, winding her weapon in a figure of eight. Keolan struck first, putting his full weight into the attack, which Aurora seemed to block with little trouble. She stepped nimbly to the side and at the same time lowered her sword so Keolan stumbled forwards. He turned the fall into a roll, remained crouched and took her legs from under her.
Aurora jumped to her feet surprisingly quickly and swung at Keolan who jumped back in surprise. Aurora continued to attack and Keolan swore her eyes shifted to amber with each blow. Eventually he stumbled and fell, he raised his shield, anticipating a crashing blow but none came. As he peered over the shield he saw Aurora breathing heavily and looking somewhat bemused; she helped him to his feet and they began again.
The learners continued to train against one another until the midday bell tolled; they were all thankful and couldn’t wait to be fed. Kiræ had noticed Tana sitting alone at meal times on several occasions and didn’t think she had seen the other girl with any of the other learners. She took the opportunity on the walk towards the Great Hall to speak to her.
“I like your bracelet,” she said indicating the bronze bangle round Tana’s wrist.
“Thanks,” the other girl replied smiling.
“Are you from round here?” she asked politely and Tana shook her head, after she failed to elaborate Kiræ continued, “where have you travelled from?” Tana turned to look at her while they were walking, as if deciding whether she could be trusted. It’s like trying to get blood from a stone talking with this girl.
When Tana finally spoke her voice was quiet and hesitant. “I’m from Trynity in Eriba, my parents died when I was young and my brother raised me. We were managing to cope but these last few years have been more of a struggle, he’s got a family of his own now. I thought about going to Olai, but I worried he would find me and make me go home, so I came here.”
“Is the bracelet from your brother?” Tana nodded and began absentmindedly twirling the bangle. “Do you miss them?”
Tana nodded, “Every day,” she replied, “but I’ve been raised to be independent. Yes I miss them, but I have to find a way to support myself.” Kiræ nodded, she had respect for this girl, it would have been difficult to leave the place you called home and the people you loved; she wasn’t sure she could have done it. As they reached the large doors to the Great Hall Kiræ turned to face Tana.
“Why not join us for lunch?”
Tana smiled.
Chapter 11
Vala was sat at a sturdy rectangular oak table in a large wood panelled room, arms folded and a slight frown on her face as she listened to those around her. A fire blazed at the opposite end, creating a warm glow along with the lamplight. She was in the palace at Tresin discussing battle tactics with the other army leaders, and with little agreement.
There had been very little disagreement between them in the past; they had considered one another close friends. However several years back, Bol, the head of Yutshan’s army had retired, despite being in better shape than most of his recruits. In his place had stepped Fjord, and the disagreements had begun. Vala was currently listening to him; he was a somewhat small man, with long greying hair and a thin, sallow face. Vala still couldn’t understand how he had become the army leader.
He was currently disagreeing with Boran’s suggestion that they start patrolling their borders and Vala could not understand why he would object. Callaghan sat across from Vala, the same look of concern on his face; he shot her a glance.
“Shouldn’t we keep an eye on the borders between ourselves and the Holy Land?” Boran, a tall, muscular man with short brown hair asked, “we could prevent further attacks!”
“I don’t believe King Chalcora would see patrolling as an allied action,” Fjord said slowly, a sly look on his face. “If we all start patrolling our borders it might induce suspicion towards one another.”
Boran sat up straight. Vala cursed Fjord under her breath, wondering why he would make such a wild accusation.
“Are you implying that our king’s would not honour the century long treaty our countries have?” Fjord said nothing but continued to stare at the leader of the Auradal army. “I don’t see Helian or Cora or the others making the same accusation,” Boran growled.
Fjord’s face fell and he spread his hands on the table looking apologetic. “Lord Boran, please forgive me, I mean no disrespect, I am simply conveying the worries and concerns of my own king, these words are his, not mine I assure you. Our force is small, and were there to be an attack, from anyone, we would struggle to defend ourselves.”
“That’s why we’re all here Fjord!” Helian, the head of Eriba’s army said angrily, “none of us in reality can sustain a large scale attack, which is why we’ve got to keep our alliances strong.” There were several nods of agreement.
Fjord smirked cruelly, “Oh please Lord Helian, we all know that Baja has the largest army. And we all know that Eriba would be able to endure an attack as Baja would run to your aid in no time, seeing as how your king is their brother-in-law.” Helian slammed his deep, tanned hands down on the table and made as if to rise in protest but Vala grabbed his sleeve and shook her head. He settled back, running a hand over his closely shorn black hair and glared at Fjord, who resumed his speech.
“And of course we all know that Baja rushed to the aid of Jelicæ when Denward was in trouble, no doubt because old Goliath’s son is currently training in Caan.” Callaghan scowled at Fjord but remained silent, “but what of the rest of us? What of Cyptxon, Yutshan and Auradal? What can we offer to get such help should we require it?” Fjord turned to look at Vala, who continued to sit, arms folded, a look of indifference on her face.
“We don’t ask for anything Lord Fjord, which you well know. It’s true that we’ve been lucky all these years; the alliances have held firm and there have been no wars. There have been rebels, trying to upset our peace but we’ve always dealt with them together, why would this be any different?”
Fjord smirked again and leant towards her, “And what happens if several of our friends are in trouble at the same time?” His stale smelling breath drifted towards her causing her to wrinkle her nose. “Where then will your allegiance lay? I doubt very much that your army is large enough to defend us all.” The warriors shifted uncomfortably and he sat back satisfied. Vala’s insides squirmed uncomfortably but she continued to look un-phased by Fjord’s words.
“We will help those who are at most risk,” she replied calmly, “as we have always done. We do not play favourites, we never have, that is not the way of the warrior.” Fjord looked annoyed, clearly thinking he had caught her out. The others round the table relaxed and Vala’s insides settled as she knew she had reassured them. “Forgive me Boran,” she said, nodding politely to him, “but I fear we have moved off topic, we should settle this discussion as we have in the past.”
Fjord lost the vote and stormed loudly out of the room. “Boran, would you object to my warriors and I journeying down your western border on our way home?”
“Of course not Vala,” Boran replied grinning, “the more you volunteer to do for us the more time I get with my family,” he laughed loudly as Helian approached.
“If we may, my warriors and I will ride with Vala before we check our own bor
ders.” Boran nodded and Vala relaxed, it seemed they had finally reached a conclusion, now Fjord had left. Vala still couldn’t understand why he had reacted in such a way regarding the suggestion of patrolling, unless his king really was becoming suspicious.
Helian turned to Vala looking troubled, “There have been rumours Vala,” he whispered and she leant closer, “that Yutshan’s king is growing paranoid and is plotting against us. It must be false though, how could they hope to defeat us if they attacked? I mean they’re vulnerable on all sides.”
“What’s fuelling these rumours?”
“A lack of communication with the other rulers, and there has been less and less trade from them. There can’t be any truth to it, can there?”
Vala smiled reassuringly, “I’m sure there’s no truth to it Helian, perhaps they are stockpiling and preparing for the worst if Bælana attacks.” Helian nodded but Vala couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.
The sun was bright as Vala, Helian and their warriors prepared to leave the next morning. Fjord had left with his warriors the night before, soon after the discussion had ended, causing Cora, head of the Cyptxon army to become increasingly worried.
“We’re already under threat from one maniac; the last thing we need is for one of our own allies to turn on us.” Cora had said pacing the room once Fjord had left.
“Fjord’s a weasel,” Callaghan had said, leaning back casually in his chair, “we know that and he’s always been a little suspicious of us, ever since he suspiciously got promoted.”
“And what if it’s something more?” Cora had urged and Callaghan had considered it.
“I’m sure it’s nothing Cora, they’re probably just preparing for the worst.” Helian had butted in, repeating Vala’s words from earlier.
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