The Magic, Warped

by Rick Field

  Liane thought about next year, her fourth, where she would finally be allowed to do homework for herself, and participate in tests and exams. She was quite looking forward to it.

  “Liane, I am proud to have been your Proctor, and I officially forgive you,” Cassandra finished.

  The young assistant bit her bottom lip, trying to hold herself from crying. She pushed back at her pushing magic. It calmed. “Thank you, Proctor,” she finally whispered.

  “You are welcome, Assistant.” Cassandra stood up, and motioned for the bathroom-suite. “Come, let us get you ready for your graduation.”

  “Yes, Proctor.” Liane got up to follow Cassandra. “Proctor?”

  “I believe I taught you to use my first name in private,” Cassandra said with a faint smile.

  “I never hated you, Cassandra. I was exhausted, and disliked the many, many hours, but I never hated you.”

  Cassandra’s smile widened a bit. “I’m glad to hear that,” she said. “Come, show me, one last time, what you have learned about clothing and make-up in regards to a formal ceremony.”

  Liane nodded and walked to the mirror. “I can still remember teaching you about formal robes and makeup for your first formal dinner,” Cassandra whispered as Liane started to disrobe. “And now I feel so old – having graduated, and about to graduate you as my first formal act as a Master.”

  Liane pulled her formal robes out of cabinet, and started to dress herself. “Time has flown, Cassandra,” she said, a bit quietly. “I can still remember coming to the Academy, and being named The MagicWarper, and the problems that caused.”

  “It was also the day you met me, so you can either count it as a curse or a blessing,” the older girl told her Assistant. Liane chose not to reply, save shooting an angry glance at Cassandra, making her chuckle.

  *****

  “I, Cassandra Airmistress, Master of the Element of Air, hereby state with conviction that my Assistant, Liane the MagicWarper, has learned with satisfaction the basic necessities for graduation to the next level. I am willing to stake my reputation and honor on her success, and will answer to any challenge given to both her and me in regards to this graduation.”

  The large table housed ten members, to reflect the Council of Ten, the ruling body of the Kirian Nation. In the center seat sat the Lord Master of the Kirian Academy upon a golden chair, representing the most important seat on the Council of Ten – the seat of the Emperor.

  The Lord Master peered at both Liane and Cassandra. “You proclaim your Assistant to be of sufficient knowledge and skill to graduate, My Lady,” he spoke on a level tone. That same horrible power that had scared her magic into submission all those years ago was still present, and Liane could feel it wrap itself around her throat. She was not, however, the same girl that was once cowed, and she swallowed, grabbing hold of her magic at the same time. It tightened in her chest, and the effects of the Lord Master’s mere presence receded. “We of the Grand Jury are duty and honor bound to challenge this claim. Step forward, Assistant.”

  Liane took a deep breath, took two paces, and stopped; now one-and-a-half paces in front of Cassandra. “Assistant,” the Lord Master spoke, addressing her for the first time. The effects of his magic were more pronounced now that his focus was entirely upon her. Her magic tightened without her telling it to. She wished she could stroke it in thanks. “We of the Grand Jury have been aware of your progress, and of the difficulties you have faced. We wish you to know that none of us here are unsympathetic towards you.”

  “However, it is our duty to make sure that you have indeed learned and mastered the necessary skills required for graduation to Apprentice. Please perform for us the following spells, and contain them for study.”

  As Liane was given a list, she performed the spells one by one, holding them right before the final push that would cause them to take hold, so that the Lords and Ladies of the Grand Jury could study the spell. She performed flawlessly, as she knew she would. Cassandra had drilled her well, and she had learned how to manipulate spells in her mind, increasing the speed with which she could learn from books.

  Next to the Lord Master sat one of the Lady Doctorii of the Academy. Liane was asked about basic magical theory, theory that she had mastered long ago, and once again, she answered without falter. She silently thanked her excellent memory.

  One by one, the members of the jury challenged her, asking her questions, making her perform magic. So subtle were they that she did not realize what they were doing until the final member asked her, straight-out, a question she knew came straight from one of the advanced books she had studied for Cassandra.

  A book Cassandra had used as a reference for her masterpiece, and a book which Liane had been forced to memorize so that Cassandra need only ask her for a specific detail rather than go to the book and look it up.

  While Liane answered the question, it became subtly obvious that the Docstoris had not expected her to answer correctly. As the members of the Grand Jury glanced at each other at her correct response, Liane became aware of the total silence in the large room. There were lots of people present, invitees by the other Proctors and Assistants, officials from the Kirian government, spectators from the school, students who liked to see the celebrities of the Kirian Academy in action.

  All the way during the examination, a faint buzzing had been audible as people breathed, shuffled, and whispered faintly to each other.

  However, as her questions progressed, the buzzing had stopped, everyone focusing entirely upon the tiny speck of a girl, this Assistant, who was answering with a clear voice and without falter.

  Repressing the urge to shuffle, she kept silent and her eyes focused upon her last examiner, who had now turned back to face her. “That was my only question, My Lady. Please accept my congratulations. Honesty compels me to state that I had not expected you to answer it correctly.”

  “Thank you, My Lord. It is entirely thanks to my Proctor that I was able to. Winds, Tornadoes, Storms and various Air Masteries was one of the reference works for my Proctor’s masterpiece, along with Air and Tranquility, the Air and Weather trilogy, and Air: the plentiful element.”

  She had not been expected to answer the unasked question, but it was obvious the Doctoris appreciated her doing so. He leaned forward a little, and stared straight into her eyes. “One would not normally expect an Assistant to be able to comprehend everything her Proctor is doing, My Lady. I find myself even more impressed.”

  “Thank you, My Lord. I merely assisted Proctor with her every task, and she was kind enough to devote significant amounts of her time in teaching me what I needed to know in order to be able to do so,” Liane answered, honestly.

  The examiner looked over Liane’s shoulder, to Cassandra, before focusing his gaze back on Liane. “I understand better now, My Lady.” He looked at his fellow members of the Grand Jury. “I do not think we need a secret ballot, My Lords and Ladies.”

  The Lord Master nodded. “I quite agree, My Lord. All in favor of graduation?”

  Ten hands went up. “By the office invested in me as Lord Master of the Kirian Academy, I hereby proclaim you graduated, My Lady. Congratulations.”

  “Thank you, My Lord,” Liane said, dipping a curtsy. “My Lords and Ladies,” she said to the other members, taking a step and a half back, standing next to Cassandra rather than behind her. She was graduated now, and already she could feel the Proctor-Assistant bond start to unravel.

  The ceremony went on for four more hours, the other Proctors proclaiming their Assistants ready. All of them faltered at some point, and the final examiner never again needed to pull out a question he thought was unanswerable. All Assistants still graduated.

  After the ceremony, Cassandra pulled Liane to one side. “You are no longer my Assistant, My Lady. Congratulations. You have done well, and exceeded all expectations.”

  “It is entirely thanks to you, My Lady,” Liane answered, feeling odd to call her ‘My Lady’ after three years of cal
ling her ‘Proctor’ or ‘Cassandra’ when in private. “I could not have done it without you.”

  “I merely brought out what was already inside, My Lady,” Cassandra said, reaching into her robes, and pulling out a wrapped parcel. “I wish to give you a graduation present. Open this when you have mastered the element of air next year. It is a book I have copied out of my own notes, and it includes a few spells I believe you will find most instructive and informative.”

  “Thank you, My Lady,” the former Assistant said, gratitude shining in her eyes. “Thank you. For everything.”

  Cassandra dipped her head. “Your help has been invaluable these last three years, and I know that no small measure of my success in graduating as a Master is thanks to you, My Lady. Thank you.”

  Liane didn’t really know how to respond to that, and just smiled.

  After the reception, Liane made her way to the rooms she used to share with Cassandra, and started to do a final check on her possessions, making sure that everything had been packed. Her body continued to grow at a considerable pace, yet thankfully, the Academy kept providing clothing for her, and as such, her allowance had allowed her to purchase a few select items for herself.

  Her allowance. Liane checked her reflection in the mirror, seeing how her subtle makeup had been halfway smeared by her undressing, and stared into her own eyes. Her allowance, she reflected once more, it would increase now that she had graduated as an Assistant. She would study to become an Apprentice now. And maybe she would be as good as Cassandra kept telling her she was, and she’d earn the coveted top spot in the student rankings for her studies to become a full mage.

  Cassandra had been a top student. However, she had not been the top student. There were only three Prime Students, one chosen for fifth year, the person with the highest score of all the fourth year students. One was chosen for seventh year, with the highest scores of all the sixths years. And one was chosen for the Master Level, during the eighth year, the highest graduating score of all the Mages who applied for a master title.

  Being one of the three brought tremendous honor, not to mention some serious advantages. Being a Prime Student allowed for priority access to all the teachers, allowed for the reservation of books in the library, and best of all, allowed for some limited access to the Lord Master's own time.

  Daydreaming, Liane did not realize she was no longer alone in the room, and flinched when a glass with amber liquid filled her vision. “Proctor!?” Liane protested, by force of habit.

  “I’ve graduated, and you've been promoted. I think that you have earned the right to call me by my name, don’t you, Liane?” Cassandra asked with a faint smile on her lips, still holding the glass out to Liane. “Besides, I managed to get these rooms assigned to us for one night longer. Judging by the lack of reaction, I am not the first nor will I be the last to have such a request. Now, drink up. We’re celebrating.”

  Liane took the glass, and sipped it. “I have the feeling you’re trying to get me drunk, Cassandra.”

  “Because you are so cute when you are drunk, Liane,” Cassandra said with a faint grin.

  Grimacing, the younger girl shook her head. “I don’t find it as funny as you do,” she protested.

  “And hence the lesson I tried to teach has finally been taught,” the older girl said with a chuckle. “Now you know to avoid being drunk.”

  Liane shrugged, and sipped. “I don’t have to work magic tonight,” she said, “I don’t want to have holes burned in my mind, either, but I won’t turn down a second glass.”

  Cassandra nodded. “Good.” She sat down, and flicked the amber liquid in her own glass down her throat with a practiced ease that made Liane contemplate her envy. “Now, it’s our last night here. Let’s spend it by having a good time together, for one last time. And I think I want to start things off by knowing what had you pondering your own reflection so deeply that you failed to notice me until I shoved a glass of whiskey in your face.”

  Liane grimaced once more, and sat down on her own bed, facing Cassandra. “Lots of things, Cassandra. Thinking about being promoted, what it meant, and where to go from here. And where I want to go.”

  “You want to be strong enough to protect yourself,” the older girl said, remembering her young former charge’s dream.

  Liane nodded. “And I want to be Prime Student.”

  “Oh? Which time?” Cassandra asked, lifting an eyebrow.

  The younger girl smiled slightly. “Every time.”

  Cassandra sat upright. “Ambitious,” she noted as she stared at the young former Assistant.

  She shrugged stubbornly. “I still want to be Prime Student.”

  “If there’s someone who can do it, it would be you,” the new Master commented finally. “If you can tame your magic, you can tame yourself. Just remember who put you on that path, and continue to work as hard, if not harder, than you are now.” She refilled her glass, and topped off Liane’s. “And look me up when you are a Master. I believe we will have some interesting discussions then.”

  Liane nodded. “It’s a deal, Cassandra.”

  The two sat and drank for a few minutes, each in their own silence, thinking their own thoughts, contemplating the future that awaited them. “Have you given much thought to the runes yet, Liane?” Cassandra finally asked. “I cannot help but wonder at their meaning since you have shown me your observations before the ceremony.”

  The younger girl shook her head. “I’ve been busy with the ceremony, and everything that entails. I was thinking about studying them more in-depth in the coming year.”

  “You’ll be taking Runes, Glyphs & Magical Symbols, then?”

  The younger girl nodded. “I’ll start with General Applications, as well as Runes, Glyphs & Magical Symbols, and Transmutation & Alchemy. When those are finished for my sixth year, I’ll take an Assistant, and start on Rituals & Ceremonies, Blood Magic, and maybe a course in Hexes & Curses. Rituals and Blood Magic are only one-year courses, they’ll be done by my seventh year, and I’ll tackle Deep Secrets & Ancient Lore, having filled all the prerequisites.”

  Cassandra let out an appreciative whistle despite herself. “That’s an impressive list, Liane. If you can pull it off – and you probably will, I know you well enough – I’d urge you to reconsider taking an Assistant.”

  Liane blinked. She never would have guessed her former Proctor to counsel against taking an Assistant. “May I ask why?” she asked, a little brusquely.

  Cassandra nodded, then lay down on her bed, staring at the ceiling. “You will be taking an impressionable ten-year-old, and guiding her through the lands of magic. You will teach her how to learn, you will teach her how to behave, and you will teach her what to do and when. Speaking from experience, it is amazing the amount of influence a Proctor has over her Assistant. When I see how you act now, compared to how you acted when you first came to be my Assistant, the change is remarkable.”

  Liane nodded, and remained silent. Cassandra went on after a few seconds, having collected her thoughts. “I know how much you have learned, simply because I was there when you learned it. And in most cases, I taught you myself. With the plans you have told me, you will be taking an Assistant, and she will learn. I know you, Liane. You will only accept the very best, and any girl who becomes your Assistant and manages to stick by you, will learn just as well as you do. You will teach her, and she will learn. By the time she is graduated from being your assistant, she will be intimately familiar with the most dangerous and powerful paths of magic available at this Academy.”

  Cassandra turned her head and looked at Liane rather than the ceiling now. “I do not believe that an Assistant is ready for being exposed to Blood Magic, Alchemy, and most definitely not the Deep Secrets. There is a reason why those arts are called ‘Deep Secrets’. Even if I did break this myself and took Blood Magic in your first year, I did try to shield you from its more powerful aspects.”

  Liane was quiet. “I see,” she finally whispered. She re
mained quiet, and Cassandra allowed her to think things through. “I’ll need to think about this a lot more,” she finally decided. “I still have two more years of study before the possibility presents itself.”

  “Good, you’re starting to think for yourself,” Cassandra said with a faint grin. “Regardless of what you choose, I am sure that you will do what you feel is right.” She refilled her glass, and held out the bottle. “Come, let’s forget about work and enjoy our drink.”

  Liane allowed her glass to be topped off once more.

  The next morning, she blinked her eyes open and stared at the underside of the desk. A dull groan escaped her lips when pain shot from her head through her entire body.

  “Good morning, Liane!”

  Cassandra’s voice knifed through her head, making her feel like her brain was going to come out through her ears and wipe that totally inappropriate grin off of Cassandra’s face. “I hate you, Proctor,” she declared flatly, pain and discomfort making her revert to established patterns.

  The new Master held up a small bottle filled with a glow-in-the-dark liquid. “If you really hate me, I guess I will need to pour this hangover cure down the drain.”

  Liane was up with speed and agility belying her condition, and grasped the bottle from Cassandra’s hand, a reaction which had the older girl grinning. The former assistant downed the entire contents in what seemed like a single gulp. “I love you, Cassandra,” she ended up declaring as her headache and physical discomforts vanished.

  Cassandra just laughed. Loudly.

  *****

  “You are still failing, My Lady,” Milor said as he slowly approached Liane. They had graduated as Assistants a month earlier, and were now taking advantage of the summer vacation and Liane's lack of a Proctor-induced heavy workload to work on their mock-battles and on exchanging magic.

  She was glad for the chance to learn new magic from him, and he was glad to have her company. Even though he was technically free to do as he pleased, students at the Academy were required to stay at the Academy, even during breaks. Returning home was a sure-fire way to give away a person's background – which would cause a person to break the Rules of Equality.