by Pedro Urvi
“… today... you’re... very emotional,” he muttered when she let go of him.
“Make sure nothing happens to you while you’re experimenting with the pendant.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“If you feel anything strange, dangerous... tell me right away.”
“I will, don’t worry.”
He made to turn to the lake, but she pulled him back to her and kissed him again as if she might be going to lose him forever.
“… everything’ll be... all right...” he promised her and crouched down beside the lake. He did not know what was happening to her, but nor could he say he disliked it. In fact, he was delighted. Even if she was behaving strangely, he decided not to worry about understanding what was going on inside her. He would enjoy it and keep an eye on her to make sure she did not behave too strangely. Traumatic experiences, Egil had explained to him, left deep marks on people, and he was well aware of this. He himself had several because of what had happened first to his father, then to his mother. And that was why he was kneeling beside the lake now with his mother’s pendant in his hand.
He sighed and tried to concentrate on it. The silver chain was thick and heavy, but it did not appear to be arcane. All the same, the strange icy blue jewel, set in a large engraved ring which was also silver, was definitely magical.
“I’m going to try and summon the jewel.”
“Go ahead, I’m ready.”
Lasgol tried to activate the spell, first by rubbing the jewel with his hand, then against his chest. It remained inert. He breathed on it and rubbed it again: nothing. He longed to see his parents. He wanted to know more about them, about their lives, about what had happened to them, about everything he had never had the chance to enjoy with them. But as before, he could not succeed in activating it. He decided to use his Gift and sent his inner energy into the jewel by way of his hand, but there was nothing. No reaction.
This did not surprise him. Probably only a powerful sorcerer or enchanter could interact with the power and the spells contained in the jewel. He found it very frustrating not to be able to activate it; it was a gift from his mother, for him, for his use. And on top of that, since he had the Talent, his inability to summon it was even more humiliating.
He breathed out heavily.
“No luck?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“Did you try with your Gift?”
“Yes, but that didn’t work either.”
“Hmm... what did you do that was special that other time when it did activate? I thought that was because of your Talent.”
“No, it wasn’t because of that.”
“I don’t remember you doing anything special, but I wasn’t paying too much attention when the pendant awoke.”
“I wasn’t doing anything... I had it in my hand... I was thinking about my mother...”
“Nothing else?”
“Tears...”
“What?”
“I just remembered, I was overwhelmed... and a couple of tears fell on the jewel.”
“That might be it. The jewel might be linked to your family in some way. It might have recognized your tears.”
“You think so?”
“Try it, and we’ll see.”
“I don’t feel like crying.”
“You want me to punch you in the eye?”
Lasgol raised his hands, smiling. “Wait.”
Astrid smiled mischievously and clenched one fist. He put his finger in his eye and rubbed it until he had moistened it. Immediately he put the moist finger on the jewel.
There was a blue flash.
“Yes!”
“You see? I was right.”
“You’re the best.”
“No, but quite honestly I don’t see how you’d get by without me.”
He smiled. “I wouldn’t. Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me, I’d rather have punched you in the eye.”
Lasgol rolled his eyes.
There was a second flash, rather brighter. He remembered that the pendant had slipped from his hand and struck his chest, so he let it fall in the same way. There came a third flash, even more intense. In front of him, over the surface of the lake, an image began to take shape. As it had the time before, it formed a blurred circle and remained fuzzy. Little by little it grew more definite, and the mists began to clear. Inside the circle, which looked like a mirror hanging over the surface of the water, there appeared three figures.
“Is everything all right?”
“Yes, don’t worry, I don’t feel anything strange. I don’t think it’s dangerous.”
“Who are they?”
“Let me see...”
Three men became clearer in the image. One was dressed as a captain of the King’s Guard, the other as a Specialist Ranger and the third as the First Ranger... it was his father!
“My father...”
“And those two are... Sven and Gatik, but when they were much younger.”
“Judging by the way my father looks, this happened years ago.”
The scene was unfolding on a fortress turret, one summer morning under a brilliant sun. Below, they could make out a great walled city of black rock. It was Norghania, the capital of the kingdom, and the three men were in the royal castle.
“Magnificent views, eh?” Dakon said to Sven and Gatik.
Gatik was staring out at the horizon. “Impressive, sir.”
“A magnificent city,” Sven commented. He too was looking out into the distance, protecting his eyes with his hand as he did so.
“You must be wondering why I’ve summoned you to this place.”
“There is no need for the King’s First Ranger to explain,” Gatik said in a tone of great respect, and bowed slightly to Dakon.
Dakon returned the bow. “It was Uthar who entrusted me with welcoming you and acting as your tutor until you take full possession of your new responsibilities.”
“My duty is to serve the King,” Sven said solemnly, “and his wishes are my orders.”
“The first thing I want you to understand is that your new position entails considerable responsibility. This wonderful city around us, this royal castle where we stand, these lands you are contemplating in the distance, are now your responsibility. To serve the King faithfully, to protect him from all evil, to defend him against all enemies and to defend this castle, this city and its adjacent lands, will be your duty and responsibility.”
“We’ll serve the King loyally,” Gatik said.
“We’ll die for him,” Sven added.
Dakon gave a slight smile, and in his eyes there gleamed the pride a tutor feels about promising pupils he knows will go far in life.
“Gatik, Gondabar has informed me that you’ve successfully completed your training as Royal Ranger. You are now to become one of that group of chosen ones. Your mission as from this very moment will be to protect the king, serving him as the Ranger you are, always following the teachings of the Path of the Ranger and the Path of the Specialist.”
“That’s been my wish ever since I was a child. It’s a great honor.”
Dakon nodded. “The first days will be strange, since serving the king at court is very different from being a Specialist Ranger.”
“I understand that, sir.”
“You must get used to the royal castle and the city, since you’ll be spending most of your time in them. It’s not a Ranger’s natural habitat, and it’ll take you some time to get used to it. The same thing happened to me. I feel more at home among forests and mountains, but I’ve spent years serving Uthar among fortifications and stone walls. You’ll get used to it in time.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll do whatever I can to make that happen as soon as possible.”
“The period of acclimatization to this new environment depends on each individual. Some take to it quickly, others need more time.”
“It’ll be immediate,” Gatik said with complete confidence.
Dakon smiled. “I was
expecting no other answer. Which elite specialty did you achieve at the Shelter?”
Gatik’s chest swelled proudly. “Archer of the Wind.”
“Well, well. It’s been years since we’ve had an Archer of the Wind. It’s the most difficult specialization, and the one most valued among the Archers.”
“It’s the one I always dreamed of.”
“You must be exceptional with those bows,” Dakon said. He pointed to the three bows Gatik carried at his back. One was a mid-range compound bow, another a short one and the third a tiny one, all of them very elaborate.
“I’ve practiced a lot, sir.”
“I’m sure you have. I chose to be Mage Hunter of the Archery Specialization.” He indicated the bow slung at his back. It was exceptional, a gift from the King himself to his friend, made by the best craftsman in all Norghana. “I chose this specialization above all others to protect the King from magi, sorcerers and other enemies who possess the Gift. In my eyes they’re the most dangerous enemies, since magic can wreak havoc on the bravest and best-prepared of soldiers.”
“My lord is the First Ranger,” Gatik said, “the best among all the Rangers, an example to follow.”
“Perhaps one day you’ll get to be that in your turn.”
Gatik gasped. “That would be a dream come true.”
“Work at it. I won’t be First Ranger forever.”
“Sir, I’d never –”
“I know. But a Ranger’s life is full of dangers, and one never knows.”
Gatik bowed his head in respect. “Sir, you can count on my bow and my arm by your side, now and always.”
“Thank you, Gatik. I’m relying on them.”
“My lord,” Gatik replied respectfully.
“Sven, the King has informed me that he’s promoted you to be Captain of the Royal Guard.”
“It’s a great honor, sir.”
“I thought you’d be rather bigger. In general, the men of the Royal Guard are massive and strong.”
“I’m not that. My skill is in my arm.”
“In that case you must be exceptional with that sword.” Dakon pointed to the weapon hanging at Sven’s waist.
“I have no rival in Norghania.”
“You say that very confidently.”
“I’ve won the King’s annual tournament for three consecutive years.”
“Then you’re exceptional indeed. The best swordsmen in Norghania compete in the tournament, including the Invincibles of the Snow, and they have some formidable swordsmen.”
“So they do, sir. But nobody has defeated me.”
Dakon nodded. “I’m going to give you the same advice as for Gatik. Work hard every day, and one day you’ll be Commander of the Royal Guard.”
“That would be a dream come true. I’ll give it everything I have.”
“I know you will. I can see it in your eyes.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Dakon watched them for a long moment, as if assessing their worth.
“Yes, I believe both of you will go far. Always remember that you owe yourselves to the Kingdom of Norghana above all other things. Protect it against all enemies, both internal and external.”
“And so we will,” they both said.
“For Norghana!” Dakon shouted.
“For Norghana!” they both shouted in reply.
The image began to fade slowly.
“No!” Lasgol cried out. “I want to see more!”
The jewel did not heed his wish. The image slowly faded into a blurred mist, which finally vanished.
“Let me see more!” Lasgol pleaded. He was still staring at the jewel.
“Try to activate it again,” Astrid suggested.
He forced tears in his right eye and moistened the jewel once again, but this time it did not come to life. The blue flashes he wanted to see did not appear.
“It doesn’t work...”
“Maybe you have to let it rest for a while before you can try again.”
Lasgol nodded. “Yeah, I think you’re right. This pendant has a strange magic.”
“Why do you think it showed you this scene with your father?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t the slightest idea why it shows me these particular memories and not others.”
“D’you think they have some meaning? That they’re important in some way?”
“It seemed to be the moment when my father first met Sven and Gatik. I don’t know what relevance that might have now.”
“Yeah, it was their swearing-in. Now we know your father was right. Both went a long way. Gatik as far as First Ranger, and Sven Commander of the Royal Guard.”
“And he was also right when he said that... he wouldn’t always be there...”
“I’m sorry, Lasgol.”
“Thanks,” he said without thinking, and was left puzzling over the images and their meaning. Why did the jewel show him those images? Why not others? Why not all? He would have to find out, because it was clear that they had some meaning, and he felt it was an important one.
Chapter 31
Days after that strange vision, one grey afternoon after Wildlife instruction, Lasgol was resting by a stream in the high part of the Shelter, with Astrid beside him. They were going to practice fighting in the high forest before nightfall, to try and improve his ability at camouflage. This was something he wanted to turn into a skill, but in order to do so, he first had to improve his technique. There was nobody better than Astrid to help him. She was exceptional at everything to do with Expertise.
“I’m not that good at camouflaging myself,” he said sadly.
She gave him an encouraging smile. Don’t worry, you’ll get there. I’ll help you.”
He laughed. “If you can manage to make me vanish like Camu, that’d be fantastic.”
“I don’t think anybody could vanish like Camu, but I’ll do my best to teach you to blend into your surroundings so that you’re very hard to see.”
“Perfect. I’d like to develop a skill like Camu’s. I won’t be able to vanish completely, but if I can manage to improve my camouflage it would be really useful.”
“I’m sure you’ll manage to develop the skill.”
Lasgol smiled. “Thanks for the trust. It’s not quite so obvious to me, but I’ll try.”
“By the way, where is that mischievous little creature?”
“He told me he was going to explore, and that he’d be back soon.”
“Explore?”
“Yup, now he likes to explore and discover new places. Don’t ask me why.”
“Won’t he be running a risk?”
“I don’t think so. Anyway, I’ve told him to stay near enough to send a message, just in case. So, he won’t go too far away.”
“Fine. I feel a bit easier.”
“The little one has stolen your heart, huh?”
“You’ve both stolen my heart,” she said with a mischievous smile. “What a pair of charmers.” She laughed.
Lasgol laughed too. “Yeah, the greatest charmers in the realm, Camu and me.”
They laughed, and he felt happy. When Astrid laughed, his soul was joyful.
She pointed to the shrubs beside a nearby oak. “Shall we get on with it?”
“Yeah, sure. Tell me what I need to do to improve.”
“Okay. It’ll be a lot,” she added with a touch of irony.
He nodded with a smile.
They practiced for some time. Lasgol listened to Astrid with the same attention he gave the Elders; he was trying to absorb all her knowledge, to understand it and internalize it. But all of a sudden he felt a sense of alarm, and stiffened.
“Uh-oh...”
“What is it?”
“I don’t know, but there’s something wrong.”
She looked around, but they were completely alone. “I can’t see anyone.”
Lasgol felt the same sense of alarm once again. He had already felt it once before, at the time of the attempt on the King’s life.
Oh no... Feeling nervous, he looked up, searching for an archer, but could not see nobody. The feeling of alarm came into his mind again, and this time he recognized it.
“It’s Camu. Something’s happening.”
“How do you know?”
“He’s sending me a feeling of alarm.”
“Where is he? Does he need help?”
He closed his eyes, and the message reached him more clearly. A distorted image appeared in his mind. He concentrated and opened his mind to Camu’s. The image became clearer; it showed a small man dressed in black approaching a rocky wall. He was wrapped in a plain black cloak.
Lasgol recognized him. “That’s weird... I’d swear it’s that stranger... Enduald...”
“The person of restricted height? What’s he doing?” She was looking around, but without picking anything up.
“He’s not here. I think he’s a bit further north, on the Hill of Foam.”
“And what’s he doing there?”
“I don’t know, but for some reason Camu’s followed him.”
“Why would he do that?”
“The only thing I can think is that he’s detected magic in the stranger and followed him. You know how magic affects him.”
“Yeah...”
Lasgol nodded. “If he’s followed him, he must have detected magic.”
“I’m not so sure. He’s growing more mischievous and restless. He might have seen him while he was exploring and felt curious.”
“That could be true as well. But it’s probably something to do with magic.”
“In that case we’d better be careful. That Enduald gives me the creeps.”
Lasgol concentrated even harder. Camu was sending him broken images, but he could feel them as though he were there beside the strange individual. Suddenly Enduald murmured a few words and placed his hand on the stone wall, which was white as sea foam. And to Lasgol’s enormous surprise, an opening became visible in the rock. It was a cave! His jaw dropped.
“A secret cave!”
Astrid spun around. “What?”
“We’ll have to go and investigate.”
“Agreed. Let’s move in case Camu gets himself into trouble.”
It did not take them long to reach the place the image had shown, but the cave had vanished. Now it was a smooth stone wall once again.
