God-Kissed: Book 1 (The Apprentices)

by Clark Bolton

  “But you’ve been in contact with them? How’s that?” Autbek said with a shake of his head.

  “Eifled has dealt with them before. Now I prefer you not mention that to a soul!” Berdtom said as he gave Autbek a stern look which the young man promptly ignored.

  “Hmm, so we are to fully trust Eifled in this?”

  “Yes, he’s the foremost scholar of our age, O’t. If you remember I took a short trip to the capital and I spoke with him a number of times before.”

  “You never told me that.”

  “Well, nonetheless I did. Eifled has suggested how we can secure a librarian from the Un Sha.”

  “I don’t get it, we are going to hire one of these men? Why would we trust them?”

  “Slow down, just listen! The Un Sha monks are the most respected keepers of knowledge in the world but they almost never give it out. They just collect it.”

  “This is strange to say the least Tom!”

  Berdtom ignored the interruption and continued. “They believe the end of the world will eventually come, though they don’t have any idea when. At that time mankind will be reborn and the Un Sha shall then open their libraries and re-educate the world or so they believe.”

  “Nice!”

  “In short Eifled has asked them to send us a monk, who in return for service as a librarian, something we sorely need, he will be allowed to make copies of any of the materials he desires. Furthermore they are to provide me with copies of any and all of the four Sta’s they have.”

  “Kind of a trade then.”

  “Precisely, we get a skilled scholar at our disposal and Tesslodken Sta’s. I believe nowhere else in the world has these.

  “When’s this monk coming?”

  “Don’t know, but Eifled believes they will come running as Yoss Thie’s library is priceless to them.”

  “And to Us! Can we trust them, Tom?”

  “From what I’ve heard, yes! They are the most difficult cult to deal with as their vows permit no deceit or improprieties of any kind. So lawful are they, Eifled informs me, that death is preferred over dishonor.”

  Autbek then came up with a number of questions but Berdtom seemed to have anticipated them all, and so had ready answers. After a time he became convinced that Berdtom had full faith in the Un Sha and that it was best he trust them also.

  After their conversation they both sat quietly at their desks waiting to start on the second bit of business Berdtom had come to accomplish. It had been over two weeks since their return with the Ausic ring and now the lunar cycle and tides were best again for conversing with the Dieknotkow.

  “I best check on the tide now, Tom. I skipped the last opportunity out of fatigue from our travels, but I don’t have that excuse anymore.”

  Berdtom nodded his head in understanding. “Sure you don’t want me to come up with the three of you?”

  “Best not I think. The three of us can handle it, after all Neustus does think of us as his apprentices.” He then proceeded to the stairs figuring Haspeth was going to call him soon anyway. Fingering the ring in his pocket as he walked, he confirmed it was still there.

  Haspeth greeted him as he came up the stairs and stepped into the Dieknotkow’s chamber. He still came here twice a day to speak with and care for Neustus but he rarely tried to speak with him much, as he was somewhat fearful of the answers.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to put that ring on first?” Haspeth asked.

  “Thought you couldn't!” Castor said from the far side of the chamber.

  “Still can’t, at least not for long!” Autbek admitted. The ring was by far the most complex piece of magic he had ever examined and seemed to contain magics of every sort. When he had finally come to the decision to try it on he found he could not bear to wear it but for a few seconds. Pounding headaches would start and the ring caused his finger to itch horribly.

  They assembled around Neustus who appeared a little more vocal than usual. They had considered inviting Lita but decided it was best to wait until they could ask for Neustus’s consent first.

  “Tides about right.” Haspeth said as he looked out the window at the tide flag on the city wall. It was way down now on its pole showing that low tide had arrived.

  “Hmm, best start then.” Autbek said softly.

  “Yep.” Castor put in.

  Walking up closely to the man-bird he whispered loudly to Neustus, “I have found what I think is an Ausic ring, Neustus.”

  Neustus began issuing clicking and whistling sounds as he turned his head from side to side, clearly excited now.

  Pulling the ring from his pocket he held it up for Neustus to see. Chills ran down his spine as he himself stared at the ring along with Neustus and the two others in the room.

  “Yessss!” Neustus hissed.

  Closing his eyes to work up his courage, Autbek then asked. “Shall I transform you into a man, Neustus, so that we may converse more easily?” Part of him wanted Neustus to say no and the other wanted a yes so he could find out more.

  “Yesss.” Neustus whispered. “Time…Autbek!”

  “I will, Neustus.” Stepping back he then walked to the casting stand where they had previously laid out one of the few copies of the transformation spell they had left.

  Haspeth and Castor then moved to either side of the man-bird and loosened the cords that bound Neustus to his rack. Lowering him gently to the floor the two then stepped aside.

  “Ready, I think.” Haspeth announced.

  Autbek nodded his head and then without further delay began casting the transformation spell. The scroll quickly crinkled and turned to dust as he read aloud the last bit of arcane-script.

  The three then carefully dressed and helped Neustus, the man, to his feet and then into a chair. Autbek then handed the ring to Neustus.

  Neustus fingered the ring as he stared out the window through his nearly blind eyes. “This is one.” He said softly after a time and much clearer than he could have in man-bird form. He then touched the ring to his own and uttered a phrase in a language long since forgotten.

  The three apprentices watched in silence as the man closed his eyes and spoke softly as if praying. They could not understand the words and it appeared not to be a spell. After pausing for a moment, Neustus reached out to Autbek and placed the ring in the palm of his hand.

  “Wear it around your neck, Autbek, until you speak the oath.” Neustus proclaimed in a clear steady voice. “You are an Ausic apprentice of the fourth rank.”

  The three looked at each other in apprehension then all stared at the ring in Autbek’s hand. “I don’t understand!” Autbek exclaimed. “I have sworn an oath already to the Earl; he would have to release me before I could swear another.” He then looked at Neustus as he wondered what the man expected in terms of service.

  “What does it mean, sir?” Haspeth interrupted to ask Neustus. “I mean the fourth rank and all?”

  “Soon an Ausic mage.” Neustus said as he stared out into space with a look of glee upon his face. “Mage of the fourth level, at the fifth…apprentice no more.”

  Autbek felt an exhilarating warm glow fill his body and then wondered if it originated from the ring but guessed not as he still wasn’t wearing it. “I cannot be bound to serve you, Neustus.”

  “You serve me already … all of you. Soon I think there will be more.”

  The three were taken back by Neustus’s sudden fluency and apparent lucid thoughts. Autbek paused in consternation then answered, “There will be more I think … but we have sworn no oaths to you and most are already bound to the Earl.”

  “The Earl will not hinder us, Autbek.” Neustus replied as if dismissing their oaths.

  Autbek stared in disbelief for a moment then asked, “We do not understand what you mean, nor do we understand the word Ausic?”

  “Yes, Ausic, a term from your past … all but forgotten.” Neustus then stood on unsteady legs and then shuffled slowly to the window. “Seek out your sage, Autbek, le
arn the oath.”

  The three waited for Neustus to say more, but he did not. When they asked more questions he seemed to struggle with the answers as if mentally reverting back.

  “Much work, Autbek.” Neustus finally said. “Reply to the Gitra, we have need!”

  Autbek assumed Neustus meant the letter from the followers of Gitra he had received some weeks ago. It was one of those sent to Tenric but never delivered. “Ok, I’ll contact them.” He promised, not willing to commit to more than that until he understood more about what had just happened today.

  “Good!” Neustus replied as he continued to stare out the window. “Leave if you wish.”

  Autbek looked to the other two before replying. “Yes, Neustus.”

  The three of them slowly and quietly filed out of the chamber and down the stairs to the second level of the tower. There they found Berdtom waiting patiently for them.

  Autbek sat down and then proceeded to fill in Berdtom on most of what had happened. Holding up the ring that he now wore on a silver chain around his neck he said. “I hope I don’t come to regret this!”

  “I don’t think you will, O’t.” Berdtom replied. “Neustus has been true to us all along and the ring could be a blessing from the past.”

  “Maybe, but Neustus has changed a lot, Tom. He is almost … human now.”

  “Yea, like Tenric kind of I think.” Haspeth said.

  “Better I’ll wager.” Castor added. He had never been looked on favorably by Tenric, who thought him a bit of a mistake by the Dieknotkow. Because of that he had not been sorry to see his former master go.

  “Perhaps the Earl will have his next Mage-Councilor.” Berdtom suggested with a smile.

  Autbek was not sure that was a good thing now that he thought about it. It could very well put Neustus in conflict with Berdtom, or even with himself. “Hmm, better him than me.”

  “I don’t know, O’t!” Haspeth said, “One more level and you are a true mage he said. You could be the next Mage-Councilor then, and we your apprentices!”

  Autbek stared at him for a moment, then furrowed his brow and said, “Don’t get your hopes up apprentice!” Haspeth and Castor both chuckled lightly at what he said.

  “We are already, O’t, Neustus just doesn’t know it.” Castor said.

  “Hmm, anyway I need to find Eifled, Tom, as he is the only sage I know. Though why he would have a copy of the Ausic oath Neustus spoke of is beyond me.”

  “He has left Astrum, O’t, though I would have the three of you not repeat that fact. He is working on something for me, which I mentioned to you before. Not to worry though, I expect him back shortly.

  After some preparation Autbek stood beside the bowl with one of the letters protected by runes that had been addressed to Tenric. “Going to pour this in here and then open that scroll.”

  Castor walked up to the bowl and then looked to the letter. “Won’t that be dangerous, O’t?”

  “Slightly, but I’ve figured out what the runes are so I think it’s safe enough. They are set to only destroy the message not harm anyone I think.”

  “You, think! Have you done this before?”

  Autbek ignored the question for a moment as he added the contents of some flasks to the bowl. “Now, that should be enough liquid.”

  “Smells like Alcohol. How about fire though?” Castor asked nervously. The alcohol was pretty pure he could tell and so no doubt would burn like oil.

  “Hmm, no, not if we are careful to keep things submerged, plus I’ve added a few things to make it safer. And yes I’ve done things like this before. You forget where I was trained.” He said thinking back to Runeholden where he had been allowed to help a number of times with the handling of curse runes. He never realized at the time what exactly they were.

  “Oh.”

  “Now get ready to write down exactly what’s on here as the alcohol will start to make the ink dissolve pretty quickly once I open the scroll.” With that said he carefully submerged the scroll in the bowl with use of a couple of wooden rods and then carefully unrolled it.

  Inside they found a letter and a separate small scroll that they were surprised to see had arcane-script on it. Castor quickly began copying the main scroll as Autbek kept both scrolls submerged.

  The larger scroll was a letter to Tenric.

  … I have neither the apprentices nor the desire to

  send them to you for training, Tenric, and think it

  premature to announce your academy. However,

  if you think it appropriate I would consider making

  myself available for instructing those sent to my

  presence. Fees of divination or items enchanted

  applicable of course, comrade.

  …

  I include a fire-note for your reply.

  -Tel Sok, mage of Ingretti.

  “Hmm.” Autbek mused as he read the scroll a second and third time. “Not sure what this fire-note is … guess it’s this arcane-script.” Being careful to leave the letter submerged he carefully extracted the smaller arcane-script scroll.

  “Careful, O’t!” Castor exclaimed as he stepped back, thinking the scroll might burst into flames.

  “Wow!” O’t exclaimed as he closely examined the scroll. “I think this is a transport scroll of some kind. Yes, transport by fire I would guess.” He carefully began drying the scroll, which he found to be written in charcoal.

  “Teleportation by fire, sounds nice!” Castor said sarcastically as he looked at the scroll himself.

  “I think we have something in the library that talks about things like this! Let’s go have a look, shall we.” He then headed down the stairs toward the library with Castor in tow.

  Haspeth found the two in the library when he walked in a few hours later. He was in a good mood as he had gone to visit his mother.“Say, Castor … how about going to the Baroness's party, I see a letter there for O’t.”

  Autbek muttered, “Yea, like the one I get every week.” He really wanted the court and its nobles to forget about him, but the Baroness Imeldacy just could not forget about Castor’s acrobatics.

  “Berdtom says we should go … something about lobbying … not sure on that.” Haspeth continued. “I think we are ready, O’t.”

  “Fine! Just write a reply … but don’t mention yourself or Castor, and Lita … like we planned!”

  “Really? Alright!” Haspeth exclaimed as he patted Castor on the back. “Going to be fun!”

  “Yeah! Or could it be you just want a girl!” Castor replied.

  “That too!”

  “Mom getting on you to have kids?”

  “What! No…not any more than usual anyway.” Haspeth said as he whistled, and then he finally started to take an interest in what the two were doing.

  Autbek showed Haspeth what he and Castor had found in the library concerning fire-notes. “We got us a new spell, and it’s going to be useful I think. According to this we can send a reply by simply invoking the spell and casting the scroll into a fireplace. It will then appear instantly in Tel Sok’s fireplace.”

  “Who?” Haspeth asked.

  Castor showed Haspeth a copy of the letter. “The material for this kind of parchment is going to be hard to find, and expensive.”

  “Yea, but I think we can do that. I’ll make a copy on standard parchment now and then we can test this with a reply to Tel Sok.” He then started writing a reply.

  Accomplished Sir, please accept this letter as

  an introduction of myself. My former master,

  the honorable Mage Tenric, has departed

  Astrum for parts to the south. I now occupy

  his office as Vis Mage-Councilor until such

  time as a replacement shall be appointed by

  the Earl of Astrum.

  …

  An honor to serve you.

  - Autbek, Ausic apprentice, 4th

  “Now let’s see how clever Tel Sok is!” Autbek said, as he went to the fireplace and proce
ed to smear charcoal all over the bottom of the parchment on which he had written his reply.

  “Why do that?” Haspeth asked.

  “Because with that Tel Sok can write a new scroll and send it back to this fireplace.” Castor said.

  “Precisely my friends!” Autbek said with glee. He felt a rush once again at the practice of his arts. “You can only send to a fireplace from which you have charcoal.”

  “Guess you’ll be getting some from Berdtom’s office then … and the palace.” Haspeth said as he watched Autbek carefully.

  “Not a bad Idea, Haspeth!”

  Autbek then sat down and made two copies of the fire-note scroll which took him less than an hour. Both Castor and Haspeth waited patiently as they discussed their acrobatic plans for the next party.

  “Ok, gentlemen … watch and be amazed.” Autbek then rolled the letter inside the fire-note scroll and then with a few words of arcane-script cast it into the fire.

  “Whoosh!”

  The scroll went up instantly into flames and then was gone without a trace.

  “How do you know it worked?” Haspeth asked.

  “Don’t.” Said Autbek with a frown.

  Chapter 19

  “Hi, Onaleen, sorry these class schedules have gotten so disrupted.” He had taken her aside again as the others prepared for class, and after the relatives had been sequestered in the other room. She smiled warmly and allowed him to clasp her hand in his.

  “It’s ok, O’t, really. I think a break has been good in a way. Oh, and thank you so much for the silver, my family thinks a lot more of this training now that I can show something for the effort.”

  “Yea, I know it’s a pain for your father to escort you here. I’m sure he is a busy man and all.” He did not want to release her hand as he continued to enjoy her perfume once again.