God-Kissed: Book 1 (The Apprentices)

by Clark Bolton

  “So did he destroy the monolith?” Castor asked Eifled after it was clear the lecture was done and that no one else seemed to be of a mind to ask the question.

  Eifled inhaled deeply then paused and then finally started his reply. “No … at least not completely. The monolith that stood in the undying lands was never mentioned again in any tale told by elves or men, but there have been stories told of portals that the privileged could peer through that showed its likeness, or perhaps they were shards of the original monolith. Ausic-portals if you will, it seems they played a role in verifying the claims of Wizard status by some among the Ausic of previous ages.”

  Autbek then found himself curious enough to ask what Eifled thought of Neustus now. “So is Neustus likely to be one of these Ausic Wizards, Eifled?”

  Eifled shook his head. “Most certainly not I think. You told me yourself, O’t, that he wears his ring at the eleventh position, which would be on the little finger of the left hand with the gold side facing outward.” He explained as he looked to the others. “As far as my colleagues and I can determine from what is written within these scrolls, Wizards wore their rings on that same finger but with the silver side outward, which is of course is the same manner a first level Ausic apprentice would wear the ring.

  “So how do you tell a Wizard from a bloody apprentice?” Haspeth asked seriously.

  “Oh you don’t, Haspeth!” Castor replied as he displayed an illusionary ring upon his little finger.

  “Ha-ha.” Haspeth remarked with a look of disgust.

  “Then there are no more of them?” Autbek asked of Eifled while he ignored his two apprentices.

  Eifled smiled and paused before looking to Berdtom. “Some of you are now aware that I have dealings with a society.

  “Ustclostefey!” Castor interrupted sharply as if he had just connected the name of Eifled’s secret society with the Secundai of the same name.

  “Indeed, young man, the Society of the Covenant of Ustclostefey, as that Comusa scroll I loaned you proclaimed, takes its name from the legendary creator of the Covenant.” Eifled then turned to Autbek, “I supposed now I need to point out why I didn’t mention the Ausic part of the society’s title.” Seeing a nod from Autbek he added, “Some … of which I am not one … insist upon it. A long ago confusion as to how the Covenant originated, and one that will haunt me until death…or at least until Ustclostefey manifests himself and threatens to throttle them!”

  Autbek grimaced and looked at Berdtom to get his reaction of Eifled’s sudden emotional outburst. Berdtom was chuckling as if he had heard it all before which made Autbek wonder what else these two kept from him.

  “Now promise me you will let my membership slip from your mind as well as that last remark.” Eifled asked of them all. “These societies have long memories and I don’t want some century from now to find my porridge poisoned!”

  Haspeth looked around at the others before asking, “Your joking right? I mean this society is like a band of brothers right.”

  “Wish that it was, Haspeth, and brotherly is not how most of us behave, more like in-laws.” Eifled said with some seriousness.

  Berdtom nodded his understanding and then told the others, “These societies are not to be trifled with, and I want all of you to treat mention of it confidentially. And I can see Murac by your face that this is not your first brush with such a group?”

  Murac nodded and added, “I’ve seen what they can do to each other for reasons that seem foolish to the rest of us. Priests it is that seem to have a love for these societies that spout beliefs that run opposite of what they teach.”

  “Oh please don’t think us a cult, Murac.” Eifled said defensively. “Though at times we behave like one we really are largely just harmless seekers of knowledge and even sometimes stumble upon truths.”

  “Are there more?” Castor asked as he reached out to touch one of the scrolls Eifled at laid out.

  Eifled gave Castor a look that some might have confused for a smile. “What is held in trust by members, Castor, is considered rude to reveal. I will say this though, if Autbek cooperates with the society he will eventually be privy to all its secrets.”

  Autbek furrowed his brow. “You want me to join? Not sure why you would.” He could guess, he told himself, as it was likely another ploy of sorts for the loyalty of Astrum’s only functional mage. And an Ausic one at that, he mused.

  “Careful, O’t!” Berdtom warned. “He has not told you yet the purpose of this … cult.”

  “Ooohh Tom, you shall not endear yourself with us with talk such as that!” Eifled said with a half-serious look of disappointment.

  “Forgive me, Eifled, but it is a bit ethereal for us…this quest of yours.” Berdtom said seriously.

  Autbek could see that the two of them did indeed have secrets. “Are you going to tell us or is this one of those societies that you join first before learning why you shouldn’t have?” He said, trying to communicate his irritation at both the men’s secrecy. It was starting to remind him very much of the behavior he frequently saw among the Earl’s court, particularly the women.

  “And will there be blood drawn?” Murac asked with cynicism.

  Eifled shook his head as he looked around the table at all their faces. “I suppose you think that I should be impressed by your hesitation but know that I am not. I invite no one here to join this society for membership in it has never been open.”

  Autbek wasn’t sure what to make of the remark. “I do apologize if we seem skeptical, but really why should we have an interest in this?”

  “Careful, O’t, this is how he hooks his fish!” Berdtom warned which was echoed by Murac.

  Eifled smiled but said nothing until they all signaled that they wanted to hear more, and so with a very satisfied look Eifled explained the goals of the Society of the Covenant of Ustclostefey. “We seek what has been lacking from this age, my friends, and we have been searching for centuries.” He then turned an intense gaze upon Autbek. “And the Ausic may hold the key to unlocking the location.”

  “A Dzizereid!” Castor announced suddenly as he furrowed the scroll he had been reading, and then looking to Autbek he repeated himself confidently. “A Dzizereid is what they are looking for.”

  Eifled’s head nodded slowly several times in admission. “Yes, and now you will ask me why we have searched beyond the lives of many men.”

  Autbek had to admit to himself that the prospect of meeting one of these legendary Wizards was enticing, but also it seemed impractical as obviously it was likely that they existed no more. The time of creation was a legend that was repeated by everyone he assumed, and he had met enough different priests now to know there were many versions of it.

  “I assume…” Berdtom began, “…after having this discussion before with you, that you seek to talk to those who talk to gods.”

  A chill ran up Autbek spine and he could see that the statement was having a similar effect on others. “I don’t think that is such a wise thing.” He stated knowing his family would think him foolish to join such a cult he realized.

  Eifled was silent for a while. “Maybe so, friends, but … it also has meaning to all of us. The Wizards kept many tyrants in check, though in the end I suspect they tired of doing so and perhaps that is why they let their numbers wane to nothing. They may have simply given up on men.” He looked around sadly at everyone.

  “Must it be an Ausic Wizard?” Castor asked seriously.

  “No…no…it likely matters not.” Eifled replied. “As you have realized from my tale not all Wizards were Ausic. Other than being not of the Secundai or the Tertai there is no rule that they must be an Ausic mage. They need only have the capacity to un-make, and in fact I believe some were not mages in the least.”

  Autbek furrowed his brow and asked, “How could this ritual be performed by someone who was not a mage?”

  “Let me explain myself, O’t.” Eifled said as he stood up to stretch. “Having the ability to cast spe
lls does not make you a mage. You must first realize that this is within you and then be trained in magecraft. This is not true of Wizards I think, they may have the power to un-make and not know how to use it or even that they could, yet still they are Wizards.”

  “So there are men out there unaware of what they are?” Castor asked skeptically.

  Eifled nodded in agreement. “Yes, men… elves … fairies, it matters not the race of peoples I think, though I as a man I am generally limited to examining only those of the same race.”

  Haspeth looked around and then had to ask, “Men right, you look only for men that are Wizards?”

  “Men or women, Haspeth, there have been plenty of both I believe.”

  Autbek relaxed a little and then decided to ask, “How can I help you, Eifled, that doesn’t involve years of toil and time away from Astrum?”

  “Not so much toil, O’t, as…endless vigilance!” Eifled replied lightly. “But the answer to your question lays in the fact you are about to become the only living Ausic mage I or anyone else in my …cult…” He looked to Berdtom just then with annoyance. “…have ever heard of … or met for that matter!”

  “You think now there might be others?” Autbek asked as he wondered what the possibilities of that might be. Neustus was a special case being a man long ago transformed into a creature for some purpose now long forgotten.

  “Perhaps but more so that you will have the training and ability to revive some of what the Ausic had to offer this world, not the least of which would be great magecraft.”

  Castor turned to look at Autbek with a smirk and then when Autbek said nothing in response he proclaimed, “He wants you to create an Ausic-portal.”

  Eifled chuckled, “One possibility…yes…or more likely find an existing one.”

  “Then he would have names for you?” Berdtom asked. “More than what you have now.”

  “Yes, a simple name or two would be of the greatest value.”

  Autbek shook his head. “Your tale would have us believe that any Wizard would have to first find this Ustclostefey in order for his name to appear on the Covenant. Seems impossible since he would have to be a great mage already to accomplish this and that would require there be Ausic to train him.”

  “Yes, now you all see that the Ausic are at the center of this quest, though I must point out that since the Covenant was hidden away by Ustclostefey it appears that names now find themselves there at the birth of its owner.” Eifled said with enthusiasm. “This means if you can find us a window into the Covenant we can read the name of a child… or a king…or a monk!” Eifled proclaimed as he gestured toward Un Papp who had remained silent and apart from them.

  Another shiver ran up Autbek’s back as he considered the ramifications of that. What would the Earl do with such knowledge he pondered, and since he was oath bound to the Earl would he not have to hand over any names they discovered. Or can I simply pretend not to know, he asked himself.

  “I’m going to call it the Ausic Covenant.” Haspeth said softly to Castor.

  “You do that.” Castor replied dryly.

  “You make it sound like the mages here are already members!” Murac scoffed.

  “Let’s just call us friends of the society for now … shall we?” Berdtom asked firmly. When they all agreed they decided they had had enough of the library for the day.

  Chapter 21

  The three apprentices stood staring out the tower window upon the third floor. The bell had been rung by Neustus and they had come running to see whose fate had been decided this day. They were stupefied to see a group of about twenty dwarves marching down Kings-road toward the city.

  Autbek tried to make sense of it as he walked over to the rack to see what Neustus had been etching lately on the floor to see if that would explain the dwarves. There he found a scratched out box containing a smaller rectangle. Numbers were inscribed on some of the sides and there were a few other symbols. “Haspeth, get Murac!”

  Castor came over and the two of them started discussing the drawing on the floor. They did not get far when Haspeth returned with Murac. “Dwarves hey!”

  ‘“Have you dealt with them before?” Autbek had glimpsed only two or three his whole life.

  Murac looked out the window. “Yeah, difficult bastards for the most part, specially a group that size. No doubt the city guard will be watching them closely as they can be hell raisers when they are not busy working.”

  “Neustus wants them. Looks like they are to build something.”

  “You got gold?”

  Thinking for a moment about how much he had, which was not much, he replied, “Can get some but not until Berdtom gets back. Until then maybe four or five marks.”

  “Get them quick … and I’ll get us some dwarves.”

  “I’ll grab them.” Castor then jumped to his feet and scrambled down the stairs.

  “Since when does the sneak-thief know where you keep the gold?” Haspeth asked incredulously. Autbek only shrugged his shoulders, as Murac descended the stairs.

  “I did not need this today! The girls are coming you know?”

  “Got my saddle shined and the least handsome guards picked out. Remember you said I could pick them up!”

  He had, figuring it was best he did not go as it would look more official if he waited to greet them when they arrived. “Yes, just don’t … bother them, ok!”

  “Need not worry my friend, I shall be a true gentlemen and mage.” With a big grin Haspeth went back to watching the dwarves march toward the city.

  Whack! Whack! Whack!

  “Why do they keep picking at the wall like that?” Autbek complained, being a bit upset at all the distractions. Twenty-three dwarves were now camped out in the courtyard of the mage-tower and their leader had been negotiating with Murac on the cost of closing in the kitchen and part of the yard to make a proper dining hall.

  Murac shrugged. “Testing I guess. Anyway Xajac here wants to tear down the whole courtyard, says it’s not up to their standards and people will think they built it if they do this work for us.”

  Autbek furrowed his brow. “Just anything to keep them here while we figure out what Neustus really wants. How about we just pay him more to not knock down the walls?”

  “Your gold! But I’m sure they will do it once they see it!”

  “Good! Now how long is that retainer fee going to keep them here?”

  “A week I guess, more if we bring in good ale and lots of pigs to roast.”

  Autbek then heard a whistle from the direction of the main gate. Turning he could see Haspeth and Castor with the three girls followed by two of the guards. He carefully stepped his way over and around smelly dwarves to greet them. “Sorry Ladies, for the mess … we are expanding the tower a bit to make room for everyone!”

  Whistles and calls of ‘Miss’ went up from a number of dwarves as they came to notice the girls, and in moments the three had plenty of help getting down off their horses. Autbek was pleased to see that Onaleen was taking the scene much better than Pemmesa and Resbeka, who looked to be in a state of shock.

  “Hello, Autbek! Are we going to be staying here then?” Onaleen looked confused.

  “Oh, yes! You must I’m afraid. Did I not make that clear the other day?” He knew it was best for an apprentice to come and live with their master and perhaps had forgotten to stress that point with her.

  “Ha, I don’t recall! I mean my father was not told this. Sorry!”

  He loved her form and her hair and even her apologies. No way, he told himself, was he letting her go back to daddy! “I’m afraid it is not up to your father anymore, Onaleen. Now come I want to show Resbeka and Pemmesa around.”

  What followed was a bit chaotic as dwarves kept bumping in to introduce themselves to the young ladies until Autbek insisted they come into the tower. “Murac, please make sure they know the tower is off limits!”

  Up on the second floor they had placed three new tables and chairs for the girls, and
arranged them such that they all faced toward one direction so as to form sort of a class room. Letting them work out where they preferred to sit Autbek stayed a respectable distance back. Haspeth however was right among them.

  Castor stood next to the door watching the chaos. “Resbeka already hates him, you know.” Autbek shrugged at this and continued to wait for everyone to settle in.

  “Ok, ladies, let me welcome you to the mage tower where I hope you will be happy and content and where you can finally make use of all that arcane-script you have been studying. I know you did not necessarily expect to live here but I’m afraid that comes with this type of service to his lordship the Earl of Astrum.” They did not take that too well he sensed.

  Onaleen recovered quickly and soon smiled at him. “Autbek, should we have brought something with us?”

  “No, no, we have everything here you will need for the next year or so, and with luck the new walls the dwarves are building will keep Fesmbol from you.” He replied, trying to make light of the man.

  The girls smiled kindly and then looked around at all the mage paraphernalia for a while and soon he could see the place was peaking their interest. Until this point they had very little exposure to anything of magecraft beyond scrolls.

  “Now I’m going to work out a strict schedule for you three that will involve lecture, self-study and assistance from Haspeth and Castor as needed. You will be expected to work at your studies seven days a week for the first few months until we see some real progress. Any questions?”

  Onaleen asked, “Autbek, what about meals and other chores, won’t we have some time for those things.”

  “Not to worry, we have cooks and other servants to take care of most of that so as to have as few interruptions as possible. You just need to focus solely on this.”

  The girls then began to chatter amongst themselves with a mixture of glee and concern for family. Resbeka and Pemmesa, both seemed troubled that they would not be able to work to help support their families.