Apprentice

by Nicholas Hale

  Azrael knew much about relations between Aegis and Eora. He had studied them back at the academy and his time in the military also meant he was privy to some of the discussions of the higher-ranking officers. Politics was a favorite topic back in Aegis, even after his resignation from the army. Before he came to Bren as overseer, he had done the usual things that a second son would be doing—visiting the other noble houses and representing his brother, who was too busy, at several functions. Even the ladies would speak about Aegean politics. It was their country and they were proud of it. Since Thyurin had become emperor, Aegis had not lost a single war.

  The Aegean Empire was in very tough competition with Eora. Eora at first did not take kindly to the colonization of Ryga. It was only with their distraction in the north with Namoth that Aegis could do as it pleased in Ryga.

  That, and the Army of Light needed the iron. Badly.

  The treasurer and Thyurin's own trade committee ensured the strict control of iron traded to Eora. If greedy pigs like Rennar sold iron to them at cheaper prices, then Aegis would lose advantage of the pressure it held over Eora. Thyurin desperately wanted the whole of Ryga. After the Deckan plains were done, which they will be in a good three months, they would have to turn both west and north. The northern kingdoms were too strong to fall to Aegis, even with their own squabbles. But first, Aegis would need a foothold to the west as well—the side that was close to Eora.

  Some of the free cities to the west had good relations with Eora and it was very possible that Eora would not take kindly to Aegis pulling them under its rule. Either Rennar was too short sighted to see this, or he simply didn't care. That was the only reason Eorans paid such good gold for iron from Bren. The treasurer and the royal committee were probably not meeting the demand. On purpose.

  Once Rennar was dismissed, there would be a new governor. But selecting a governor was never an easy task. Azrael's position was second only to the governor and there was a good chance he would be taking care of Bren in the interim. Maybe then he could make things better. Surely the Aegeans would prefer he was just as cruel as Rennar, which he knew in his heart that he couldn't be. But he could make things better, even if he couldn't completely change them. He had that much faith in Aegis. They would prefer an honest man over a corrupt one no matter how profitable he was.

  And it would also mean he could reduce the influence of the slaver nomads in Bren. He somehow didn't like the fact that they strutted around as if they owned the place.

  He was getting too ahead of himself, he thought snapping out of his reverie. He had been walking blindly and was now at the kitchens. There was another hour at least before he would head to armory.

  Maybe he would meet Lorian again. His mind full of pleasant thoughts, he entered the kitchen looking for a bite to eat.

  Chapter 29

  "And you are sure of this?" asked Rennar.

  "Yes, my lord. He received a package of medicinal herbs. My men saw him pick it up from the docks earlier today. It included the letter as well," replied Kirrel.

  "What were its contents?"

  "His father wished that Azrael was doing his duties well. And that he would uphold the honor of his family. It also included some warnings about you, my lord."

  Rennar was amused and broke into a smile. He waved his hand, telling Kirrel to continue.

  "It said that he was to listen to whatever you said and that you would be a powerful ally and a dangerous enemy. And that he was not to alienate you under any circumstances."

  A man of great sense, thought Rennar.

  Perhaps Azrael could be of use to him. It would be good if he could show Azrael some of the benefits beforehand.

  Men did anything for a good profit. The Llothran family was well known for their import of wine from Eora. A much younger Lord Llothran was known to travel there frequently to buy many commodities. Their wine was a favorite all over Aegis. Even the emperor's palace. It was something that deserved more thought, but Rennar needed to be sure before he made any alliances. The Llothran family's Eoran contacts could come in useful, but Azrael would have to earn his trust. Rennar didn't get to where he was by being stupid. He would need to watch the boy for some more time.

  "My lord..."

  "What is it?" asked Rennar.

  "More news from the mines, my lord. A group of miners tunneling into your level... Six of them. They disappeared."

  Not more of this again.

  "An accident?"

  "No, my lord. They found something this time. A creature. I think you should have a look at it."

  This was stupid.

  Still, if there was some creature killing his miners, then he had better have a look at it. Gerzahn had already told him about this. Khamis would be here tomorrow. It was a good three days' ride to Marduk. It would be better to have the creature brought to him.

  "Tell me about the creature," said Rennar.

  "It's about as big as a child, my lord. But it has razor-sharp teeth and is covered with milky-white skin. The miners who killed it said there were more. Three miners were injured when they tried to capture it. Apparently, it gave them quite a fight. Many say that the creatures are demons. And they say that underneath the mines is a portal to the hellish planes from where they're all coming in."

  After pausing for a while he continued.

  "So they're refusing to dig any further," finished Kirrel.

  Rennar sighed. This had gone on long enough. Rennar hated the trip to Marduk but it looked like he would have to travel anyway. It was nowhere as comfortable as Norvind. More than half of it was underground and served as an opening to the mines. There was a small garrison there, the main purpose of which was to ensure that there was peace at the mines.

  It was very utilitarian in build. And incredibly hot.

  For some reason, Norvind was much cooler than the outside. There were breezes from nearly every open window. Perhaps it was the mages inside who made it so, but it had prevented Rennar from getting used to the real weather of Ryga. Except for the occasional ride on Ruzgar he could not bear leaving the castle.

  "Very well then. Send word that I will be heading to Marduk the day after. After Khamis arrives. Tell them to make the necessary preparations at the fortress."

  Chapter 30

  Gawain eased his old body into the chair. Rhaen was already in the room and waiting for him.

  "You seem pleased. Has your new apprentice mastered the Lumen yet? Is he ready to become the next arch-mage of Norvind?"

  Gawain smiled. Sarcasm often annoyed him. But never from Rhaen.

  "Not yet," he said, laughing.

  As brilliant as he was, it would take many years before Lorian could master the Lumen, or even use it effectively. The concentration and mastery of the Alekh that it required was uncanny. Even after that, it would take him a few more years before he could come to rely on it in actual battle. Some of the best mages at Norvind were still uncomfortable using it. It had immense power, but unless you were that good with it, you were better off using elemental magic.

  "So, what do you have him doing now?"

  "I've gotten him started on calling the Lumen outside the room. He refused to leave the simulacrum until he could cast an energy lance using one of the weaker essences."

  "And?"

  "He did. On a very weak essence. He insisted on trying one of the larger essence strands before I dragged him out and told him to practice without its help."

  The simulacrum made things very easy. It was twice as hard to do it outside without its help. One had to also replicate the effect of the runes covering the room by himself. It meant more preparatory spells and more concentration.

  "So his first lesson is to discharge an energy lance from a weak essence without the help of the simulacrum. I'll be taking it forward once he does that," said Gawain. He had no illusions here. It would probably take him a good few months to form a lance from even the weakest essence.

  Rhaen stayed silent for a while before speaking.<
br />
  "You spent more than a day inside the simulacrum."

  "Yes," said Gawain, knowing where this would go.

  "I had to try calling the Lumen for two whole weeks. Failure after failure before you let me into the simulacrum. It was the same with the other mages as well."

  "My dear Rhaen. Are you jealous? Is this about my preferential treatment of him?" asked Gawain, pretending to sound upset.

  Rhaen gave a scornful laugh.

  "Of course not. I know very well why you didn't let us spend too much time in the simulacrum. You know how dangerous it is."

  Gawain didn't respond. Rhaen had a valid point. The simulacrum had been built by the earliest mages, the void explorers. Many of them had often suffered from severe hallucinations and other maladies of the mind. The ones who ventured too deep in and experimented far too often had been driven insane, to a point where they could not distinguish their own memories from those of the essences inside.

  "I am well aware of the dangers. Lorian is responsible enough..."

  "Lorian is a young boy. Barely twenty years old!" Her voice had taken a high pitch but she wasn't screaming. "You're giving him too much knowledge too fast. He is bound to experiment or try his own methods to speed up the process. You told Astrid far too little, and now you're telling Lorian far too much."

  "I'll speak to him. I still haven't told him much about the Lumen. All he knows is that the essence of a god exists within, which he can call upon once he finishes his exercises. That should motivate him to work harder. Besides, we barely ventured inside the void. We stood at the same place while he tried to control some of the essences. He wouldn't know where to even go."

  Rhaen still didn't look convinced. But it appeared she would let it go.

  "So did you wish to speak about anything else? Besides needling me about Lorian?" asked Gawain.

  He meant it in earnest but he smiled to give her the impression that he was trying to be funny. She rolled her eyes before speaking.

  "It's about Artemis."

  Gawain was suddenly attentive.

  "Go on..."

  "It happened shortly after I left. He appears to have swayed a few of the Rhial Knights towards his cause. One particularly, Turok Fireheart—A new member of the council. Not too influential with the rest of them and no family ties to the council at all, but he commands the loyalties of a considerable number of knights. You know how it is with them. The ties of blood are always an important factor to the council—even when selecting new knights let alone a council member. As I hear it, his appointment to the council was made only by the strength of his deeds. And the group of loyal knights that he commands. It's a small faction within the order itself. Some say they would have rebelled if Turok was not appointed to the council."

  "That strong eh? I'm guessing his influence stems from more than just his prowess."

  "That's true. He has proven himself a very capable leader as well. He's everything you would expect in an ideal knight. He's popular even with the people of Simea."

  "And Artemis has won his support?"

  Gawain smiled as Rhaen nodded. Perhaps Artemis could really pull this off. The Rhial Council had ruled Simea for as long as anyone could remember. They were as old as the mages of Norvind and had survived countless sieges, being thoroughly independent despite the events around them.

  The free kingdoms of northern Ryga were chaotic. They survived, but the balance of power in every city kingdom always kept shifting. Except Simea.

  It was because of the Rhial Knights that Simea had never been sucked into the politics of the cities around them. The Rhial Knights were different from paladins, though equally formidable. The Rhial Council determined which battles the knights took part in. If Artemis could convince them to fight for him, then it was likely that he would sit the throne of Norvind in the near future.

  "It means very little without the support of Kladuron. Turok might be a hero, but Kladuron is a legend. He is the man whose support Artemis has to gain if the council is to help him."

  Kladuron. Gawain had heard that name mentioned many times in the last thirty years. The man was undoubtedly the strongest and most powerful of the Rhial Knights.

  Simea was always at odds with one or more of its neighbors, but none as much as Gennsemar—the land of warlocks. It was a powerful kingdom and one that had an unspoken agreement with Simea. The two were undoubtedly the mightiest powers of the north and a war between them would cause too much loss and pain regardless of the victor.

  Yet, as is often the case, it inevitably happened.

  Numerous skirmishes later, it was about to blow up into a full-fledged war. The Rhial Council sent four emissaries to the citadel of warlocks in Gennsemar. Both sides wanted to avert a disaster and discuss terms.

  It had been an ambush. One that was expected as a possibility by the council. The four council members had already accepted that none of them might leave the citadel alive if it was indeed an ambush. They had set their affairs in order.

  Yet what they did not expect was that Kladuron, a fifteen-year-old squire of one of the emissaries, would kill a dozen of the ambushers as well as their leader and end the war before it began. Kladuron was knighted shortly after.

  "And what does Kladuron say?"

  "I do not know yet, but I believe he is trying to divert the Rhial Council's attention towards the tundra."

  Gawain had heard that bit of news. Several of the knights had wished to fight Namoth. Some to test their strength, others seeking glory and yet many more who simply wished to rid the word of the demon. The council had forbidden them from taking part in the war. And every single one of them had obeyed. Albeit bitterly. Kladuron was in his prime right now, and perhaps he thought he could be the fabled hero that slays the demon.

  "The fool."

  "Yet a powerful one."

  "I do not yet know the specifics, but there has been much disagreement among them, and Artemis has been the main cause of this. There is a small chance that for the first time since its inception, there could be a split in the council."

  "How did this happen?"

  "I...am not sure yet. I do not have ears behind the council doors, but I believe Turok is a renegade at heart. He has defied the council many times before, but not in ways they thought significant. Last I heard, a couple of the knights drew blades during a council meeting to threaten each other openly."

  Gawain smiled.

  "I know what you're thinking," said Rhaen, "but Artemis still has a long way to go before he can actually convince the knights to fight for his cause. Even if he did convince a few of them, Turok included, without the full power of the council—and Kladuron—there is no way he can claim Norvind for himself."

  "Perhaps we should help him," said Gawain.

  Rhaen looked at Gawain doubtfully. There was suspicion in her eyes.

  "No, I don't mean directly," clarified Gawain. "We should send him...an adviser. Someone to help him along the way. Guide him."

  "I can go back..."

  "No. Not you. I need you here," said Gawain.

  "Perhaps Geleb," he added after some thought.

  Gawain had not made the choice arbitrarily. Geleb was one of the older mages at Norvind. He was a very potent spellcaster, but he was also one of the most widely read. Younger than Gawain, his knowledge of history and politics, especially in northern Ryga, far exceeded Rhaen's or his own. Geleb had been working on his own book documenting the Rhial Knights and the way they drew upon their powers. He had been insisting that, fundamentally, it should be similar to the way the mages of Norvind drew upon the Lumen. He would be ecstatic at the prospect of going to Simea. Rhaen seemed to have understood. She approved of his choice with a nod.

  "Make sure he knows that he cannot represent us. He is going strictly as an adviser. And no one, including Artemis, should know that he is a mage of Norvind."

  Chapter 31

  Riven had been following the man for half an hour now.

  Gale. His nam
e was Gale. He was Garvin's right-hand man, his chief enforcer. And he was supposed to be dead. Along with the rest of Garvin's men.

  He had first noticed Gale outside Garvin's mansion where there was a large crowd gathered. The news had spread fast and the taverns were buzzing with rumors. Various causes were cited for the massacre, but all of them included the same vivid descriptions of the carnage. Many people had flocked to the mansion to have a look for themselves. The guards had closed the house and were investigating the grisly scene.

  Riven had gone to the mansion only to check out the rumors for himself. He was ecstatic. The increased bounty was enough to spread the word around. And it had reached the ears of the Summoner as Riven thought it would. Toskk had been scared when he first heard the news. Riven did not tell him what he had done, and he had no plans of doing so either.

  Soon, even Toskk saw the benefit. Their enemies had been halved.

  With Garvin gone, and most of his men dead, the few who weren't at home that fateful night would have no incentive to continue looking for Toskk. And Riven had been even happier to know that the bounty on Toskk had been taken down entirely. The chance of it happening was small, but Riven was happy for it. All that remained now was the Summoner and the dragon. Garvin was a moderately important man in Archon, so there was a small chance that the guards would turn their attention to the Summoner as well. Then Toskk would be free.

  But then he had seen Gale. There was little one man could do, but Riven decided it would be a good idea to keep an eye on him. Especially since he was supposed to be dead.

  After walking through the crowded streets for a long time, Gale turned into the Bottomless Keg. It was a good tavern, serving some of the better food and drink in Archon. A place where you could have a meal without the fear of getting knifed or robbed. It was safe because it was one of the many fronts for the Black Raven guild. It was known to everyone that troublemakers were not tolerated.