“No,” the boy replied. “I am here because Terrada has seen fit for me to remember my creation came. I am here to share the greatest gift I have with the clan so that we all may benefit from it.”
The Master Keeper looked at Balach for a long while, saying nothing. Merrick was thankful that Balach had enough sense to keep his mouth shut. Sweat began to run down Merrick’s forehead and into his eyes. He could only imagine what Balach’s glands were doing to him at this moment.
Finally, the Master Keeper spoke again, his raised voice breaking the tense silence.
“Other members of our clan are content with their simple names of the forest. To bring the name of a blade of grass to the clan is an honorable thing. To share your name with that of a rock under the shoe of the most common laborer of the clan is an honorable thing. But to offer the name of love itself to the clan? I wonder at your audacity—your pride and presumption. Do you think you are so special as to deserve such a name as you claim?”
The Master Keeper ended his tirade just inches from Balach’s faces. He was so close, Merrick was sure that Balach could smell the old man’s breath. Balach looked at the Master Keeper, and the edges of his lips drew up in what almost looked like a grin of relief.
“No, Master Keeper,” Balach said. “I am not so special as to deserve my name. None of us are. But, I am the vessel that mighty Terrada has chosen, of that I am sure.”
The Master Keeper was still for another few seconds, then he straightened himself and backed away from Balach slightly.
“The name you are offering could be of great importance to our clan, if you are correct in what it is and what it means. I am inclined to believe that Terrada did indeed speak this name to you—not because of your words, but because of the name itself. I can taste its meaning like honey in the air.”
The boy’s face noticeably relaxed a little.
“However,” the Master Keeper continued, his face tightening again, “just because your name has a pleasant resonation to it, does not mean that you have intuited its correct meaning. As such, I have made my decision. You will be made a member of the clan on a temporary basis. You may have all the privileges of a clan member. You may even marry this girl you speak of, if she is also a full member of the clan.”
Balach was trying desperately to conceal a smile as he probably envisioned returning to his true love and telling her of their passionate future together. His smile soon left his face.
“However,” the Master Keeper continued, “you may not know this girl as a man knows his wife for a complete year. No physical intimacy may pass between you both at all. Not even an embrace. If you engage in such activity at all with your wife, she will be killed and you shall be banished from our clan. Do you accept these conditions?”
The boy was silent. His father’s eyes mourned for his son’s extinguished happiness.
Finally, Balach said, “I…I do not know if I could last that long without her sweet embrace. We are destined to be together. Terrada has as much told me this by revealing my name as she did.”
Merrick thought the trap that the Master Keeper was laying for Balach was obvious enough. Balach should just agree to the conditions and prove to the Master Keeper that he believed their love would last the test of time, much less the test of an entire year without physical intimacy. Merrick himself had gone much longer without nearly as much.
“I accept the conditions,” the boy said.
The Master Keeper looked at him hard.
“Do you think it is an act of love to sacrifice your beloved without any consideration to her or to her true nature, her creation name? If you truly loved her, I would think that you would not be able to agree to a situation where your life is spared and hers is forfeit if you misstep. Does not true love include thinking of the safety of the one you love above your own?”
Now, young Balach looked painfully confused. He turned to his father, who looked sharply away.
“You tricked me,” Balach muttered to the Master Keeper. “I accepted the conditions to show you that I believed in our love above all else. And now you say that I should not have accepted without consulting her first!”
“I shall change the conditions of our agreement, since you feel you have been deceived. You shall be allowed to become a full member of the clan, with no stipulations, but your desired wife-to-be shall be put to death immediately. This will prove that your creation name means what you say.”
Balach was shaking. Probably with fear and anger at the same time.
“I will not accept this condition. Kill me instead, but do not harm her, I beg you,” Balach said. “Life would not be worth living without her. I would rather love her from beyond than have to love her memory while still alive.”
With this, the Master Keeper repeated Balach’s creation name. Then, all thirteen of the Keepers did the same. The boy looked up at the Master Keeper, tears in his eyes, not knowing what would come next.
Fenton relaxed just a little, as if he understood the significance of what had just happened even if his son did not.
“Know this, boy,” the Master Keeper said. “It is extremely hard to put the language of the Earth Dragon into the words we use to communicate in this world. I believe that you remembered correctly the name the Earth Dragon gave you before you were born. I also believe that you believe in the meaning of your name. You may even be right, but for a name this important, we must perform many tests before we accept your creation name into the memory of the clan. You will still have to wait to become a full member of the clan, but you and your bride-to-be shall do so in safety.”
The Master Keeper extended his arm holding a divinium rod toward Balach, who seemed to be slumping from exhaustion.
“Stay strong, my boy. There is only one more test today.”
The Master Keeper touched the boy with the end of his rod and spoke a few creation words that Merrick did not understand, but recognized as being from the Earth Dragon tongue. Balach’s body trembled and shook, but he appeared unable to move from where he stood, his arms rigid at his side, his head raised toward the low ceiling just a few feet from his nose.
Balach spoke weakly. “I love her more than my own life and will do so even in the next world, and my name is the meaning of this.” Balach then repeated his creation name and fell silent, still shaking, his skin slick with sweat.
The Master Keeper removed the rod from Balach’s body and put his arm back by his side as Balach fell to the floor, unconscious. Merrick could see the young boy lying on the floor, a dark red splotch like a burn on his chest where the Master Keeper’s rod had touched him. Merrick expected to see Fenton rush to Balach’s side, but instead, he simply stood with his chin held high, seemingly proud of his son’s performance.
Two of the thirteen Keepers broke rank and began to drag the boy by his limp arms out of the room, through a door on the left side of the room, to where, Merrick did not know. The Master Keeper looked at Fenton.
“Clansman, I know you understand that your son must stay with us while we perform the tests of validation. He will be safe with us. Even if he is wrong about the meaning of his creation name, there is no sin in what he has done, because I am sure that he believes himself to be true. If he is correct, his name will be a valued contribution to recreating the language of mighty Terrada. If he is wrong, we will work with him to learn the truth. He may need to live more to discover it himself, or we may be able to help him here through self-introspection and the application of our craft. Go now, and know that we speak well of Balach and so should you. Tell the woman he loves that when he emerges from our care, regardless of the outcome, he will be allowed to marry even if he is not a full member of our clan.”
Fenton bowed his head and on his chest made a circular sign that he crossed through with his finger. He then opened the door and backed out into the outside passageway, turned to his left and was gone from Merrick’s sight.
Merrick wondered where they had taken Balach. To another room for more tests or interro
gations? The Master Keeper had said that Balach had finished his last test for the day, but Merrick had no faith in the truthfulness of the Master Keeper.
Merrick stayed as quiet as possible in the secret chamber. He watched as the Keepers quietly filed out through the doorway. Soon, the Master Keeper stood in the cramped room alone. Even though Merrick had not seen him exert any great amount of energy, he could sense the exhaustion from the naming ceremony that the Master Keeper only now allowed his own body to show.
Suddenly, the Master Keeper craned his neck and cocked his head slightly to the left as if listening to something. Merrick tried not to breathe. The Master Keeper turned his face slightly toward the small hole through which Merrick peered. His face was marked with more red splotches than clear skin. Merrick was expecting the scarred man to rush toward him at any second, but the Master Keeper continued to stare without moving. After what seemed like forever, the man lowered his face, turned around and walked out the door.
Merrick did not dare move for fear this was just a trap to draw him out. He could tell already that the Master Keeper was devious and would not think twice about setting a snare for Merrick. The naming ceremony was obviously a private experience, one that Fenton had not even shared with his own son to prepare him for what he would face. Merrick was sure that he was not supposed to have seen what he had just witnessed. Nor was he supposed to have heard Balach’s creation name. He was sure that the Master Keeper and Fenton would not approve.
Strangely enough, when Merrick thought back to Balach’s name, he was able to remember it exactly. He thought about trying to say it once just to make sure that he had it correct, but decided against it. If it was a word of magic from the language of the Earth Dragon, he did not want to risk what might happen if he said it aloud.
After several minutes of watching the ceremony room for movement, Merrick turned away from the peek hole and looked into the room in which he had been hiding over the last hour. He could barely make out his surroundings after staring so long into the lighted ceremony room. Eventually, his eyes adjusted enough to make out gray shapes that were made barely visible by the small amount of light still seeping in from Merrick’s viewing hole.
Looking around, Merrick saw what looked like a small desk and several books stacked throughout the room. Now that he thought about it, these were the first books he had seen since coming to the Earth City. He couldn’t read them with the room being so dark, and he dared not take them with him, especially if books were as uncommon here as he believed they were. As he was about to leave, having decided to come back later for a closer look, Merrick saw a single piece of paper sticking out from underneath one of the stacks of books on top of the desk.
He walked up to it and pulled it out. Dust billowed everywhere, and Merrick couldn’t help but think that in this place even the dust itself might be alive with power. He tried to hold the leaf of paper up to the light to see what was written on it, but could only make out shapes and a bunch of lines. He folded it into a size that would fit under his belt and secured it there before checking the ceremony room once more. Seeing that it was still empty, he pushed on the wall and was satisfied to feel it giving way and opening into the ceremony room. He knew that he was risking discovery, but if the Master Keeper had been staring at Merrick, he was already probably exposed. He gently stepped into the room and closed the door in the wall that led to his secret passage.
Looking at the concealed door, Merrick sighed in relief as he realized what the Master Keeper had probably been looking at. The stone walls of this room were so smoothly worked that they acted as a natural mirror of sorts. Merrick decided that the Master Keeper had been staring at his own reflection and had not suspected Merrick hiding behind the mirrored wall. Merrick tilted his head back to see his dim, but discernable reflection in the wall. He moved closer to the stone and stared directly into his own eyes. Merrick stood entranced by his face for several minutes.
He looked at himself with self-loathing. After hearing Balach’s selfless declaration of love for Firefly, Merrick found himself perseverating on his own failed attempts at romance. How could someone love him anyway? Cara. Maybe one day she could come to love him, but that didn’t count because she was his half sister. And then, there was Mona. Merrick could hear her words from back in Alexandria, a place that seemed now more imaginary than the Earth City itself. Mona had told him to make a choice between self-pity and taking their relationship to the next level. She had been clear that Merrick had to change for her to love him. At the time, changing had seemed the last thing he should do for someone else, and his silence had been his only answer—right before they had been attacked. If only he had chosen differently. If only he could have. Then, maybe he’d be back home experiencing even half of what Balach obviously felt for his true love, Firefly.
Suddenly, Merrick made the most horrible face he could. His eyes went wide and watering. His lips snarled. His nostrils flared, and within only a few seconds he felt detached from his own body. He convinced himself that he was no longer looking at his own image, but instead was staring into the eyes of an evil stranger. Was this who he really was or just what he felt like inside? Was this the person other people saw? Merrick wondered if his creation name was an evil one. Would Terrada’s voice pop up one day in his head like a memory long forgotten—or would the voice speaking his name be that of Sigela’s?
Finally tearing himself away from the reflection of his altered face, Merrick tried to re-open the secret entrance door. He easily found the hidden stone that acted as the door, but was unable to open it. He ran his hand along what he was sure was the door’s outline, but to no avail. Merrick thought about trying to speak the name of the stone, but he had never seen this kind of stone before and thought that it would be too risky to try any kind of magic inside the Keepers’ Chamber.
He looked around the silent room, expecting one of the Keepers to walk in on him at any moment, but no one came. Finally, he moved cautiously to the front door where Fenton and Balach had entered. He pushed softly on the door, and it opened easily.
Merrick stepped into the hallway and quickly made his way to the left, where he figured he had the best chance of making it to the outside. In a few short moments, he came to a large wooden door, wrapped with wide bands of black iron. He slid a circular iron plate to one side to discover a small glass window embedded in the door. Looking through, he saw the moonlit, but familiar clearing where the old man had told his story about the Sons of Earth and Fire.
With a low whisper, the door opened as Merrick pushed. Within seconds, he slipped through the opening and closed the giant door behind him. Quickly, he ran along the side of the clearing and crouched down low, feeling like someone was watching him.
When he was several meters away from the door to the Keepers’ Chamber, Merrick stood up straight and took a deep breath. He felt a little guilty for having seen Balach’s ceremony, but was relieved that Balach had survived and that he, Merrick, had escaped undetected.
As Merrick started walking back toward his new home, he heard a soft, but sharp crack like a dried twig breaking behind him. He turned around to see the dark shape of a robed man silhouetted in the middle of the moonlit clearing. From the hood the figure was wearing to cover his face, Merrick was certain it was one of the Keepers. Merrick turned back around and continued on his way, hoping that the Keeper would not follow.
When Merrick arrived back at his home, he went inside and sat on his bed, trying to regulate his breathing. He blew out the oil lamp and lay back in his bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. His heart was still beating fast as he wondered if the clan had such a thing as prison, or if his punishment would be something more irreversible, like death. Regardless, he was sure that he had been caught and that he would be informed of his fate in the morning. As he closed his eyes, he could see Fenton’s disappointed expression hovering above him.
#
Balach sat on a cold stone bench deep inside the catacombs of the
Keepers. He hid his face in his hands as he tried not to cry. He had heard rumors of people who went for their naming ceremonies only to disappear for days, sometimes months before emerging once again with their names still undeclared. The Master Keeper had said that he wanted to perform more tests on Balach’s name, but the way the Master Keeper had been talking, Balach feared that one of the tests might involve killing his beloved Firefly.
He had almost tried to call off his naming ceremony to keep Firefly safe, but he knew that the Keepers would not have granted his request. Besides, he kept hearing Terrada’s voice whispering his creation name over and over again in his head and knew that he was right. His name meant true love, and he was sure of it, but he was also sure that he had a lot more to learn about true love than he even knew. Love was forgiving and open and not judgmental, but when he had seen Firefly with Merrick in the woods, he had felt betrayed and confused before he had felt compassion for Merrick. He kept telling himself that true love did not mandate reciprocation. It was possible for him to love many people, none of whom might love him back. He loved Firefly with all his heart, but he loved his father and mother, and also Merrick. He thought about it for a minute as his tears dried. Would he ever be strong enough to love everyone he met? He didn’t think he could make himself that vulnerable to so many, but he could start with Merrick and try to love him like the brother he was becoming.
In some ways, Merrick was so much more powerful than anyone Balach had ever seen before, yet in other ways, he was like an innocent child, not aware of his own strength and with no sense of his potential or the potential in the earth around him. Regardless of Merrick’s power, it was natural for brothers to feel competitive with each other and that was all, Balach decided, that he had felt when he had seen Firefly and Merrick in the woods. There wasn’t anything between the two of them except Balach’s illogical jealousy. He had seen Merrick on his hands and knees crying and was sure that Firefly had, in the end, rebuked Merrick in her own way.
The Conservation of Magic Page 26