The Apprentice to Zdrell

by David K Bennett

  “How much of this are you going to tell Jonny?” Feldor asked, his eyebrow cocked.

  “Some. Not all. More than I have. Hopefully enough to keep anything like this fiasco from happening again.” He rose from his chair, and wiped bread crumbs from his beard.

  “Come, friend Feldor. Let us make this last day of the festival a memorable one in a good way.”

  Feldor opened the door to the study, waited while Master Silurian walked out, then quietly closed it behind them.

  § § §

  “Jonny,” Master Silurian began as they both sat in The Master’s main study. The Master had said nothing more about the show since the night of it. In fact, he had acted as if it had never happened, as though he had planned to perform all along. Jonny knew, now the festival was over, The Master was going to take him to task.

  “Jonny,” The Master said again, shaking his head slowly, not looking directly at Jonny. “There is much I must tell you. And much that I cannot tell you.” He sighed in exasperation.

  “You are unique in the world, and that uniqueness has marked you. Whether you wish it or not, the simple fact that you have the potential to become a zdrell master means there are a number of people in the world who will want you dead, as soon as they learn or your existence.” Master Silurian’s restlessness caused him to stand and pace alongside the table, only occasionally looking at Jonny.

  “There has not been a true zdrell master in the world in over one thousand years. I’ve told you this before, but I’m not sure you understand how significant it is. Feldor has taught you histories of the Great War. Have you noticed how large a part the zdrell masters played, before they were eliminated?”

  “Yes, Master. The stories Feldor told us were that a single zdrell wizard was able to defeat entire armies.” Jonny paused, a thought he had not allowed to fully form burst into his head.

  “Master, are you saying I could do things like that?”

  “Yes, Jonny, that is exactly what I’m saying, and there are many people who would do anything to keep you from gaining that kind of power.”

  “But, Master, I’m not like that. I couldn’t possibly destroy an army.” Jonny could not even imagine having that kind of power. Those things only happened in stories, not in real life, not to him.

  “No, Jonny, you couldn’t destroy an army, today. But in a few years, with full development of your talent, I believe you could. Now do you understand why your skills must remain carefully concealed until the proper time? Today, there are any number of wizards who could destroy you without a second thought. That is why I have been so concerned with the pace of your training. Eventually, your secret will come out, and if you are not ready to defend yourself, no where will be safe.”

  Jonny was stunned. He did not know what to say. He just stared blankly at the desk in front of him, not seeing anything.

  “What can I do, Master?” Jonny asked weakly, feeling more alone and vulnerable than he had since his parents died.

  “Keep doing exactly what you have been, Jonny. Learn. Learn quickly and well and a year from now, you will be in a position to defend yourself. In another two or three years, who can say, you might even be able to take on an army.” He said the last words quietly, then continued even more softly, “or even a demon.”

  Chapter 27

  Fall quickly turned to winter, and this one was the coldest Jonny could remember. There was ice on the ground every morning. Jonny was glad his room had a small stove because the storehouse had run out of extra blankets. For the first time since coming to the castle, Jonny had boys other than Roald sleeping in his room because the stove could keep it somewhat warm. Most of the rooms the other apprentices lived in had no heat at all. With the shortage of blankets, Feldor had decided it would be no problem for Jonny and Roald to have roommates. He was older now, so the threat of harassment had largely disappeared.

  Jonny still kept strange hours compared to most apprentices and he usually ate his meals with the Journeymen, but having them in the same room with him he started to really get to know some of the boys his own age for the first time. When he came in at night, they were nearly all in bed and asleep, but occasionally there would be one absent, usually for the entire night. That boy would then usually spend the next couple of days in bed. When Jonny asked what was the matter, they would say nothing. When he pressed them, they would say Feldor had forbidden them to talk about it.

  The conspiracy of silence bothered Jonny more and more. In the beginning he had assumed that what went on must be some deep magical secret he was not supposed to know yet, but now he knew there was no secret magic, or at least not as far as he could see

  Finally, he got up his nerve and went to ask Feldor what he had forbidden the boys to tell him. Feldor’s reaction surprised him, though it should not have. He simply said he was acting on The Master’s direction, and if Jonny wanted an explanation he would have to ask Master Silurian directly.

  Jonny put off asking The Master for several days. He had a feeling that if he asked, he would learn much more than he really wanted to know.

  One morning his hesitation left him. He woke to find one of the younger boys who shared his room, Carlik, crying as he got into his bed.

  “Carlik, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

  “I’m sorry I woke you, Jonny,” the boy said, getting painfully into bed. “I’m still hurting a little,” he said with a grimace, obviously moving in pain. “I’ll be better soon.”

  “Carlik, you’re hurt! Tell me what happened.”

  Carlik’s look of pain deepened as he shook his head and turned away from Jonny, whimpering softly.

  Jonny was mad. Carlik was the smallest apprentice in the castle. Jonny was going to find out who was hurting him, even if he didn’t want to tell.

  Jonny was about to try and force Carlik to tell when Erlil, an apprentice nearly as old as Jonny, interrupted. “Don’t force him, Jonny. He had a hard night, and if he tells you what happened he’ll, only get in trouble with Feldor. If any of us tells, we’ll get in trouble. If you want to know, you have to talk to Feldor. Don’t get us in trouble, please, especially not Carlik, not now.”

  Jonny was frustrated. “I have talked to Feldor, Erlil. Do you know what he said? He said I would have to talk to The Master.”

  “So talk to The Master,” Erlil said quietly. “You see him every day. We don’t.”

  Jonny was mad, but he knew Erlil was right, so he said nothing until he was dressed. As he left the room, he turned to Erlil and said, “I will ask The Master. You’ll see.” Erlil said nothing in return.

  § § §

  Jonny did not see Master Silurian at breakfast; this was not unusual. He was not in the main workshop when Jonny went there. There were two Journeymen working there but they had not seen The Master that morning either. Jonny knew that the fastest way to find The Master would be to ask Feldor, but he was reluctant to ask him since he knew Feldor would ask why he wanted to see Master Silurian.

  This was one of the few times where Jonny was trying to see The Master without being requested. He went around the castle to the several of The Master’s studies, but got no response when he knocked at the door of any of them. Finally, after over an hour of searching, he gave in and went to Feldor.

  “Lord Feldor, where can I find The Master? I’ve been looking for him and can’t find him anywhere, and no one seems to know where he is?”

  “Why do you want to know?” Feldor asked, his brow raised questioningly.

  “I just have a question to be answered that only he can answer,” Jonny said cautiously.

  Feldor looked at him carefully then said, “The Master has gone to Alavar for the day. He will not return until this evening.” He looked closely at Jonny, making Jonny feel intensely uncomfortable in the force of his gaze. “Should I tell The Master you wish to speak with him when he returns?” He said it with an edge that told Jonny that if this was not important, The Master would not be happy.

  Jonny sw
allowed, and then said, trying to sound more confident than he felt, “Yes, Lord Feldor, I would most appreciate it if you did.” Jonny did not wait to see Feldor’s reaction. He turned and walked quickly out of his office so Feldor would not notice his shaking.

  Jonny did not know what Master Silurian would say. He only knew that since he had been at the castle, something had been going on he had not known about, that people had been careful to conceal from him, and he seemed to be the only one in the whole castle who did not know the secret. He also knew that it was a terrible secret. He did not know why, but he felt it was something he was better not to know. That is why he had seen things that puzzled him for a long time, but he would not ask. Roald never had told him why he screamed.

  § § §

  After dinner, Jonny was in the main workshop reading an Ardalan history book while trying to keep a stick in the air by his worktable. He had just straightened up from picking it off the floor for the third time in a row when he saw The Master standing next to him.

  “I see the stick is still giving you trouble, Jonny,” Master Silurian said without introduction.

  “Yes, Master. I can lift it, or read, but it is so hard to do both at the same time.”

  “I see.” The Master paused and looked at Jonny intently. “I understand you had something you wanted to ask me, that only I could answer. What is it?”

  Jonny felt his ears begin to burn, but was determined not to back down. “Could we talk about it in your study, Master?” Jonny asked, feeling foolish.

  The Master’s brow quirked up, just as had Feldor’s. “All right then.”

  They went to the study Master Silurian kept just adjacent to the workshop. When they had gone in, The Master closed the door and asked Jonny to sit. He took his seat behind the desk and asked, “So what is it that you wish to discuss in private, Jonny?”

  “Master.” Jonny stopped and swallowed. “I have to know the secret you and everybody else here have been keeping from me.”

  “What secret?”

  “What happens to other apprentices but never happened to me? Where do they go at night? How do they get hurt, and why?”

  “Why do you have to know, Jonny?”

  “Because, because I can’t stand not knowing. I can’t stand people lying to me, not answering my questions.”

  “No one has ever lied to you, Jonny.”

  “They might not have lied about what happened, only because they wouldn’t say anything. But they did lie when they said it didn’t matter, that I didn’t need to know.”

  “Jonny, have you ever wondered why you alone of all the people in the castle don’t know this secret?”

  “Yeah, I’ve wondered. At first I thought it was just some big high magic thing and eventually when I knew enough about magic I’d learn, but apprentices who’ve only been here a couple of months know, so I know that can’t be it. Then I thought it maybe had something to do with it messing with my talent if I knew, but I don’t believe that either.”

  “Jonny, have you ever thought that maybe we were doing this for your benefit; that you were better off not knowing?”

  “I used to think that too, Master, and that’s why I waited this long to ask. I’m not stupid. I’ve known all along there was something people weren’t telling me, but I figured you had a good reason for not telling me, but I don’t believe that any more.”

  “What changed your mind, Jonny?”

  “Carlik. No, he didn’t tell me anything, but he came in this morning hurt and crying, and he wouldn’t tell me why. None of the boys will talk, and I can’t stand it anymore.”

  The Master shook his head and muttered to himself. “I knew this would happen. I told Feldor that if you roomed with other boys it would be too much. Well, I suppose you are old enough and you would have to find out one way or another.” He sighed.

  “Find out what?” Jonny nearly yelled.

  “Find out what happens to most apprentices; that which we don’t talk about outside the castle, ever.”

  Now Jonny was more scared than ever before. Maybe they really did feed apprentices’ souls to demons.

  “I can see by the look on your face that you still do not understand. So, let me ask you a few questions.”

  Jonny nodded.

  “Jonny, what are the basic classifications of magic?”

  The question took Jonny off guard. This was one of the more basic parts of his studies. Still, he was not sure where Master Silurian was leading, so he gave the standard answer.

  “The basic categories of magic are: material magic, demon magic, divination, power manipulation, and physical manipulation also called sleight of hand,” Jonny answered, just as he had memorized in his first months of training.

  “Good, Jonny, you have parroted back the answer you were taught,” The Master said. “Now, outside of the kingdom, in the world at large, what is the most commonly performed type of magic?”

  Jonny was even more confused by this question. Again, he answered what he had been taught. “Demon magic, Master.”

  “And why is this the case?”

  Now Jonny was very uncertain. “Because it’s the easiest of true magics for a person to do?” Jonny said this since he had been taught it, but now he felt uncertain with the answer.

  “Correct again, Jonny. Now the most important question: of all the types of magic, which one have you not studied at all?”

  “Demon magic, Master.”

  “Now, why do you think this is so? If it is the easiest and you seem to be so gifted, why haven’t I had you practicing it as well?”

  “I don’t know, Master. I never really thought about it before. I guess I just always assumed that because it was easiest you would get around to it sometime, but it wasn’t important for me since I was already doing the harder stuff.”

  “You are right in part, but there is another reason. Jonny, do you know how I feel about demon magic?”

  “Yes, Master. I have always heard that you don’t like it and you don’t like magicians who practice it as their primary mode of magic.”

  “Do you know why I do not like it Jonny?”

  “I just always thought it was because it was easy, and because the demon does the work and not the magician that you disliked it.”

  “Now we get to the heart of the matter, Jonny. The demon does the work. Does the demon work for free?”

  Now Jonny was entering territory where he truly was ignorant. He only knew the most basic concepts about demon magic, and The Master was pushing the edge of what Jonny knew.

  “No, Master, I don’t think the demon works for free. The wizard must provide him some sort of payment for his work.”

  “And in what form does this payment come, Jonny?”

  “I don’t know, Master. I’ve not learned that part.”

  “That is the secret, Jonny, how the demon gets paid. Demons want only two things, pain and death. They feed on the pain of others, and they feast on their death. The greater the task a wizard desires a demon to perform, the greater the sacrifice required. If a simple enough task is desired, a demon can be summoned with some minor suffering on the part of the wizard himself, but for any really useful task a good deal of pain is required and the wizard cannot afford to do the suffering himself.”

  The truth was starting to dawn on Jonny and he was not at all sure he was happy to begin to understand this terrible secret. “So you mean . . . .”

  “Yes, Jonny, the apprentices here at the castle suffer. They are deliberately hurt so they can provide the pain the demons require to pay for the magic they do. Young boys experience very intense pain, very easily, so they work best. It is one of the reasons why magicians are apprenticed so young.

  “I don’t like it, Jonny. I have never liked it, but it has been proven time and again that someone who can successfully summon a demon can perform other types of magic as well, and a person who cannot summon a demon, cannot do any other sort of magic, short of sleight of hand. I use demon magic here as
little as possible. Only apprentices who show promise do the magic. The other apprentices undergo their pain, then later, if they prove talented, they give pain to the next round of apprentices. In this system, all those who practice demon magic have already been used to provide pain for spells in the past. They know what they are doing to the apprentices, and what it feels like to be on the receiving end of the knife, so they are as careful as they can be.” Master Silurian’s face was very grim, leaning intently towards Jonny.

  “I don’t like those who make demon magic their stock in trade, because to be effective they must become numb to the pain of others. Some even come to be like the demons and crave the suffering in their subjects, and the worst regularly feed the demons the lives of their victims. They are murderers, and worse than other killers because they kill only for a temporary gain, and soon will kill again. Demon magic is a bloody business, and that is why I have tried to shield you from it.”

  Jonny was too shocked to say anything. He just stared at the wall seeing nothing. After several minutes where The Master just let him sit, Jonny finally asked, “Master, do you still do any demon magic yourself?”

  “Jonny, it hurts me to hear you ask that, but I suppose it is a fair question. I personally have not performed any demon magic in over eighty years, not since the war to create Salaways. Then it was only because I needed demons to fight the demons of my enemies, and those demons were summoned with the understanding that if they won they would have the souls of the wizards who they fought against.