Alrion closed his eyes, trying to think about a spark or flame lighting up the lamp. He felt so awkward, this wizard and his parents staring at him while he held a magic lamp. What if this was all some kind of prank?
"Here goes," he thought, trying to focus his thoughts more. But his mind wandered. He thought about what might happen, and if this thing really was magical. He got angry about how he had been put on the spot since he knew nothing about magic. He felt a sudden intense heat, then realised it was actually real. He opened his eyes and saw a giant flame leaping out of the lamp. He removed his hands immediately, panic rising within him. The extent of the flame, and the wild manner in which it had risen scared him. He had done almost nothing, and yet the flame was colossal.
"I need some air," Alrion said, and headed for the door.
"There's no debate about that result," Vincent said after Alrion had left, looking at the black scorch mark on the ceiling.
"That was a success," Falric said.
"Go after him," Celes said. Vincent nodded and left the room.
Vincent stepped into the cool night air and looked around for Alrion. He saw his son striding down the street, towards the town exit. Vincent upped his pace and followed close behind. He needed to catch up with his son and calm him down.
He noticed Alrion slowing, and Vincent slowed too so he gently caught up until he was walking alongside him.
"Hey slow down a minute," Vincent said.
"Sorry, I just had to get out of there. I couldn't breathe," Alrion said.
"That's fine, tell me what happened."
"Well, I just felt awkward and on the spot. And I got angry and annoyed at you all. And I felt the heat of my anger and saw the flame. It scared me."
"Because it was so strange?"
"Yes, and because it came from me. I know that. It was uncontrolled and unexpected. Even if that lamp was magic, it came from me."
"Well, there's nothing wrong with that. It means you have a powerful gift, and you need to learn to control it."
"What if I can't?"
"Well think about it. Clearly, this is something you were born with. Have you ever mysteriously burned any houses down?"
"No."
"Well, there you have it. You were doing just fine up until now and from now on, you will be safe. Falric is an old hand; he will teach you how to control your gift."
"You're right. But what about you? Why didn't you go through this?"
"Let's walk back to the house," Vincent said. Alrion nodded and they turned back. After a minute or two, Vincent spoke up again.
"Like I said before, I didn't have what it took to be a wizard. My dad was one and it consumed his life, so there was a bit of friction there. He wanted me by his side regardless. I left to live my own life."
"Why me then?"
"Who knows? The world works in mysterious ways. But you clearly have his gift, so it's up to you to nurture it."
"What do wizards do anyway?"
"Well, Falric will be the best person to tell you. But, I can imagine that you will travel the world and help people. When you're not working on becoming a better wizard. I don't think it's the type of thing you master overnight."
"I think you're right," Alrion said. They were back in front of their house.
"Come with me, I have something for you," Vincent said. He entered the house and walked through to his bedroom. He rummaged through his wardrobe and removed a dusty wooden box. Its lock was a strange mechanism. Vincent pressed in special parts of the box and it opened. He withdrew a soft blue pouch, closed the box, and put it back where he found it.
"Here, this was given to me by my father. Now I'm giving it to you," Vincent said, handing Alrion the pouch. Alrion opened it and removed a silver ring with a blue stone set in the middle. The ring was on a silver chain.
"What is this?"
"It's a magical ring. He told me it would keep me from harm. I'm not sure how it works, but here I am. So maybe it will be of use to you."
"Thanks, I'll keep it with me," Alrion said. He returned the ring to the pouch and put it in his pocket.
"Take good care of it."
"Why didn't you ever mention all this before?"
"I wanted you to have a normal upbringing. This magic stuff is about as far from normal as you can get. I didn't even know if you would have the gift. So, I did the best job I could raising you, without all that hanging over your head. You always felt that you were meant for more than blacksmithing, and I guess this is it."
"Ok then, I guess."
"Think about me for a moment, I'm about to lose my best apprentice!"
"I'm your only apprentice," Alrion said, but he did crack half a smile.
"I think I hear your mother, let's go take a look," Vincent said, and they walked back to the living room. Falric and Celes had just arrived.
"So, you'll set off tomorrow?" Celes asked. Vincent looked over at Falric.
"Yes, tomorrow is best. You will need to make a few preparations before you leave," Falric said.
"True, and the workshop will have to remain closed while I'm away."
"Well, in that case, we should celebrate. A farewell feast for my wizard son," Celes said smiling at Alrion. He returned the smile, still finding the label strange.
"Don't worry, you'll become accustomed to the title soon. You will feel it in your very being," Falric said, having noticed Alrion's reaction.
"If you say so," Alrion said.
Vincent disappeared to help Celes in the kitchen with the final preparations for their meal.
"How far will we be travelling?" Alrion asked Falric.
"Not too far, only a couple of day’s ride. The majority of it is on established roads, so it's fairly quick with horses and safe. Have you travelled much?"
"Not really, no."
"Well, I think you'll enjoy the trip. Being a wizard will eventually require a lot of travel, once you have trained. Wizards are an important part of society."
"I didn't even know about them!"
"No offence intended, but a small village like this has little use for a wizard. We are generally more involved in cities and countries. There is a lot we can do, and a lot that people require us to do."
"I suppose I'll understand that later."
"Of course, don't worry. You will learn these things gradually. There are many mysteries to being a wizard, but I'll try and keep your training as straightforward as possible. There are enough things we don't understand without adding to that list," Falric said. He noticed Vincent coming back into the room.
"Now what do we have here?" Falric said, eyeing the food that Vincent was carrying.
"This is lemon potatoes with assorted vegetables. My wife is about to bring in her famous roast chicken," Vincent said with pride while laying down some dishes.
"We don't get that at the Wizard Academy. Looks great," Falric said.
"It’s not that famous," Alrion said.
"Trust me, lad, you'll be missing this," Falric said, mentally devouring the food. Celes walked in with the roast chicken platter, placing it at the centre of the table. She put generous servings on everyone's plate.
"I feel like I should say a few words," Vincent said. He paused before continuing.
"It's been a pleasure bringing you up Alrion, and now you are about to take your first big steps into the world beyond. There are many things that you have not learned by being here, in this village with us. However, I think that what you have learned, are the tools to becoming a great man. The path of a wizard will be a challenging one but know that we will always support you, and always remember that you have a home here."
"Thanks, Dad," Alrion said.
"He spoke for both of us, but let me add one thing. You be careful out there Alrion. Not just of the dangers of the world but watch out for women. They'll see how good you are and will be on the attack. Remember that you if you get serious with a woman you need to bring her back here to meet us,” Celes said.
"Mum,
that's just embarrassing," Alrion said.
"It had to be said," Celes said with a devious smile.
"Let's dig in," Vincent said and nobody required further encouragement to begin the meal.
After they ate, they returned to the living room and the couches there. Alrion continued through the room, leaving the house. Vincent followed him out. He found his son staring off towards the town gates.
"Is something up? Do you have somewhere to be?" Vincent said. Alrion was lost in thought.
"No, it's nothing. Let's go back inside," Alrion said. Vincent nodded and gave Alrion an affectionate squeeze on the shoulder. They headed back in together.
"Amazing meal Celes, I'll be dreaming about those potatoes," Falric said.
"Thanks, you are too kind," Celes said.
"I need to come up with a spell for that."
"I don't think there's enough magic in the world to recreate that," Vincent said.
"Do you want to stay here tonight?" Celes said to Falric.
"No, I'll go sleep in the workshop actually if you don't mind. I have a few preparations to make myself."
"Are you sure? It'll probably be uncomfortable and cold," Celes said.
"Cold? Did you forget who you were talking to?" Falric said.
"Just don't burn the place down," Vincent said.
"I'll do my best. Would you mind accompanying me, Vincent?" Falric said, rising from his chair.
"Sure, let's go," Vincent said and the two left the house together.
"What kind of preparations are we talking here?" Vincent asked once they were alone.
"Nothing too special, just a few things I need to go over myself. I want to see if the road ahead is clear and try to communicate with the Wizard Academy. They need to know we are on our way," Falric said.
"Sure."
"You do remember me, don't you?" Falric said to Vincent.
"Yes, you were my father's star pupil."
"Good. At least you've kept some of your faculties, if not your name."
"It was important to get a new start. You can't imagine how hard things were after he went like that."
"You should have come to us. We could have helped you."
"No, you couldn't have. Here we are," Vincent said, unlocking the workshop once more.
"Thank you. I will come around in the morning, then we can set off."
"Good night. See you tomorrow," Vincent said, leaving Falric to enter the workshop.
The next morning Alrion woke up early. He hadn't slept well, his mind churning about becoming a wizard. He had so many questions, but he couldn't even articulate half of them. There were just too many unknowns. Nevertheless, he was excited to be leaving the village. It was as if a huge weight had fallen from his shoulders, and the possibilities seemed endless.
He felt a little bad for how ungrateful he had seemed for his upbringing and his dad's insistence on being a blacksmith apprentice. But, he felt like he was truly discovering what he should be doing.
Alrion packed some clothes, then went to check on his father. Vincent was sipping coffee in the living room, a bulging pack sitting next to his chair. Propped up next to the pack was a sword with an ornate scabbard.
"I see you've packed already. What's that sword?" Alrion said.
"It's a relic from another life," Vincent said.
"Do you even know how to use it? I know you refuse to make weapons so it's strange to see you with one."
"I have made swords before, a long time ago. I may be a bit rusty using one again, but I can certainly handle myself. It's just a simple precaution. Are you packed?"
"Almost. I just need to check a few things."
"Don't worry; you won't even know half of what you really need until you need it. Just make sure you have clothes," Vincent said, grinning at Alrion.
"I don't remember the last time I saw you this excited," Alrion said.
"It's an adventure, even if it's a small one. We should celebrate things like this. It's a break from routine, and we're going out into the unknown."
"Well, when you put it like that, it's pretty exciting even for you."
"It's not every day you accompany your son to begin his wizard training."
"True. It's not every day you set out to train as a wizard either."
"See, something to be celebrated," Vincent said.
"How long will you be away?" Celes asked as she entered the room.
"Probably a week," Vincent said.
"That doesn't sound too bad. How long until Alrion comes back?"
"No idea, that's one for Falric."
"I heard my name," Falric said from the front door.
"Come in!" Vincent called out. Falric opened the door and walked in. He was dressed the same as the night before.
"Celes was just asking how long Alrion will be at the academy before he can come home?"
"To visit? Or for good?" Falric said.
"Both," Celes said.
"He really shouldn't visit for at least six months. That gives us time to get some traction and build in some good safeguards once he starts learning more."
"And then?" Celes said.
"Well, truthfully if his training goes well he should never return here to live. Once he becomes a wizard, he belongs to the world, and not one place. Of course, he can and should visit you when he can, but his duty will be elsewhere: either at the Wizard Academy, in a royal court, or on an expedition. I'm afraid your son's days in Hamley are numbered," Falric said. Celes nodded.
"This really is goodbye then. Should he go say goodbye to his friends?"
"I would advise against it," Falric said.
"Why?" Alrion asked.
"How will you explain it? They either won't understand or won't believe you. Of course, I won't stop you, but I think it's easier to just leave, and explain when you return."
"I'll think about it," Alrion said.
"Whatever you decide, we will tell people you left to study," Vincent said.
"That is an excellent idea," Falric said.
"Are you ready?" Vincent said to Falric.
"A wizard is always ready. Occasionally they need more preparation, though."
"Are you fully prepared then?" Celes said with a laugh.
"Just about, but I do seem to be lacking some quality food, though."
"Don't worry, I'm sending some with the boys. Come over to the kitchen and take a look," Celes said. Falric rubbed his hands with glee and followed her. Once he was in the kitchen, he spotted the kitchen bench, covered with delicacies. Celes took up her kitchen knife and finished cutting some of the pastries she had prepared.
"Take care of my son. If anything happens to him, I'll be coming for you." Celes whispered the words in his ear. She was holding the knife in her right hand and Falric saw steel and resolve in her eyes that he hadn't expected. Perhaps her story wasn't so simple either. He cleared his throat. Celes's smile returned to her face.
"Don't worry, I will take great care. I will treat him like my own grandson."
"Thank you. Please take whatever you would like," Celes said and left the room. Falric let go of the breath he had been holding. Once he returned to the living room, he saw Alrion standing by his pack, alone.
"Excited?" he said to Alrion.
"Yes, but I'm also a bit unsure what to think," Alrion said.
"I know the feeling. It'll be a true adventure, though, you can count on that."
"I don't doubt that. Compared to Hamley, anything is an adventure. We are almost ready, I'm just waiting for my father to return with some horses," Alrion said. Celes distributed the last of the food she had prepared, and they all left the room to wait outside. It didn't take long to see Vincent leading two black horses over.
"Saddle up," Vincent said, handing the reins of one of the horses to Alrion.
"You can't leave without saying goodbye to your mother," Celes said. Alrion hugged her and gave her a kiss goodbye. Then he threw his bag over the back of the horse and climbed up into the sa
ddle. Vincent and Falric followed suit.
"This is it. Are you ready?" Falric said.
"I'm ready," Alrion said.
"I expect a full report when you get there, write me a letter," Celes said.
"Can't you just ask Dad?"
"No, it's not the same."
"Alright, I'll do it."
"You two keep him out of trouble," Celes said looking at Vincent and Falric.
"Sure thing boss," Vincent said grinning at her. Falric turned his horse around and they started to ride off. Alrion looked back at his mother one last time. He didn't look around as they left the village, instead he just stared ahead. Once they were clear of the village, he finally turned back and had another look.
"I don't know when I'll be back, or who I'll be when I do return. Goodbye Hamley," Alrion thought. He watched the village go about its business and realised that apart from his mother he probably wouldn't be missed. His destiny lay elsewhere. He turned his horse and raced to catch up with his father and Falric.
5
Wizard Principles
There was little conversation at the beginning. Alrion did not know why, but he was preoccupied with checking out the landscape. It was ground he was familiar with, and he could identify every farmhouse and building that they passed. He didn't know what he was looking for at all. After riding for over an hour they passed a point at which he finally understood. He had been waiting to pass from the area he knew to unknown territory.
The transition was so subtle and fast that he did not notice it at first. However, once he did, he sat up straighter in the saddle, looking more intently at the surroundings.
"You're in unfamiliar territory now," Vincent said, confirming Alrion's reaction.
"The adventure is finally starting. It's exciting."
"So, it should be, there's a whole wide world out there for you," Falric said. He gently pulled on the reins, nudging his horse closer to Alrion.
"Now that we have some riding ahead of us, is there anything you want to ask me about?" Falric said.
"Too many things. But, I was wondering if you could explain magic a bit more. I don't understand it at all."
Pool of Knowledge (The Hidden Wizard Book 1) Page 3