The pages finished with a description of Fatalism; the Discipline in her Art that made Caleigh most uneasy. Her thoughts went back to Ranevark’s letter to Caerddyn and his hints that he might be able to alter the fates. This seemed a Godlike power and one with terrible consequences if misused. Accordingly, the author of the text apparently confirmed her theory. Fatalism was a dangerous path that dealt with the power to bless and curse in equal measure. If anything it was a comfort to know that this was the path most difficult to walk, power that great was not to be handed out easily.
19. The First Tasks
After lunch Vaughn led Caleigh to a room above the library with complex runework arrayed across its wrought copper and brass double doors. “This is, arguably, the most magical room in the castle. If it were not so, it would have been ravaged long ago by all the spell work that goes on in here. Worry not; no harm will befall you beyond these doors.”
“That is good to know.”
“Gideon tells me you’re uneasy about using magic as a weapon.”
“I am, or I was. I like not the thought of using my powers to cause harm but after what happened in the woods I am persuaded of its need. If I hadn’t any powers to call on I think Dana and I, at least, might be dead now. Anything that can help me keep safe those I care about is worth knowing.”
“Sure, and remember too, there are times when magic is the least harmful weapon available. Many of the most effective fighting spells fall far short of causing lasting wounds.” Vaughn winked at Caleigh encouragingly. “Shall we go in?”
The opening doors revealed a room like a banquet hall bereft of furnishing or tables and, unlike a banquet hall, its floor was covered with woven thatch that felt soft underfoot. Standing by what looked akin to a weapons rack stood Gideon, arms folded and leaning against the wall, and a nervous-looking Aethelbald.
“Ho there Gideon, I was not expecting you.”
“It was not my plan to be present but this one came to me mid-morning begging for my assistance. He seemed to think it was your intent to use him as some kind of living practise dummy this afternoon.”
“How could you think that, Aethelbald?” Vaughn asked in mock horror.
“Apparently he thought he was to be chastened for his laziness.”
“Perish the thought.”
“Worry not; I reassured him that this should not be his concern.” Gideon continued sardonically while looking sidelong at the sullen Aethelbald. “In truth his concern should be what Caleigh will do to him once they start practising.”
“Come now, you have chided Aethelbald quite enough.” Caleigh interceded. “As this is my first practice it is I who should feel most concerned.”
“Now that you say it Caleigh, it is well that Gideon is here. Perchance you and I should show something closer to a fair contest.”
“You flatter yourself.” Gideon retorted with a smirk.
“I know.” Vaughn moved over to the armour rack and Caleigh could now see it was filled with a range of wands and staffs as well as a series of padded surcoats of different sizes. Both Gideon and Vaughn donned the latter of these without prompting and replaced their outer robes over the top. “You may wonder why we use padded armour instead of mail or leather.” Vaughn said narrating the process. “That is for a number of reasons. Firstly, metal armour seems to interfere with most wizards’ magic.”
“Unless you are a Dragonard.” Gideon commented.
“Let’s keep it simple, shall we? Secondly, when a wizard is fighting another wizard sharp edges are less of a concern than impact blows, as you will see, and thirdly, we don’t stand our ground like a knight does so anything that inhibits movement too much is a bad thing.”
“And fourthly, heavy armour does not match our robes fittingly.” Gideon interjected.
“There is that as well.” Vaughn drew out two wands about a foot and a half long and tossed one to Gideon. “Now, if you and Aethelbald can make sure you stand outside of the white markings you will be protected from any stray spells.” Gideon paced towards the far end of the room and Vaughn the other. “I think we should start at the beginning.” With those words Vaughn flicked his wand and white spark seemed to connect from it almost instantaneously with Gideon’s hand causing it to twitch uncontrollably for a second so that he dropped his wand. At once Caleigh was put in mind of the shock one can get from a door handle on certain days. She had no time to expand on this thought for with no pause in between Gideon extended his hand and Vaughn was tipped onto his back with his legs flailing in the air. Both she and Aethelbald winced but Vaughn appeared to be unhurt when he righted himself. “Easy there, Gideon.”
“You struck ere I was ready. I was only repaying in kind.”
“I thought it good if they were able to see that one in effect. After all, this is supposed to be teaching.”
“Of course.” The two mages smiled at each other and then immediately swished their wands about their person. Watching carefully, Caleigh was able to spot shimmering walls and waves flowing up around them then disappearing just as suddenly.
“Did you not say that no harm could befall anyone here?” Caleigh inquired at this.
“No lasting harm.” Vaughn clarified. “So, anyway, what you just witnessed was the most basic fighting spell. A little spark and a little jolt can oft be enough to make your enemy drop his weapon or miss his shot.”
“Or spill his drink.” Gideon added.
“That too. For this reason we’d mostly aim it at his hand.”
“Why not start with something more powerful?” Aethelbald asked.
“You need to work up. Powerful spells are only possible once the energy really starts flowing. More powerful wizards can get there quicker but nobody starts with their best blast unless the spell is contained within an enchanted item. But that’s another subject. After our little exchange Gideon and I should be feeling more power than before so...” A bolt of energy like to the slenderest fork of lightning arced out from Gideon’s wand into Vaughn’s knee region where it dissipated around an invisible barrier.
“Thought I’d show the next step up. This is teaching, after all.” Gideon explained. Vaughn grinned ironically. “Yes, he’s right. That spell is essentially an enhanced form of the spark but instead of sending a little jolt it makes the muscles it hits go numb.”
“Which is why I went for the knee.”
“Why the knee? Surely the head is best.” Aethelbald questioned.
“Come here.” Vaughn beckoned. Aethelbald stepped over the white line and Vaughn hit him on the knee with the shock spell. At first it seemed to do nothing but when Aethelbald tried to retreat back over the line the affected leg folded beneath him bringing him to the floor. “In its advanced form this spell should be able to stun someone into sleep like a true punch to the chin.” Athelbald rolled himself over the white line fearing further demonstration.
“Do these variations count as distinct spells? After all, you told me you could not cast the same spell in quick succession.” Caleigh addressed to Gideon.
“Yes, they are distinct enough and in this way you can unleash a string of spells that are similar in origin.”
“For example though I cast the shocking form just moments ago...” Vaughn darted his wand towards Gideon and in a flash a red bolt of energy raced towards Gideon almost faster than the eye could track. Gideon was ready for it and he stood with his wand placed horizontally across the upheld palm of his other hand sending the projectile flying back the moment it made contact. Just as quickly. Vaughn pointed his wand downward and sped sideways in a blur. Gideon shot out at his new location with the binding cord he had shown Caleigh before, snaking it around Vaughn’s ankle. Before he could pull him downwards though Vaughn slashed his wand at the cord and it vanished allowing him to stumble backwards still on his feet. Gideon now thrust him palm outwards again and this time Vaughn had no defence and was projected backwards against the double doors with terrifying speed. His back did not make contact with the doors
rather he seemed to bounce off a soft surface falling instead onto his knees and forearms.
From this prone position he waved his wand in a figure of eight motion and now Gideon was floored, though not nearly so violently, instead seeming carried on a heavy tide and tumbling to a stop. Vaughn was on his feet without appearing to have moved at all. A crack sounded out and Caleigh’s eyes were drawn to a pot she had not paid note to before. It fell apart into many pieces and out of it poured sand. The sand did not pour on the ground it fell into a stream as though being sucked to a space above Vaughn’s hand.
Gideon too had regained his feet by this time and from his wand came a streak of magenta flame that made Vaughn spring backward out the way so that it collided with another pot behind him exploding in a cloud of heated vapour. Now Vaughn took his chance to attack and drew back his hand, which held a solid ball of collected sand. Upon its release this sand burst into flame and it was as a fireball it came at Gideon. Mere inches before it made contact it exploded into a shower of flaming sand grains spraying over a large grey shield that had appeared in mid-air.
Expecting a counter attack at once Vaughn directed his wand at the uncollected sand turning it into a wall of crystal standing between him and any spell Gideon might cast his way. This quick thinking was not enough for Gideon’s next attack came not from ahead but from above as in a great flash forked lightning shot down from the ceiling and stuck him even where he crouched. For a moment Caleigh was concerned until Vaughn blinked and propped himself up on his back, exhausted but uninjured. “I yeild.” He said holding up a weary hand in surrender. Gideon bowed towards him then turned to Caleigh with a happy expression.
“That was amazing.” Aethelbald cheered.
“I’m glad you think so.” Gideon answered then turned back expectantly to Caleigh.
“Boys.” Caleigh sighed with a shake of her head. Both Vaughn and Gideon looked at her with disbelief. “Misunderstand me not, I agree with Aethelbald but...”
“But what?” Said Vaughn and Gideon in unison.
“Were we not meant to be learning the simplest spells to begin with? I could not even say which spells you were using there.”
“She has a point.” Vaughn conceded rising to his feet. “Shall we start from the beginning again?”
By the time the day was at an end Caleigh had made meaningful progress creating an energy spark that could travel at a reasonable speed. Her aim required much work, nevertheless, she was encouraged. Aethelbald, for whom this was not a first try, was more accurate and his wand work was quicker yet the power to successfully disarm was not yet in him. Even when Gideon dropped his shielding he was able to keep hold of his wand whereas on the occasion Caleigh was able to hit, Vaughn dropped his wand with such a start that he refused to practice without protection thereafter.
That night Caleigh took some of the reading material from the Enchanting wing with her to bed yet in the event found her gaze blurring after less than a minute. It had been a long day and a tiring one too. When sleep came she dreamt of Loreliath and for once it was not a vision, just one of the many things on her mind.
If the first few days at Elevered seemed impossibly long the next few weeks skipped past at alarming speed. Amidst her research and practice Caleigh could not tell one day from the next. Some changes she did note in her surroundings, though. Firstly, Tovrik was not as widely seen a presence as he appeared to be initially. From all she could gather he spoke with her more often than any others save Gideon and Sir Edgar. Oft he would leave the castle on an errand and would return days later with little fuss or mention of his absence. Some might have regarded this behaviour as remote; to Caleigh’s eyes it spoke of a man with much on his shoulders. Another absence was that of Gideon. The day they had practised in the duelling room was the last she saw him in that time. For the most part she relied on her own study of her art and on Vaughn for her furthering progress in elemental magic. In the evenings she would still most often spend time with Ellie, Dana and Penric and to this group were added Rosamund and Aethelbald. During these evenings Caleigh was to find out how the pair of them came to Elevered.
“I didn’t even know I was gifted for the longest time.” Aethelbald told. “It was clear with Rosamund. Since she was about twelve she had been able to draw and paint wonderful pictures. I could never do anything like that.”
“So what made you realise?” Asked Ellie. The siblings seemed to sag at the question. Caleigh remembered at once what Tovrik had said about peril and tragedy bringing about a gift.
“You need not say if you do not wish.” She assured.
“No, it is not a secret.” Rosamund conceded taking up the story. “Aethelbald started going out more when he was around fourteen and he discovered he was always very lucky in games of chance so he played them as oft as he could. One night he woke me on his way out of the house and I pursued him to dissuade him from going. No sooner had we stepped outside than the tree that grew beside our house toppled and crushed it completely.”
“Your parents?”
“They were killed as too would we have been had we stayed in our rooms.” Caleigh put her hand on Rosamund’s shoulder. “After that we had to use our gifts to survive. So I sold my pictures while Aethelbald used his good luck to bring in the extra coin we needed. That was how Tovrik found us. Aethelbald was gambling in one of the taverns and this time the men he was playing against refused to believe he could just be lucky and accused him of cheating. They were about to set on him when Tovrik overheard what was happening. By chance he was in that tavern on that night and was in place to intervene and persuade the men to let him be.”
“I couldn’t believe my luck either when I got away without harm. Tovrik didn’t seem to think it was simple luck and when I told him I had a sister with a special gift for pictures he made me bring him to her.”
“He was very kind. Neither of us is talented in the way you or Gideon is but he could see how hard things were for us and offered us shelter here at once.”
“I’ve no doubt he would offer aid to people less gifted than you. Yet you must see that your gifts are not so small. Tovrik finds you invaluable Rosamund, in many ways you’re more of a direct apprentice to him than Gideon and even Gideon concedes you are a worthy wizard.”
“He does?”
“Yes, and I doubt he would say that unless he truly believed so.”
“She’s not lying.” Aethelbald agreed. “He hasn’t once praised me in three years.”
“Well, you are very lazy.” Rosamund said with a lighter tone than before.
“And you are very hard-working and have rightly earned your praise.” Caleigh added.
“I’ve little doubt that in three months here you’ll surpass what I’ve done in three years.”
“Nonsense. If I can learn any of what you are capable of I shall be most pleased. Indeed you must show me more of your work.”
Rosamund responded with a shy smile and Caleigh knew she would need to be pressed on this. In amongst all her studies and future concerns the plight of Rosamund and Aethelbald stayed in her mind. Though both were happy in Elevered it seemed to her that something should be done to raise their spirits further and for no reason she could account for this seemed like an important task. Finally Caleigh persuaded Rosamund to let her look at the pictures she kept in her room and while she did so she came upon a ledger of sketches tucked away under all else.
“What is in here?” She asked.
“Old work. Pictures I haven’t worked on since I came to Elevered.” Caleigh opened up the volume and her eyebrows shot up right away.
“Oh.” She said seeing the nude form of a lady staring back at her. Rosamund looked both embarrassed and proud of what was there.
“Sometimes, ladies would ask me to draw them in this way. I did not mean to show that to you.”
“Why not, these pictures are beautiful.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Of course.” Rosamund cheeks cooled down a f
raction and her boldness appeared to grow.
“I must admit, I used to love making them particularly if the woman was beautiful.” Caleigh leafed through the pages finding the best examples.
“Like her.”
“Yes. It is hard to explain, men move my heart and excite me but simply to look at and appreciate as art, I much prefer a beautiful woman. Does that sound strange to you?” Caleigh thought on it, it was not something she’d considered before. She thought to Robin and Penric’s toned bodies and then her mind turned to Ellie at bath time and then just as suddenly the image of Loreliath in her sheer robe appeared.
“It is not a thought I had entertained afore yet now I do, I think I quite agree with you. Women are more beautiful. Men have other virtues though.” The pair of them giggled at this.
“Indeed they do.”
“Rosamund, do you find me beautiful?”
“Oh Caleigh, you are so beautiful, in so many ways. I can think of no one I’ve ever met who is so gifted with such a pretty face and body at once.”
“Would you like to draw me then?”
“I would love to.”
“Would you like to draw me like those ladies? Would you like me to be naked?”
“Would you be perturbed?”
“No, I think I’d like it.”
“Then so would I.”
“Then let us start.” Caleigh suggested unfastening the sash that tied her robe. Rosamund turned over a fresh leaf of parchment and put her wand to her hand. Smiling, Caleigh stood up and let the robe fall away from her shoulders then started to work on her underdress. She did not know why but her excitement grew so that afore she had fully unbuttoned her nipples stood stiff against the cloth. She continued, pulling the undergarments away from her flesh and revealing her abdomen then her torso in full. Rosamund gasped slightly when Caleigh’s breasts came free and she was able to see them properly for the first time.
“So big and so beautiful.”
Enchantress Awakening: Part One of the Book of Water (The Elemental Cycle 1) Page 20