Today’s potential recruits were asked to line up as usual in rows of twenty. At least being asked to check all these people for magic had given Leo plenty of practice to hone a skill that had sometimes given him some difficulty. Before walking along the lines, Leo liked to try and detect any sources of magic whilst the candidates were being queued up.
From under the cover of his black hooded robe, he whispered to Chad who stood beside him. “I make four,” he said.
“Four? I only make three” Chad replied.
Leo double checked, again sending his senses out towards the waiting youngsters. “Nope still make four,” he reiterated before slowly stepping forward.
As was expected of a sorcerer making a selection, well at least in Caldronia, Leo walked with a certain elegance along the front row. His first pick would be a girl standing second from the end, dressed in long skirts that almost dragged on the floor, and a thick shawl thrown over her shoulders, her life would change forever in just a few seconds. Leo paused, and as previously agreed let Chad announce the selection.
The girl’s parents who were stood off to one side yelped out with excitement, and watched with pride as their daughter was asked to step to the front. “I can still only see two more,” Chad whispered to his mentor as they started on the second row. “You pick the two you can see and I’ll pick the last then,” Leo uttered back.
Chad did as was asked, and after walking along the other three rows, picked a young lad of about fifteen and another girl of a similar age. Leo however, walked slowly back to the second row, to where he had sensed something a little out of the ordinary. He remembered his first lesson in magic, and was quite sure other sorcerers like Chad sensed magic differently to the way he did. Having a diverse energy source compared to most, Leo had learned to detect using a somewhat varied method.
Just to make sure Leo had it absolutely right he actually walked past his intended candidate twice more, adding an air of expectation to those still waiting to see if they might be selected. Despite it being something new, people were already talking about the new Arandorian guild, and the honour of having a child admitted into it. Moreover, Edwin, as the new king, had taken Alec’s advice on board about paying the family responsible for the child. This had ultimately seen the majority of the city’s youngsters urged on by their parents to be checked for magic. Of course not only did the family get compensation, but the child would be trained, housed, fed, clothed and probably live a far more comfortable life than the one they might have had; although as a sorcerer you would naturally be expected to put that life on the line if the king willed it.
“You!” Leo finally said, stopping in front of a small boy. “What is your name?”
“Reece Sir,” came a very quiet reply.
“I select you Reece. Please step to the front,” Leo added gesturing with his hand for the young lad to move. Leo watched as the lad slowly walked over to join the other new recruits, before giving a nod to Lars. The Arandorian sorcerer then stepped forward to tell all the others that there would be no more selections made. The inevitable moans and groans sounded, more so from the parents than the children, as dozens of regular soldiers moved in to keep order.
Chad immediately stepped over to his mentor. Now he knew which child Leo had been referring too, he checked once more for the boy’s energy source. At first the result was once more a negative one, and he was about to tell Leo that perhaps there had been a mistake. Chad then realised Leo’s source of power was much larger, and finding it required a sorcerer to look at things a little differently. Once Chad had managed that, he sensed what his mentor had, and hurried over to join him. “He is like you…The boy you picked,” he said. Leo answered to the affirmative, “See he stays here and is not taken with the others,” he added.
Chad did not argue, and quickly hurried to where the new recruits were still stood awaiting their new futures. “You,” Chad said with quite the voice of authority for one so young, pointing at the boy known as Reece. The youngster looked nervously over at the black robed sorcerer, unsure whether he should move or not. “Don’t worry, we’re not going to hurt you or change our minds,” he added quickly, trying to put Reece’s fears at ease.
Leo made sure Chad had the lad, before venturing over to Lars. “I will need to teach this boy personally,” Leo said without any explanation. Lars scoffed, “The boy is Arandorian property Leo, not Caldronian, he will be trained with the others.”
“No he will not,” Leo snapped back, speaking in a way that he hoped told Lars he was serious. The older man looked at him, but with the hood covering his face was unable to see any expression that might suggest the tone of voice. “The king placed me in charge of the guild Leo. You are only here to aid and advise, and make the selections as you see fit. The boy has been selected, your part is done!”
Leo could feel himself becoming irritated by the lack of progress. Reece was no ordinary sorcerer, and only he knew the pitfalls of releasing such a power without proper guidance. After all, his own mentor had once told him that sometimes such people are better never knowing they had such power, and those that did, should be killed before they could cause any trouble. However, under proper guidance, such a person could prove to be invaluable to those they served.
Lars was clearly thinking Leo was trying to overstep the mark, and ordered two of the guards to escort the new recruits inside. “Chad, make sure no one touches Reece,” Leo shouted over. “Lars, you cannot have the boy, he is coming with me!” he said turning to face the older man once more. As one of the guards approached Reece, still stood beside Chad, the Caldronian sorcerer held out a hand as a warning for him to stop. The guard merely ignored it and stepped nearer, leaving Chad no choice but to throw up a shield over both Reece and himself.
Whilst the guard was immediately stopped in his tracks, and was looking rather bemused, Reece was clearly petrified. Chad, whilst holding the shield looked over to the lad, “Don’t worry Reece, Leo will see nothing happens to you. You are very special!” he added hoping to calm the youngster a little. Lars watched the spectacle, and realising there was probably little he could do, stamped his foot in frustration. “I shall see what the king has to say about this outrageous behaviour. Furthermore, your prince shall hear of it too,” he added turning about and storming off.
Only when everyone else had left the area did Chad release the shield covering himself and Reece. Leo walked casually over and decided to show his face for the first time. He could remember how unnerving it was having one of the mysterious black robed sorcerers around. Having two about, and singling you out as well, must have been far worse.
As Leo threw back his hood, he gestured for Chad to do likewise. The reaction from Reece was almost immediate. “You’re much younger than I thought…Not much older than me!” The lad mumbled to himself. “See we’re not as scary as you thought are we?” Chad replied with a friendly smile. “Come on, let’s go get you sorted out with a room and some supplies,” Leo added knowing by selecting the lad, he risked alienating him from just about everybody. Leo had suffered the same, but thankfully only on a small scale. If anything, he had found some good friends that understood him, Chad for one.
Whilst the Arandorian guild did not want to copy its neighbour completely, they too had selected the apprentices to wear robes. These though were a deep red colour, and rather than different colour belts to distinguish the more experienced pupils, Edwin had opted for stripes sewn onto the sleeves, much like a regular soldier might have regarding his rank.
With little time to make many of the garments, there was currently only enough for one per apprentice. Reece, although clearly not coming from a poor family, seemed delighted enough when he was passed his. However, Leo wanted something to show he was no ordinary apprentice, and with the Arandorian king not considering such a special find, he had to improvise. Just as he stood out from other Caldronian sorcerers, by having the kings mark emblazoned on his sleeve, he wanted Reece to be the same.
The two women who had been responsible for making the new guild garments, the same two who had made Leo extra clothes on his arrival, seemed puzzled by his request. Leo had enquired if they could possibly embroider the king’s emblem on to one of the red robes. “Come back tomorrow morning my dear and I’ll see if we can accommodate your request,” one of them said. Leo thanked both, and suggested he and Chad take Reece to find a vacant bed.
With so many new apprentices being admitted in such a short space of time, the previous home of the king was all but full. All the bedrooms had been stripped of the grandeur that one would associate with such a royal residence. Where once there had been one large single bed per room, now there were between four and six single ones. Work was still being undertaken in converting some of the rooms downstairs into classrooms, although the dining hall was now ready for purpose.
Edwin had made sure he oversaw the refurbishment, stopping by once or twice a day to check on progress. During this visit, Lars had obviously found him, and the pair now waited for Leo, Chad and Reece at the foot of the stairs. “What is the meaning of this?” Edwin said sounding annoyed he was being bothered. Lars stood beside his king with the look of ‘I told you so’ on his face, but Leo ignored him and rolled his eyes back. “I will not suffer insolence Leo!” Edwin snapped looking at his reaction, “You may be a powerful sorcerer, but I will not have you questioning my orders. I placed Lars in charge. Now explain yourself!”
Leo sighed. Although Edwin was not his king, he supposed that he and the Caldronians had a lot to thank him for, and if as promised they helped retake Surmont, they would have much more. “Sorry Sire,” Leo found himself saying. “I cannot let Lars or anybody else teach this boy,” he said trying to sound sincere.
Edwin tilted his head just slightly, as if something Leo had said peaked his interest. “Go on, tell me why.” Leo knew he would have to explain things in terms a non-magician would understand, and knowing Edwin could not detect magic, would have to make it believable. He started by explaining why he wore the robes of a king’s sorcerer, only to be interrupted. “It is because your skills are stronger?” Edwin asked.
“No Sire. It is because my source of power is far greater than most. This makes not only my spells more powerful, but also means I can keep them going for much longer.”
The king looked a little unsure, but nodded as if he understood what was being explained, before asking what that had got to do with him claiming this boy as his own. Leo shook his head, “I am not claiming him Sire. I merely need to be the one to train him. If I am not mistaken I think Reece has a very similar source to myself.”
A few moments passed, before Edwin realised what was being said, although Lars made a noise that suggested it was all hokum. “Why don’t you test him yourself?” Chad piped up defending his mentor’s words. “You know I can only detect if a person has magic, I cannot tell how much,” the man replied showing just how the two nation’s sorcerers differed so greatly in skill. “I can sense the boy has power Sire, but to me he is no different to any other we have selected and hence should be treated no differently.”
Edwin lifted his hand up to his chin and scratched it a little, looking rather pensive. Lars was an old friend and a man he would trust with his life. However, it was clear the Caldronians were indeed far more knowledgeable in magical matters. Without trying to show favour, Edwin wanted to clarify what Leo was saying, “You are telling me that this boy has the potential to become like you?” He asked. Leo nodded, “Yes Sire, that is what I am saying.”
Another short pause followed, before the king asked another question. “So why do you need to teach him. I mean, why can’t anybody else. Lars has successfully taught dozens of our new apprentices. Yes, I’ll agree our skillsets are not as advanced as yours or your guilds, but we are just starting out.” Leo did not really want to explain the reasons behind him doing the training, at least not in front of Reece, but it seemed he had no other option.
After sighing heavily, he took a deep breath and explained in full. He hoped by doing so it did not put Reece under any more pressure than was coming his way. As a king’s sorcerer he knew only too well what would be expected from him. “Reece has a vast power source. Once we show him how to use it, he will be very dangerous.”
Edwin nodded, once more looking interested in what was being said. Leo told him that if Reece was not shown how to do things properly, he would likely end up killing somebody. “He will be capable of destruction on a massive scale Sire. This is why I am the only one to train him.” Edwin, it seemed, appeared a little over excited at the fact he could have his very own powerful sorcerer. “You think he might be a king’s sorcerer, or at least on a par?” Lars said still clearly doubting that was the case. “I don’t think. I know it to be true. Trust me, once we show Reece how to access his power, he needs to be taught very carefully.”
After rubbing his hands together, Edwin finally made a decision. “Very well, Lars you will have no part in teaching this boy, Leo I would like you to oversee his training personally. Of course I will run it by Prince Kellan first,” he added realising he actually had no say over what Leo did. Leo thanked the king, before being a little childish in pulling a smug face at Lars. As the King turned about to walk away, Lars did likewise, “Oh and Leo, see the boy is given a robe showing his status,” Edwin shouted over his shoulder. Leo nodded and smiled, before turning to face the youngster at the centre of all the attention.
It was clear Reece was scared. Who wouldn’t be having heard what he just had. Leo placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder, “Don’t worry, Chad and I will help you. You work hard, and listen and all will be fine. Okay?”
“Okay,” the boy replied.
“Now let us find you a bed,” Leo suggested as they eventually walked up the grand staircase to where the bedrooms were located.
Unlike the Caldronian dorms, Edwin had decreed girls and boys be kept separate. As a result, three of the bedrooms at one end of the first floor were given over to female use, whilst six down the other end were to be used by the boys. Quite why there were more male than female sorcerers, nobody really knew; it just seemed to be that way. With most already full, Leo and Chad walked with Reece right to the end room, where the other two new male recruits taken that day were already laying claim to beds. “Looks like you don’t have much choice,” Chad said pointing to the only unclaimed bed left in the room.
Leo knew he needed to get back to Kellan and Alec, but did not want to leave without first giving Reece a few more words of reassurance. “We will start your lessons tomorrow, just like all the others. But you will also have to take extra lessons with me and Chad.” Reece nodded his understanding, “Thank you,” the youngster said. “Remember if you have any problems, or just need someone to talk too, come and find us,” Leo added. This had been the one thing he felt he had needed when finding out he was different. He was of course treated differently, and given extra tuition by Daron to ensure he honed his skills accordingly. Yet during those early weeks, only Alec had been there as a voice of reason, listening to his fears and concerns.
Chapter 19.
Fennick, the leader of what the guild referred to as ‘Rogue Sorcerers’ sat listening to his newest guests. Wesley, remained standing beside the small fireplace explaining just what had happened in Surmont, whilst Carlton had been taken to another building where he could recuperate. Rania, as a healer, had been asked to check on one of the residents who had become ill, and Mason, despite still feeling tired, was sat listening, ready to add his part to the conversation if necessary.
Wesley thought this Fennick character seemed shocked by the events of late, yet somehow he appeared unperturbed by them. On hearing the king had been publicly executed in front of the city’s residents, the man even afforded a smile. “You find our king dead to your amusement Sir?” Wesley asked not best impressed by the man’s reactions. Gallien who was sat down beside Mason quickly jumped to his leader’s defence. “There are things you don’t understa
nd. There is a sense of justice in Fennick seeing the king dead,” he explained getting to his feet.
Wesley looked over at the young sorcerer who had helped him and the others escape the city. Deciding to let the matter drop, the ranger had a question, one he had been wanting to ask since his arrival. “Can I assume you are the same people who attempted to kidnap the young prince?” The room immediately fell silent, but Wesley looked at both Fennick and Gallien for an answer.
Eventually the senior of the two spoke. “It was an ill-conceived idea. I just wanted revenge for what the king had done to me, only that bloody girl appeared to have us all wrapped around her twisted little fingers…and everything that could go wrong, did so.”
“Girl?” Wesley asked.
“Mia. The one mentioned earlier,” Gallien added.
Mason decided to speak, defending Mia where he could. The girl may have murdered one of their own, but that was because she was mentally ill; a point he felt needed to be made to the others. “Then they had her executed. Tore Leo up pretty bad,” he added letting the sentence peter away. Gallien looked over towards Mason, “This Leo. I remember her mentioning his name…as some kind of powerful sorcerer?”
Mason nodded, “Yes. A king’s Sorcerer. He was amongst those that captured her.”
“Ah he’ll be the one responsible for the death of some of my people then,” Fennick snapped.
The King's Sorcerer (The Caldronian Guild Book 3) Page 13