“Hey,” she said.
“Hello, Vannya.” Justan leaned back against the wooden door of the wagon. Seeing her didn’t help him sort out his feelings about Jhonate.
“Justan, I’m sorry about last night. You have the right to feel however you want to about the professor.”
He sighed. “Do you really want to know why I feel this way about him? Because it might change your feelings about him if you do.” She nodded. Justan told her about his life at the Training School, how hard he had worked, and how Valtrek had sabotaged him to force him to go to the Mage School.
Vannya winced as he told her of how the wizard had lobbied against his being able to enter the academy. Her jaw dropped when he told her what Kenn had done with the potion Valtrek gave him and what he had tried to do to Jhonate.
“I can't believe he . . . I-I guess I don’t blame you for how you feel.” Justan nodded in satisfaction. She continued, “So what do you think would have happened if he hadn’t sold the potion to that . . . that guy?”
“Chances are that if Kenn hadn’t kept me from competing in that test, I would have scored highly and the council would have had no choice but to let me enter the academy.” Justan stated. However he had to admit, “But then again, who knows? They might have still made me go.”
“What if they had given you a choice?”
“What?”
“What if they had brought you in and let Professor Valtrek make his case? With the knowledge that this power of yours could be dangerous, would you have made the decision to go to the Mage School voluntarily?”
Justan thought on it a moment. “Probably not. At least not at first. Maybe after some thought and discussing it with my family . . . The point is that I’ll never know. I didn’t get the chance. Valtrek took that choice away from me.”
Vannya sighed and put her head in her hands. She looked at him through her fingers. “I’m sorry about what happened. I understand how you feel now. How are you supposed to trust him if he doesn’t trust you?” She grasped his forearm. “That is one thing you always need to remember about wizards, Justan. They become so used to knowing more than everyone else, that they start to believe they are the only ones that can do anything right. It’s one of the things that irritate me about being a mage. The wizards feel like they have to hold your hand the whole way!”
Justan was looking at her with one eyebrow raised. “Sounds like a fun place I’m going to.” She smiled in response. His eyes brightened. “How about we don’t go there at all?”
She lifted her head up out of her hands and looked at him questioningly. “What do you mean?”
He continued with a completely straight face. “What do you say we jump off this wagon and run off together?” She looked at him wide-eyed. He couldn’t help but smile. “We could spend our whole lives out in the wilderness. Think of it. You, me, a couple of kids . . .”
Vannya laughed and punched him in the arm.
“Well I’m insulted.” He pouted exaggeratedly.
“Be serious for a moment,” Vannya said. “There are some things to watch out for while at the Mage School, like the politics of the place. It’s good not to step on anyone’s toes. This is important for a cadet especially. If you make the wrong wizard mad, you may find yourself given extra kitchen duty. Believe me. Scrubbing pots all day is no fun.”
It all sounded childish to Justan at first, but when he thought about it, that was what it was like at the academy too. Except it was more likely you’d get stuck digging ditches than scrubbing pots.
“Is there a good side to this place?” he asked.
“Of course, Justan!” She became animated, waving her hands as she spoke, “Just wait until you see it. The best of science and technology are represented at the Mage School. Especially in the Rune Tower. Everything there is magnificent! Our library is the biggest in the known world. If there is anything you want to know, you can find it there.”
“Hmm.” The idea of all that knowledge just waiting there for him did sound intriguing. “But what do I do when I get there? I really don’t know what to expect.”
“Well you haven’t exactly been going out of your way to find out, have you?” Vannya admonished.
Justan had to admit that she was right. He had been so interested in getting past his time at the Mage School that he hadn’t given much thought to what he would do while he was there.
Vannya continued, “Normally what would happen is that you would go through orientation for the first couple of days with the rest of your starting class. But you have come in at the end of the year. It is a few months before the other cadets will arrive. I asked the Professor what they would have you do until the new year begins and he already had plans. He has picked out a student to show you around.”
“You?” Justan asked.
“No, not me. I’m going to be busy catching up on all the work I’ve missed over the last month that I’ve been gone. Oh my! Year-end tests will be here in no time! I doubt I will be getting much sleep for a while,” Vannya said, her mind elsewhere. She wasn’t looking nearly as excited about going back as she had before. “No, he has someone else picked out for you.”
“Who then?” Justan wondered. Going into this new situation was daunting. He had always felt at home in the Training School. Now with him entering this new place, he felt out of his element. He wondered if he would be allowed to spar with the academy-trained guards while he was there.
“I have no idea who he’s chosen for you, but it will probably be someone who has reached the level of mage. He said that he planned on having you tutored until the new year started. That way you can start off with some more advanced classes in the spring.” She smiled. “Evidently he wants you to make the most of these next two years.”
“Well it doesn’t matter. I had decided to do that anyway,” he replied. “Is Valtrek going to be watching me the entire time?” It had been hard enough to endure his father’s watchful eye at the Training School and that was a man that he loved. He didn’t want to have to bear being under the finger of the man in the white robe.
“Oh, no. The Professor is much too busy.” She emphasized the word ‘professor’ to remind him of proper protocol. “He has arranged for your early arrival and everything, but he spends most of his time away from the school. I doubt if you’ll see him much at all.”
“Good,” Justan stated. That suited him just fine. He jumped off the step and started walking along behind the wagon. The conversation was making him antsy and he couldn't sit still anymore. Vannya saw the stubborn look coming back into his eyes and took this as a hint for her to leave. She started to get up, but Justan spoke out. “Wait, I wasn’t asking you to go. Please, tell me more about what to expect. What does a cadet do?”
Vannya sat back down. It seemed weird to her to be talking to a man walking behind the wagon. She hadn’t ever met a man like him, someone who would actually enjoy walking or exerting himself instead of sitting. The bizarre thing was that something inside of her liked it.
They didn’t really get to talk much more about life in the Mage School before the door to the wagon opened and Pympol stuck his head out. The swollen spot on the side of his eye had started to turn purple.
Justan couldn’t help but needle the man a little. “Ooh, you need to get that looked at.”
Pympol made it a point to ignore him. “Vannya, come in, we need to talk with you.” She nodded and waved at Justan before she went in. Pympol sneered at him as he shut the door.
Justan shook his head. He had known for a while that Pympol didn’t like him. Justan had sensed it from the first and didn’t understand why. What was it about him that caused some people to dislike him so?
Vannya was a puzzle. He felt like he had developed a friendship of sorts with her. At least they both seemed to enjoy each other’s company. But he didn’t fit in with her crowd and she didn’t really feel comfortable with his. When she had come to sit with him and the guards, Justan had always known that she was there to see him.
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It was odd to Justan that a girl so amazingly beautiful would want to spend so much time with him. Was it that she was trying to be nice by befriending the new student? Then again, she always did defend the professor. A mistrustful side of him wondered if Valtrek had something to do with her being so nice. He didn’t like the notion of Vannya being in league with that man.
After several miles Justan decided that walking behind the wagons just wasn't enough. He ran back and forth along the length of the wagons for a while, but he needed more. The cool fall air and the feeling that the freedom he had enjoyed on this journey was coming to an end made him want to push himself.
He ran faster, passing the first wagon to the stares of the students that were driving. He sensed that he could go faster still. His legs pumped and Justan really took up speed. He was surprised at the amount of energy blossoming within him. He would never have been able to run this fast before bonding with Gwyrtha. Perhaps the changes in him would be permanent. It was a nice thought. Oh what a surprise they would have when he returned to the academy.
Riveren was scouting a grove of trees about a mile ahead of the wagons on his horse when he saw Justan pounding down the road as if there were a horde of orcs after him. Riveren pulled his battle-axe from its sheath on his back, wondering what could be chasing the man. But as Justan got closer, Riveren could see a wide smile on his face.
“What’s into you?” he shouted. Justan slowed as he neared the guard. He wasn’t even breathing heavy.
“I have no idea. I just felt like running, I guess.” He had been meaning to speak with Riveren before they arrived at the school anyway, so this was an opportune moment. “So this is it. After we get to the school, the journey's over. Where are you going to go?”
Riveren raised his eyebrows. “Didn’t you know? Zambon and I are going to take a guard shift at the Mage School.” Justan looked surprised and Riveren explained. “Not that we want to. We had actually hoped to go back through the forest to Pinewood as soon as we were done escorting the caravan.
“You see, after you disappeared, Valtrek told the town that there were a lot more goblins coming out of the hills. The people of Pinewood were putting together a task force as we left. We figured we’d see if they needed any help and offer our services. But Valtrek wouldn’t let us. He said that he wanted us to come down to the school and relieve some of the guards.”
“He has the authority to make you do that?” Justan asked.
“That’s exactly what I asked him. But he brought out a document signed by the academy that said that we were to follow his orders exactly.”
“Surely you don’t have to keep to that letter after your arrival at the school.” Justan suggested, once again irritated at the wizard. Why did he have to act like he ruled everyone’s life?
Riveren shook his head. “That isn’t the way it works, Justan. The contract he was given doesn’t have an ending date on it. We could be forced to stay there for years, I don’t know. But when we get to the school, I am going to send an official complaint back to the council. Surely they didn’t leave the contract open-ended like that on purpose.”
“Well, I’m sorry that this happened to you, but at the same time I’m glad to have you there. It’ll be nice to have someone to spar with,” Justan said. Then his shoulders drooped. “That is if they’ll let me.”
“Hey, sure. It will be nice to see you around.” Riveren smiled. “You know, staying there really isn’t such a big deal to me. I’ve always wanted to see the Mage School. I hear it’s a pretty impressive place. A lot of important things have happened there. The only thing I’m worried about is that the guarding assignment could get boring. I’ve never been on one of those before.” He realized that he still had the axe in his hand. He had forgotten why he had drawn it in the first place. “But let me tell you, Zambon was really angry when Valtrek told us.”
“I would have been.” Justan paused, then asked something he’d been wondering for some time. “Riveren, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but what is it with you and Zambon? You seem to be friends, but . . . I mean, I don’t really have anything against him, but you two are completely different.”
Riveren shrugged. “We were both in Training School at the same time and got to be friends there. He’s actually a real good guy with a noble heart. He’s just been acting strange lately.” Concern wrinkled his brow. “Justan, I don’t know what has been into him. He used to be a lot more fun to be around, but recently he’s been, oh I don’t know . . . different. I have no idea what it’s about. He was on a guard assignment at Dremald Castle for six months and when he got back, he wouldn’t talk very much. He seemed, well, hard.”
He shifted in his saddle as he put his axe back in its sheath. The sheath was made so that it was easy to take the axe out, but it was a pain to put it back in. “Anyway, any time I ask him about it, he just changes the subject or something. For instance, today he said that he would guard the rear and he’s just stayed back there all morning, so far back that no one’s seen him. It’s weird.”
Justan nodded in agreement. “All I know is that he has always seemed like he was distant or something. Like he didn’t want to be here with the rest of us. I guess I can’t blame him for that. I never really wanted to be here either.”
He hadn’t given much thought to it, but he hadn’t really liked Zambon very much from the start. It wasn't that he had disliked him. He just hadn’t hit it off with the quiet man. It seemed like Zambon was there during meals and sometimes around the fire when the friends were joking around and telling stories, but at the same time Justan couldn’t remember him joining in except for the night before at the inn.
“Yeah, I figure he’ll get over it,” Riveren suggested. “Maybe he just met a girl or something.”
At that point they could hear the sound of the caravan catching up. “I hope so,” Justan said, and changed the subject. What Zambon did was none of his business. “in case I don’t get the chance to tell you later, I want to thank you.”
“For what?”
“I needed someone on this trip that I could feel comfortable around. The mages seemed so weird to me when we left Reneul, and I felt completely out of place. You didn’t ignore me like the other academy graduates I’ve met. You helped me get over the fact that I am actually going to have to see this through.” Justan felt a little weird talking to another warrior like this. “Besides, you saved my life during the goblin attack, so again, thank you.”
“Hey, we saved each other’s lives, okay?” Riveren seemed a bit uncomfortable too. “I have a feeling that the Mage School will be easy for you.”
“That’s the plan,” Justan said and shook Riveren’s hand. “Tell Zambon that I said thanks to him as well. I hope that he feels better.”
“Yeah, I guess I’d better go check on him.”
The wagons finally caught up. As they passed the two men, Justan hopped back on to his familiar perch on the back step.
“Justan!” Riveren yelled. “You had better go back to the academy when these two years are over!” He turned his horse and rode back up the road to check on Zambon.
Justan planned on it.
Chapter Twenty Eight
The caravan made good progress and they arrived at the Mage School in the mid afternoon. They came over a tall hill and Justan heard the students shout out as the school came into view. He climbed to the top of the wagon so that he could see the place where he would spend the next two years of his life.
At first, all he saw was a single spire rising over the horizon, disappearing into the clouds above. He realized that it was the tip of a gigantic tower. Justan marveled at the skill of the engineers that had built such a thing. The tower rose up higher than any structure he had ever seen. More and more of the structure came into view until Justan could see that a huge wall surrounded the tower.
“It’s a fortress,” he gasped.
Justan had always thought of the Battle Academy as the example of a perfect fortress,
but this one dwarfed it completely. Justan’s strategic mind quickly counted the benefits of a wall such as this.
The wall surrounding the tower was easily fifty-feet-tall and curved outward towards the top. Justan imagined that for a besieging army, staring up at the towering wall that curved overhead would be very imposing. It would look like any moment it could fall on top of you.
As the caravan got closer, he could see that the wall was so smooth that it looked like it was carved out of a single sheet of rock. At least there were no seams as far as he could see. This would make it difficult for any enemy to scale, and the way that it was curved outward made it very easy for a person to defend. Even if the enemy was able to construct sturdy enough 50-foot ladders to climb it, a single guard could easily topple the ladders before anyone could scale that height.
There was no city surrounding the Mage School, so he figured that the wizards were pretty self-sufficient. Whenever they were in need of supplies, they probably just sent a caravan out to Sampo to pick some up. This meant that there was no outer perimeter for the school to defend. If an army wanted to overtake the school, they would have no choice but to besiege it. Justan would not envy an army trying to besiege a school full of wizards in such an easily defended fortress. He could just imagine a powerful army being whittled away to nothing by fireballs and lightning strikes, and who knows what other kinds of spells, being hurled from atop this mighty wall.
Eye of the Moonrat (The Bowl of Souls: Book One) Page 30