Star of Sakova

by Richard S. Tuttle

  Lyra’s eyes opened wide as the energy flow shot through her arm. The clova bleated once and fell over and lay still in the grass.”

  “Congratulations,” chuckled LifeTender.

  Lyra shook her head in wonderment. “How?” she mumbled. “What happened?”

  “You were clinging to your father’s teachings,” LifeTender declared. “You still believed that the spell could only calm. That knowledge was acting as a block to your energy. I waited until you were deep in concentration on increasing the energy flow and then tricked you. As long as you saw only a clova, you could not think of harming it, but when your distracted mind registered a threat, the block broke and your power flowed forth.”

  “Is it hurt?” Lyra asked as they started to walk over to the still animal.

  “No,” smiled LifeTender. “You have put it to sleep as surely as if you struck it over the head with a club, but you caused no pain to it. It sleeps peacefully.”

  Lyra knelt and ran her hand gently along the wooly creature. She smiled as she felt it breathing. “You are a wonderful teacher,” she declared. “I could never have accomplished this from just reading.”

  “Don’t be too sure of that,” LifeTender replied. “You have such power, the likes of which I have never seen. I think you just need to unlearn some things. You are filled with blocks, some your father instilled in you and some you have created on your own. Just about every spell you have shown me that you know has some offensive use in addition to the uses taught by Master Malafar.”

  “But how do I learn the offensive uses for them?” quizzed Lyra.

  “You have lived your life in a sheltered environment,” cautioned LifeTender. “You are a Sakovan now and you need to start thinking like one. Danger is always present for us. At any moment, we may be attacked or threatened. You must learn to live with a small fear always residing within you. When you have instilled that fear, you will look at each spell in a new light. You will realize that there are no passive spells. Every spell is a potential weapon. In the meantime, I will instruct you on new uses for the spells you already possess and teach you new ones as well.”

  Lyra nodded and thought about how she had subdued the clova. There were wolves in her life now, she conceded, and some of them would undoubtedly appear in clova’s clothing. LifeTender was right. Lyra needed a different mindset now that she had found her home with the Sakovans.

  “Do you have time for another session after the evening meal?” Lyra asked. “I do not want to take up all of your time, but I am anxious to learn as quickly as I can.”

  “Certainly,” smiled LifeTender. “I am just as anxious as you are. I think your powers are extraordinary and I cannot wait to see what you are capable of. We will continue right after the evening meal.”

  Lyra smiled and headed back to her room. She ran the entire way, exhilaration coursing through her, which she had never experienced with Master Malafar’s lessons. As she reached the top of the stairs, she saw Antello, Syman and a new person.

  “Here’s Lyra now,” announced Antello. “Lyra, this is Mekin. He is just in from the capital, Okata. His father was a Sakovan spy.”

  Lyra panted from her exertions, but took his offered hand with her own. “Welcome, Mekin,” she managed to get out.

  “Greetings, Lyra,” Mekin smiled. “Sakova is starting to look better already. Syman and Antello have been showing me around. I just arrived this morning.”

  “Well, you will certainly find it different from life in the city,” Lyra responded after catching her breath. “Does your father work for StarWind?”

  “His father just died,” Syman interjected. “He was captured by the Imperial Guard.”

  “I am sorry,” sympathized Lyra. “I didn’t know.”

  “I prefer not to talk about it,” offered Mekin. “Antello says you are a mage. I have never met one up close before. Is it hard to learn?”

  “It is difficult,” Lyra answered, “but I enjoy it. I am afraid that I do not know much yet, but I am hoping to learn.”

  “I understand that this place is filled with magic,” Mekin said. “How does that magic portal work getting in here anyway?”

  Lyra frowned at his question. Mekin wore the ring as she did. Even if he was not a mage, he should know an illusion when he saw one and not confuse it with some magic portal. “I don’t know,” she finally responded. “I want to get changed before the evening meal. Why don’t the three of you go on ahead and I will join you down there?”

  “Not a bad idea,” Antello remarked. “I’m famished.”

  “You are always hungry,” she heard Syman retort as they started down the stairs.

  Lyra entered her room and bathed before changing her clothes. By the time she reached the dining hall, it was packed. Antello waved her over and Mekin slid along the bench to make room for her.

  “That tunic looks good on you,” complimented Mekin as she sat down next to him. “Would you care to show me around the city after the meal?”

  “Thank you,” Lyra responded. “I am afraid that I cannot tonight. I have to return to my magic lessons right after the meal.”

  “That sounds exciting,” offered Mekin. “Perhaps I could come and watch you learn?”

  “They do not allow spectators in the training area,” Lyra smiled. “Thanks for the offer though. Perhaps if you had some magical talent, you would be allowed to come. Have you ever been tested?”

  “No,” Mekin replied. “I mean yes.” Smiling broadly he tried to explain. “I meant that I have been tested, but I have no capability. I guess I will just have to wait until you return from your lesson. Maybe we can go for a walk afterwards?”

  “If it is not too late,” agreed Lyra. “This is my first evening lesson so I am not sure how long it will last.”

  “So you really are just starting out?” quizzed Mekin. “Antello said you were already an accomplished mage.”

  “Hardly,” Lyra laughed. “Antello does not know magic, so anyone who can recite the words of a spell is a Master to him. If anything, I am learning how little I know.”

  Lyra finished the last of her food and stood. “I am sorry, but I must run. I will see you later.”

  Lyra dashed out of the dining room to the mage practice area. LifeTender was off to one side fastening a large block of wood in a stone groove. Lyra helped her with the supports that braced the wood upright.

  “You ate quickly,” noted LifeTender. “Tonight we are going to teach you the Force Bolt spell. It is similar to the fireball in some respects, but without the attention-grabbing flames. The force bolt is merely a column of pressure. You direct it more than throw it, but the principle is the same. You are familiar with the Move Object spell, correct?”

  “Yes,” Lyra replied eagerly. “It is used to move small objects without touching them.”

  “Right,” stated LifeTender. “The force bolt spell is a derivative of it, but with many times the power. You must gather the power within you, as you do with the fireball. Let it build, but instead of it building within your fingertips, let the power accumulate in your forearm. Let’s move back from the wood for this. The wood is your target.”

  LifeTender led Lyra quite a ways back from the wood and took hold of her arm. She forced Lyra’s fingers to tighten into a fist and held her arm perpendicular to her body.

  “You must remove the ring for this spell, Lyra,” she instructed. “The force bolt will definitely be affected by the magic of the ring.”

  “The ring stays,” argued Lyra. “I must learn control with it on.”

  “Lyra,” reasoned LifeTender, “the force bolt can dislocate your shoulder, or worse, if the ring interferes. It is a tremendous amount of power and if it is not all directed properly, the power feeds backward into your body. I do not wish to harm you during your training. Perhaps we should try a different spell.”

  “No,” Lyra said quickly. “What if I use my other hand?”

  “Your other hand?” queried LifeTender. “I have neve
r seen a mage use either hand to cast a spell.”

  “Well, why not?” asked Lyra. “We have two hands. I don’t see any reason why it should matter.”

  “Perhaps it shouldn’t,” LifeTender responded with a puzzled look. “I would think that your concentration would not permit it though. I mean, it is like writing. I cannot write with my left hand. Those I know who can write left-handed, cannot write with their right hand. Why not put the ring on your left hand?”

  “I can write with either hand,” Lyra assured her teacher. “Certainly not as well as with my right hand, but it should be good enough to learn the spell.”

  “You need to abandon this obsession with the ring, Lyra,” cautioned LifeTender. “We will try it, but I am not happy with this deviation from training.”

  Lyra nodded and followed LifeTender’s instructions for positioning her left arm and hand. She listened to the proper procedures for summoning and gathering the energy and had LifeTender repeat the release methodology several times.

  “I think I have it,” Lyra finally said.

  “Okay,” LifeTender instructed. “We will go slowly at first. The block of wood is your target. Aim for the very center, but do not release the spell yet. First I want to see you gather it properly.”

  Lyra drew on her inner energies, gathering them and directing them to her left forearm. Her arm grew rigid and bulged slightly as her skin rippled in tiny waves flowing towards her closed fist.

  “Excellent,” cheered LifeTender. “Casting with your left hand will produce a weaker spell so do not feel poorly if it does not reach the wood. It may not even get past your fist, but that doesn’t matter. The important thing is your understanding of the casting and release. Let’s try it.”

  Lyra concentrated on the wood block and willed the energy free. Her eyes opened wide at the feeling of the energy screaming into her fist. She directed the energy towards the wood and watched as the air rippled before her, gathering into a comet of power, which streaked away as quickly as it had formed. She saw the wood block as if looking through the water of a shallow pond, the image distorted by gentle waves, the comet creating a tunnel of clarity. The force bolt struck the wood block and a thunderous crack resounded across the yard.

  “By the Giver of the Star!” exclaimed LifeTender as she ran towards the block.

  Lyra ran after her and stopped alongside her. The block before the two of them had a fist-sized hole clear through it.

  “You were supposed to try knocking it down,” LifeTender stated. “Look at this. You’ve blown a hole clear through it. That wood is thicker than my leg. Lyra, I have never seen power like that. I don’t know if I can teach someone with that much power.”

  Lyra looked at the tunnel through the thick block of wood with wonderment. “Nonsense, LifeTender,” she murmured. “You are obviously teaching me well if I can do this. The destructive force awes me though. Did I do something wrong or is this an acceptable outcome?”

  “Oh you did nothing wrong,” assured LifeTender. “The force bolt is supposed to be a comet of power which strikes the object with force. You have done exactly that. It is just that I have never seen one so strong. And you used your left hand. That much power frightens me.”

  “Can I use less power and still do the same thing?” Lyra asked.

  “If you mean strike the target with force,” LifeTender answered, “then the answer is yes. You will not do the same amount of damage of course. Your control was fine. You hit the target in the center where I asked you to. Lessen the force and you lessen the destruction. The bolt will still travel true.”

  “Let’s try some more,” Lyra suggested. “I will use less power this time.”

  LifeTender joined Lyra away from the target. Lyra tried various levels of power with the spell and LifeTender was satisfied with Lyra’s knowledge of the spell and her control. After two hours, LifeTender called the lessons to a halt and Lyra returned to the palace. Mekin was waiting outside for her.

  “I trust your practice went well?” questioned Mekin.

  “Yes,” Lyra replied distractedly. “I may actually learn something here in StarCity.”

  “How about that walk?” smiled Mekin. “You were going to show me the city. Perhaps we can visit one of the wonderful gardens I have heard so much about.”

  “Sure,” Lyra responded, her mind still pondering the force of her practice spells. She snapped out of her musings and saw Mekin staring at her. “Sorry,” she said. “My mind was elsewhere. Yes, let’s go for a walk and I will show you what I can.”

  Chapter 19

  Guarding the Sakova

  An eerie dense mist covered the forest floor and the Sakovans advanced warily. Goral and SkyDancer split off to the right, while MistyTrail and StormSong went left. StarWind maintained her approach steadily and HawkShadow disappeared completely. StarWind sensed that the fog was unnatural and dismounted, leading her choka slowly.

  “Hail Sakovans,” emanated a voice from the fog. “I come in peace and wish to talk.”

  “Then disperse your fog, wizard,” called StarWind. “Identify and show yourself or pay the consequences. Your mist will not save you.”

  “It was not meant to,” smiled Temiker as he walked out of the mist. “It was only meant to stop your swiftness in killing me. I am Temiker of Alamar.”

  “You are bold, Temiker,” StarWind replied, “but I admire your caution.”

  StarWind signaled the other Sakovans as the fog melted into the ground. “We have been expecting you, wizard. Why do you seek entry into the Sakova?”

  “I saw your spy birds,” Temiker stated as he approached StarWind. “I knew a party would be waiting for me. I wish passage across the Sakova. I will cause no harm, but I fear that there is a party following me and they will not abide by your laws. I am sorry to bring this trouble to your door, but my options are limited.”

  “It is not you that they want,” StarWind declared. “They search for your niece, Lyra.”

  “Lyra?” Temiker queried. “I am on my way to her father’s academy. What is Lyra doing in the Sakova and why would these raiders be looking for her?”

  “Master Malafar’s academy no longer exists,” informed StarWind as the other Sakovans gathered around. “It was attacked by assassins some time ago. Master Malafar was kidnapped and Rhodella was murdered with the rest of the inhabitants.”

  Temiker sank slowly to the ground, a look of pain and anguish on his face. Tears welled up in his eyes as StarWind slid down and sat next to him. “Who caused it?” Temiker asked with a trembling voice.

  “We are not sure,” StarWind stated calmly. “I am sorry for you. I know your brother must be close to you.”

  “It is not my brother I weep for,” Temiker stated as he steadied himself. “That old grouch can take care of himself, but Rhodella was a slice of sunshine for me. I cannot believe that I will never see her again.”

  The other Sakovans, sensing an end to any threat from the mage, pulled the packs off the chokas and set up a temporary camp while their leader spoke with Temiker. StarWind placed her hand on Temiker’s arm gently. “Then I am doubly sorry for you, mage,” she soothed. “I never knew WinterWind, but I know those who did and all miss her sorely. Lyra is in StarCity. She and two friends escaped the massacre at the academy and entered the Sakova. Only fate saved her life and we took her to the city.”

  “I must talk to her,” demanded Temiker. “I know your laws forbid me entrance to the stronghold, but surely you can bring her to me.”

  “These are strange times, Temiker,” StarWind responded. “You have never violated our trust in the past and I find no reason for your character to change. RavenWing has allowed your entrance into StarCity. You shall see Lyra soon, but first we have to deal with those who try to snare her.”

  “I am greatly honored,” Temiker replied. “I will never violate your trust. I promised Rhodella that her secret would remain behind my lips and I shall never break that promise. Why do you feel these raiders are af
ter Lyra? They tried to capture me in Alamar, but I escaped. I thought I had lost their trail, but they are following me.”

  “I am not aware of your problems in Alamar,” StarWind said, “but there were others to the west chasing Lyra. We dispatched them and found orders on their bodies. The orders indicated that forty of them were to penetrate the Sakova from the east as well. It is those forty that we go to fight. Are you saying that there are others? The orders did indicate another group, but not where they were.”

  “I can not be sure,” conceded Temiker. “I guess it does not matter who they are after. They must die in either event. If you will allow it, I would like to aid in the attack. I am not without resources of the type you can use.”

  “As long as you follow my instructions,” smiled StarWind, “we would welcome your help. I had rather hoped that you would feel this way. In fact, we have brought a spare choka for your use.”

  “A choka?” cringed Temiker. “Rhodella told me of the giant warbirds. I am not sure that walking would not be a better path for me.”

  “WinterWind appears to have told you much,” frowned StarWind. “That was not very prudent of her.”

  “Rhodella trusted me a great deal,” Temiker stated. “She was a good judge of character, as the last twenty years of my silence has proved.”

  “You make a valid point,” nodded StarWind. “In any event, you will need to ride to keep up with us. The choka will not harm you as long as you are following our instructions. Let us eat and then we must travel to intercept the assassins.”

  Temiker and StarWind rose and joined the other Sakovans for a meal. StarWind introduced the mage to the rest of the party and they talked for a while about their strategy for the assassins. Temiker was soon accepted as part of the group, although he realized that they would always keep an eye on him. He understood their need for security and did not mind the scrutiny.

  Within an hour, the Sakovans and Temiker were mounted and riding towards the assassins. StormSong led the group, while HawkShadow went searching for the right place to stage an ambush. It was dark by the time HawkShadow returned from his scouting mission and called the group to a halt.