The Young Magician tlt-1

by Michael Foster

  Eric was the first to throw himself onto Samuel, and Master Glim and Goodfellow were not far behind. ‘Samuel! You did it!’ he cried. He had a bloodied length of bandage around his middle and a swathe of spells around his wounds.

  ‘Eric, you made it,’ Samuel said. He tried to push some excitement into his voice, but he barely had the strength to make the words, let alone fill them with emotion.

  ‘Of course,’ Eric declared. ‘I can’t feel a thing. Isn’t it great?’

  Samuel looked to Master Glim with puzzlement.

  ‘I know, Samuel,’ the old teacher explained. ‘He should be in bed, but he refused to rest until we found you. In a few minutes, he’ll drop like a horse when he realises how tired he is.’

  ‘Good,’ Samuel said, with Eric’s arms still locked around him. ‘I think he’s killing me now. Maybe you can speed things along a bit?’

  Master Glim nodded and, with a wave of his finger, set a spell upon Eric, who immediately retracted his arms from Samuel and sighed. He staggered backwards, eyes closed, and fell gently into Master Glim’s embrace and was fast asleep. Master Glim, in turn, placed Eric tenderly onto the soft lawn.

  ‘He should be well once my spells have had a chance to mend him. It’s a deep wound. His own attempts to stop the bleeding were pathetic, but I do admit he was in no state to cast much of anything. I think it was actually just his sheer stubbornness that stopped him from bleeding to death altogether.’

  ‘We should get him to a bed,’ Samuel suggested.

  ‘You, there,’ Lomar called to a wide-eyed servant who was standing nearby and gawking at the scene of destruction. ‘Take him to a bed and be careful.’

  ‘Yes, My Lord,’ the man replied and, with the help of another couple of men, picked up the drooping form of Eric and lugged him off into the palace.

  ‘Don’t bump his head!’ Master Glim shouted after them. ‘And be careful with that dressing!’

  ‘It seems as though you need some attention, as well, Samuel,’ Goodfellow stated. ‘You look terrible!’

  ‘Perhaps, you’re right,’ Samuel said, feeling the weariness in his bones and the pain in his muscles. ‘I think the day is starting to catch up with me.’

  ‘We’ll find somewhere for you to rest, too,’ Master Glim said. ‘It’s been too long since any of us had some decent sleep.’

  ‘Very well,’ Samuel conceded. ‘But which way is the tower going to fall? I don’t want to be in that direction.’

  Master Glim laughed and summoned over some more servants and together they helped Samuel inside. Samuel was barely aware of what was happening but, when he felt his head falling against a soft pillow and a mattress beneath his body, he knew it was time to finally let go and sleep took him firmly into its folds.

  ‘Samuel?’ a voice called through the deep darkness.

  Samuel let his eyes flutter open, for he was still trying to decide if he was really awake or still dreaming, and at once noticed Tulan Goodwin seated on a small stool beside him, next to the bed.

  ‘Tulan?’ Samuel asked groggily.

  ‘I wanted to see you one last time before I left.’

  ‘Where are you going?’ Samuel asked wearily; then some realisation came back to him. ‘What…what are you doing here?’

  ‘I’m sorry, Samuel. I’ve been hiding in the city all this time, but now matters have finally been sorted, I must leave. The Royal Guard and half the Empire are still after me, so I must be away quickly while I have the chance.’

  ‘Have you really been working for the Gartens?’ Samuel asked, sitting himself up in bed and waking up a little more.

  ‘Yes,’ Tulan admitted. ‘I have lived almost all my life in Turia, but I am a Garten by birth. I came to Turia in my youth to explore my skills with the aid of the Order, hiding my true lineage. I soon found, however, even at that youthful age, that the Order was just as hollow and shallow as the Turian Empire itself, so I tried to keep to myself as much as I could and concentrate on my studies. Unfortunately, when government agents in my home learned I had been accepted into the Order, they began to demand favours. If I did not do everything they asked, my family would pay for my “treachery”. At first, I only needed to drop a message here, a note there, but each time they demanded more and more from me until I was deeply involved within their network of spies. Finally, they demanded that I find a way to kill the Emperor. I used my friendship with Master Kelvin and others around the Empire to gain a place on the Council and, when the opportunity arose, as you know, I took it. I’m sorry I used you. You and the Grand Master had your own plans, I know, but I could not take the chance that you would fail.’

  ‘It doesn’t matter, Tulan,’ Samuel said. ‘Everything has ended up for the best. You did what you had to do and the Emperor is dead. But how will you escape? I’m sure you must be the most wanted man in the Empire.’

  Tulan smiled. ‘The Empress now owes me quite a favour, so she is giving me one week to disappear forever. You see, my contacts had learned of hidden rooms and dungeons in the palace many years ago. After killing the Archmage, I left my men to finish their work with the Emperor and went down to wait for them. You can imagine my surprise when I found that someone else had also found the dungeons. Dividian had set up a laboratory there to practise all his dark rituals unseen. When I heard of the Empress’ disappearance, I had to find a way back into the palace and check there for myself. Inside, Dividian had several prisoners, with the Empress and Grand Master Anthem among them. They were quite glad to be freed, as you could guess.’

  ‘So now everything is over, will you return to Garteny?’

  ‘Yes. Hopefully, I may even receive a reward for my success and my family will not be threatened any longer-or so I hope. I will find a quiet place in a quiet town and disappear as well as I can. I certainly cannot stay here or anywhere within the Empire’s reach.’

  Samuel nodded in understanding. ‘Where are the others?’ Samuel asked.

  ‘The others? Oh, yes. They’re all still trying to organise some order in the city. The last of Ash’s mercenaries and any rogue magicians have to be routed out. Until a short time ago, everyone was still helping to reinforce the tower, but I’ve heard it shouldn’t fall any time soon and they’ve already begun reconstruction of the fallen palace walls.’

  ‘How long have I been asleep?’ Samuel asked, looking out to the grey sky beyond the window.

  ‘Two days. It’s morning now. I thought you would feel like some breakfast.’

  For the first time, Samuel noticed the tray of fruits and bread on the small bedside table. He looked around and wondered whose room this was.

  ‘How’s Eric?’

  Tulan laughed, rubbing his dark, stubbled chin. ‘I heard your friend is already up and around, but he won’t be doing anything energetic for a week or two.’

  Samuel sat up and took some bread, chewing on it with a sudden clawing hunger. There was something hard pressing against his leg and Samuel reached down and pulled out the offensive object. It was a silver ring. Tulan was staring out the window and so Samuel quickly pushed the thing under his pillow. Someone had changed his clothes and bathed him, but somehow he still managed to have the ring in his possession.

  There was a soft knock at the door and then Grand Master Anthem popped his head in. On seeing Samuel, he smiled and stepped lightly inside, closing the door behind him and nodding in greeting to Tulan Goodwin.

  ‘Everything’s ready,’ the old man spoke and Tulan stood and picked up his travelling bag.

  ‘Then it’s time for me to leave, while I can,’ Tulan said with a slight smile. ‘I hope we can meet again, Samuel, sometime in the future once everything has settled down a bit.’

  ‘As do I,’ Samuel returned. ‘If I come to Garteny one day, I will hope to find you.’

  Tulan went to leave, but looked back once more before carefully closing the door behind him. ‘Farewell.’

  With Tulan gone, the Grand Master came nearer to Samuel and sat on the sto
ol. ‘Well, my boy, I’m certainly glad to see you pulled through.’

  ‘So am I,’ Samuel replied, pushing more grapes into his mouth to appease his rapidly growing hunger.

  ‘And I hear you saved the day, no less, facing Ash and blasting him to smithereens. I can’t say how pleased I was to hear it.’

  Samuel nodded again, swallowing. ‘It’s true. Master Dividian finally awoke the Argum Stone using the power of the Staff of Elders but, in the end, both were destroyed.’

  ‘So the thing was truly another ancient relic?’ Anthem asked with interest.

  ‘Oh, yes-perhaps even more powerful than the Staff of Elders.’

  ‘And it was also destroyed?’ Anthem asked, giving Samuel a suspicious glance.

  Samuel paused, before remembering to swallow the corner of bread still in his mouth. ‘Yes. The two relics incinerated each other.’

  Anthem nodded and rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. ‘It’s a shame, but there may be more ancient relics in the world still. With the prospect of this war ended, perhaps we can direct our efforts to finding them.’

  ‘Is that such a good thing?’ Samuel asked. ‘Such power seems to bring out the worst in people. Perhaps such things are better left unfound.’

  ‘That may be, my boy, but we can’t hide our heads in the sand because of the foolish and the greedy. Everything in life can be turned sour in the wrong hands. We just have to be vigilant and rely on our wits and the goodness of our friends. People usually get what they deserve in the end.’

  Samuel shrugged and finally agreed. ‘I guess you’re right. Ash is dead, the Emperor and the Archmage are dead-even Dividian is dead.’

  ‘Dividian? What happened to him?’

  ‘Ash killed him in the end. He had outlived his usefulness, although I must say he was a fool not to have seen it coming. Tell me, how did Ash manage to capture you?’

  ‘Lord Hathen asked to meet with me and slipped something in my cup. The next thing I knew I was waking up in Dividian’s awful lair, bound and tied. They kept feeding me extract of Scour Spice to keep me weak and addle-headed. The Empress was there, too, although she looked in much better condition than me. They had her locked in an old cell opposite mine, but at least she was free to move around and not tied up on the floor like a roped pig. Scour Spice also has some nasty side effects, but I won’t go into detail.’

  ‘What of High Lord Rimus? Was he there, too?’

  Anthem sighed. ‘He is dead. It seems he, too, had been put to use by Ash. I can’t say what deal they had done-perhaps Rimus had been part of Ash’s schemes in return for the Staff, who knows-but it was obvious they had some collusion together. Ash summoned Rimus to the dungeons and he obviously knew what was going on, but it was there that he met a terrible end. After some initial small talk that I could not hear, Ash and Rimus began to tussle. Dividian joined with Ash and together they overcame the poor man and subdued him into senselessness with the same wretched root. It was then that poor Rimus suffered a terrible fate. I would not have wished it upon him or anyone.

  ‘Dividian had prepared a great bath of some vial liquids and had been chanting over it all day. They dropped Rimus into it. He began to thrash and squirm at once, but Ash held him under with a broom handle. I called for the Empress to look away and I’m glad that she did, for it was not a pleasant sight at all. Rimus struggled, but not for long. When it was done, Dividian began stirring the fluids, and it became evident that Rimus had been dissolved altogether-such foul black arts as I have never seen. Dividian scooped out the bones one by one with his tongs and threw them into the corner. He began summoning more of his black magic and Ash took off his clothes. Stark naked, he stepped into the bath and lay down into the vile fluids, submerging himself completely. When he stepped out again, he was wearing Rimus’ skin like a cloak.’

  Samuel shook his head. ‘That’s abominable!’

  ‘Yes,’ the old man agreed. ‘I can’t say how glad I am that Dividian met his end. Who knows what else he was capable of or what else he had already done?’

  ‘And what about you, Grand Master?’ Samuel asked. ‘What will you do now?’

  ‘I will go back to the school and do what I do best-teaching young fools like you to use their magic and be polite to their elders.’ Samuel laughed at this. ‘Well,’ said the old magician. ‘I still have a lot to do. The Empress will have every magician’s head in a basket if I don’t go and plead some reason to her. She’s still quite shaken by the ordeal and her ministers are already clamouring to have her ear. Rest well. I’m sure the others will come to see you soon.’

  With that, the old Grand Master bade farewell and Samuel ate the rest of his platter quietly in bed. Afterwards, he reached back under the pillow, pulled out the ring and held it up, inspecting it in the daylight that streamed in through the window. It looked so small and insignificant, yet it was the key to so much power. Samuel closed his eyes a moment and could feel the ring almost shivering in his fingers, as if its magic was bursting to be released. How incredible, he thought, that such a small thing could hold so much power. He thought about slipping it onto his finger and feeling its energy inside him, but then he thought better. The relic had already proved too powerful and was dangerous.

  Still, he had a great desire to put it on for, since waking, Samuel had come to a terrible realisation. It was the same terrible feeling as being in the Mage Cell, as if some great force was stopping him from tapping the ether. He had tried to call his magic several times, but it would not come. He was starting to feel, with dread, that somehow he had been damaged during his duel with Ash. Somehow, using the Argum Stone and opening himself to its vast power had destroyed some vital part of him that could summon magic. He hoped it was only temporary and his power would return as his body healed, for the very thought of not having any magic made him tremble with anxiety.

  Each time he felt nervous, however, he squeezed the Argum Stone in his fist and he felt a little better, for he knew, should he desire it or should he really be in need, he could simply call on the vast power within the ring.

  Samuel finally roused himself from the bed. After his small meal, he felt much better and decided he should go and find something more substantial to eat. There was a new set of fine black robes folded on the dresser, and so Samuel dressed himself and then combed his hair in front of the mirror.

  Before leaving, Samuel’s heart began racing a little more. He was still trying to convince himself that his magic would return any moment, but he felt an unsettling fear inside. He just needed to feel the tiniest touch of magic to calm his nerves and then all would be well.

  He turned away from the dresser and faced the opposite wall. He held the Argum Stone firmly in his fist and called to it gently. He could feel its magic beginning to seep out into his hand, so he directed a spell towards the centre of the room. A simple mage-light would do the trick nicely. Suddenly, there was a rush of power and a huge sphere exploded into being, filling the room with blinding light. Samuel yelled and released the ring to shield his eyes. It dropped to the floor and, at once, the enormous mage-light vanished, leaving the room devoid of magic once more. The ring bounced once with a soft clink and then spun around a few times before rattling over onto the timber floorboards.

  Samuel’s heart thudded in his chest. He was at once relieved and anxious, for the feeling of magic had calmed his nervousness, but now he was feeling alarmed at the very power of the thing. It was far too powerful for him to use for commonplace tasks. Using it felt like trying to shell an egg with a sledgehammer. He would be much happier when his own spells returned but, in the meantime, Samuel had little choice but to pick up the ring and he dropped it back into his pocket.

  Another soft knock sounded on the door just then and Samuel called, ‘Enter!’

  ‘Well, well, well, Samuel,’ said a man as he stepped through the doorway and Samuel was surprised to see it was Soddan. The mysterious man was dressed in plain clothes, as usual, but he had a beaming smile on his face tha
t was quite out of character.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ Samuel asked accusingly.

  Soddan raised his hands defensively. ‘No need to get upset. I merely came to congratulate you and, with the stream of guests you’ve been having, I had to wait my turn.’ He closed the door carefully behind him and sat on one of the cushioned wicker chairs, avoiding the hard stool. ‘What a grand job you did, Samuel. I must say, I’m very impressed.’

  ‘Why is that?’ Samuel asked suspiciously. ‘After you sent me off to meet Ash, I thought you wanted me dead?’

  ‘Dead? Oh, goodness, no. I told you the truth. You needed to leave the city before Jarrod’s men found you and you also needed to develop your skills. It seems you accomplished both tasks quite well. It was pure coincidence that you and Ash had some sort of disliking for each other and I wasn’t going to interfere with that. Grown men should deal with their own differences, after all. And I thought it would be a good chance for you to hone your skills. I really thought a man like him would be no match for a magician of your calibre. Of course, he was in Tindal retrieving the Argum Stone for me at the time, so his death would have been inconvenient, but one of my other men could have returned it without too much of a fuss. He did prove to be much more cunning than he appeared, I must admit-working both the Circle and Lord Jarrod from the beginning, gaining spells from us and black magic from Jarrod and Dividian. He had promised to deliver the Argum Stone to us once he and Master Dividian had found out how to awaken it, but it looks as though he had been planning to keep the thing for himself all along. I blame myself. I really didn’t have time to keep a proper eye on him. I have to thank you for taking care of him for me. It turned out he nearly had the better of everyone.’

  ‘So he was working for you all the while?’

  ‘So to speak. You’d be surprised to learn exactly how many people do work for the Circle. Although, Ash was using us as much as we were using him. He was quite the conniving trickster, as you learned. I’m sure you must be quite glad he’s dead?’