“My task is complete, the time is late. I reclaim my down payment, now death must wait,” he intoned as he removed the dagger and waved it in a slashing motion in front of himself. The incantation completed and the curse aborted, the wizard returned to his chambers to finish his reading.
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Chapter 26 - Revelation
It was late that evening when Keegan finally returned to his temporary chambers, using the portal in the main courtyard as Acamar had taught him.
“It’s about time you came back,” said a sleepy voice near the fireplace. Stretching and flexing his claws, Acamar slowly uncurled from his position near the hearth. “Your grandfather was extremely worried about you, you know.”
“You were waiting up for me?”
“No, I was asleep; until you came in at least,” yawned the cat. “I’ve found that since I’ve spent most of my days as a cat I prefer more warmth – your grandfather won’t let me keep the fire as high in his chambers.”
“Mmm. And you knew he was worried about me, how?” asked Keegan, as he leaned his staff against the wall and slouched down in an oversized chair by the fire.
“A natural presumption, my boy. He is your grandfather, after all.” One final yawn and Acamar sat on the hearth with his tail curled tightly around his body, green eyes boring a hole through Keegan.
“I don’t have a choice, do I Acamar?”
Twitching his tail, Acamar laid his ears flat in irritation. “We all have choices, young Master,” he said, “it’s usually just a matter of doing what’s right or doing what’s easy. Most people when faced with the choice, will do what’s easy.”
Crossing his arms, Keegan glared back at the cat. “I don’t see where I have an easy way out here. If I don’t stay here and try to become the apprentice then I’ll probably be killed.”
“What’s so hard about getting killed?” asked the cat, cocking his head to one side. “That would seem to be quite easy. The hard part is staying here, facing your fear of failure and fighting to take your rightful place at the Guardian’s side.”
“I don’t have a fear of failure – I have a fear of being killed,” Keegan said matter-of-factly.
“Hogwash!” snapped the cat, who was so irritated now that he was pacing back and forth on the hearth like a leopard stalking its prey. “You’re afraid to fail, Keegan. You’ve always been afraid to fail. Why do you think you’ve never gone any further in your career, hmm? Why have you never had a relationship that lasted more than six months? Because you never take a risk, you never try for the higher rung on the ladder, you never take a chance. You have lived your entire life up to this point sheltered in a cocoon that you’ve woven about yourself to keep you safe!”
“Do you blame me?” snapped Keegan, almost in tears. “You don’t know what it was like, Acamar. No matter what I did or what I achieved, it was never enough to satisfy my father. Nothing was ever enough to achieve his approval, especially after Mom died. I didn’t fear being a failure, Acamar – I was a failure!”
Acamar sighed and shook his head. Closely examining the claws on one front paw, he spoke quietly, “I remember your father, Keegan. He was a self-centered and overbearing man, destined for mediocrity. He was banished from this side of the veil because of an act of desperation. He knew he would never be chosen to replace Master Whitestone as the Guardian, much less as the head off the White order.”
“What?” Keegan asked incredulously. “I thought he left because he met my mother.”
“Hardly. Your father was banished for trying to open the Great Seal. He thought he would gain enough power to enslave the Council and destroy your grandfather. He was never going to legitimately attain the power he craved and he knew it. With our extended lifespan this side of the veil, the thought of several hundred years of mediocrity made him a very bitter man,” Acamar said in a very matter of fact tone. “You see Keegan, I expect that your father’s critical eye was driven by his own failings.”
“Wait a minute. You said he never would have been head of the white order – but he wore this ring didn’t he? I thought our family inherited the position?”
Acamar sighed again – he was getting to old for this; being a cat for twenty-three hours a day was one thing, but playing nursemaid to this young novice was an entirely different level of trouble. “Your ring is inherited, yes. But things may….change…so to speak. Your father’s motives were tainted by greed and ambition. When he left this side of the veil, the stone in the ring you now wear was no longer white. Both the stone and his robes were more of a dingy grey. Had he stayed on this side of the veil I expect that both his robes and the ring would have turned black by now.”
Acamar’s words gave Keegan something to think about; if what he said were true, it would explain a great many things. In fact, he remembered receiving the ring when his father died and the stone was indeed grey – not the snow white that it was now.
“That’s right,” said the cat. “The stone is only white now because of you, Keegan. Because of who you are and the purity of your soul.”
Keegan jumped as the ancient clock in the corner of the room suddenly chimed midnight, with twelve deep-throated chimes that Keegan thought must have been designed to wake the dead. Turning back to face Acamar, he was surprised to see the rather severe looking wizard in black robes sitting in the place on the hearth where the cat had been before.
“That’s right,” said Acamar. “It’s a new day and I have my hour to be human. I thought it would be easier to talk with you in this form, and mark my words – this had better not be wasted! I won’t be allowed to transfigure again until tomorrow, which means dinner tonight will consist of whatever I can catch – literally.”
“So, what’s next?” asked Keegan with a sigh.
“That depends; are you staying or going?”
“Staying. In spite of what you say, I really don’t see that I have a choice in the matter. If I try to leave I’ll be killed; if I stay, at least I might learn enough to try and defend myself.”
Acamar actually smiled at the young man “That’s the spirit, my boy!” he said, patting Keegan’s knee as he spoke. “Your final task will likely be scrying, or conjuring a vision from an object given to you by the Council. We’ve practiced this one before, do you remember?”
“Yes, that’s when I first saw Nisha.”
Acamar visibly winced at the name, Keegan thought. “Be careful, Keegan. Nisha is….well…let’s just say she has a knack for getting her way where the opposite sex is concerned. She is also an excellent chess player, Keegan. I’d hate for you to end up as one of her pawns.”
“What do you mean? What would she want from me?”
“I’ll not say any more for now. Just guard yourself when she’s around. In fact, that would be sound advice when dealing with almost anyone else you are liable to meet around here. Be careful what you say and to whom you say it.”
“Great – one more thing to worry about.”
“Now, let’s give scrying one more quick practice run to make sure you’ve got the hang of it and then you need to rest. Not to mention that my hour is very nearly up and it’s hard to hold a scrying sphere in a pair of fur covered paws.”
Walking over to the bookshelf, Acamar selected a small crystal sphere from a stand on one of the shelves. Shimmering slightly at his touch, Keegan could sense the ripples of magic emanating from within the petite object. It was amazing how sensitive to magical energy he had become over the past few days, he thought.
“Now,” said Acamar as he handed the crystal to Keegan, “take the sphere and concentrate on something recent. Try one of your challenges and see if you can divine some of the details that you might have missed before.”
“Okay,” Keegan replied as he took the little sphere into the palm of his right hand. If he didn’t know better he would have sworn he could feel warmth pulsating out of the object. He focused his mind on the sphere in his hand and closed his eyes, trying to clear his thoughts. He refl
ected upon his recent tests and decided to focus on the library task. He opened his eyes and gazed into the crystal orb, trying to reach out to the pulsating warmth he could sense just beyond his grasp. Slowly his eyes lost focus as his gaze turned inward, traveling with the magic into the sphere. Almost before Keegan’s eyes, the scene in the library unfolded, only this time he could see the entire room as if he were floating near the ceiling. There was Evalsef, working in the book stacks and humming a tune to herself, and there - there was that ill-tempered little gnome Nemwith! The little old man had just set down a stack of old books when he looked up, as if he heard a sound. It seemed to Keegan that the little old man was having a discussion with someone, but who or what Keegan couldn’t tell. From where he was, he could not see anyone else in the room other than the gnome and his wife. Keegan refocused his thoughts, trying to concentrate on Nemwith. Suddenly the view changed and the little man was right in front of him. He still could not make out who the gnome was talking to though; instead of a figure there was just a shimmering outline where someone should be. The apparition was slightly taller than Keegan and from the shape of the outline, it appeared to be dressed in wizard’s robes. Now that he was closer, however, he could now make out the conversation.
“…but my instructions were to serve him the Elderbrandy poison, to allow him sufficient time to seek the solution.”
“Those instructions have been changed,” came a voice that though muffled, was at once familiar. “You are to serve him this instead,” said the figure as it handed over the familiar looking bottle of poison that had very nearly killed Keegan.
“Nettlewine!? Are you insane? The young fool won’t stand a chance – he’ll have two minutes or less!”
The shimmering figure advanced on the gnome, towering over him.
“The last time I checked, it wasn’t the head librarian’s decision to make – it is mine. You will serve this to the boy when he comes for the test, and after they drag his carcass from your library you will switch the bottles back again.”
“Now wait just a minute,” huffed Nemwith angrily.
Before he could finish his angry retort, the figure gestured at him and he froze in mid sentence. Nemwith’s eyes were fixed forward and looked like two black marbles.
“You will do as you are told,” intoned the figure. “When you have finished your task, you will be released and you will not remember any of what has transpired. If you disobey my command or betray my confidence you will be turned to stone where you stand.”
As the apparition finished speaking, Keegan could see it making several motions around the little gnome with what he assumed were arms. As it finished, Nemwith (still glassy eyed) took the bottle and set it on the shelf where it would later be retrieved for Keegan. The little old man returned to his books and the shimmering figure faded into the background until it was no longer visible.
Shocked by what he had just observed, Keegan’s concentration broke and the images around him swirled and faded. Snapping back to reality, he found himself sitting on the floor by the fire, the crystal sphere in his hands and beads of cold sweat on his forehead. Acamar was sitting across from him, brows furrowed.
“Acamar…”
“I know.”
“But,” stammered Keegan, still somewhat disoriented from his vision.
“After your last experience with Cedric I thought it best if I…tagged along…as it were,” said the older mage, still frowning. “I went with you into the vision so I could see what you witnessed. Do you know who that was, talking with Nemwith?”
“No, I never could make it out. It was always just a shimmering area, like ripples in water.”
“An elementary cloaking spell, one which I will teach you myself in time. You may not have seen who it was, but I did. Fortunately, due to my curse, when I attach myself to others like that I am perceived as a cat. As luck would have it they did not see me behind the stack of books. If they had realized it was me traveling through the vision with you, we might not be standing here now.”
“What do you mean?”
“Simple. If the wizard in question had noticed me, he would know he had been discovered and would have altered his actions – thereby changing the future. He might have moved more openly to kill you or removed the page containing the healing incantation you used.”
“But WHO WAS IT??!” screamed Keegan, who had finally had enough.
“I don’t think that is wise just yet,” said Acamar more calmly. “This was one vision cast by an inexperienced novice. If we took this before the Council we would be laughed out of the castle and you would be killed anyway.”
Blinded by rage Keegan sprang from the chair at the older wizard, intent upon seizing him by the throat. Acamar was faster though and with a small gesture of his right hand, Keegan was held fast where he stood, as if bound by invisible ropes. Keegan was furious; furious with himself for getting involved in this and furious with Acamar for not telling him who was trying to kill him.
“Listen to me!” snapped Acamar. “If I tell you now, I know what you will do – you’ll march straight into the Council making accusations, and under our law, you would probably be challenged to a duel.”
Undeterred, Keegan continued to struggle against his bonds. Unable to speak, he continued to glare in silent fury at his captor. Acamar could see the boy’s anger and could even sympathize with it, but his first task was to protect his young ward.
“I am going to release you, Keegan, but not until I take some precautions. I’m very sorry to have to do this, but I have to put you under a memory charm. You won’t remember this part of the evening at all, rather you will remember our scrying session and you will recall that it was successful. You will not remember what we witnessed with Nemwith, nor anything that happened afterward.”
Feeling shocked and betrayed, Keegan’s face was so red with anger and strain Acamar was actually concerned the boy might have a hemorrhage. Clasping his blood red pendant in his left hand while still keeping Keegan safely restrained with his right, Acamar cast his memory charm.
“purgo vestri sententia, memor haud magis.”
As he finished the charm, Keegan’s features relaxed and his eyes turned glassy. Easing the boy into the chair by the fire, Acamar instructed him in low even tones.
“You will fall asleep here by the fire and awaken refreshed. Nothing shall seem out of the ordinary and you will not think of it any longer.”
There, thought the wizard. The charm should hold until I release it. “Or at least until my death if anyone finds out,” he murmured to himself. He sighed as he sat down on the hearth and looked at Keegan with sad, tired eyes. “You’ve got to bring about an end to all of this. Not just for you but for us all.”
The clock in the corner chimed the top of the hour and Acamar shuddered as he slipped back into his feline form as his hour of freedom was exhausted. He thought he might as well wait until morning to see Master Whitestone; difficult discussions are best saved for the daylight. Curling up into a furry black ball next to the fire, he covered his nose with his tail and went to sleep.
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Chapter 27 - Illusions
Keegan woke with a start the next morning, sitting bolt upright in the chair by the fireplace where he had apparently fallen asleep. He looked around sleepily, but Acamar was nowhere to be found. The fire was still burning brightly in the fireplace, filling the room with warmth and a cheerful glow. Keegan thought this was a bit odd since no one ever seemed to add fuel to the fire yet it never died down or burned less brightly. Looking around he saw the scrying sphere lying on the rug where he had dropped it last night. Funny, but he could not seem to remember why he had dropped it in the first place. His scrying session had gone well, or at least so he remembered. He had conjured the vision from the library and Acamar had even complimented him on his accuracy. Something was not quite right though, but for the life of him he could not think of just what that something was.
“Ah, you’re awake,” c
ame a voice from near the door that caused Keegan to jump straight out of the chair. Ever since attempts on his life had become somewhat of a local sport his nerves had become more and more frayed. Steadying himself on the chair as he turned, Keegan saw Acamar the cat sitting by the door with his tail curled around his paws.
“Don’t you ever knock?” snapped Keegan, who felt like he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Acamar just laid his ears flat. “I have paws – what do you think?”
“Oh, sorry,” Keegan replied sheepishly.
“In spite of what you may think there are some rather big disadvantages to this form. The lack of opposable thumbs would be one and having to lick oneself clean would be the other,” the cat said flatly.
Keegan sat down again and yawned. “So did you have a reason for coming by this morning or was it just time for another lecture?”
“It’s time for your next and final task; you’re to be examined on your scrying ability within the hour.”
“Already?”
“Your grandfather thought it best if things were moved along somewhat; he saw no reason to delay your final test,” said Acamar, examining one paw with detached interest. It will also bring you under your grandfather’s direct protection a lot faster, since you will finally become his apprentice, he thought. The Council is not going to know what hit them after last night’s little revelation.
“Come on. Best not to keep the Council waiting once it is assembled. They say that even Cedric will be there for this last test.”
Keegan stood up and smoothed down his robes. He hadn’t shaved in two days and really needed to brush his teeth, but that could all wait. He grabbed his staff and headed off down the hall behind the black cat.
The Council chamber was brightly lit as always, but this time it was different – this time all of the chairs around the table were filled, even Cedric’s. The head of the Black order sat hunched in his chair lost in thought, fingers steepled in front of his nose and the dim light glinting off the silver skullcap he wore on his bald head. Alyssa Alcor sat in the chair reserved for the head of the White order, filling in for Phineas as long as he remained the Guardian. Alexander Ducat sat in his chair as the head of the Grey order, but Keegan thought he looked different somehow. He looked older and more tired Keegan thought, and if he didn’t know better he could swear that the wizard’s robes were darker.
The Guardian's Apprentice (Beyond the Veil) Page 14