by Lexy Wolfe
Almek made a thoughtful noise as he drank. "A century ago, I would have said yes. But these days... These days I am not as certain as I had been." The Guardian tilted his head to one side, curious. "Is there a reason you ask?"
"Yes," Ellis replied slowly. "My reason for asking is the Illaini Magus. My twin brother’s last apprentice Ash Andar." Ellis rose, walking to the window to look outside. "He is a hostile, angry young man, but he has never been one to fabricate lies or fantasies. Not as Ysai has been insinuating since Bennu took him as his student. I attributed his natural strength and extraordinary abilities to being goddess blessed. But..."
He looked back towards Taylin. "Healing is considered a cousin to Forentan magicks. You bring with you a master turned student. I thought, perhaps, you might consider taking Ash as a student as well, if my suspicions are right."
"You are afraid of him." Taylin’s eyes went very wide at Almek's bluntness. "That he has both magus and Guardian magicks in significant measures."
"No!" Ellis turned around sharply. "I am afraid for him. I have seen myself the results of untrained talent. It can twist and corrupt the one possessing it. Once someone is corrupted beyond redemption, the only thing that can be done to keep their blight from spreading is to perform the morelmi."
Almek explained quietly to Taylin in hushed tones, "The morelmi pulls the magic essence out of a living thing, leaving a barely living husk behind. It is not done lightly because it can be fatal to the one casting the spell as well." Looking at Ellis, he stated, "It was a corrupted version of the morelmi cast during the Great War between Forenta and Desantiva that sundered the lands from two to four."
Ellis colored, not meeting Almek's eyes at the Guardian's last statement. "I would not see that happen to Bennu’s last student. Not to Her chosen." Ellis returned, sitting on the edge of his chair, urgency in his voice. "I ask not as one of the Edai Magi, Dusvet, but as an old man nearing his end of days. If he has the talent as I suspect now, do what must be done. Train him. Suppress him. Whichever would be best. I do not want to give Ysai anymore reason to threaten him."
"Do you know when he will arrive?" Almek asked after a long silence.
Ellis looked down, closing his eyes. "I do not know if he even will arrive, Dusvet. We have never been on the best of terms, so he is liable to ignore my messenger."
Almek pursed his lips then nodded. "I will wait for as long as I am able, to see if he arrives. But then I must continue my journey. You understand."
Ellis nodded, managing a grateful smile. "It is all I have the right to ask of you. Thank you, Lord Dusvet."
Chapter 7
EMERGING from the steps from the rooms in the upper levels of the great tree Traveler's Hollow occupied, Taylin paused to adjust the simple, soft grey robes that marked her as a Guardian Adept. Clasping the gold sigil of Zeridis she wore around her neck, she scanned the crowded main room. The soft light from many oil lamps gave the place a cheerful, smoky warmth that seemed to contrast with the many Forentan patrons that clustered together and the Forenten staff that waited on them.
The moment Taylin located Almek, seated at a table along the wall near several trader caravan workers mostly of Sevmanan descent, she quickly moved to join him. She met the hostile glances of Forenten and leering stares of other foreign travelers with a lofty disdain. She muttered uncharitably under her breath as she took a seat against the wall before looking at Almek. "Dusvet, it has been nearly two weeks. Why are we still here?"
"Because this is where we need to be," Almek replied serenely as he looked up from the table candle's flame. He waved to a young serving girl who brought another glass of wine for Taylin. "Relax, my dear. We will not be here much longer." Waving a hand towards the room, he said, "You are a Guardian Adept. Observe the world around you. Make this a lesson to learn from."
She watched a large group of travel-filthy men of different nations enter, three of them breaking off to sit by themselves while the rest all but invaded the establishment. The larger group were coarse and crude, open leering at the serving girls. As tensions heightened, several guardsmen who were off duty stood to intercede. With rude guffaws and vulgar comments, the rougher caravan workers moved to sit along the wall, demanding food and drink. Only the older women went to their tables, enduring the pawing stoically as they attended them. "What could I possibly learn here? That men who travel in caravans are rude and disgusting?" Taylin wondered sourly.
"Perhaps learn a greater appreciation for those times you did not appreciate another’s honest hospitality because you considered his or her status beneath you," Almek pointed out without rebuke, though the young woman flinched at his words. "In the future, I am sure you will be much more grateful to those you dismissed so easily before. Guardians serve all equally, no matter our personal opinions or others' thoughts about social hierarchy."
A sudden hush fell over the crowded inn, drawing everyone’s attention towards the black-haired man standing in the entrance, scanning the room with cold azure eyes. Nothing about how the man was dressed indicated his status among the others. He wore heavy robes that were so dark a hue of forest green they were nearly black. Unlike many others whose garments were gaudy with ornamentation to denote status and rank, he bore only an intertwining knot of silver, gold, and copper in the shape of a tree that symbolized his status. But even without the emblem, his mere presence identified him as the Illaini Magus.
Two people flanked the man. One was a very beautiful but haughty blond woman. The other was a young man barely out of his boyhood. Both wore similarly styled, forest-green robes, the boy's bare of symbols, the woman's with a symbol not quite as detailed as the man they followed. His dark azure eyes settled on Almek. The mage gestured his companions away. The boy bowed obediently and went to a small table. The woman looked like she intended to take his arm before he pointedly waved her off a second time.
Approaching Almek and Taylin's table, the man offered a polite, barely deferential bow. "Lord Almek," he greeted in a low voice. "I am—"
"Illaini Magus Ash Andar," Almek finished for him. Taylin narrowed her eyes as she studied the mage closer. "The stories of your skills and strength among your people are unparalleled. It is an honor to meet you." The sincerity of Almek's words seemed to unsettle the Forentan man.
Recovering his stoic composure, Ash spoke again. "Forgive me for not being here sooner, but I was attending to a disturbance in a village some distance from here when I received word of your presence. I am very grateful you have not yet left." The Illaini Magus's words were as stiff and formal as his posture.
"I thought you may have had other business that could not be rushed or dismissed," Almek replied. "Thus, I chose to wait a little longer."
Appearing to be the same age as some of the junior guardsmen, the grim man simply nodded in acknowledgement to Almek’s words. "I would be grateful for the honor to speak with you, Dusvet Guardian." His eyes, a startling azure blue, glanced towards Taylin. He added, "Privately, without either of our students, of course."
"Of course." Almek looked to Taylin as he rose. "Considering the current patronage, my dear, feel free to return to our suite until my discussion with Magus Andar is completed."
Grateful for the release, Taylin waited only respectably long enough for Almek and the Forentan magus to leave the main room before she moved to leave. The delay, however, was long enough to have drawn the attention of two of the coarser caravan ruffians who slid into the seats on either side of the young healer, effectively blocking her escape.
"Ye sure be a pretty little thing." The less ugly of the two laughed as she slapped aside the hand that attempted to rest on her knee. "Spirited, too."
"I likes ‘em spirited." The uglier one boldly tried reaching for her breast and was also slapped away. He glanced at the guardsmen whose attentions were on those harassing Forenten. "An’ no one protectin’ her, neither, Bek." Leaning close, he loudly sniffed her hair. "She smells sweet. Bet she tastes sweet, too." He put a thick hand
around her arm, pulling her towards him. "How’s ‘bout a little taste, eh?"
"Let go of me!" Taylin demanded, angry not only about these two thugs, but that the Forentan guardsmen were doing nothing to assist her. "Do you know what I am?"
The three men who had separated from the other caravan members approached Taylin's table. "Bek, Chok," the dark brown-haired Vodani man called cajolingly, a mandolin slung across his back. He was flanked by pair of Sevmanen men, one monstrously huge with blunt features, the smaller man wiry in build with sharp features, both the darker, dusky coloring of gypsies. "Leave the pretty lady alone, hey? She’s obviously got better taste in men than you two warthogs."
Taylin snapped, upset with the growing number of caravan men around her, "I can take care of myself, Vodani."
"There, ye see?" Chok crowed. "She don’t want none of yer wussy junk. She be wantin’ real men t' ride 'er hard and put 'er away wet. Don’t ya, darlin’?" He reached for her lap, pawing at her.
Grimacing in disgust, Taylin pushed them away, hands on their faces. A black aura haloed where she touched the two men, who cried out in mortal agony, collapsing on the floor in a pair of writhing, smelly lumps. She stepped over one distastefully, her cheeks flushed with emotion. The main room fell silent, staring in shock. Guardsmen quickly looked away, as if a scuffle between foreigners did not matter to them. Servants and patrons alike gave the Sevmanan healer a wide berth.
"Hey, Mureln, ye mind Emaris an’ me take ‘em outside t’ play wit’?" the wiry man asked the Vodani, kicking one of the moaning men's sides ungently. Watching Taylin disappear up the stairs, he said, "Ye may want t' check on th' woman. Keep an eye on 'er. In case anyone else be thinkin' t' mess wi' her again."
The bard was barely listening, his eyes and attention fixed on Taylin. "Eh? Oh, of course. Have fun, Emil," Mureln replied cheerfully, hurrying to catch up to Taylin. He held up his hands defensively when she spun on him, hand poised to grab him, sea green eyes wide. "Whoa! Hold up there, pretty lady. Just want to escort you to your room." He glanced over his shoulder meaningfully. "Those others will think you are fair game if you are alone."
Taylin snorted softly, lowering her hand and turning her back on Mureln, stalking upstairs. The Vodani did not hesitate and was close on her heels following her. "My name is Mureln," he offered. "Master bard from Water's Resonance."
Taylin stopped abruptly and spun to face Mureln, the bard nearly running into her. She stared at him incredulously. "What is a Vodani master bard doing this far inland and traveling with the likes of those... those swine?"
Mureln shrugged. "Traveling with the caravan suited my needs at the time." She turned away again, but her pace was less hurried. They arrived on a landing with only two small alcoves sectioned off with heavy brown and gold curtains, the stairs continuing up higher into the massive tree trunk.
"I’ve not seen a healer as skilled as you outside of a temple in ages. What brings you to these incredibly cheerful lands?" She did not reply immediately as she moved the curtain aside to her room and entered. Mureln paused only a moment before following her, letting the curtained wall fall quietly closed behind him.
Taylin turned and stared at the man in exasperation. "You aren't going to leave me alone, are you?" she asked rhetorically, his devilishly charming smile answering her. With an exasperated sigh, she stated, "Fine. I am here with Dusvet Guardian Almek Two-Tones." She tugged open the curtains of the small window to allow fresh air inside.
Leaf-filtered sunlight brightened the deep reds and beige decorating the tiny room, making it seem smaller than it already was. The bed was just barely wide enough for one person, and a single chair leaned against the wall across from it. She flopped onto the bed without decorum, covering her eyes with her arm, as if ignoring Mureln and everything else around her would make all of it go away.
"Are you a friend of the Dusvet Guardian?"
"I am his student."
Mureln arched an eyebrow. "But you are a master—"
"I know."
"Why would he—"
"Would you just go away?" Taylin glared with impatience. "I do not need your protection."
"Oh, but you do," Mureln contradicted, abruptly serious. "I know it is draining for healers to use their skills. And given the average Hollow or Rest rarely gives into the novelty of doors with locks, you might be risking other unwanted visitors if you remain alone." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder in the general direction of the stairs.
Taylin sighed heavily. "Oh, very well. Stay, if you insist. But I hope you enjoy hearing yourself talk, because I am in no mood to chat right now."
Mureln chuckled, pulling his mandolin to the front and taking a seat on the chair. Strumming the strings, he began to play a quiet little song. "Oh, I shall not disturb you with my boring chatter, lovely Taylin. I think I shall practice instead. It is so much quieter in here." Both of the bard's eyebrows went up at some very choice Sevmanan vernacular the woman muttered under her breath. Very purposefully, he struck a loud, dissonant chord. His grin widened at her very unladylike response.
Chapter 8
UNUSED to such august patrons to Visitor's Hollow, the servants nearly fell over themselves to properly prepare the table in the small, private room just off the main dining room. Both men were silent as they waited, each openly studying the other. The Illaini Magus ignored the young women's breathless fussing with patience only matched by the Dusvet Guardian himself.
The two looked towards the room's entryway at the sounds of agonized pain coming from the main room, the abrupt silence, then the growing hiss of whispers as the people in the main room overcame their initial shock. Ash arched an eyebrow in vague curiosity when Almek did not move. "I believe your student is having some trouble with some of the caravan thuggery contaminating the Hollow."
"As a master healer, Taylin is well capable of taking care of herself," Almek explained simply. "She needs to understand the realities of the world outside of her temple's idealistic perspective." He took the bottle of wine before Ash could, pouring a glass of wine for himself. He then set the bottle aside to allow Ash to do the same for himself.
Ash stared at Almek before he reached for the bottle. "You honor me. Few foreigners understand the intricacies of Forentan social traditions."
"Those of lower status pour for those of higher status." Almek stated as he raised his glass to Ash briefly before taking a sip. "Equals pour for themselves. Regardless of our ages, we are both the chosen mortal servants of our gods." Indicating the wine, he said, "A charming tradition. It has been many years since I was last within Forenta's borders. Not so long as I would have forgotten many of the enduring cultural particulars." The Guardian watched Ash unwaveringly, waiting for him to speak.
"I am," Ash began, and fell silent again, his eyes fixed on the liquid in his glass. "If you know of Forenta culture and of me, then you know I am—"
Almek waved a hand, cutting the younger man off, his words clipped. "I know of lowborns and halfborns within Forenta's society. They are irrelevant to me because I am not part of the social order here." Almek made a distasteful face.
"You confuse them because you are the most gifted in generations despite the circumstances of your birth. They respect and disdain you as suits their moods." Almek shrugged one shoulder as Ash raised his eyes to regard him intently. "I am a Dusvet Guardian. I belong to all nations and to no nation. I find the basis for rank by birth and not ability bothersome as it contradicts my code."
Ash was silent for a time, thoughtful. "I suppose we are not dissimilar in that." The mage took a slow breath. "There have been... incidents... throughout Forenta. Things that have struck me as abnormal for reasons I cannot put my finger on. Things have happened that I have barely managed to right, or not been able to right at all. Even with strength and abilities that surpass any three mages from the Academy, I have found myself struggling." His eyes fell to his glass, expression troubled. "I am not good enough to protect my people adequately."
"The council will say it was simply a rabid elder bear that attacked the Navar village. But there was something... wrong with it." Agitated, Ash murmured, "Darkness seemed to hover around it. It possessed a greater awareness than any elder bear I'd ever encountered." He closed his eyes tightly. "It seemed like it... enjoyed killing. I killed it, but barely."
As he spoke, Ash's hand tightened around the glass in frustration. "The Council dismisses my successes as merely my duty. They blame my failures..." The glass squealed under the pressure of his hand until it shattered. Ash growled, ignoring the mingling of his blood and the spilled wine. "They blame any of my failures on my having been a lowborn orphan or youth. And disregard my warnings that there is a greater danger behind these things."
"Interesting," Almek mused simply, watching Ash carefully.
Azure eyes dark with emotion looked up as the mage frowned. "...Interesting?"
"You are the third individual gifted in a separate art that I have encountered who also shows strength with temporal energies." Almek tossed a towel to Ash as the mage pulled a piece of glass from his palm. "I wonder how it has been that the Guardian Council had missed so many strong potentials."
Ash's frown deepened, thoughts turning inward as he thought back. "I remember seeing a Guardian from Forenta come to the Academy when I was very young. But she had to speak with Se'edai Magus Ysai before she could tap any to go to Fortress." Ash grimaced more at his thoughts than at pulling another shard of glass from his hand. "Ysai has not allowed any to go to Fortress for as long as I can remember."