The Destiny of Amalah

by Thandi Ryan

  The two boys watched and listened to their father speak; they saw his passion, his love, his fear and his vulnerability and they saw how much he loved them and how much it pained him at the thought of losing them.

  ‘I am truly sorry,’ Kalon said, rushing to his father to hug him. Garrick hugged his son tightly and closed his eyes as he held on to his youngest.

  ‘I love you Kalon and I always will.’

  ‘I love you too father.’

  ‘I am sorry father,’ Rakan said, remaining in his chair. He understood his father’s feelings now and he understood his anger but he still felt a little stung at having taken the brunt of his father’s wrath.

  ‘I love you Rakan.’

  ‘And I you father.’

  ‘Perhaps I have been somewhat harsh on you both. However the fact remains, Rakan you did defy me and Kalon, you may be the youngest but you still have a mind of your own. Rakan tend to the horses for two weeks and be back in the house by sunset everyday for a week. Kalon tend the horses for one week and during that time you too must be back in the house by sunset.’

  ‘Yes father,’ Kalon said, glad of the reduction and the abatement of his father’s anger.

  ‘Yes father,’ Rakan replied, also glad of the reduction but not at all happy for being punished for what he saw as an achievement of a lifetime.

  Rakan and Kalon helped out the guard, they cleaned and kept the horses and spent what little time they had with their friends and returned to the house by sunset everyday for the first week.

  Kalon could not apologise enough to Rakan and Ellora for landing them in so much trouble at the palace. He promised Rakan that he would help him with his chores, as it was his fault that he had been punished. Rakan reassured his brother that he was not angry and Ellora too assured Kalon that she was not angry with him for his slip.

  In the second week Kalon held true to his promise and helped his brother tend the horses and work for the guard. When Rakan and Kalon had finished working, things returned to normal and soon the six friends were now back at the palace, taking lessons in the morning, but it was clear that all six of them had surpassed their teacher’s knowledge in many areas. Now, only Gaerwen could hold Rakan and Rufus’s attention as she taught them and Amara more magic.

  ‘Rakan, what herbs do we use for protection from evil?’ Gaerwen asked.

  ‘Acacia, ague root and bladder-wrack.’

  ‘Yes good. Amara, what do we use for scrying?’

  ‘Elfwort and crystal quartz.’

  ‘Yes. Rufus, for sight or psychic power, what would you use?’

  ‘Well it depends, you can use a combination,’ Rufus began.

  ‘Of?’

  ‘Uva ursa, damiana, bay leaves and bladder-wrack.’

  ‘Anything else?’

  Rufus thought for a few seconds and then smiled before he answered. ‘Yes, lemon grass and sandalwood.’

  ‘Excellent,’ Gaerwen said, smiling at Rufus, to which Rufus blushed. ‘You are all coming along so well,’ she told them.

  The three friends worked on their powers under Gaerwen’s close supervision. They could all throw fire and energy balls and they could all levitate. They were surprised to hear that few sorcerers had the power to expel energy and fire as they could and that those who were able were often very powerful.

  Although the three had those powers in common, they each had individual powers too: Rufus could freeze people, Amara had the power of telekinesis and could throw objects and people with her arms and Rakan could teleport. As Gaerwen continued to teach and encourage them, they learnt how to make lotions and potions, and how to master more complex spells, which, for the most part were in Latin.

  ‘Your power is within you,’ she told them at one lesson. ‘But your hands are the expression of that power, bind a sorcerers’ hands and you bind his or her power: gag him too and he is fully bound – for spells need to be uttered.’

  The three always listened to her carefully and she in turn, was always patient with them and as they spent their time together, she taught them how to bring their magic under control and how to harness their power properly.

  As time passed, life in Amalah returned to some semblance of normality. The six were no longer to have classes anymore until a new teacher could be found and that would not be until the New Year, but then the six would separate for the first time in their young lives, but for now they were going to spend the next three months in Amalah city working in the palace in one way or another, or taking classes in magic, or escaping to the forests or country at the weekend.

  The time passed by quickly for four of the friends but for Rakan and Rufus the time dragged; they missed the open and the freedom that they had had on their travels and they longed to be out in the open once again.

  They were rather envious of Kenaz and Waldon, whose parents had given them all the freedom they wanted on their return; but Rufus and Rakan were still bound by rules and restrictions and as each day went by it would irk them even more.

  ‘I feel as though I am in a cage,’ Rakan complained to Rufus one day.

  ‘As do I,’ Rufus replied in a melancholy tone.

  ‘Father won’t even let me use any magic unless I am supervised,’ he said, sounding more peeved with every word that passed his lips.

  ‘Nor mine.’

  ‘I can’t wait to escape to Lansten to the school of sorcery, there I will be free.’

  ‘And there we can use our magic,’ Rufus said smiling.

  ‘Yes we can,’ Rakan said agreeing with his friend and smiling.

  As time went by, the six came to terms with the fact that they were soon going to be separated and things would probably never be the same again, and so, as their time together grew less, they became more saddened with each passing day.

  The four elder boys were looking forward to their new way of life but they knew that they would miss the present and miss it deeply. They were nineteen years old now and they had been in each others company since they were three and the longest time they had been apart since then was two weeks.

  In the final weeks before they would separate, the four boys made their preparations and the six had dinner at each others houses and exchanged presents once again. It reminded them of when they were planning and preparing for their travels and sometimes they got excited, in the moments when they didn’t think about how much they would miss each other.

  They held a final farewell dinner in the palace and everyone who was in attendance was in good spirits. The parents made speeches about their children and the hopes that they had for them and the six made speeches about each other, their friendship and their hopes for the future.

  Rakan and Rufus were going to be the first to leave, and everyone was going to travel out with them to the outskirts of Amalah City and from there they would make their journey to Lansten. When the morning came: the six friends, Garrick, Häkan, Amara, Michael and Rufus set out to Amalah City and when they reached the edge of the city, they dismounted and said their goodbyes.

  The six friends talked and hugged and kissed, and Kalon held onto his brother and the tears streamed down the younger brothers face.

  ‘Don’t cry little brother,’ Rakan said feeling emotional himself.

  ‘I will return soon and you can always visit me.’

  ‘It’s not the same though Rakan is it?’ Kalon said forlornly.

  ‘I know its not,’ Rakan replied. ‘But something’s will never change. You will always be my brother and I will always love you.’

  ‘I love you too,’ Kalon said.

  The two brothers hugged one more time and Rakan smiled at his brother. ‘Take care and take care of our father and take care of Ellora,’ Rakan said, smiling once again before he turned to his father. ‘Father…’

  ‘Rakan stay safe my son. I wish you a good journey and I will miss you terribly when you are gone.’

  ‘I will miss you too father.’

  ‘I love you Rakan don’t every forget that.’


  ‘Never!’ Rakan said shaking his head.

  Once again farewells were said and well wishes were given, and Kalon, Ellora, Kenaz and Waldon watched, as Rufus and Rakan rode off in the direction of the east. The four friends watched on until they were out of sight and they felt extremely sad as their friends disappeared. They held onto each other for comfort and support and out of solidarity for what was left of their once inseparable group of friends.

  Another week had passed by and now; it was time for Waldon and Kenaz to leave. This time the farewells were said from Waldon’s house and only Kalon, Ellora, Amara, Garrick and their parents were there to say goodbye; this time the goodbyes were even more tearful as they realised that the six had now truly broken up. The next day Ellora and Kalon watched as Kenaz and Waldon rode off to north Amalah to train with the guard.

  The two friends were inconsolable and cried on each others shoulders. Not only did they miss their friends and brother but they felt as though they had been left behind. Life at the palace and in Amalah City seemed quiet now that four of the boys had gone and Kalon and Ellora became inseparable from then on. They would spend time at the palace or at Garrick’s house, who was glad of their company and to have another child in the house, and wherever the two of them went, they went together.

  ‘I can’t believe they’ve gone,’ Ellora said one day, feeling rather crushed.

  ‘They haven’t even been gone a month and yet it feels like forever,’ Kalon replied, equally as glum.

  ‘Things will never be the same.’

  ‘I know. Waldon and Kenaz will be away for a whole year and Rakan and Rufus will be gone for three years.’

  ‘Forever!’ Ellora replied despondently.

  ***

  Rakan and Rufus rode to Lansten together; it took them eight days and eight nights to reach the west of Lansten and when they arrived, winter was in full season. The two had packed their heavy blankets and winter clothes for they had been in Lansten before and they knew that where they were going, there were only three climates: cold, colder and freezing.

  They reached west Lansten on a late afternoon and when they arrived, teachers from the school were there to greet them. They ushered them to a nearby green and instructed them where to stand. The two young men stood in the snow cleared green with their horses and belongings and they looked around with great curiosity.

  They saw a few students scattered around, waiting anxiously for instructions or news as to what would happen next, and as they looked around they watched as more students were ushered into the green with their horses and their belongings. Rakan continued to survey his surroundings and noticed strange etchings on the ground that encircled him and everyone else and he pointed them out to Rufus.

  ‘What are they?’ Rufus enquired.

  ‘I do not know. I cannot make out the markings.’

  ‘Whatever they are we are in the middle of them’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I see you have now mastered the understatement.’

  ‘It wasn’t easy.’

  ‘I can imagine.’

  The two boys smiled and Rakan raised his eyebrows in amusement, he enjoyed the verbal exchanges between himself and Rufus and he was glad he was accompanying him to Lansten. The two of them waited in the green for over an hour until all of the teachers returned. The teachers then spread themselves out and formed a circle, as they got into position Rakan, Rufus and all of the other students looked on them with curiosity.

  After a few minutes the ground began to vibrate and the students looked furtively around them to ascertain where the noise was coming from and what was happening to them and then they realised that whatever was happening, was happening right beneath their feet.

  Rakan and Rufus watched as a red annular beam appeared in the etchings and then pink light began to rise from it, it rose and rose until it was at least ten feet above their heads and formed a complete pink transparent bubble around them and then suddenly, but gently, the bubble lifted off the ground raising everyone and everything inside it. One of the teachers effortlessly levitated into the air, which silenced the students immediately.

  ‘Welcome students one and all, to the school of sorcery in Lansten. I am Glenwyn Rane, head of the school and you will call me Master Rane. During our journey to the school that is in the far east of Lansten, the teachers will stand where I stand now and introduce themselves to you. They will tell you what they teach and they will tell you of the rules of their classroom. Only three teachers are not present but you will meet them when you arrive. Some you will meet today others in due course.

  In our school we teach good magic – light magic! It is a thin line indeed between good and dark magic,’ Glenwyn warned; ‘because there is often a thin line between good and bad behaviour. We expect a lot from you in Lansten, not just in learning the magic craft but in your behaviour; we expect the highest standards of honesty, integrity, decency and decorum at all times.

  Many of you will become good sorcerers and sorceresses a few may even become outstanding. Some of you may not be as powerful as you would like but at the end of the first year those of you who are not good enough or those who do not behave in the manner expected, will be asked not to return the following year. I wish you all well and now I will introduce the next teacher.’

  Master Rane introduced teacher Rowan, who talked to the students about himself, his class what he taught and what he expected. The teacher came to the end of his speech and another stood in his place and when she had finished on came another; and so it went on, as each and every teacher present took the time to introduce themselves and to speak to the new students. As they spoke, Rakan and Rufus could not help but look beyond the teachers and out of the pink transparent bubble and watch as Lansten passed them by.

  ‘Incredible,’ Rakan said.

  ‘Indeed,’ said Rufus.

  ‘We could have used this throughout Qomo.’

  ‘If only we’d known,’ Rufus said slightly facetiously.

  ‘If only,’ Rakan replied mockingly.

  When the teachers had all introduced themselves, they began to walk among the students to begin to get to know them, many were drawn to Rufus and Rakan and they were charmed by the two young men; they could also sense that they possessed natural power – how much they did not know – but they hoped that Lansten would discover and cultivate it.

  The bubble arrived at the school in the late hours of the evening and the students were shown to a massive dining room on the ground floor. They were given a late supper and then shown to their rooms and most of the students went to bed. Rakan and Rufus unpacked their belongings and decided to take a short walk around the building that they were in.

  They prepared their beds and left the room and they made their way to the first floor, where they saw that there were only classrooms and bathrooms on that floor and the second. The third floor was home to the teachers’ rooms and all but one room was deserted; they walked along the corridor until they came to the room that was alight with candles and they stopped and stood at the door where they saw an old man, writing at his desk, peering over papers and muttering to himself. The old man sensed someone was there and it caused him to look up. He smiled at Rakan and Rufus who were hovering at his door.

  ‘Good evening gentlemen,’ he said pleasantly.

  ‘Good evening sir,’ Rakan and Rufus said politely, as they watched him stand up and walk towards them.

  ‘Are you a teacher here?’ Rakan asked curiously.

  ‘Yes I am. My name is Rail,’ Adriel said, extending his hand out to Rakan.

  ‘RAIL!’ Salwar said loudly. ‘What kind of name is that?’ the voice inside Adriel’s head asked haughtily.

  ‘It’s LIAR spelt backwards,’ Adriel replied in a nettled tone, as he halted to answer.

  ‘I see, childish yet clever and simple. I like it,’ Salwar said, thoroughly amused and impressed.

  ‘I’m so glad,’ Adriel replied caustically, as he visibly twitche
d. ‘Can I get back to my conversation now please?’ he asked as the two young men stared at him with curiosity.

  ‘By all means,’ Salwar said lightly.

  ‘Pleased to meet you,’ Rakan said, taking Adriel’s hand and shaking it.

  Adriel shook his hand and then extended his hand to Rufus who also shook it firmly.

  ‘It’s so nice to meet students, especially the curious ones,’ Adriel told them.

  ‘Thank you Master Rail.’

  ‘Oh please,’ Adriel said. ‘Please call me Rail, everyone does.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Please; come in, sit down. I have a while to spare if you would like to talk with me for sometime,’ Adriel said, closing his door behind the two young friends.

  ‘That’s very kind of you,’ Rufus said.

  ‘Yes it is – thank you,’ Rakan added.

  ‘Not at all,’ Adriel said, smiling a smile of pure self-satisfaction.

  Chapter 17

  As the new day dawned in Lansten, Rakan and Rufus woke up early and went to explore their new surroundings, they had arrived late at night and their travels had taken much out of them: leaving them in no position to appreciate their environment. Now that the new day had come they wasted no time in leaving the building that they had slept in; dressed in winter clothes and covered from head to toe, they made their way out of the massive wooden doors and into the school grounds.

  The ground was well covered in thick white snow and when they ventured further into the grounds, the snow came up to their knees and they flinched and grimaced as the white flakes melted against their body heat and seeped through their clothes and into their legs.

  The two young men stood in the grounds and swung round in circles as they viewed the buildings that made up the school of Lansten, there were six imposing circular white towers with sharp black spires making up a circle, which were joined by a perfect circular black wall, which was in stark contrast to the snow and its surroundings.