Until All Curses Are Lifted

by Tim Frankovich

  “Yes, Master.”

  “You or the other acolyte could have been seriously injured. This is a very serious matter.”

  “Yes, Master.”

  Master Hain seemed to relax a little. From her experiences thus far, Seri could tell he did not enjoy discipline and would rather avoid it altogether. Not like Master Korda. Jamana would be cleaning the kitchen again this evening.

  “Excellent. I’m glad you understand.” Master Hain stood. “Now, follow me.”

  He led the way down the hall and through the side door that led outside. From there, he crossed the courtyard toward the outer walls of the island. Seri could not help looking at what remained of the cracks in the earth and walls. Workers had filled them in as much as possible, but they could still be seen.

  Master Hain took the stairs and led Seri up onto the outer wall. A warm breeze rustled their robes, not at all like the chill air that had been blowing the last time she came out here. It seemed like ages since Jamana had brought her here on that fateful day when they found Master Simmar. Strange. She hadn’t thought of that in days.

  Rather than drawing her attention to the citadels, Master Hain gestured out at the sea. “This is a much safer location, don’t you think?”

  “Safer?”

  From a pocket of his robe, Master Hain withdrew a clay ball, like the ones she had practiced with yesterday. He tossed it to her. “Show me what you did last night.” He pointed outside the wall. “But do it over there.”

  Seri concentrated. She was finding it easier and easier to activate her star-sight when she wanted. Then again, it wasn’t full sight into the Otherworld, like she sometimes experienced. It was only the ability to see the colored beams of light. Sort of a half-sight?

  This far from the center of the island, the beams appeared less frequently. It took her around twenty seconds to find a beam near the same shade of violet. Even then, she wasn’t sure how she had re-directed the beam last night. She had acted entirely on impulse, through anger. She threw the chunk of clay out over the water, grabbed at the beam of light, focused on altering its course… and missed completely. The clay fell into the water.

  “I, I’m sorry, Master. I guess I missed.”

  He offered another ball. “Try again.”

  It took a third attempt before Seri could focus and re-direct the beam properly. The clay shattered above the water, pelting it and the outer wall with dozens of small pieces moving at high speeds.

  Seri looked to Master Hain. He stood unmoving, a flat expression on his face. Had she done something wrong? “Again,” he said. How many balls of clay did he have in that robe, anyway?

  Seri managed to duplicate the feat, though it took over half a minute to find the right color beam this time. Though it was still early in the morning, she felt tired, drained even. She looked back at Master Hain, waiting for his reaction. For a long moment, he did not speak.

  “This should not be happening,” he said finally.

  “Sir?”

  He turned his head to look at her. “You should not be able to do this. I have not trained you, and there is virtually no way you could have figured it out on your own this quickly. Who has trained you?”

  “No one, Master. I discovered it quite by accident last night.”

  “You would not lie to me?”

  “No, sir.”

  “Hmph.”

  Master Hain stood silent again, looking intently at Seri. She wanted to wither under his gaze, but took a deep breath and stood firm. Whatever he was thinking, she could deal with it. Unless he sent her home. That would be horrible.

  “Tell me how you discovered this. Quite by accident.”

  How to tell him without revealing her star-sight? “Well, sir, I was angry.”

  “Go on.”

  “I was angry at myself, really. Jamana had just pointed out something that made me realize I’d been very stupid about something. I grabbed the clay and threw it at the wall. Then I just, sort of, grabbed some magic and threw it, too.”

  “Hmph.”

  Master Hain sat on the wall’s battlement and adjusted his robe. “I have trained five acolytes myself and observed the training of a few dozen others. In all that time, I have never seen this happen.” He seemed remarkably calm for making such a revelation. “The power to project magic without making physical contact with the target is… well, it’s a very advanced technique. Some mages never master it at all.” He cocked his head. “And you have done it just three days after your atunement. Remarkable.”

  “Are you… angry with me?”

  “Angry?” He barked a laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous. I am fascinated. Thrilled. Intrigued. And slightly frightened, to be honest. We must advance with great care from this point. But angry? No, no, my dear. Not a bit.”

  Seri swayed a little and caught hold of the battlement to keep from losing her balance.

  “Ah, I wondered about that. Tired, are you?”

  Seri nodded.

  “Channeling as much power as you have just done has that effect, especially if you’re not used to it.” He stood and gestured for her to lead the way down the stairs. “My recommendation for you now is to return to your quarters and rest for an hour. Do not practice any more magic until we agree on a course of action. I will think on this. Come see me after the noon meal.”

  Seri nodded, her heart racing with excitement and relief. Master Hain was going to help her. Now if she could understand Curasir, maybe things could settle down around here.

  •••••

  After her rest, Seri met Jamana in the dining room. Curasir usually came through around this time of day. She hoped to speak with him before going back to Master Hain.

  Seri drew a deep breath. Her hand shook and she clenched it into a fist.

  “You can do this,” Jamana said.

  “I know. But I’m glad you’re here, anyway.”

  “I am sorry for telling Master Korda.”

  “You already said that.”

  “I am still sorry for telling Master Korda.”

  Seri smiled. “It’s all right. It worked out for the best, I think. Master Hain is really impressed. I just hope I can keep things that way.”

  “You didn’t tell him about the star in your eye?”

  “No, that’s– there he is.”

  Curasir strode into the room, his presence commanding attention. He paused, spotted Seri, and walked to their table. Seri and Jamana both stood as he approached. As usual, she fought the inability to focus on his full appearance.

  “Ah, there you are,” he said. “You have been remarkably difficult to find the past couple of days.”

  “I know,” Seri responded. “I wanted to talk with you about that.”

  The Eldani’s odd-shaped eyebrows went up. “What about?”

  “I’ve been avoiding you,” Seri said. “I was really shaken up when you came to my bedroom, and my senses have been confused by your power, and I’m sorry. I was somewhat frightened and confused.” Even now, she could sense the maelstrom of power that revolved around Curasir. She wondered if Jamana could sense it, too.

  “There’s no need to apologize,” Curasir said. “You are young and just learning. Please, sit.” He gestured.

  All three of them sat again. Curasir faced Seri. “The power of the Eldanim is quite different from that of Antises itself,” he explained. “As a wielder of that power, my essence will feel very strange to you. Since your senses have only just awakened, it is only natural that you would be unnerved.”

  “Are you like a mage among your people, or are all the Eldanim like this?” Jamana asked. That was a good question. Seri reproached herself for not asking it first.

  Curasir cocked his head, as if noticing the other acolyte for the first time. “Magic is a part of who we are as Eldanim,” he said. “It flows through us no less than our own blood. We cannot be separated from it. So any of us that you meet will feel different from human magic users.

  “That being said, I
am… more practiced in the magical arts than most of my race. I suppose that, in a sense, I am the equivalent of an Eldani mage.”

  He turned back to Seri. “So. Tell me. How has the star in your eye affected your training thus far?”

  Seri hesitated. How much should she tell him? Putting aside her fear was not the same as fully trusting him. But she needed instruction Master Hain could not provide. At the very least, she would not tell him about seeing him in the Inner Sanctum.

  “It’s… it’s the beams of light,” she said. “I can see them, absorb them, and even, um, re-direct them.”

  Curasir sat back. “I am impressed,” he said. “I had not expected you to advance that rapidly.”

  “Yes, you’re not the only one to say that.”

  “For now, I advise listening to your instructor and doing as he requests,” Curasir said. “When you have questions or difficulties, come to me and I will help you, while keeping things within his training regimen as much as possible.” He leaned forward. “You could have immense potential. Whereas most human mages must concentrate carefully and take their time to perform the most basic of tasks, you will soon be able to do the same within seconds. I would suggest that you not do things as fast as you possibly can. There is no need to show the Masters your full potential just yet.”

  Seri nodded, then frowned. “To what end?” she asked. “What harm would it be to show great potential?”

  “Your goal is to keep your second sight, the wild magic, a secret as long as possible. Advance too quickly and they will grow suspicious. For now, the star in your eye is but a gleam. Most people will not notice it at all, and those who do will dismiss it as a trick of the light. There is a chance it will grow, however, or that other stars will appear. Eventually, you will not be able to hide it. By that time, though, you should be powerful enough that they will want to keep you around, regardless of their opinions about other sources of magic.”

  “You could be a Master sooner than any of us!” Jamana said.

  “The first woman Master, I believe,” Curasir said.

  “That… is why I came here,” Seri said. “I just didn’t think it would happen like this.”

  “Take your time, but study and practice hard. By this time next year, you should rival the power and skill level of anyone on this island.”

  “Except you, of course.”

  Curasir chuckled. “Yes, of course. But I do not plan to be here a year from now. Then again, who can see the future?”

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  SERI HURRIED FROM the dining hall to Master Hain’s quarters. Although she had rested as instructed, her limbs still felt tired and sluggish. She hoped that as she got used to magic, this wouldn’t be a regular thing. Imagine going through life constantly exhausted!

  Master Hain was waiting for her, though he did not look impatient. He directed her to take a seat beside his desk. His eyes examined every detail of her appearance.

  “Did you get some rest?”

  “Yes, sir. As you instructed.”

  He nodded as if he could already tell. He walked to the desk, hesitated, then paced a few feet away. He still seemed to be debating something with himself.

  “Ordinarily, as an acolyte progresses at this stage, I would move him slowly from clay to pumice to solid rock. The principles for breaking them apart are identical, as it is for even more solid forms, such as iron or even steel. However, given your… astounding aptitude, I wish to test your abilities at a higher level. We will move on to this.”

  He held out his fist. Seri extended her palm hesitantly, and he dropped something into it. It was a twig, no longer than three inches. Was he serious?

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Why not?”

  “The progression you described is one of hardness, isn’t it? Wouldn’t a stick be less hard than rock?”

  “Think about it. What is the difference between this stick and a piece of rock?”

  She thought for a moment. “Is it because the stick came from a living thing?”

  “Exactly.” He smiled broadly. “Life is the difference. Living things are immeasurably different from non-living. If you can do anything with this twig, it will give us a much better idea of your potential.”

  Seri stared at the twig and had a horrible thought. “Can, can this power be used against a living person?”

  “Can a powerful mage simply point at another human being and blow them apart? Have you ever heard of such a thing?”

  “I’ve heard… stories of the past, but I dismissed them as fanciful, no more real than the night spirits or even the Eldanim. But I was wrong about that. So is it true with this too?”

  “It is true that no matter where you go within the six lands, you will hear stories about powerful Lords blasting people apart with their powers. However, there are several reasons why I doubt these tales. Can you think of any?”

  Seri thought it over. She had not failed to notice how Master Hain often turned her questions back to her. It was one of his teaching styles. She had to admit she enjoyed the challenge.

  “I suppose that if they were doing that on a regular basis, there would be a lot of curses happening, but…”

  “Yes?”

  “But the Lords are not struck by curses themselves, because of the Betrayal. Instead, the curses fall on their children.”

  “That is correct. But what happens if a Lord makes multiple curses fall on his own child?”

  “He wouldn’t have a son, at least not one that could follow in his footsteps.”

  “Exactly. That is why, despite their reputation, most Lords do not abuse their power without considering the consequences. The most brutal throughout history have arranged for multiple children, ones to absorb the curses and one chosen to rule when the others are removed through… various means.”

  “That’s despicable!”

  Master Hain nodded. “But we are straying from the question,” he pointed out. “You have thought of one reason why Lords would not be killing people with magic - curses on their offspring. Can you think of any others?”

  “I imagine it would take quite a bit of power?”

  “This is true, as well.” He sighed. “Those reasons will do for now. As you learn more of magic, perhaps you will understand further. I will just say two things: I have never seen or heard confirmed reports of anyone being killed in this way. However, that does not mean that magic cannot be used against a living human. There are ways to use it that do not involve destruction.”

  “Wouldn’t that–”

  “You are stalling,” he interrupted. He pointed to her hand. “See what you can do with that.”

  Seri looked at the twig. Master Hain hadn’t told her how to handle it differently than the clay, so her only option was experimentation. Mindful of Curasir’s warning, she took her time in activating her star-sight and finding a light beam that wasn’t too powerful. She chose an orange one that shot up from the floor about a foot to her left. She waved her left hand and absorbed it.

  “Why do you wave your hand?” Master Hain asked.

  She froze. She hadn’t even thought of how it looked to someone watching her. “I– I was just trying to focus. That helps, somehow.”

  “Interesting. Proceed.”

  She felt the power she had absorbed vibrating within her and tried to focus it into the twig, as she had done with the clay. She released the power. The twig shook in her hand, but nothing else happened. Master Hain chuckled.

  Frustrated, she grabbed a dark blue beam and tried again. The twig shook violently and fell from her hand, but remained completely intact.

  “I don’t understand.”

  Master Hain picked up the twig and held it up next to a rock in his other hand. “When I channel magic into this stone, it is absorbed into the stone itself, because the stone has nothing else within it. When I channel enough power, it breaks apart.” The stone crumbled into tiny pieces that clattered to the floor. “But when I do the same to the s
tick, the magic is not absorbed. The stick has life, albeit very little since it has been removed from its tree. Instead, the magic merely works on it from an outward level, shaking it.”

  “So life and magic cannot co-exist within the same thing?”

  “That is a partial truth.”

  “But not the whole truth, is it? Because otherwise, we couldn’t absorb magic into ourselves. And the Eldanim could not exist, since they’re full of magic, too.”

  “Set aside the Eldanim for the moment, as their magic is different. How do you and I absorb the magic?”

  “We just do. We concentrate and pull it in, right?”

  “Yes. Can a stick do that?”

  “You’re saying it’s an act of will.”

  “Correct. A plant, though it is alive, has no will of its own and cannot choose to absorb magic into itself. But…” Master Hain held the twig up. It shook a little, then split into multiple pieces and fell out of his hand.

  “How did you do that?”

  “I waited until I could feel the life of the stick. Then I channeled the magic in between it, slowly and carefully.”

  Seri furrowed her brow. “I don’t know what that means. How do you ‘feel’ the life of something?”

  “Ah, just as you learned to feel the magic stored within items last week. You have awakened a new set of senses. Now you must stretch them and learn how to use them more thoroughly.”

  “But… how?”

  “This is not something I can show you. You must experience it for yourself. And it will take time, even with your potential.” He pointed to the door. “Take a walk outside the citadel walls. Spend some time with the trees. Break off a few sticks. Learn to feel the life within a thing. And then you will be on your way to understanding it.”

  •••••

  Before following Master Hain’s instructions, Seri stopped by the infirmary. To her surprise, Dravid wasn’t in his bed. She searched until she found the nurse and asked about her friend.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I can’t talk right now. I have to assist the doctor. Your friend is– We have to cut the leg off. It’s the only way to save his life.” She hurried away.