Adventurers Wanted 2) The Horn of Moran (39 page)

“Well, yes,” Alex replied.

“Was it you who talked Varson into making a claim on the throne?” Sindar asked.

“No, I didn’t do that.”

“Was it you who brought armies to Athanor to try to take the throne?” Bregnest asked.

“No, I didn’t do that either,” Alex admitted again.

“So, if there was a war, why exactly would it have been your fault?” Sindar questioned.

“All right, so it wouldn’t have been my fault,” said Alex with a grumpy sigh.

“You’ve done a great deal of good and you’re unhappy about it,” said Bregnest with a smile.

“I’m not upset about that,” said Alex, starting to feel foolish. “I’m upset because Whalen took a terrible risk and a lot of people might have had to pay for it.”

“And there is the lesson of your test,” said Sindar. “Sometimes others may have to pay for our actions, or our inaction. The difference for you is that wizards can do great things, and if they are wrong, many more people have to pay for their mistakes.”

Sindar’s words reminded Alex of something he’d learned on his first adventure. Accountability and responsibility went with power, and even more so with great power. It made perfect sense now that he thought about it, and he felt that Whalen had been right to test him.

Their journey continued without interruption, and Alex’s mood improved as they rode toward the great arch. Bregnest entertained the company with stories about his own lands, some of which they passed on their journey to Telous. Alex was impressed with Bregnest’s descriptions of his lands and thought Alusia would be an excellent place to live, if he ever decided to move away from his stepfather’s tavern.

They spent their last night in Alusia camping a short distance from the great arch. They had decided to ride to Telous the next morning so that they would arrive in time for their midday meal. Alex hoped that he would be able to return to Alusia soon, both to see his friends and to see his many new horses.

“Perhaps you should have chosen a horse or two to take back to Telous with you,” Bregnest commented as they sat around the campfire that night.

“I have the only horse I need,” Alex answered. “Though I suppose someday Shahree will grow too old for adventures.”

“Most horses only make it through three or four adventures,” said Sindar in a thoughtful way. “Adventures are harder on the horses than on the adventurers who ride them.”

“And they don’t get to change their age on adventures like we do,” said Andy.

“I’m quite happy with my present horse,” said Alex, hoping to change the subject.

“And I’m sure she is happy with her present owner,” said Halfdan.

Alex grinned at Halfdan’s comment, but did not reply. He didn’t want to think about going on an adventure without Shahree. He knew that someday he would have to, but he hoped that day was far, far away.

“Tomorrow you will meet Whalen,” said Bregnest with a twinkle in his eye. “It has been a long time coming.”

“It has,” Alex agreed, trying to hide his excitement.

“Perhaps he will ask you to travel with him,” Andy commented. “That would be an adventure worth going on.”

“And perhaps Whalen will ask something else of you,” said Sindar, catching Alex’s eye. “He may no longer think of you as an apprentice.”

“I believe Master Vankin still has a great deal to teach me,” said Alex. “As I’ve been telling you all for this entire adventure, I’m only a wizard in training.”

“It seems you’ve had a fair bit of training then,” Halfdan laughed. “You’ll be taking a staff soon, I would guess.”

“I will wait until Whalen says I am ready before taking a staff,” Alex replied.

“And only time will tell when that might be,” said Sindar softly, as if reading Alex’s mind. “Though for all that is good in the known lands, I hope that it is sooner rather than later.”

The following day, as the company approached Telous, Alex’s nervous feelings grew to a new high. Soon he would be meeting Whalen for the first time in person. He felt like he already knew Whalen from all the messages and letters they had exchanged and from the stories he had heard about Whalen, but this was different. Whalen was known as the greatest wizard alive, and more than anything else, Alex hoped that Whalen would ask him to go on an adventure with him so that he could continue his training in person and learn by watching him work.

When they finally reached the Golden Swan, Alex was so nervous he could hardly move. He had some trouble getting off Shahree, and he stumbled on the steps of the Swan. He knew he was being silly, but he couldn’t help it.

“Bregnest,” a voice called as the company entered the Swan. “Good to see you again, my friend.”

Alex looked over and saw that Whalen was both everything and nothing at all like he had expected. Whalen looked old, but not too old; thin, but not too thin. He was almost six feet tall with shoulder-length silver-gray hair and a neatly trimmed goatee. Alex could also see that he had a great deal of magical power.

“Whalen,” answered Bregnest. “It has been too long, my old friend.”

“And this must be Alex,” said Whalen, approaching Alex with his hand outstretched. “So good to meet you face to face at last.”

“A great honor,” Alex managed to say, shaking Whalen’s hand.

“Oh, perhaps,” said Whalen with a mischievous look on his face. “Though perhaps the great honor is mine.”

“Sir?” Alex asked, not understanding what Whalen meant.

“Now then, Bregnest, introduce me to the rest of your fine company,” Whalen continued, not taking time to answer Alex. “Alex has kept me up with your adventure, of course, but now I can ask all those little questions that are best asked in person.”

Bregnest introduced the rest of the company to Whalen, and Whalen greeted them all as if he knew them. Alex was relieved to see that his friends were nearly as nervous as he was. In fact, Whalen had to take Andy’s hand and shake it before Andy would stop bowing to him.

“Well, now,” said Whalen. “I do hope you’ll allow me to join you for your midday meal.”

“It would be both our honor and our pleasure,” Bregnest replied.

Whalen nodded and waved his hand toward a small dining room set at the front of the Swan, where arrangements had already been made for their meal. As soon as they were seated, servants appeared with trays of food.

Whalen was interested in everything Alex’s friends had to say. He seemed to be almost overflowing with energy as he asked all kinds of questions about what had happened on their adventure. He seemed most interested in the minor points that Alex had neglected to mention in his letters, and he listened closely to every answer.

“You turned old Kappa into a donkey?” Whalen laughed. “Exactly what he deserved. I’m pleased that Trion saw it that way as well, and chose to leave him in that form.”

“It seemed the most fitting thing to turn him into,” said Alex.

“Of course it was. You have become very good at reading people, Alex. I am impressed with your judgment on this adventure.”

“Thank you,” said Alex.

“Now, to business,” said Whalen in a slightly more serious tone. “Bregnest, I take it you have not had your final feast with this company or declared your adventure at an end?”

“That is correct,” said Bregnest. “I thought perhaps tonight or tomorrow we would take care of that final part of our agreement.”

“Tomorrow night would be better,” said Whalen, looking at Bregnest with his eyebrows raised.

“Then tomorrow night it shall be,” said Bregnest with a slight bow.

Alex thought it was odd that Whalen wanted them to wait; he wasn’t a member of the company, after all.

“Now then, with your permission, Bregnest. I would like to have a good long talk with Alex,” said Whalen.

“He is free to do as he wishes until tomorrow night’s feast.”

“Very good,” said Whalen with a nod. “If the rest of you will excuse us. Alex, we have a great deal to discuss.”

Alex was puzzled, but decided that Whalen had his reasons. With a quick nod to his friends, Alex followed Whalen out of the dining room and toward the back of the Swan.

Whalen led Alex to a small room with two comfortable chairs, a small table with a lamp, and a large fireplace. The curtains in the room were pulled shut and the lamp and fire were both burning brightly.

“Have a seat,” said Whalen, closing the door behind them.

Alex sat down in one chair, and Whalen sat in the other chair, looking at Alex for what seemed like a long time.

“I suppose you know what I want to talk to you about,” said Whalen in a serious tone.

“No,” Alex answered nervously.

“I want to ask you to do two things, and then to let me do a third,” said Whalen. “First of all, I want to ask you to take your staff.”

“A . . . a staff?” Alex asked in shock. “But I’m still in training, I still have so much to learn.”

“Exactly. You have learned that you still have much more to learn. That is perhaps the hardest thing for any wizard to discover.”

“I . . . I don’t understand.”

“Of course you don’t.” Whalen chuckled. “Thinking that you know everything you need to know and that you understand everything that is said is what keeps most wizards from ever becoming really great.”

Alex was confused by the statement, but then felt like a small light suddenly came on in his head as he understood what Whalen was saying.

“The second thing I want to ask you is to swear an oath to obey wizard law,” Whalen said.

“The staff and the oath don’t go together?”

“Oh, no. Most people who find out that they’re wizards, or I should say potential wizards, run right out and buy a staff. Some wait until they’ve had an adventure or two, and some wait for an oracle to tell them to buy a staff.”

“But you told me not to buy a staff,” said Alex, confused.

“Of course I did. Any fool can buy a staff, and some can even manage a good deal of magic with one. You, on the other hand, managed a good deal of magic without a staff, which makes your deeds far more impressive.”

“When do most wizards take the oath?” Alex asked.

“Many never do,” said Whalen sadly. “You see, the oath is only given to true wizards—those who have managed at least four great wizard tasks.”

“What four tasks have I done?” Alex questioned, thinking back over his adventures and wondering what Whalen would consider to be a great wizard task.

Whalen smiled. “Your interest in this matter shows good sense and humility, both things that help make a truly great wizard.”

“But what four tasks have I done?” Alex asked again. “I mean, I know I’ve done some good things, but nothing great.”

“Don’t be too sure about that,” Whalen replied. “The first two tasks were completed during your first adventure. Bregnest told me about them after your return, and I’ve done some checking since then to make sure he was right.”

“What did I do?”

“First, you defeated the wraiths at the ruins of Aunk. Few wizards could have done that at all, and fewer still without a staff.”

“But I didn’t know what I was doing,” Alex protested. “And besides, I was only able to defeat the wraiths because of Moon Slayer.”

“Ah, yes, your magic sword. Personally, I thought having the sword choose you should have counted as a task, but the council didn’t agree with me.”

“The council?”

“I’ll explain that in a minute,” Whalen replied with a wave of his hand. “Your second task was killing the dragon Slathbog and destroying his carcass.”

“Again, that was mostly because of Moon Slayer.”

“The sword helped, of course,” agreed Whalen. “However, you looked into the dragon’s eyes. I know of only one wizard who has ever done that and lived to tell the tale. You, however, broke the dragon’s magic and his will—a great task indeed. Then you turned him to ash with a single command, which I believe should also have counted as a separate task.”

“Yes, but—” Alex began.

Whalen held up his hand. “Your third task should have been destroying the goblin shaman in Norsland, but I think it best that we keep that quiet for the time being. So, your third official task was destroying the lower library of the Tower of the Moon and driving away the evil shadow that was trying so hard to get it. And your fourth task was stopping a war in Athanor, which could easily have spread to other kingdoms in Alusia, as well as to other lands.”

“But in Athanor I hardly did any magic. It only worked out because I tricked Varson into doing what I wanted him to,” said Alex before he could stop himself.

“You may not have used much magic, but you did display a good deal of cunning and common sense. You came up with a plan and made it work.”

“All right,” said Alex after a few moments of silence. “If you say these are great wizard tasks, I will believe you.”