Light & Dark: The Awakening of the Mageknight (41 page)

All of those seated dropped their gaze,
admitting their guilt.

"Foolish," scolded Calador. "Sir Syndil is as
skilled as I. He could have easily discovered you, just as I have,
assuming that he has not done so already. Tell me, who was it that
you assigned to that detail?"

"I appointed Squire Chris and Squire
Anthony," Danny said, looking at the two in question.

"Squire Greene is a capable fighter,"
admitted Calador, "but he is not built for stealth. And that one's
footsteps are like a beating drum," he added, pointing at Anthony.
"You will have to assume that Sir Syndil knew he was being
followed, and I will assume then that you have already told your
friends about our discussion, Squire Firoth," he said, taking his
hands from the table, straightening his back, and folding his arms
across his chest once again. "How much have you told them?"

"…Everything."

"Your trust in your friends is admirable,
Squire Firoth, but dangerous. I once considered Sir Syndil a friend
as well."

"I trust them with my life."

"Indeed you do," said Calador with a subtle
smile. "Well, then, Squire Hollinger and Squire Garrett, please
tell your friends about the conspicuous activities I have been
involved in over the past few days."

Briza spoke up first. "He visits with Sir
Bartlett Firebeard often, entering the forge for hours at a
time."

"An old friend," added Calador, motioning for
Briza to continue.

"He tends to frequent the library and a small
cavern on the southeast end of the island," continued Briza.

"The library has a substantial collection of
books written in Braille; I am unable to read texts scribed in the
traditional way due to my handicap. The cave, of course, is my
desired place of training, as you all know, assuming Squire Firoth
did, in fact, tell you everything." Pausing, Calador waited for a
moment before adding, "And your conclusion is, Squire
Hollinger?"

Looking rather uncomfortable, Briza met
Danny's gaze as if she was seeking his permission to continue.

Danny nodded, encouraging her to do so.

"Your movements were not suspicious," said
Briza. "I can find no reason to condemn you."

"That doesn't necessarily mean that you
aren't guilty of something," said Matt with a squint, adjusting his
glasses. "You said that you knew you were being followed. How do we
know that you were simply not doing anything suspicious in order to
appear trustworthy?"

"You do not know," said Calador,
matter-of-factly. "However, I am aware that you and Squire Martinez
have been visiting the library of late, more specifically, the
archives. I am assuming this has been in response to what I
discussed with Squire Firoth. If you would be so kind as to discuss
what you found, it may shed some light on my trustworthiness."

"How could you know that?" Matt asked.

"I may be blind, Squire, but I am not without
my senses."

Matt hesitated, he glanced at Danny with a
questioning expression.

"It will do no harm for Calador to hear your
findings as well," said Danny. "Especially since he already appears
to know," he added with a hint of sarcasm.

With Danny's assurance, Matt reached into his
robes and produced a rolled-up piece of yellow parchment. After
fiddling with his glasses with one hand and spreading the paper out
in front of him with the other, he skimmed the scribbled black
text. After a moment, he said, "What we found in the archives
matches Calador's description of what happened about seventy seven
years ago. A third-year squire, Calador Varackice Con Dillion,
challenged Squire Syndil Sartak Tribolari, the captain of Dragon
Army. During the duel, Squire Dillion's Bonded was shattered and
his eyesight lost.

"It was ruled an accident, allowing Squire
Tribolari to continue his training and eventually become Sir
Syndil, a Knight of the Light, while Calador devoted his life to
serving the Light despite his losses." Rolling the single piece of
parchment up and secreting it back into the fold of his robes, Matt
added, "The archives were quite vague."

"Is it not amazing how the single most
defining moment of one's life can be summed up with but a few
words," said Calador, his head tilted up as if he was staring at
something unknown on the ceiling. "To those that penned the
archives, it was simply a small matter of record. However, to me,
it is the ending and the beginning of two separate lives."

"If I was you, I would've gotten revenge on
him long ago," said Alonso.

Calador's head snapped downward, as if to
meet the eyes of Alonso directly. "You misunderstand me, Squire
Martinez, it is not revenge I seek. I have made my peace with what
happened long ago." Then, after turning his blunted gaze on
everyone in turn, as if he could see, he continued. "All of you
must understand that Sir Syndil has taken a great deal of interest
in your friend, Danny. His focus knows no bounds, and he will not
stop until he has gotten what he wants. His attention is dangerous
and I know this first hand; I was once the center of his interest.
Whatever it is he wants from your friend, Sir Syndil will stop at
nothing to gain it.

"'Tis not a grudge I hold against him. I
carry no hatred in my heart for Sir Syndil. I simply refuse to
allow a similar tragedy to befall Squire Firoth. It is my duty, as
your caretaker, to look after you any way I see fit."

Danny was taken aback by Calador's openness.
His words had been calm, without fierce emotion, yet there was
sincerity in them as well.

"We've found nothing condemning in Sir
Syndil's movements, Calador," explained Chris in light of the
sustained silence.

"Nor would you, Squire Greene, as I said in
the beginning, he has been aware of your intrusions, of that you
can be certain."

"Then why wouldn't he just come forward and
confront us like you have?" Anthony asked.

"…Because that would ruin his advantage."

"What advantage?"

Calador cleared his throat. "If Sir Syndil
knows you are following him, he will continue to make his movements
inconspicuous. He will allow you to see what he wants you to
see."

"I see," said Anthony, as if lost in
thought.

"Duh," antagonized Alonso.

"Shut up!" Anthony said, his voice growing
into a growl.

"Why don't you make me," said Alonso in a
similar tone.

"Perhaps, we should settle this in a duel,"
said Anthony, his hand inching toward the rounded head of the hilt
upon his back.

"That's enough, you two!" Chris intervened,
before the argument could go any further. "We're all tired," he
explained, "and we've just learned that our time has been wasted.
However, fighting among ourselves isn't going to solve
anything."

"What will you do now?" Calador asked
Danny.

Danny still had one piece of information that
might prove helpful, the object he’d discovered in Sir Syndil's
classroom. However, he didn't trust Calador completely and he was
reluctant to tell the Elf everything until he'd exhausted all of
his other resources.

"I don't know," said Danny after a moment,
not necessarily a lie, "but we will let you know when we've
decided."

"You still do not trust me," said Calador, as
if reading Danny's thoughts.

"No, I don't," said Danny honestly. "I trust
those I see around me because they're my friends. They’re squires,
like me. If I need your help, I'll come to you."

"You play a dangerous game, Mageknight," said
Calador, causing Danny to shift in his seat. It was the first-time
anyone had referred to him as the prophesied warrior. "I shall
allow you to keep your secret, for the time being, but know this…
should it serve in your best interest and protect you from Sir
Syndil's ambitions, I will reveal your true identity to the King of
the Light." With that said, Calador bowed with a flexible elegance
and added, "I wish you all a gentle night of respite, the seventh
bell is nearly upon us," he departed.

"I'm sorry, we messed up," said Doug again,
once he was sure Calador was out of earshot.

"You and Briza have nothing to be sorry for,"
said Danny. "Calador is obviously skilled at what he does."

"Shall I attempt to follow him on my own?"
Briza asked.

"No."

"What about following Sir Syndil?" Anthony
asked.

"It would seem that would be a waste of time
as well," Chris said in Danny's stead.

Doug scooted closer, "So, what do we do
now?"

Danny looked around to make sure no one was
eavesdropping, especially Calador. "I found something in Sir
Syndil's classroom," he began, once he was satisfied that his words
could be heard by no one else.

back to top

othing!" Alonso said, slamming the heavy tome
shut with a loud thud, heaving it down on the table before him.

"…Shh!" the librarian commanded with his
pointer finger pressed against his lips, he was a slender Elf with
long, silvery hair.

"Did he just shush me?" Alonso asked, on the
verge of anger.

"Be quiet and have some respect, man,"
insisted Chris, pulling his eyes up from a hefty book of his
own.

"We've been at this for hours, for what?"
Alonso's tone turned defiant, in hushed words. "There's nothing in
these old books about the object Danny described. We've spent four
long days in this library searching for some information on some
kind of evil snow globe."

"Keep your voice down," Briza scolded.

"Oh great, now the other Elf is telling me
what to do," said Alonso, his tone growing strained with
frustration. "It's Sunday and we should be resting, not studying,"
he added to further his point.

"For once, I agree with him," added Matt,
placing another heavy book upon the table.

"On which subject? His blatant disrespect
toward Elves or that this is a waste of time?" Doug asked.

"The evil snow globe. If we haven't found
anything on it by now, I don't think we ever will," said Matt.

"I'm hungry," was all Anthony had to add on
the subject.

Before anyone else could comment, the first
of twelve sharp chimes signaled the noon hour.

Danny sighed as the twelfth ring echoed
through the library, allowing the tone to cease before he spoke. "I
appreciate the dedication that all of you have given this. You're
all true friends." Danny paused in order to allow the sincerity of
his words to sink in before continuing, "I'm going to meet Sabrina
down at the beach to tell her what has happened, as well as what
we've discovered. With any luck, she'll be another pair of eyes to
help in the search. Get yourselves some lunch and we'll meet back
here at the tone of the tenth bell."

"Oh, thanks for your permission, Mageknight,"
said Alonso sarcastically.

"Or don't return if you don't like it," said
Danny, slamming his hand down flat on the table with a heavy thud.
The past four days of research, in addition to his training, were
taking their toll on Danny's mood. "I asked for your help and you
volunteered it. Help, or don't help, it's still your choice," he
said, in a hushed but angry tone.

"I…" began Alonso, silenced by a heavy hand
upon his shoulder as Chris stepped up behind him.

"He'll be back," assured Chris. "I think we
could all use a break. We'll be here when you return, Danny."

"I'm sorry for losing it," explained Danny,
running his fingers through his short brown hair, taking a calming
breath. "If we haven't found anything by late tonight, I'll ask
Calador for his help."

"Sounds like a good plan, man."

With that, Danny bid his friends goodbye with
a wave of his hand and a nod of the head, he turned around and made
a controlled dash for the library exit. Once outside, he felt
somewhat better, the noonday sun bathed him in a bright amber
light. Greeted by the salty sea air, he took a long slow breath
deep into his lungs and released it in a sigh.

The past four days proved to be frustrating,
to say the least, as they poured through piles of books with
nothing to show for it. Additionally, he had to continue to pretend
to trust Sir Syndil as he trained under the Elf. Danny was mentally
and physically exhausted. Walking toward the edge of the island,
with the promise of Sabrina's company, Danny felt better instantly.
Simply thinking about her tended to make his step lighter and the
world brighter. Moreover, he was glad just to be beyond the stuffy
confines of the library.

Nearing the overhang of the rocky cliffs, the
air grew saturated with salt, Danny could taste it on his tongue;
the familiar sound of waves crashing speeded his approach. Stopping
at the edge, he peered down, comforted by the rhythmic flash of
Sabrina's pink-colored blade as it reflected in the sunlight.
Descending the steep stone steps, he kept his gaze leveled upon
her, mesmerized by the sheer grace of her movements.