The Apprentices (The Crimson Guard Trilogy Book 1) (5 page)

Forgetting about my lack of nourishment I returned to my continuous wandering of the Library’s corridors. 

“Lyndon I must speak with you.” 

“Who said that?” I said.

“It is I the Librarian,” said a figure hidden in the shadows.

“But, I thought you could not speak,” I replied.

“I always could, I just chose not to, but now it is the time for words.  You must leave this place, and leave immediately.”  The urgency in his voice frightened me.

“Why, I don’t think that I am ready.  The Keeper has said that for a while now.” 

“He has just kept you here until he found the right way to end the Library’s protection.”  He stepped out of the darkness and I could see the fear on his face.  “We cannot allow him to end the fire.  I have learned things here that in the wrong hands would consume hundreds even thousands of lives.  I fear that I cannot tell you either, but now that I have grown to know you, I know that you are pure of heart and want to help.  There is one thing that you must know for your future.  Magic can be the most powerful and effective if thought and not spoken.  That is all, you must leave.  Take the door behind you and you will meet Juleen with your belongings.  Take her with you and please hurry.  Both of you are destined for much more than this Library can provide.”  With that, he turned and slipped out of sight behind a wall of books.  I grabbed the book the Librarian had given me and left.  He had no need to lie to me, and I strangely understood what he meant about not needing to speak, as I have felt that way previously.   

The man had been correct; Juleen was indeed waiting for me.  In her hands she held my cloak, my bag, and a small scroll.  The scroll I had completely forgotten about until I saw it in her grasp.  I took my belongings and spoke.  “What now?”

“Follow me.” She led me through a series of doors and corridors.  While we walked I looked at her wondering why I had never seen her walking about the Library before.  Trying to lighten the mood I said “I have been meaning to ask, but all the while I have been here I have not eaten.  Do you know the reason I am not dying of hunger?” 

She looked over her shoulder, confused, “eat, what is this ‘eat’ you speak of?”  Before I could respond we came to a small dark room with no lights, the magic fire didn’t illuminate this deep part of the library.

“Where are we…?”  I could not finish my sentence for a large section of the wall suddenly collapsed, leaving a cloaked man holding a white sword.

6

The way back to the Flying Horse had given Jes plenty of time to form his plans.  He had realized that the thieves’ guild must have had no idea that there was a second entrance or they would have cleaned the place out. 
His only fear was maybe there was no way in, then what?
  But these thoughts didn’t dissuade him. 
All places have a second entrance; there must be a way in
, Jes thought.

Ale was sounding very nice as Jes neared the Flying Horse.   The Flying Horse was an imposing building with a thick metal and wood railing.  Jes admired the craftsmanship as he entered the alehouse, and to his surprise it was packed.  There were no tables open except one on the far side of the room, and for some reason everyone was avoiding it.  Jes took a seat at the bar so he could face the empty table.  

Soon enough Jes had found out why, a small band of men had parted the rest of the crowd and took up residence at the solitary table.  Looking as if they were regulars, they knew why everyone else had been staying clear, but tonight these men were looking for a fight.  Jes saw the white sword hilt first and then the silence was complete.  Everyone in the ale house was still; even the drunk men who could not stay upright in their chairs were quiet. 

The men seated at the table were whispering to one another. When the cloaked man spoke his voice was normal pitched for a man, but the lisp seemed odd.  “Pleassse sssirsss thisss isss my table, and I would like no trouble tonight.”

“Well then if you don’t want any trouble, maybe you should find another table.”  The older man sitting was the one who answered.  To Jes they seemed to be slavers.

“Thisss hasss alwaysss been my table and I have paid for it.  Ssso if you be ssso kind and would move.”  The kindness in the cloaked man’s voice was very surprising to Jes.

“No, I do not think that we will move tonight Animal Man,” said the old man in a stern voice.

The stance of the cloaked man changed drastically, and Jes knew that he must have not liked being called Animal Man.  The owner had just arrived at the table when the old man had finished. 

“Please, we do not need any violence tonight, please just move.  This man has paid for the table and if you would like it, then you must pay.”  None of the slavers seemed to have heard the owner.  Nor did the owner see the knife slide out of one of the slavers’ pockets and make its way to the owner’s heart. 

Jes saw it and was about to warn the unsuspecting victim when the murdered man’s arm fell to the floor.  In its place was a huge white blade.  The cloaked man had also seen the weapon and then proceeded to disarm the man holding the knife, literally.  That man is incredibly fast thought Jes, and the sword I must have.  Slowly Jes made his way to the front of the crowd. 

When he arrived, he found three bodies sprawled out on the floor.  That is when Jes made his move.  Any normal man Jes would have killed in one strike.  The knife was perfectly aimed and should have found its way into the cloaked man’s heart.  Instead, Jes found himself staring at the edge of a massive white sword.  On closer inspection he could see that it was not shaped like a broad sword with straight sides and a tapered point.  It actually was curved like a cutlass, the only difference was that it was huge and had no dull edges. 
How fascinating
Jes thought as he rolled away. 

Blood dripped from Jes’ little, short sword.  “Ah, it looks like I got you.  How long has it been since you last saw your blood?” 

“Far too long, I thought that I might have become invincible,” was the cloaked man’s reply.

“So would you like to take this outside or would you rather I kill you here.”  The crowd was stunned by Jes’ comment.

“Ah ssso you would like to take my life.  Are you not afraid that you will end up like thessse men, little thief.”  Jes was very frustrated by this comment,
First, I am well over average height, and how the heck did everyone know that I am a thief. What. Am I wearing, a sign?
He was tired of being called that, too.

“I am a rogue, for your information and not a common thief.” Jes nearly yelled.

“Well it mattersss not as I will end your life.”  And the conversation was over.

Jes made the first move.  To his surprise his wayward strike struck the other man’s arm just above the elbow.  This time no blood found its way onto the blade. 
The cloaked man was fast
thought Jes, the white blade had nearly cut him in half, twice, and it left a nice bruise on his right hip.  Luckily Jes’ own sword had deflected the Animal Man’s great sword, causing it to hit flat side down.

The fighting was fierce.  The cloaked man’s blade had never found its mark. That would have resulted in a life stealing wound for Jes.  On the other hand, Jes had ducked and dove landing many cuts and minor abrasions, but nothing that seemed to take the man down.  The small building and crowded floor had caused Jes to draw the fight outside fearing that someone else might get hurt.  This was also Jes’ downfall, for when they got outside he failed to recognize the bum sitting in the shadows. 

The Guild Master had set up a trap in the street.  He hoped that the cloaked man would step on it, but when he realized that the man he was fighting was the same that had humiliated him earlier; he decided that either was sufficient. 

Jes could tell that his enemy was tiring, the precise slashes and near missing stabs were slowing.  Jes knew that he would never tire.  While such a good friend of Lyndon’s may have felt jealous with his powers, he personally had never been jealous of Lyndon’s magical prowess.  Jes had a secret of his own.  He had been born with the magical ability of what seemed like infinite stamina.  He did not know if it was infinite or not, but he had never reached a limit before.  That reason alone was why he had been chosen by his former master.  So it would only be a matter of time before the fight was over.  All he had to do was not get hit, which in its own right was very trying.

The cloaked man swung with incredible speed and strength causing Jes to step back into the waiting trap.  Any rogue worth his salt would have been able to see it, but no thief would have been able to locate it when diving and dodging a massive sword.  The trap was simply made with spring loaded spikes that when stepped on shot out killing the target.  Luckily the momentum of Jes’ movement cleared him from most of the spikes, but not all of them.  One small projectile struck him in the hip.  Jes went down, smashing his head on the Flying Horses’ deck railing. As Jes lost consciousness, his last thought was
this sucks
.

7

.
“They’re here, they found out our plan.  Lyndon you must escape while you can.”  The fear in Juleen’s voice was evident.

“I thought you were family, will you be ok?”  I said.

“Yes, they won’t hurt me, just go.”  With this she gave me a kiss.  I had never been kissed before, not even by my mother.  There was no way I was going to leave her now, I hope for the telltale burning sensation of my Berserker power to come.

“Hello, who’s there, Lyndon?”  The voice seemed very familiar.  All I could see was a cloaked man standing in the newly formed opening. 

“Jes is that you?”  I said with what little power I could. 

“Ya, hey, how you been?  It was not easy to find you.  Oh, and I am glad that you didn’t burn up in the flame.”  Jes said this as he stepped from behind the cloaked man. 

The Keeper burst from the corridor that we had just left.  “What is going on here, and who are you, guards!”  Just as he said this the three guards arrived at his side.  “How did you get in here?”  He continued.

“Well, look at the hole here in the wall, make the connection.”  Jes had always been mildly sarcastic. 

“It does not matter, we will kill you all.”  The Keeper’s face had a hideous look upon it.

“But father they can help us.” Juleen was beginning to cry.

“You are no longer a daughter of mine.  Kill them all guards, even the Enlightened One; it seems we no longer need his assistance to escape.  Another solution has presented itself.”

How could he do this to his own daughter
, I thought?  Anger and fear for the beautiful girl rose like a tidal wave inside me.  The burning came in full force, and I knew what was about to happen. The guards had taught me many things, but none knew if my training would help when the fire took over.

The first guard drew a sword and attacked Jes and the cloaked figure, and that is when I lost it.  The burning was too great to withstand, I let go.  My mind, still functioning, allows me to watch and possibly understand, but this time I was not going to regret my body’s actions.

The second guard made an attempt on Juleen’s life, and he felt the full brunt of my power.   The ball of magic escaped my finger tips and nearly left the man decapitated. At this moment I did not know if I was controlling this or if my mind had the same desire as my body. He would never move again, I thought, nor harm another.  I realized why the Keeper had trained the guards.  He was going to use them to take over the town after the magical fire was destroyed.

Now the third guard was still undecided in his actions.  The first had been killed by a great white sword and the swiftness of an expert assassin. He now lay on the ground with a short dagger sticking from his throat.  The second was propped up against the wall with blank lifeless eyes.  His next decision was shocking to me.

The man with the blue slash turned and slit the Keepers throat with a beautiful gold dagger he had produced from a hidden sheath.  “Please, no more violence.  It is over; please do not kill the rest of us.”  Just as he said this the Librarian arrived.

By now I had regained control over my body.  “Why? You were going to kill us.’

“Please we have no desire to die, and there is no way I would survive if I fight you three.”  The last Guard’s words rang true.

The remaining guard turned towards Juleen, “I am sorry Juleen, but your father has been going crazy ever since your mother died trying to escape from our home.  And now that he is gone, I will take his place as Keeper.  Enlightened One you must take her from this place, since she never belonged here.”  The last guard seemed very content with his speech.

The Librarian did not seem pleased; he spoke as soon as the guard had stopped.  “I have known about this exit for a long time now.  I am surprised no one else has discovered it until now.  The protective magic does not pass below the ground level.  So you must do one more thing before the magic starts to dissipate within you.  Finish the enchantment and make this place protected on all levels.”

Before I could speak, Juleen stepped forward
. 
“What do you mean my father was going crazy?  I know that he missed my mother deeply after she passed, but that does not mean he was going crazy.  He seemed the same to me,” Juleen looked like she was about to cry at the thought of her father not being the man she believed him to be. 

“Juleen, dear, the story of this place is not as clear cut as everyone has been told.  Yes a mage rescued us, and there were only a few left, but that is where the story drastically differs.  I am sorry to tell you, but there are many things that you should know about this tower and not a lot of time.”  As if lost in thought the Librarian stopped talking.  I thought that when his eyes refocused he would tell us the story of the Library. Instead, he turned towards the new Keeper “Come, we have to tell the others of these events and start to prepare,” turning back towards me, “While I would love to tell you the history and you should know it, right now there are more important things for both you and me to be doing.”

“Now Enlightened One, can you please finish the enchantment?”  The Librarian looked both relieved and sad to see us leaving, especially when he looked at Juleen.  Taking her in his arms, he kissed her forward and whispered something in her ear.   “You too, my Librarian,” said Juleen as she turned towards Jes and the cloaked man. 

“But how?  The original spell was cast by blood, I do not know how, or what words to say.”  I wanted to help but I didn’t think I was as strong as he believed me to be.

“Do you remember what I told you earlier?  Magic is more powerful if thought and not spoken.  Now go, hurry.”  With this he guided us out of the hole.  He stopped before stepping through.

The area outside the library was very dark and a powerful stench enveloped me.  I took a few steps and turned.  “Well, here it goes.”  I thought of a place that a flame burned and of magic powerful enough to cause this action.   Suddenly I fell to the floor as my energy was sapped away.  The last thing I saw was a bright white flame.