The Broken Key (02) - Hunter of the Horde (36 page)

“You might wish to remain here with the horses,” he said.

“Why?” asked Bart as he too secured his horse’s reins to an eye ring.

“Just within the door is a large hall,” he explained. “It’s the only place unaccompanied nonmembers are allowed. I just felt you might be more comfortable out here. I’m not a member yet so cannot vouch for you.”

“As you wish,” Bart said, giving in to his request. He glanced around and saw an open air eatery across the way. He pointed over to it and said, “You can find me there when you’re done.”

“Excellent,” nodded Kevik. “I’ll be but a moment.” As he headed for the entrance to the Tower of the Magi, Bart crossed over to the eatery.

He had been to the Tower of the Magi on various occasions with his master, and returning here again brought back many good memories. It was here that he had acquired his first spell book. Passing through the door, he entered a short hallway. Globes of light positioned just above eye level every five feet illuminated the interior of the Guild. You could find such globes in every room and along every hallway.

The hallway ran only fifteen feet before opening up onto the Hall. In the middle of the Hall were six large columns that rose in a hexagon pattern all the way to the ceiling some three stories above. Outside of the area encompassed by the columns were many tables, each with four to six chairs placed around them. The tables were spaced in such a way that those using them had some degree of privacy from those sitting at another. This area was similar in nature to the foyer at the Warriors Guild. Nonmembers would use it to visit with members, while members were often found out here reading or socializing with one another.

Three tables sat within the area encompassed by the columns. These were of much finer construction and the chairs around them were of the finest quality. This area was reserved for only those high in the Guild and other nonmembers of rank. Kevik thought to himself that neither he nor Bart were likely to be invited to sit there any time soon.

From the Hall were four exits besides the one he just passed through. Two were across from the entrance to the guild, they were both hallways. To the right was another large door, not nearly as massive or grand as the outer door behind him. And to the left was another hallway that he knew led to one of the Guild’s libraries. From what his master told him, the Guild held many libraries. The one here on the ground floor was accessible by just about anyone, provided they had the Guild’s permission. The others were allowed only to those who had reached sufficient proficiency.

He had asked his master about that. Instead of answering, his master had asked him a question. “Would you sit a small child before a bowl of lantern oil and give him a lit torch?”

“That would be unwise, master,” Kevik had replied.

“So too would giving the untrained access to information they weren’t able to handle,” Allar had said. “When you are ready, the Magi will allow you access.”

“Yes, master,” Kevik had replied.

Now he better understood what his master had been talking about. If nothing else had convinced him of the wisdom of that rule, his encounter with the flowering necklace had.

He hadn’t been ready for the trap the necklace bore, and it almost cost him his life.

Thankfully Riyan and Chad had been there with him that day.

He looked around for one of the Seekers to take him where he needed to go. Here in the Tower of the Magi, the Seekers held the same job as that of the runners of the Warriors Guild. Here though, they were boys and girls anywhere from twelve to sixteen years old who were hoping to be chosen as an apprentice by one of the members. Many though, from what his master had told him, would never be chosen. Once they reached their seventeenth birthday, if they hadn’t yet been chosen to be an apprentice, were summarily dismissed from the Tower.

Seekers wore plain brown robes tied with a black belt that bore silver on each of its ends. He spied a young Seeker standing near one of the six columns and made his way towards him. The lad couldn’t have been more than twelve. The Seeker quickly became aware of Kevik moving towards him and stepped forward to meet him.

“How may I be of service?” the Seeker asked most humbly. Since they never knew if anyone visiting was in need of an apprentice, they treated each with absolute respect. One bad word spoken of them could prevent them from ever being chosen by anyone.

“I’m an apprentice who wishes to make arrangements to test for Practitioner,” Kevik told him.

“Then you must see Magician Harkan,” the Seeker explained.

“Is he available?” Kevik asked.

“If you would rest yourself at one of the tables,” the Seeker said, “I will find out for you.”

“Yes, thank you,” Kevik replied.

The Seeker bowed and then turned and went down the hallway to the left of the entrance.

Kevik moved to a nearby table and sat in one of the chairs to wait for the Seeker’s return. He didn’t have long to wait before the lad reappeared from the hallway and crossed the Hall towards him. Kevik was on his feet by the time the Seeker reached his table.

“Magician Harkan has time to see you now,” the lad said. “If you’ll follow me.” Kevik nodded and followed the Seeker back into the hallway from which the lad had just emerged. The hallway curved noticeably to follow the contours of the outer wall with doors lining each side at roughly twenty feet intervals. Behind the third door on their right was the library which Allar had brought him to that one time when he needed to do research on a spell. This one was also the library which Kevik would have access to once he attained Practitioner.

Two doors on the left past the library, the Seeker stopped. He opened the door for Kevik then motioned for Kevik to precede him into the room. Kevik gave the lad a nod of gratitude as he passed through.

The room he found himself in wasn’t much, really. Merely a table with two chairs, the one on the far side of the table was currently occupied by a surprisingly youthful looking man in a dark robe. Behind the man in the robe, who had to be the Magician Harkan, were three shelves. Half a dozen books were stacked in a neat row on the middle shelf. Each of the walls to Kevik’s right and left had one of the orbs.

“Are you Magician Harkan?” Kevik asked. He came to stand beside the chair before the desk. As he had not been instructed to sit down, he remained standing.

“Yes I am,” Magician Harkan replied. He leaned back in his chair and looked Kevik up and down. “Aren’t you Allar’s apprentice?”

Kevik nodded. “Yes I am Magician,” he replied.

“Sad to hear about your master,” Magician Harkan said. “There was some talk about investigating you for misconduct when we heard the news.” Kevik’s face turned pale when he heard that. “Misconduct?”

“Yes,” replied the Magician, “Since you wound up with his estate and all. But many here argued on your behalf, Apprentice. Seemed a few high placed members thought most highly of Master Mage Allar and didn’t think it likely for him to select an apprentice who would kill him.”

“He was a good man,” agreed Kevik. He had no idea that he had been discussed by the Order’s magic users. For some reason that thought didn’t give him a good feeling.

“But I digress,” he said. “If I understood the young Seeker correctly, you wish to test for Practitioner?”

Kevik nodded. “That is correct,” he affirmed. “I have constructed my Staff of Power and can do the requisite spells for advancement.”

“You didn’t by chance bring your staff with you?” questioned Magician Harkan.

“No,” replied Kevik. “I didn’t think it would be needed at this time.”

“Hmmm,” the man murmured. “A magic user should always have his staff with him young man.”

Feeling a bit ashamed, Kevik said, “Yes Magician.”

“Well, that’s neither here nor there.” He paused a moment as he looked through a small pile of parchment on his desk. Finding the one he was looking for, he scanned it quickly while Kevik stood there quietly.

“You’re in luck, Apprentice,” Magician Harkan said. “Tomorrow at the third bell is the next time allotted for Apprentices to try for Practitioner.”

“I’ll be here,” Kevik said. Tomorrow?

“When you arrive, wait out in the Hall until you hear a Seeker announce for all Apprentices who wish for advancement to follow him. From the Hall he’ll lead you to the Well of Thought. Within the Well is where the testing will take place. Three Master Mages will be there and you must have all three agree for you to be allowed to proceed on to Practitioner before you’ll be so named. Understand?” Kevik nodded. “Yes.”

“Should any one of the three Master Mages refuse you, you’ll have to wait one year before again being allowed to test.”

“I don’t think that should be a problem,” boasted Kevik.

“Hopefully your confidence is not misplaced,” Magician Harkan told him. He then waved for the Seeker to enter. “Please escort our young hopeful here back to the Hall.”

“Yes Magician Harkan,” the Seeker replied with a respectful bow.

As Kevik turned to follow, Magician Harkan said, “Apprentice?”

“Yes?” Pausing in the doorway, Kevik turned back to see what the Magician wanted.

“Don’t forget your staff.”

Kevik wasn’t sure if the man was joking or not, his face never changed expression. “I won’t,” he assured him. Then turning, he followed the Seeker back to the Hall. Once the Seeker took his leave, Kevik made his way from the Tower of the Magi and crossed over to the eatery where Bart was waiting for him.

“Well?” Bart said when Kevik sat down at the table. He was working his way through a large helping of beef and half a loaf of bread.

“Tomorrow at three bells,” he said.

“That soon?” Bart asked.

Kevik nodded. When the server came over, he placed his order for the same as what Bart was having. “I’m ready,” he said. As he sat there and ate, the fatigue of the last two days came over him. With what was going on tomorrow, he better get to bed early tonight.

“Didn’t think to see you guys again.”

The mocking words reached into his mind and yanked him out from a very deep sleep. At first unaware of where he was, Riyan’s vision finally came into focus and he saw Torin standing in the doorway of their barrack room. A few of the other Recruits he hung around with were behind him.

“I hear you’re going to be kicked out of the Guild in short order,” he said with a laugh. “What were you guys doing? Meeting some harlot?” Seth rose from his bed to his full six foot one, it was clear Torin’s words had struck a raw nerve with him. “Actually,” he said, “we spent our time rescuing a friend held captive, fought off an enemy four times our number, and paid our respects to the Tower within Ki’ Gyrx.”

Torin looked at him and broke into laughter. A couple of the other Recruits whom he hung around with laughed too. “Quite a story,” Torin said somewhat sarcastically. “You better pray they buy it.” Laughing, he and his cohorts turned around and walked away.

Soth came and put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Don’t do anything,” he warned.

“We’re in enough trouble.”

“Not to worry brother,” Seth said as he turned to face Soth, “they aren’t worth it.”

“What do you suppose he meant when he said we were being kicked out in short order?” asked Chyfe.

“Probably just said it to make us worry,” Chad said. “Some people are like that.” He gave Riyan a glance and received a nod in reply. Torin seemed to be cut from the same unpleasant piece of nastiness Rupert had been.

Thinking of Rupert brought back memories of Freya. Riyan laid back on his cot and thought of her, wondering what she was doing and if she was married yet. He felt time rapidly slipping away from him.

“Hey,” they heard from the entryway Torin had just vacated. Barin now stood there.

“You guys alright?” he asked.

“Yeah,” replied Chyfe. “Come on in.”

Barin entered and sat at one of the tables.

“Heard anything about Tad’s condition?” asked Seth. They had been worrying about how he was doing but hadn’t had any word as yet.

“Just that he was hurt,” he replied. “The Drillmaster told us he was going to see him as soon as drills were over. That was twenty minutes ago.”

“Great,” groaned Chad. “Hope he puts in a good word for us.”

“So what happened?” asked Barin. “The rumor going around was that you snuck out to drink.”

“For two days?” asked Soth incredulously.

Barin shrugged. “Then what really happened?”

“Well…” for the next ten minutes they took turns telling the story of the events as transpired. First the rescue of Bart at Durik’s place, then the subsequent chase through the forest to the Tower. Before they were able to finish the tale, one of the instructors who helped the Drillmaster appeared.

“Alright,” he said as he came to a stop two feet inside their barrack. “The Drillmaster wants to see you five now.” He wore a grim look that spoke volumes, all of which were bad.

“Good luck,” Barin said as the others moved to follow their instructor out of the barrack. Sadness came over him at the thought that they would be removed from the Guild.

It was a solemn group that followed behind Swordmaster Terril. Swordmaster Terril was as unlike Swordmaster Tad as night was from day. Stern and uncompromising, he was one that demanded perfection and was quick to point out any flaw that caught his eye. None of the Recruits walking behind him had ever heard him utter a single word of encouragement. The fact that he was the one who was taking them to see the Drillmaster boded ill.

Along the way, they passed Torin and his cronies. They said not a word, but their expressions as they watched Riyan and the others pass by said it all. What Riyan wouldn’t give to remove the smug look from Torin’s face with a well placed blow.

They quickly left him behind and entered the stairwell leading to the floors above. To their surprise Swordmaster Terril exited from the stairs on the second floor. None of the Recruits had ever been on this level as they had been told it was off limits during training.

The Swordmaster followed the hallway that began at the stairwell and took them down past several doors. He finally came to a stop before a door engraved with an upturned sword. The door itself was slightly larger than the others.