To Be Grand Maestro (Book 5) (35 page)

“Maestro, a search of the former abode of Tarin Conn would be dangerous in the extreme, especially for our Accomplisheds to undertake, and it might be wiser to limit the scouting to creatures in their menageries.” Simon gave his opinion so quickly it was clear he feared Daniel might personally take on the task. Good, the sandy-haired Accomplished deserved to worry a little after conspiring with Leah to test the decisiveness of his Maestro.

“The Chief Aid is correct,” Carlos offered his opinion, which reflected a similar concern over how Daniel would react to the news.

“Seven operatives of the ISIG, including me, have creatures at Kelgotha and on the way to Filia,” Bonny informed. “Finding the Dark Maestro might prove to be a bit of a challenge and yet might not be as difficult to discover as the goal of the Aakadon flotilla. Willard, the albatross, showed me the entire fleet sailing up the sea coast, they never went out far enough to encounter the hostile armadas, and are even now cruising south into Battencay on the Joren River.”

Blight Efferin and his plans!
Anger rumbled deeply in Daniel’s soul. Whatever mischief the Grand Maestro had in mind could not be good and almost had to be aimed at making things harder for the Atlantan Guild. Daniel increased the speed of his moves, taking them up to combat level, and sprang at Chas with Eagle in the Heights, deceiving him into starting Serpent in the Nest, and then switched to Sting of the Wasp, creating an opening with the former Sutton’s sword too far to the right. Daniel’s blade moved in a blur and tapped Herling lightly on the breastbone. The Sentinel Commander lowered his sword.

“Aakadon must have a purpose beyond what we suspect. It is unlikely they have any plans to help the people of Battencay escape the constrictions of the Serpent Guild.” Simon offered an opinion, one that did not go nearly as far as Daniel’s concerns, and yet was starting in the right direction. Chas was frowning and appeared to be just a little bit worried.

“First off, I thank you Chas for the match,” Daniel said, and handed his practice sword to the Commander, whose brow was still wrinkled with concern. “Secondly, we will have to trust the operatives of the ISIG to provide the information we need. I hope we can learn these things before Efferin Tames or Tarin Conn start springing unpleasant surprises on us.”

“We will,” Bonny stated with such confidence and determination no one disputed with her even though the tasks would not be as easy to accomplish as she seemed to think.

“Firstly, Sir Daniel, it was an honor sparing with you,” Chas spoke up. His brow smoothed out and contentment reflected all over his face. “Secondly, I am relieved you have decided not to seek those answers personally.”

Daniel chose not to comment on the continuing concern his associates had over the possibility he would throw himself into danger.

“With your permission, Maestro, I will get back to my assignments,” Bonny said with a glance at the exit. “I need to make this report to Conductor Cresh, the First Accomplished, and the First Lady.”

“Granted,” Daniel replied and gave her a nod of respect. She exited the gym and then he heard the snap of displaced air announcing her departure.
Now that is proper etiquette.

Simon watched as Chas took the practice blades back to the sheath-rack. “You ended the match a little sooner than I expected, which means we can meet with Accomplished Glader ahead of schedule.”

Daniel had no objection to getting on with the agenda. "I ended the bout early because Efferin has again succeeded in adding more concerns to my plate and I needed a moment to clear my thinking. Whatever he has planned you can bet it will be something to hinder me in the War of the Champions,” he answered and then decided enough had been said on that subject for the time being. “Well, nothing is getting done while I stand here jawing about the Grand Maestro. Carlos, will you convey us to Shantear?”

“Most certainly, Maestro,” the Three-bolt replied.

Daniel led them all, except Chas who had chores of his own, out into the hall and then nodded to Carlos. “Now would be the right time.”

Carlos conveyed them to a secluded area at the end of a long hall within the Department of Education. Talenteds wearing tan silks entered and exited the many doors leading into various classrooms. Daniel had restored the majority of the thousands of Aakacarns now learning how to become masters of their potential, but still a goodly number had been discovered and recruited by the Department of Seekers. Sandra Treena personally found hundreds of Potentials, mostly older men and women who had been overlooked as prospects in their youth, chiefly due to the remote areas in which they lived.

Joel exited the third door on the left. “Greetings, Maestro, I sensed your presence go from far in the northeast to out in this hall.” His eyes went from Carlos to Sero to Simon and then refocused on Daniel. “Will the Accomplisheds be joining us?”

“My greeting to you,” Daniel replied. “These two go where I go and that one tags along whenever he wishes.”

Simon grinned like a hungry man getting a whiff of a freshly baked apple cobbler. “I talked him into sharing the experience.”

Joel nodded. “We will be conveying to a remote cove on the Pentrosan coast, so be alert, and keep in mind we will be in enemy territory.”

“I am always alert,” Carlos stated as if the fact should be self-evident.

The blackness of in between here and there surrounded Daniel and moments later a wave washed over his boots. A huge sapphire blue bubble appeared around him and his companions and instantly converted water into breathable air as they went deeper into the ocean. The frigid current flowed around them, yet not a drop came within the ball glowing with the color of Joel’s potential. The temperature was at a constant seventy-two degrees and kept the icy water from chilling the environment and giving them hypothermia. Back when Joel told him of the spell, Daniel added six harmony lines, making the Melody into a Symphonic, and therefore requiring much less potential to produce the same effect.

Daniel stared wide-eyed as all sorts of fish; surfperches, a striped sea bass, and greenlings, swam around them, avoiding the bubble of air as if it was a solid object. Countless shrimps herded in a stream above the bubble with the beginning and end of their train out of visual range. The spell made the sand beneath their feet seem as hardened clay, yet was returned to normal the moment after they continued on. Crustaceans moved along the bottom, some temporarily frozen in place while the bubble was on top of them and then resuming their activities after the sphere progressed beyond that point.

“This is fantastic.” Daniel could not contain his wonder at the underwater world. He began playing the spell, Mind Touch, in his head, but kept the potential low so as not to disturb any ocean creature that might be sensitive to the harmonics. He had no intention of passing up the opportunity to add some of these interesting inhabitants of the underwater realm to his swirl.

A pair of porpoises swam over and began circling the sphere as if curious about the strange creature who had wandered into their domain. “The one on the right is Berka and this fellow on the left is her mate Tokee,” Joel introduced them.

A group of seven huge manta rays, black on top and white underneath, swam leisurely towards the bubble. “They are so graceful,” Simon noted; his face full of wonder.

“The one in the middle is Tyson, the two on the opposite ends are the only ones in this group not linked to me,” Joel made the introduction along with what one could consider to be a provocative statement.

Daniel certainly felt provoked when he focused his spell on the manta to his right. The thoughts and feelings of the creature instantly flowed back into him and he was suddenly sharing the experience of swimming in the ocean, sensing all the nuances of sound and vibrations transmitted through the water.
“I am Daniel.”

“Horatio wants to know what is Daniel?”

“Daniel is a man who wants to be called, Daniel.”

“Very well, Horatio is Horatio who wants to be called, Horatio.”

Daniel knew he was smiling while everyone in the bubble was staring at him. Except Simon who was totally focused on the manta to the left.

Feeling the sensations through the ray was not enough for Daniel. “Joel, I want to touch my new friend.”

“It will be as you say, Maestro,” he replied. “I knew you could not resist linking to one. Or you, Accomplished Trenca.” He willed the sphere to rise from the bottom.

Horatio swam right under the bubble and Daniel willed the personal shield away from his hands, reached down into the water and took hold of the manta. His silks were instantly soaked through as he was pulled completely out of the sphere, but his shield protected him from the deathly chill. His icy cold hands held firmly to the back of the ray as it swam slowly up and around the bubble. The spell, What Is This, allowed Daniel to see every level of the creature’s being, starting with the recipe strands and showing how all the bodily functions worked together. When he could no longer hold his breath or feel his hands, he ceased the spell, released his hold on Horatio, and then expanded the shield to include his hands, being fond of his fingers and not wanting them frostbitten. Joel brought the sphere to him and Daniel breathed in a big gulp of air. After a few additional moments enjoying the simple act of breathing, he cast the spell, Laundering, and his silks became dry and wrinkle-free and the boots were good as new.

“I found using Cleo’s senses to be a more than adequate way to feel what swimming in this ocean is like,” Simon commented, arms folded in front of his chest, a superior attitude reflected in his tone, and a small smile to show his statement to be light-hearted. “No need to get all wet when concentrating on the manta can better relay the experience.”

It was as if there were times when his friends and associates seemed to forget who composed the spells of which they had become such experts. Daniel wondered when they would stop speaking to him as if he had recently wandered off the mountain. What he gained from the experience was far more rewarding, granting him a greater understanding of the amazing creature that was now a part of his swirl. However, since he wanted to encourage the free exchange of ideas, the occasional snooty remark had to be overlooked.

Accomplished Glader stepped in front of Daniel, blocking the Chief Aid from view. “Maestro, being a researcher, I know it is not within my job parameters to make suggestions,” he began to say and then hesitated.

“Joel, I want to hear suggestions, and it does not matter to me who the good idea comes from. Remember, you are talking to the man who had no problem taking some of Tarin Conn’s ideas and using them to my advantage.”

Simon leaned sideways into view. “Our Maestro is an Aakasear, constantly taking ideas and experiences, and then using them to inspire new Melodies, and modifications to improve existing ones.”

Daniel laughed at his Chief Aid. “Perhaps you will remember that the next time I do something different than you might expect, even if it does not appear to be as efficient as your method.”

Simon shrugged his shoulders. “Perhaps I will.”

The light banter and nonchalant manner in which the Chief Aid spoke to his Maestro was clearly not lost on the former member of the Aqua Guild, who was used to a much more formal way of addressing the leader of his association. Joel gave a slight nod of the head, evidently ready now to share his idea. “I have observed military supply-ships sailing to and from the ports along the entire northern coast and we are doing nothing to stop them and I think we should be, especially the ones from Demfilia. They are supplying spheroids to Pentrosa and who knows what to Zune, Ecoppia, and possibly Fon Kay on the west coast.”

It made sense to ship spheroids over the water rather than risk the bumpy mountain trade routes, so Daniel understood the reasoning. “Our navy is not yet capable of carrying out such missions. I suppose more Accomplisheds can hide under the waves as we are now, cast Find All, to locate the supply-ships, and then cast a spell to sink them.”

“Maestro, it is a big ocean and I am not sure we can afford to have a large number of Aakacarns concealed at stationary points and waiting perhaps days in the hopes that a ship will eventually pass by,” Simon offered his opinion while stepping around Accomplished Glader to look Daniel in the eyes.

Joel gave a quick negative shake of the head. “My idea is for us to use Accomplisheds but not in aqua spheres and not stationary. A team should patrol the waters on a vessel, a necessary tool if we want to stop the shipments.”

Carlos stepped closer, leaving Sero a whole lot of room on the other side of the sphere, and Daniel feeling crowded; so much for his stated desire not to be bumped into or have his toes stepped on. No one did but the possibility now existed while he listened to the body guard. “You can make more patrol boats, only these will be crewed by Aakacarns, and therefore faster and deadlier.” A fire seemed to glow in his eyes as if he was picturing the engagements.

Joel was shaking his head. “No, not patrolling on the water, I want our vessels to go under the water. This particular spell I am using now would not be useful, seeing as the water would never come in contact with the vessel, but, Freshen Air, would provide breathable air for the crew, and Maestro, I am sure you can compose or modify any other spells that prove necessary to form an underwater craft.”

He spoke with such enthusiasm Daniel did not want to discourage him by saying the proposal might not be achievable. Simon’s eyebrows arched up quizzically, Sero stared at Daniel as if expecting to see the new vessel appear at any moment, and Carlos laughed while saying, “Accomplished, I think you have been spending way too much time alone in an aqua sphere.”