“Go through and select one item. Do not show anyone,” he said. Alrion turned to ask a question, but the man had left. He shrugged and decided to walk through the door.

  The room was pitch black, and he couldn't see a thing. He felt around with his hand, wondering what was there. It seemed to be a collection of objects on shelves, but he couldn't tell what they were. They all had a cold, metallic feeling to them. As he brushed his hand across them, he felt a sudden surge of warmth and jumped.

  He returned his hand to confirm it. One of the objects was warm to the touch, so he decided to grab it and stash it in his pocket. Then he left the room. He saw his father standing near the entrance, and no sign of the wizard except the light he had left anchored to the wall.

  “All done?” Vincent said.

  “I think so,” Alrion said. Vincent handed back the bundle of clothing.

  “Good, let's head back to the main building and get some food.” Vincent stepped outside.

  “Aren't you going to ask me what I found back there?”

  “Not my business.”

  “Fair enough.” Alrion was a bit surprised, but they did say not to show anyone.

  “Looks like you have a full outfit there.” Vincent gestured at the bundle of clothes Alrion was holding as they crossed the courtyard.

  “I hope they fit,” Alrion said. Vincent laughed.

  “You have a lot to learn about magic, my boy.”

  “Now that you put it that way, it seems like they really should fit.”

  “You would hope so. After you.” Vincent held the door open for Alrion. They walked through the hallway of the main building and returned to the room they had stayed in overnight. Alrion had a better look at the things he had been given.

  “This looks like a robe.” He put it on and was surprised at how comfortable it was.

  “Definitely. And feel the material too. It's quite hardy, for travelling.”

  “Shoes, a walking stick. Why a walking stick?”

  “They can be quite useful especially on uneven terrain, but I bet there's another reason for having it. Ask Falric about it,” Vincent said.

  “This bag looks useful; I can hang it over my shoulder. These things are all geared for walking I think.”

  “There are many places a horse cannot go, so that seems like a good idea. Let me know when you're ready and we can finalise our preparations.” Vincent lay back on his bed and closed his eyes.

  “I think I'm done,” Alrion said, as he finished buckling his new shoes on. They were surprisingly comfortable, given how sturdy they looked. He looked at himself in the mirror. Despite the plain nature of everything he was wearing, he felt like a wizard.

  “You look the part.” Vincent stood and nodded with approval.

  “They don't seem particularly fashionable, but are comfortable,” Alrion said.

  “Comfort is the much better of the two possibilities. Wear them in good health.”

  “Thanks. I guess we go see about provisions then,” Alrion said. Vincent opened the door and they walked through the hallway in an attempt to locate the kitchen. They followed the sound and smells of food, and found themselves in front of a petite young woman with a rolling pin across her folded arms.

  “Hello, we were just looking for the kitchen,” Vincent said.

  “You the travellers? This way,” the woman said in a gruff voice. Vincent and Alrion looked at each other in surprise at the tone of her voice, then followed her through a door into a storeroom.

  “You looked like you were guarding something,” Vincent said.

  “I was. You have no idea how many wizards get it in their heads to go steal some food from the kitchen. It's like some sort of ritual or initiation or something, and they don't even eat the food. It ends up being buried or exploded or something else,” the woman said.

  “Boys will be boys,” Vincent said.

  “Some of these boys are old enough to be grandparents,” the woman said.

  “Not surprised at all. I'm Vincent, and this is Alrion. Nice to meet you.”

  “Pamela. Nice to meet you too.” Pamela kept on rummaging around. She started collecting food, her long red hair swishing around as she moved.

  “Since you are going on a trip, I'll give you some of this flatbread. It lasts a while and is sufficient by itself at a pinch. Here, try some.” Pamela handed them both a sample.

  “Wow, that's delicious,” Vincent said.

  “I could eat that for days,” Alrion said.

  “Be careful what you wish for.” Pamela laughed, the movement rippling through her chest.

  “Sounds like you have a story about that,” Vincent said.

  “Yeah, it's a good one. I'll tell you when you come back. Maybe you'll have a story of your own.” Pamela continued collecting other food and handed them each a sack full to the brim.

  “There's a week's worth there. All I was instructed to provide. Either it's a short trip or you will have opportunities to restock yourself. But make it last,” she said.

  “We'll be careful,” Vincent said.

  “Travel safe, I'm going back to my guard post.”

  “Aren't you a cook?” Alrion said.

  “First and foremost, but you need ingredients to cook with, so back I go,” Pamela said.

  “Good luck.” Vincent waved goodbye. Pamela waved her rolling pin at them and marched off like she was on a mission.

  “I like her,” Alrion said.

  “Yeah, she seems like a good sort. But regardless, always be nice to the help. The cooks, the stable boy, the assistants. Not only is it the right thing to do, you'll find yourself having allies in useful places.”

  “That sounds like good advice. I'll do it.” Alrion guessed there were some interesting stories behind the advice, but didn't ask. Vincent looked around a bit more.

  “I think you'll like it here,” he said.

  “If I ever make it back.” Alrion hadn't even had time to unpack, and he was off again.

  “Don't worry about that, you'll be back. It's just a matter of when.”

  “You're probably right. What do we do now?” Alrion said.

  “We have equipment and food, and our horses are in the stables. I just need to do one more thing before we go.” Vincent left Alrion in the hallway and walked off with purpose. He returned a few minutes later with a piece of paper and a pen.

  “I need to let your mother know that I won't be back so soon. But I won't include all the details, she may worry,” Vincent said while writing.

  “She would definitely worry. Any reasonable person would,” Alrion said.

  “Then let's not cause your mother any undue distress. There, that should do it.” Vincent folded the letter in half.

  “I think you're saving yourself distress.” Alrion was half-joking. His father laughed.

  “You know her too well. Let's go see what Falric is up to.”

  They walked back to the central hallway of the main building, and seeing nobody around continued to the back door. They emerged into the courtyard, surprised by what they saw.

  Just as in the morning, the courtyard was full of wizards. Like earlier, they had arranged themselves around the perimeter of the courtyard. In the centre, they saw Falric and Branthor with their heads bowed. Vincent and Alrion found a spot amongst the wizards and waited to see what would happen.

  “Today is an auspicious day. Our newest member, Alrion, has passed his initiation and revealed his true identity. He is a bringer of light, one that can turn back the darkness of the Blight,” Falric said, his voice somehow amplified so that it rang through the courtyard. He paused. There was a quiet murmur throughout the wizards, which quickly died down.

  “I have been waiting for this day, since I took over from our founding father, Granthion. Now I have an opportunity to take on his legacy and complete the work that he began. I will be leaving you, and travelling with Alrion to train him and assist with his journey,” Falric said. There was louder murmuring and discussion amongst the wizards, but within a minute, it quieted down once more.

  “I don't know when I will return, but I know that I cannot provide the same support for this beloved academy as I have before. Therefore, I am passing on leadership to my dear and trusted friend, Branthor.” Falric gestured to Branthor, who bowed.

  “This must be a big moment. There's only been one other handover of leadership, and that was when your grandfather died,” Vincent said to Alrion.

  “As a symbol of the transition, I am handing over the Crystal Staff to Branthor. May you lead the academy to an era of even greater prosperity,” Falric said. He knelt in front of Branthor and held up the staff. It was a dark brown wood, with a cloudy crystal ball set in the top. Branthor accepted the staff and held it aloft. A pulse of light radiated out from the staff, covering the entire courtyard for a second, before disappearing completely. A cheer rose up amongst the wizards.

  “They're gone,” Alrion said.

  “Theatrics! Let's go up to the tower,” Vincent said. Alrion nodded and they walked across the courtyard as the wizards dispersed.

  “This is really happening then,” Alrion said.

  “It certainly is,” Vincent said. As they reached the bottom of the tower, they saw Falric step out of the stairwell.

  “How was that?” Falric said.

  “Impressive,” Alrion said. He looked over at his father who said nothing.

  “You have to give these occasions the proper ceremony. Otherwise, their significance can be lost. Branthor is only the third person to lead the academy, which is a major event. If we can establish something now, then future generations can carry on and keep the ceremony alive.”

  “I understand that this is a big ask of you, to walk away from your life's work. I appreciate your help,” Alrion said.

  “Thank you. But it's also a good excuse to let go. It's time for some new blood, and Branthor has shadowed me long enough. Let's get a move on before we get noticed.” Falric started walking away and Vincent and Alrion followed closely behind.

  They headed straight to the stables. A young wizard was waiting there with the horses. Vincent approached the young wizard first.

  “Excuse me; I need to send this letter to my wife. I've addressed it appropriately. Can you see that it gets delivered?” Vincent offered the letter. The wizard looked over at Falric.

  “It's fine, send a rider to hand deliver it,” he said.

  “As you wish, we will take care of it,” the wizard said. Vincent mounted up, and Alrion and Falric followed. They secured their bags and rode out to the main gate.

  “I shall return, with more stories and more knowledge,” Falric said, looking back at the academy.

  “Do you always say that?” Vincent said.

  “Always. It has become a mantra of mine. Always bring something back, to share with the wizards. Not that I leave the academy as much these days.” Falric shook his head slightly.

  “That's nice. I shall return, with more stories and knowledge,” Alrion said.

  “I'll see to it,” Falric said. Vincent grunted and started to ride. Alrion looked back and thought about how he was leaving before he had even settled in.

  “When will I have a new place to call home?” he wondered as he turned his horse and began to ride.

  12

  Passage to the Mountain

  They started slowly, leaving the academy at a stately pace, but gradually increased their speed as they traversed the woods and reached bigger and bigger roads. Once they were back on the main road, Vincent nudged his horse closer to Falric.

  “Where are we heading?” he said.

  “To the Pool of Knowledge, of course,” Falric said.

  “I got that bit. But where is it?”

  “I have been charged with keeping the location secret.” Falric tilted his head down and looked at Vincent with a serious gaze.

  “Can you at least tell me what area we are heading to?”

  “A place near Mirror Lake.”

  “I see.” Vincent paused and looked thoughtful, “So then, we will want to be heading to Altarbright?”

  “Yes. But that's all you will get out of me.”

  “That's fine. In fact, I even know a shortcut.”

  “I'm all ears, although in my experience you never save time with a shortcut.” Falric grinned at Alrion.

  “It's certainly a concern. But this one is on the way, so it's low risk.”

  “What are you proposing?”

  “We use the tunnel underneath the Thundering Mountain.” Vincent carefully watched Falric's reaction.

  Falric doesn't seem happy with that suggestion, Alrion thought.

  “Hmm. I have heard of it, but a long time ago. Is it still in use?” Falric's voice had a doubtful tilt to it.

  “I'm not sure, it's been a while. But it cuts days off the journey if it works.”

  “I will defer to your judgement in this case. As you said, it is on the way, so we can investigate and make a call.” Falric still didn't look confident.

  “Excellent,” Vincent said. Alrion waited for a moment to ensure the conversation was concluded.

  “Falric, I have something I wanted to ask. Why is it that all wizards are male?”

  “Excellent question. One that I often wonder myself. The truth is we don't know exactly. But I can explain the main reason. Do you remember the pillars of magic that I mentioned before?”

  “Yes. Knowledge, Will, and Spark.” Alrion recounted them without hesitation.

  “Excellent. Well, you no doubt remember, that which sets the wizard apart in the true mastery of magic is the Spark. However, women do not have it.”

  “Women don't have the Spark?”

  “No. I don't understand the reasoning or detail behind it. But without the Spark, they cannot be wizards.” Falric shrugged.

  “But they can still use magic?”

  “Of course, like any other, if they lean on the other pillars of Knowledge and Will they can do many things. But they cannot be a wizard.”

  “Seems odd.”

  “Certainly. There is still a lot we don't understand. I hope that answers your question.”

  “It does, well at face value.” Alrion was beginning to realise that there were a lot of unanswered questions.

  “Good. With a healthy curiosity, I expect you will do quite well as a wizard. It is only in more recent times with the establishment of the academy that we have built up a good body of knowledge about magic.” Falric was lost in thought and shook his head. “In the past, the knowledge and practices were quite dispersed. There were fine wizards, but they kept many secrets to themselves, and only had one or two apprentices, who didn't even learn everything their masters knew. So much was lost.” Falric sighed.

  “Your grandfather had the foresight and desire to do better than that.”

  Alrion took in the information with interest. There was certainly a lot more that he needed to learn about magic. As they rode further along the road, they approached another wooded area.

  “If I remember correctly, this forest is the best place to stop for the night, even though it is a little early,” Vincent said.

  “Correct. I believe the vegetation becomes quite sparse if we push on much further, and the area is very open and exposed. Stopping early suits me actually. I'd like to work on something with Alrion,” Falric said.

  “I'll keep my eyes out for a spot then.” Vincent brought his horse to a slow clip, then stopped. To the side of the path nestled a small clearing, sheltered by a nearby hill.

  Vincent busied himself getting the horses settled and comfortable, and setting up camp. Falric and Alrion walked deeper into the forest. Falric spotted a chunky log and sat down, asking Alrion to join him.

  “This is as good a spot as any. Normally you would be learning a few books worth of theory and demonstration, but I think we need to start with something useful. Today we are going to work on your first spell,” Falric said.

  “Sounds great.” Alrion ignored the uneasiness in his stomach and focused on the excitement.

  “I like your enthusiasm. What we are starting with is by no means the simplest, but it has so many applications and is a good representation of the basics of magic.”

  “What is it? A fireball?”

  “Not quite. I may be accelerating things somewhat, but I'm not looking to invite disaster! No, Alrion, we will be starting with a push spell.”

  “Push? Like pushing things around?” Alrion made a pushing motion with his hand.

  “Exactly. This spell draws on all three pillars of magic. However, interestingly enough, it can be performed with only one given the right amount of training. Care to guess which?”

  “Hmm, I'll say Spark.”

  “Interesting answer, but incorrect. It is actually Will.”

  “Will?”

  “Yes, there are people who with the force of their Will alone can push objects around.”

  “Wouldn't they also need Knowledge?”

  “No, although it is a useful component. There are accounts of people who moved things purely with the power of their Will and no knowledge that it was even possible.” Falric smiled.

  “That's crazy.” Alrion shook his head slowly. There really was another world out there that he had no idea about.

  “It sounds a bit crazy, doesn't it? However, the reality is that many things in our world are there to be manipulated in interesting ways, even if you don't realise it. Do you see why we harp on about knowledge so much?”

  “Yes. The more you know about what's possible, the more you can do.”

  “Exactly. Part of the lesson here has already begun. I have told you that it is possible, and that you can do it without being a wizard, and without even knowing that it can be done. That is the most basic level of knowledge.”

  “Alright.” Alrion nodded along. However, he was doubtful that he would be able to do this.

  “There is a lot more that I can tell you, and we'll get to that, but let's move on. The main component to this is your Will. You need to focus the strength of your mind and resolve to overcome the laws of nature. You can compel an object to move. We won't get into the nitty-gritty details of how it actually moves.”

 

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