(William)
A runner finally came to pick them up and they waved to Gina on their way out. The boys were escorted to the castle, which was located on the northern side of the city, past the central trading quarter. The castle stood in the middle of a vast lake, so they had to cross a bridge to reach it. The luminous sapphire lake was brimming with fish. William saw moonfish, winter-fish, and snow-dragons. There were many others that he did not recognize, including some that were scary big, and others that glowed.
“I wonder if they’ll let us fish here,” William mused aloud. “I want to catch that snow-dragon, so Aunt Lisa can make fish stew with potatoes and carrots.” His stomach rumbled.
“Most of the fish in this lake are exotic,” Ivan replied. “I doubt anyone fishes here. Still, I’m sure that we can go fishing somewhere else. From what I’ve read, there is a massive lake in the Forest Cavern that’s brimming with fish.”
They continued to chat. As they passed under the gate of the castle, Ivan’s step faltered, and his eyes widened. The grounds behind the wall were covered with hundreds of military tents. The lawn was jammed with makeshift infirmaries and outdoor kitchens. Injured soldiers were treated outside of the healer tents.
“This looks bad,” Ivan muttered. “There are too many healer tents and too many soldiers from Pike. Something is wrong, they shouldn’t be here...”
William’s stomach dropped. “Do you think the Shadowlanders attacked Pike?” he asked nervously.
Ivan surveyed the makeshift camp. “I’m not sure… I can only speculate. Hopefully, it was just another skirmish.” He paused. “But to have so many injured brought all the way to Scar...” His brother broke off midsentence.
I hope nothing bad happened in Pike. William’s stomach dropped. Worry for the people there chafed at him.
The boys walked on, not saying a word. They entered the keep and a tall man welcomed them and dismissed their escort.
“Good evening, Ivan and William,” the man greeted them. “I’m Wren, the castle steward.”
“Good evening,” Ivan replied.
“Good evening,” William echoed.
“You’re expected in the great hall.” Wren smiled pleasantly. “I’ll be your guide. Please follow me.”
“Thank you,” said Ivan.
They were led through a wide hallway, past several sets of marble staircases. They passed groups of sentries that patrolled the corridors.
The steward stopped occasionally and pointed out different places of interest. William only remembered the name of one of them, the Snack Gallery. It was an elegant room filled with sweets and pastries. He was disappointed that they did not have enough time to pop in and taste some of the delicacies. Wren assured him that their dinner would include confections from the Snack Gallery.
“This is the Alaras Library,” the tall man explained after they crossed an intersecting corridor. “The entire lower east wing of the castle is part of the library. At your aunt’s request, you’ve been given access to the private archives.”
William saw that his brother was as excited about the library as he was about the Snack Gallery.
Hah! Ivan drools over books as much as I drool over sweets. Well, to each his own. For my part, I’ll stick to one of my wise proverbs. He grinned as he quietly recited in a singsong voice, “‘Savory snacks over almanack stacks.’”
William knew that his brother was as passionate about books and sword fighting as he was about toys and food.
Wren was a chatty fellow. As they continued down the hallway, he talked about the different parts of the castle. They briefly stopped inside a large ballroom. The walls and the ceiling were covered with dramatic frescos depicting events and people from Scar’s history. The chamber that followed was filled with an eclectic collection of unusual artifacts. In passing, William only had a moment to marvel at what appeared to be a petrified dragon’s egg. The end of the long hallway was marked by a massive set of wooden double doors. Scenes from the construction of Scar and from the history of the kingdom were carved into individual panels. William counted a total of six scenes on each door.
Ivan nudged him. “Look at the workmanship of those doors. That scene on the right is from the unification of the Nature Kingdom.”
Before William could make out the details, the doors were opened by a pair of sentries. The boys followed the steward into the great hall.
William gaped. Wow, our whole entire farm could fit inside this one chamber.
The high table was set up on the dais, at one end of the hall. Minstrels played music and sang on a balcony on the other end of the chamber. The place was large enough to seat at least a hundred people.
At the head of the high table, stood an exquisite throne. A sculpted eagle’s head decorated the top of the throne. The backrest was shaped in the form of wings, which curved inward. The armrests ended in the shapes of talons, which sank into the wood. The man sitting on the throne watched them with interest. To his left, William saw Greg Tinbury and to his right, there was a young girl who looked to be around his age. Rose, Lisa, Rob Stone, and an elderly man sat at the table as well.
His aunt stood up and made the introductions. The man sitting on the throne was Slovan Tinbury, the Lord of Scar. The girl next to him was his daughter, Lin. The elderly man was Commander Clay.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Lord Tinbury,” Ivan said and bowed. William followed his brother’s lead. “Thank you for inviting us to dinner.”
“It’s my pleasure,” Slovan replied. “I was looking forward to meeting you. As a matter of fact, we were just talking about you.”
Slovan looked like his younger brother, Greg. He had an amiable expression and bushy gray eyebrows. His soft-spoken and friendly voice put William at ease.
Lin must be his only child, William thought. Since he only has one braid on his beard. A golden bear talisman hung around his neck.
“We could always use another caster and a talented swordsman,” Slovan continued to chat with them.
“My daughter Lin is also a caster,” he said proudly and placed a hand around her shoulder. Her cool expression warmed as she looked at her father and smiled.
Lin was petite. She had long, wavy, raven-black hair. With her high-cheekbones and aloof expression, she met William’s expectations of how royalty should look. Like her dad, she had cobalt-blue eyes. She wore an elegant purple silk dress, embroidered with gold thread. A medallion engraved with a flying fish hung from her neck and a wide bracelet with a wolf design encircled her left wrist.
“We’ve got a lot to discuss, but first… let’s eat.” Slovan pulled a velvet cord. “Come on, sit down.” He gestured to the available seats.
One of the side doors swung open and trays loaded with a variety of food were brought in. The smell of roast pork made William’s mouth water.
(Ivan)
Ivan listened to some of the conversations around the table. Rob, Greg, and Clay discussed the opening of a new tunnel that would connect different parts of the city. Rose and Lisa were catching up on current events at the Tinbury School of Magic. Lord Slovan was quietly talking to his daughter. Servants held platters and circled around the table, offering a myriad of culinary delicacies. He sampled over a dozen different dishes. By far, his favorite was the sautéed bear-tooth mushrooms. The extravagant selection of food offered to them was staggering. He had noticed that even the commoners in Scar had better clothing, looked well fed, and appeared healthier compared to those in Pike. He had not seen any beggars in this city. He wondered if the people of Scar had ever experienced hunger. His line of thought was interrupted as Lord Slovan stood up.
“It’s nice to share a meal with friends,” Slovan announced and raised his cup for the traditional aftermeal toast. “May you find light in the darkest tunnel.” The party joined in by raising their goblets and repeating the old Scaran saying.
There was a moment of silence at the table and Ivan used the opportunity to ask a question that had been troubling him since they had arrived at the keep. “Lord Slovan, if I may ask, has the city of Pike fallen?”
“What makes you think that Pike has fallen?” Slovan replied with his own question.
“Well, based on the number of healer tents outside, it looks like a battle was recently fought and a lot of soldiers got injured. The soldiers living there were wearing orange and blue, which are the colors of Pike. With the number of outdoor kitchens and privies, I would estimate that you’re feeding at least a few thousand of them. If any could return home, then they wouldn’t be on your front lawn.”
“Quite perceptive.” Slovan nodded appreciatively and steepled his fingers.
“Sadly, you’re correct. We lost Pike a few weeks ago.”
Ivan heard his brother gasp.
“The fall of Pike was disastrous, but not unexpected,” Slovan continued. “It would’ve been unwise of us to make our final stand there. We were able to pull many soldiers and some civilians out of the city before the fall, but not enough. A few mistakes were made with the evacuation plan, but that’s a discussion for another day. Today, we have a reason to celebrate. The return of Lady Waterlily has given us another highly capable caster.” Slovan smiled at their aunt and took a sip from his goblet.
He turned his gaze toward William. “Speaking of casters, your aunt told us what happened at the Lonely River and about your clash with the Saberwolves. I was shocked to find out that you were able to cast spells from different schools of magic.”
“I was just as shocked… Magic is great!”
“Yes, it is.” Slovan smiled. “Well put, young man. Casting spells from different schools is unheard of. I’ve already assigned scribes to comb over the archives. Hopefully, they’ll find something that could explain what happened to you. I promise you that if there are any similar historical precedents, we will uncover them.”
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He leaned forward. “I’m eager to see the Body Glow. Would you indulge me?”
William squirmed in his seat. “Umm…” Some of the color drained from his face. “Well… I haven’t practiced that spell very much, but I’ll try. Though this room might be a bit too bright.”
“I got it,” Rose chirped. She snapped her fingers and the nearby sunstone shields closed. They sat in the dim light for a moment before a burst of light emanated from William and flooded the room. Ivan heard a few gasps.
“I didn’t realize that the Body Glow could be so bright,” Slovan remarked. “Thank you for indulging me. That is incredible.” He shook his head. “A caster using magic from another school…”
“Yeah, it was a flashy demonstration.” Rose grinned.
“It would seem that you’ve had a remarkable journey on your way here,” Slovan said. “I’ve heard stories of Saberwolves from my grandfather, but up until today, I thought they were extinct. I’m glad that all of you made it in one piece.”
Rose pointed to Lisa. “She got chewed up pretty bad, but magic saliva healed her up lickety-split.”
Lisa cocked her head. “Who would have thought that Saberwolf spit has restorative properties?”
Rose, Rob, and Lisa continued to banter.
(William)
William noticed that Slovan smiled patiently at Rose’s jokes and interruptions.
If Rose is tolerated, I’ll surely fit in here just fine, he thought and grinned.
At first, he felt quite nervous in front of the Lord of Scar and his pretty daughter, but after demonstrating Body Glow, his usual self-confidence was returning.
“William, I’ve been thinking about something,” Slovan told him. “I understand that during your encounter with the wolves, you were able to reflexively shift into a Saberwolf. Did you know that reflexive casting is one of the methods for teaching magic?”
“Uh, no, I didn’t.” William shook his head.
“Let’s have an experiment,” Slovan suggested and smiled slyly. He glanced at Lin and nodded.
In a snap, his daughter transformed into a snow tiger, leaped onto the table toward William, bared her teeth aggressively, and emitted an earsplitting roar. William instinctively jumped backward and knocked his chair over. In midair, he transformed. His back arched, his ears flattened, and his tail whipped from side to side as he stared upwards at Lin.
At the same time, his brother had jumped out of his chair and had taken a defensive stance. Their tablemates did nothing at all and actually looked amused.
William opened his mouth to object to Lord Slovan’s experiment, but instead of his voice, he heard a growl. He looked down and saw big white paws with scary claws, just like Lin’s.
Scraps, I transformed into a tiger!
He looked up as Lin gracefully vaulted off the table, shifted, and calmly returned to her seat as though nothing had happened. William leaped onto the table directly in front of Lin and roared.
Lin did not flinch. She leaned forward and closed the distance between them. She stared at him. Her eyes bored into his, her expression unyielding.
William found her scarier as a girl than as a tigress. He slowly backed away. Once he had composed himself, he shifted, picked up his chair, and sat down stiffly.
“Well, that was exciting.” Rose clapped her hands. “Good show… Good show!”
(Ivan)
“William, that was impressive.” Lisa beamed proudly. “Reflexive shifting will expedite the learning process for you. You’ll progress quickly in your transformation classes.”
“What transformation classes?” William squawked.
“Oh, that’s right. I forgot to tell you. That was one of my errands today. I enrolled you both in school. William, you’ll attend the Tinbury School of Magic. Ivan, your classes will be held in the Tinbury School of Might, also known as the Military School. Now, I imagine that you both have a lot of questions. I’ll be happy to answer them later tonight when we get back to the tavern.”
“Nippy!” William cried out. “I can’t wait to learn more magic.”
“Thanks, Aunt Lisa.” Ivan smiled.
I’ve been wanting to join the war against the Shadow Lands for years, Ivan thought. Finally, I’ll get my chance. Joining the Military School is the next step.
He thought of his parents and felt the flames of anger rising.
“Humph! I guess I’ll have to miss dessert,” Rose grumbled. “Boys, I’ll see you at school tomorrow. William, you’ll be in my magic class. By the time I’m done with you, you’ll be able to shift into a pretzel pronghorn.”
“I can’t wait!”
“Thanks for the dinner, Slovan,” Rob said. “I need to leave early as well.”
“You work too hard, old friend,” Slovan replied. “I only see you at the Council meetings these days. We should go on a hunt once things settle.”
“Most definitely,” Rob replied and stood up. He turned toward Ivan and added, “I’ll see you at sword fighting tomorrow. I still enjoy teaching and finding new talent.”
“I look forward to it.”
I can’t believe that I’ll have Rob Stone as my sword fighting instructor. Ivan felt exhilarated.
Greg and Clay said their goodbyes as well and the group departed from the great hall.
It was not long before Lord Slovan rang the bell for the desserts. Two attendants entered the chamber, carrying silver salvers with a stack of sweets. Ivan saw William fist pump under the table.
“I don’t know if you boys are aware, but I knew your parents,” Slovan said. “Your old man and I were friends. Ivan, you look just like your dad. You have his steely expression. Swords forged by the same blacksmith. William, my late wife Lila knew your mother, Jassie. Lila told me that your mom was a prankster. I can tell that you’ve got her mischievous look.”
William grinned and took a bite from the pastries that had just arrived.
“If you boys need anything, just ask,” Slovan added.
“Thank you,” Ivan replied graciously. “You’ve already given us access to your private archives, and I can’t wait to get my hands on new books.”
“Mmm, this chocolate is delicious,” William announced. “I just want unlimited access to the Snack Gallery.”
Slovan chuckled and Aunt Lisa shot William a look. “I try to keep shifters out of the Snack Gallery, but I’ll make an exception for you.”
“So, Ivan, Rose told us that you two had a duel on the way up here.” Slovan’s eyes lit up. “I heard that she had to use magic to get herself out of a pickle.”
“Yeah, she got me. It was a good lesson.”
“Watch out for Rose. She’s a crafty one.”
“I pity any Shadowlander that has to face her on the battlefield,” said Ivan. “A master swordsman that can Levitate a dagger behind your back is a deadly combination.”
Slovan raised an eyebrow. “Well, I’d love to see you spar. You’ve already made a name for yourself in the dueling pits of Pike. It’s incredible that someone so young can best experienced swordsmen.”
“You wouldn’t be surprised by his sword mastery, if you saw his rigorous day-to-day practice,” Lisa said with pride in her eyes.
Ivan smiled. Lisa was like a second mother to him and William.
We’re so fortunate to have her, he thought. So many kids in the Nature Kingdom have been orphaned.
The Lord of Scar cleared his throat and turned toward William.
“Since you were able to cast Body Glow, a spell from the Light school of magic, you should be able to cast healing spells as well.”
“Scraps, I didn’t think of that.” William’s eyes widened.
“You may not know this but information for each school of magic is closely guarded. Over the years, with the help of my shifty friends, we’ve gathered intelligence from the Evergreen Realm about their magic.” Slovan’s eyes twinkled.
The Lord of Scar reached under the table, pulled out an oblong scroll cylinder, and placed it in front of William. “All of the information that we have about healing magic is recorded in here.” He tapped the cylinder. “The war is at our doorstep, and you’ve already seen the scores of injured. Healing salves and ointments can only do so much.”
Slovan picked up the scroll case and proffered it to William. “Take a look at the knowledge inside. If you’re able to unlock its secrets and learn to cast healing spells, you can save a lot of lives.”
William took the scroll and gulped. “I’ll try my best,” he mumbled. He held the scroll reverently, staring at it for a moment.
He finally looked up. “I’ll start working on it right away.”
“Very well.” Slovan nodded and stood up. “It’s great to see you again Lady Waterlily. Your arrival was like a breath of fresh air in an abandoned tunnel. As of late, the good news that reaches Scar is as scarce as finding an atinum vein. You’re welcome to stay here and dine on deserts as long as your stomach allows it.” He winked at William. “The hour is late, and I still have things that I need to attend to. Lin and I bid you goodnight.”
(William)
The walk back to the tavern passed quickly. Once they reached their room, Ivan went to the bedchamber and collapsed. William dragged himself to his bed and slumped onto the soft mattress. His attempts to fall asleep were pointless. He was exhausted from the long day, but every time he closed his eyes, he saw images of injured people. He kept thinking about the Light school of magic scroll that Slovan had given him.
He got up and shuffled toward the chair in the other room. He closed the door behind him and uncovered one of the sunstone lanterns. He sat in one of the plush chairs, pulled the scroll from its case, and began to read.
Even though the information was incomplete and vague, it somehow felt familiar. It was like a melody of a song that he had heard in a dream, but now that he was awake, he could not fully recall it.
After reading for a while, he decided to get more comfortable. He got up and dragged the ottoman over.
He sat back down and propped his feet up.
Ahh, much better.
He slumped down in the chair and continue to read. A section in the middle of the scroll resonated with him, so he read it over and over again.
An hour later he stretched and rubbed his eyes.
I’m so close. I can almost taste it. I just need the key to unlock the final part of the puzzle.
One of the concepts kept replaying itself in his mind. It was the connection between affinity and healing.
A sudden flapping of wings startled William. As tired as he was, he lumbered out of the chair and slowly walked toward the balcony to investigate.
A horned owl was perched upon the railing and looked straight at him.
“I hope you’re not a shifter.” William looked suspiciously at the bird. The owl ruffled its feathers. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m probably imagining things.” The owl blinked, stretched its wings, and flapped away.
William watched the movement of the wings as the bird disappeared into the night. He had often dreamed of flying and was disappointed when waking up to find himself earthbound. His eyes widened.
That was before I knew that I could shapeshift. What’s stopping me now?
Energized by the thought, he closed his eyes and visualized the owl. He imagined transforming into the bird. When he opened his eyes, everything felt different. He could see in the dark. He could pinpoint the location of the sounds around him, and he had wings! He looked down at his feet and saw talons.
I did it! I shifted into a bird. Finally, I’m gonna fly.
His first attempt at flying did not go as expected. He flapped his wings, took off briefly, and crashed into the side of the wall.
Ouch! he squawked and rubbed his beak with his feathers.
After many attempts and many crashlandings, his technique improved. He managed to glide from one side of the balcony to the other. He puffed up his feathers with pride after his first painless flight. An hour later, he felt brave enough to leave the safety of the balcony. He extended his wings and took off.
Exhilaration coursed through him. The Garden of Dreams was right up ahead, beckoning him. The night was illuminated by a faux moon, drifting across the enchanted sky. The walkways beneath him were lined with sunstones, providing additional light.
This view is amazing.
He glided on the air currents coming from the ventilation shafts. It was effortless. He heard everything, even the smallest vibration. A snake slithering on a rock. A mouse scurrying into its den. The buzzing of insects added to the symphony of new sounds. The gardeners gathered night blossoms that were used in potions. The city was asleep, but the Garden of Dreams was awake.
William watched a kitten chase a fire-lizard. The lizard darted into a bush. The kitten pursued it. Moments later, William heard distraught cries coming from the bush. He flew down and shifted. The injured kitten tugged itself out of a razo-tooth bush. It was a nasty shrub with lots of hooked thorns. The light gray kitten mewled pitifully as it scratched at several hooked thorns cutting into its skin.
William slowly approached the cat making soothing noises. He lifted the injured kitten gently and held it in his hands. His heart ached for the little animal. He wished that his aunt was here. She had tended to his injuries when he got caught on a razo-tooth bush when he was a little boy.
William knew the pain that the kitten was feeling. His throat tightened. It was almost as if he could feel the kitten’s actual suffering.
He stiffened. He was struck by an epiphany. He understood the essence of healing.
It’s all about affinity, his mind screamed. That’s the key!
He gingerly cradled the kitten and focused. His hands glowed and energy flowed out of them. The kitten calmed as its bleeding stopped.
William’s attention faltered when a fire-lizard darted out of the bush, breaking his concentration. The kitten mewled and he noticed that his hands were not glowing anymore.
He restored his connection with the kitten and his hands pulsed with healing magic once again. It took a while but eventually, the torn fur knit together.
Healing took time and patience. William knew that he would have to practice.
The kitten purred in his hands and licked his palm. He released it and watched it scamper off. William felt elated as he headed back to the tavern.
(Predatory eyes)
Across a nearby stream, a pair of luminous yellow eyes watched William as he flew away. It was not the only thing that had seen him flying and casting healing magic.