Erik sat alone. The other apprentices huddled together on the far side of the hall. He heard them laughing and jeering. He heard the clickity-clack of the dice rolling across the floor.
“Hey, Erik, won’t you join us?” one of the older boys teased.
“He can’t,” another apprentice put in. “His master won’t let him.”
Erik rose from his seat and laid his waster, a wooden long sword, on the cold, stone table in front of him. “There is one game that my master does let me play,” he said. The others fell silent for several moments. Erik knew that no one would accept his challenge. They were afraid of him.
Awkwardly, the others turned back to their game of dice. Erik ate the rest of his thick, meaty stew alone, as he always did. He was more than ready to return to his studies by the time the bell chimed, signaling the end of the meal period.
He carried his waster, as Master Lepkin had instructed him, by the hilt and launched a practice strike at imaginary enemies every three paces. He hated shadow fighting while walking for two reasons. The first was the teasing and scorn it earned him from the other apprentices. The second was that it slowed him down so much that he was always late to his next class. As a result of his tardiness Erik had received more demerit points than any other apprentice in the history of Kuldiga Academy, but then he was also the first apprentice that Master Lepkin had ever tutored.
The significance of being Master Lepkin’s chosen apprentice was usually lost on Erik, except for the few times when he had seen Lepkin’s flaming sword. The weapon was more magnificent than anything Erik had ever seen. The long, curved blade was forged of black, Telarian steel –the only metal strong enough to survive the Dragon’s Flame enchantment. It was said that Master Lepkin had once wielded the sword against three hundred men in defending Gelleirt monastery from Tarthun raiders.
Erik had asked Master Lepkin to tell the tale many times, but Lepkin always refused. In fact, Master Lepkin hardly spoke at all, except to give Erik new chores or instructions. Erik found his master’s silence both aggravating and mysterious. At times he felt despondent because of the solitude forced upon him by his master’s silence. It accentuated the separation between him and the other apprentices. Perhaps that was why Erik had challenged the others to a game of swordplay. He had never done anything like that before.
Erik finished his three hundredth practice strike just before he reached Master Lepkin’s door. He slipped his waster into the frog, a leather loop on his belt, and pushed the heavy, oak door open. He spied his master standing at the far end of the chamber looking out the window. Erik assumed that his master was watching the birds, or at least he was certain that’s what Lepkin would say he was doing if Erik asked.
“I heard that you drew your sword during lunch today,” Lepkin said.
Erik froze. He wasn’t sure how to respond. He was almost as unnerved by Lepkin’s speech as he was at the thought of how many demerits this would cost him.
“Yes, Master Lepkin, I did,” Erik replied.
“Unsupervised swordplay is forbidden,” Lepkin reminded him. “I heard that you told the others that I allowed such games when you challenged them, is that true?”
“Yes it is,” Erik said.
Master Lepkin turned to face Erik. His face was hard, lined with a scar on his left cheek that ran from his jaw-bone up to the top of his cheek-bone. The only other marks on him were the crow’s feet caused by years patrolling the sun-washed borderlands for Tarthuns. Despite the wrinkles, Lepkin’s blue eyes were fierce and piercing, sparkling with the hard experience of battle. His mouth was straight, giving no hint of smile or frown, nor did it open to utter any words. Master Lepkin arched one eyebrow. It was the signal that he expected a more elaborate answer.
“They were teasing me again because I’m not allowed to play dice with them,” Erik explained.
“Close the door and come in,” Lepkin instructed. “It is time to explain a few things.”
Erik obediently closed the door and hurried to sit in a wooden chair opposite a large, high-backed arm chair. A small, round table separated the two chairs, and was usually covered with books that Master Lepkin was studying. Today only one book lay atop the wooden surface. Erik recognized the characters along the spine as those of the Peish language, the language of the dwarves, but he could not read them. He was curious to know why this book was of such importance as to occupy Master Lepkin’s reading table by itself, but now was not the time to ask. The apprentice waited silently as his master approached and sat in the other chair.
“The others tease you because they do not understand you,” Lepkin began. “Your rules are different than theirs. Your methods of study are peculiar to them. Even the other masters cannot comprehend the reasons behind your actions.” Lepkin leaned back in his chair and crossed his right leg over his left knee. He looked up to a tapestry on the wall and breathed in loudly. His eyes traced the pictorial representation of his battle at Gelleirt monastery. For a brief moment Erik was struck by the notion that Lepkin would finally talk about the event.
“Were there really three hundred raiders at the monastery?” Erik asked, trying to shroud his excitement in reverence and respect.
“We are not talking about that today,” Lepkin replied.
“Oh, I just thought…” Erik’s words trailed off and he shifted uneasily in his chair.
“Never mind about that,” Lepkin said with a nod toward the tapestry. “I want to know if you understand why your regimen is so different from the other Apprentices of the Sword here at Kuldiga Academy.”
Erik furrowed his brow and thought for a moment. “I don’t know,” he said after a while. “I assumed that swordplay was forbidden for our own safety, of course, but I don’t understand all of your rules, Master.”
“Well,” Lepkin began. “You are partially right about the swordplay, but we will discuss that last. First I should explain that I chose you for a very specific purpose. I will only train one apprentice during my time here at Kuldiga Academy, and that apprentice is you.”
“Why me?” Erik asked hesitantly.
“Because you understand things that the others cannot, and because you possess skills and talents that others do not.”
“But, I’m no one special,” Erik protested. “I’m not even a true-born noble.”
Lepkin uncrossed his leg and leaned forward. His eyes gazed directly into Erik’s. “You may see this as a disadvantage, another difference that separates you from the others, but I see it otherwise. Your background is the foundation of your talents, knowledge, and understanding.” Lepkin smiled, ever so slightly from the right corner of his mouth. “Your youth as an orphan taught you to be self-dependent. You learned many harsh realities of the world. But, unlike many other orphans, you were adopted by a nobleman. He and his family have showed you compassion, empathy, charity, and trust. These are things that all legendary heroes understand. The ability to function in the harsh world while showing compassion to others is a rare gift. It is this that sets you apart from the others. This is why I chose you.”
“But why do I have all of these restrictions?” Erik asked. “If I’m already better than the others--” Erik was cut off.
“I didn’t say you were better, I said you were different.” Lepkin’s smile disappeared and he sat back in his chair. “Pride is a vice that is also common among legendary heroes,” Lepkin explained. “That is why I give you the rules you have. The other masters say that I forbid you to play dice because I despise gambling. They think I make you practice sword-strikes as you walk to train your sword-arm for battle. They say that I am silent because I want to instill respect in you. These are all half-truths. There are more important reasons for my methods.” Lepkin shook his head and glanced to the empty fireplace.
“What are the reasons?” Erik asked.
Lepkin arched his eyebrow and looked back at his apprentice. Erik fought the urge to look away from his master’s gaze. Internally he was squirming around like a basket of snakes, but he forced himself to keep his composure, despite being extremely uncomfortable.
“Your innate knowledge and understanding of loneliness and compassion are not enough. As I said, it is only a foundation. I will build upon this foundation, and together we will create a warrior out of you, worthy of the Bard’s sonnets and the people’s admiration. I forbid dice games because I want you to understand what it is to feel alone and cast out. For this is the only way to instill in you a lasting empathy for those that society scorns. Remember the leper is as worthy of protection by the knight’s blade as any princess.”
Erik nodded thoughtfully. It was beginning to make sense to him.
“You practice sword-strikes as you walk so that others may judge you for it. This will give you wisdom when you judge others so that you will seek to look beyond the physical and judge not by what the world esteems, but by truth and empathy. Remember that no matter how vile the monster, it was still created for a purpose. People often fear what they do not understand. A knight must learn to discern for himself what is evil and what is not.”
“Like the Gelshon Witch Trials,” Erik said as it clicked for him. “The women were burned as witches based only on the color of their eyes.”
“Exactly,” Lepkin nodded. “At that time it was believed that women with green eyes were the offspring of demons, imbued with dark powers. Now the people of Gelshon know it is not so, but imagine the lives that were lost until Sir Roderik arrived and stopped the trials.”
“The other boys assumed many things about me because of my rules,” Erik noted.
“Not the least of which, I’m sure, was the assumption that you are learning special sword techniques that make you superior to them. The others fear you because of this, but that will change today.”
“What do you mean?” Erik asked.
“An Apprentice of the Sword must choose his words carefully, for his word is his bond. This lesson must be learned if you wish to attain knighthood in the Order of Kelteshteg.” Master Lepkin rose to his feet and walked to a wooden chest that lay on the stone floor. He pulled a key from the right pocket of his robe and turned it over in his hand. “During lunch, you made an open challenge to many of the other apprentices. Now you will follow through and duel each of them, starting with the youngest.”
“I can’t fight all of them,” Erik protested.
Lepkin arched his brow and scowled. “You will follow through with your words. The other apprentices will assemble in the courtyard.”
“Yes, master,” Erik said. He dropped his gaze to the floor and slumped forward in his chair. How was he supposed to beat all of them? Some of the boys were years older than him.
“I have some training armor here,” Lepkin announced. He opened the wooden chest and flipped the lid up to reveal old, brown leather pads. Erik shuddered as he watched Master Lepkin pull out each piece. First came the large, apron-like chest pad. It had a hole for Erik’s head and the back and front panels could be tied together at the sides so that it remained in place. Then Lepkin pulled out a chainmail shirt, made of Feather-steel, a special, lightweight metal designed specifically to protect apprentices at Kuldiga Academy while sparring with wasters. Lepkin also removed leather leggings, padded boots with shin guards, padded gloves, and a barbute helmet from the chest.
“Master, I can’t beat all of them,” Erik said. The words were almost inaudible, for he feared that he would anger Lepkin.
“I did not say that you had to beat everyone,” Lepkin replied with a shrug. “I said that you will duel each of them.”
Erik nodded as though he understood but his expression revealed that he didn’t.
“Do you know why I am quiet?” Master Lepkin asked. He tossed the chest pads over to Erik and motioned for him to get ready. “Before today, I haven’t spoken to you more than a sentence or two at a time and those were either instructions or criticisms. The other masters will say that I behaved that way to instill in you a sense of respect, or even to make you fear me, but that is not so. I talked little in order to create silence. For you must learn to listen, and you can’t listen –truly listen- unless there is silence. So start listening to everything around you, then you will come to understand your surroundings.”
Erik nodded and began suiting up. He could appreciate what his master was saying, but it didn’t ease his nerves at all. Within minutes, he was fully suited in his training armor and on his way to the courtyard. Every three steps, he swung his sword at an imaginary foe. This time however, he imagined the other apprentices’ faces as he sliced the air. Master Lepkin walked slowly behind him, reading a book.
The walk to the courtyard was painfully slow, thanks to the practice swings, giving Erik plenty of time to think about what might go wrong while he dueled with ninety-seven apprentices. He tried not to dwell on the fact that well over thirty of them were older than him by several years. It seemed to Erik that nothing would overcome the building dread inside of his churning stomach. He was wrong.
As he and Master Lepkin entered the courtyard a chorus of laughter erupted around him.
“Look at his training armor, it’s so old!” someone shouted.
“Look at his funny walk, he’s like a fat stork,” another added.
“More like a pig walking on its back legs,” someone shouted.
Each outburst gave rise to more laughter. Erik forced his eyes to focus on his shadow foes, instead of the fingers pointing at him. Erik wished he could turn and run, but somehow his feet kept dragging him closer to the center of the courtyard, and every third step his arm swung his waster. Soon the crowd was shouting a cadence, counting off each step until he swung his sword and then they all roared with laughter.
Erik numbed himself to the crowd and continued on. He felt anger rise in him for a moment, but he tucked it away for later. He would need his strength for his duels. He imagined that he was Master Lepkin during the battle at Gelleirt monastery. The fantasy helped him focus on his practice swings until he reached the center of the courtyard, where he stopped and waited.
The crowd died down immediately, as though they were overcome by a magic spell. Erik stood silent, watching Master Orres, Headmaster of Kuldiga Academy. The man was older than Master Lepkin by some twenty years. Amid the scars on his face were the wrinkles of age. Time had also turned Master Orres’ hair white as the snow, but he was no delicate has-been. Even at the age of sixty-seven his muscles were taut and powerful. His shoulders were square, his arms were large, and his chest was barrel like and solid as stone. Every time Erik saw Master Orres, the apprentice remembered watching Master Orres demonstrate his strength by participating in, and winning, the summer Strongman Games. Erik had been amazed when Master Orres dominated much younger men in cable throwing, wrestling, and stone lifting.
Yet today, despite Master Orres’ authority, and sheer physical presence, he did not speak to Erik or the gathered crowd without Master Lepkin’s nod of approval.
“You have the floor,” Lepkin told Orres after a polite bow.
“Thank you, Master Lepkin,” Orres replied. His voice was so deep that Erik swore he felt vibrations in his chest when Orres spoke. “At the request of Master Lepkin, we have gathered all students here to witness his apprentice, Erik Lokton, adopted son of Lord Lokton, honor an open challenge that he issued to the other Apprentices of the Sword.”
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A murmur ran through the crowd. Master Orres raised his hand to silence them, but pockets of students in the crowd continued to gossip. That is, until Master Lepkin crossed his arms and cleared his throat loudly. Then they were all silent.
“Now,” Master Orres continued. “We have invited all students of Kuldiga Academy to attend. I wish to acknowledge the presence of each and every department, and welcome them. First, let me welcome the Apprentices of the Hand, we are glad to have our healers-in-training here at this event. Let me welcome the Apprentices of the Way, we will be happy to have our priests-in-training pray for Erik’s safety as he battles each of the other ninety-seven Apprentices of the Sword!”
The crowd laughed and snickered. Erik looked up to Master Lepkin, but his master remained stone-faced and silent.
“I would also like to welcome our students of alchemy, the Apprentices of the Snake; our rangers-in-training, the Apprentices of the Arrow; our soon-to-be wizards, the Apprentices of the Staff; and our budding scholars-to-be, the Apprentices of the Eye. I hope all of you enjoy today’s spectacle.” Master Orres bowed a few times in response to the cheers of the crowd.
After a few moments Master Orres brought Erik’s first opponent, a boy about fourteen years old, to the center of the courtyard. Orres checked the boy’s training armor, yanking on it and smacking it, before raising his arm to silence the crowd again.
“The rules are simple,” Orres shouted for all to hear. “If an apprentice falls on his back, or his stomach, he has lost. If an apprentice drops his sword and it touches the ground, he has lost. If an apprentice yields, then he has lost. Also, you must stay inside the box, outlined in white chalk in the grass. Are these rules clear?”
Both of the boys nodded.
“There are two more rules,” Orres added. “A swing at the head is acceptable, but do not thrust your sword at your opponent’s face. The last rule is that, by order of Master Lepkin, if Erik loses or yields a duel, he will continue the challenge until he has dueled all ninety-seven Apprentices of the Sword, except in the case of severe injury. If Erik is hurt, then Master Lepkin will decide whether Erik can continue the challenge.”
Erik turned back to Lepkin. He was both surprised and frightened by the prospect that he would finish all ninety-seven duels even if he was beaten every time. He questioned whether a broken bone would even persuade Lepkin to stop the duels. Just then, as Erik contemplated how he would live through the day, Master Lepkin knelt beside him and whispered three things.
“Keep your eyes open, listen to understand your surroundings, and fight honorably.” Then Lepkin stood up and backed away.
Master Orres stood between the two boys.
Erik quickly studied the boundaries drawn on the grass. As Master Lepkin had taught him, he calculated the space of the box. He knew exactly how many steps he could take in each direction before crossing the boundaries. Next he concentrated on his opponent. He saw the boy’s brown eyes. They were wide and frightened. Then he heard the boy’s breathing. It was fast and shallow. Erik knew that his opponent was as afraid as he was, perhaps even more so.
Erik knew that this first fight would be pivotal. This duel would set the pace for the rest of the challenge. Erik prepared himself. He was going to lay into this opponent like a bull. He watched as Master Orres lifted his arm, signaling the boys to get ready. Erik narrowed his eyes on his opponent and gripped his sword.
Then he heard something. At first Erik wasn’t sure if it was a wheeze or cough. All he knew was that his opponent made a weird sound. Then it dawned on him. His opponent was Hal Sarmt. Erik knew that Hal suffered from asthma, and that his asthma was much worse when exercising or excited. He had often heard the others tease Hal because of his weakness. Master Orres dropped his hand to start the duel. Erik wasn’t sure what to do. He knew he’d be teased if he yielded, but he couldn’t bring himself to take advantage of Hal. Before Erik could decide how to act he was whacked across the chest by Hal’s sword.
Erik blocked a second blow and then took a knee on the field. “I yield,” Erik shouted. The crowd jeered and laughed at him, but all he heard was Hal trying to catch his breath. Erik ignored the teasing and watched Hal. Hal took off his helmet and nodded to Erik. The asthmatic apprentice was still wheezing, but Erik was sure that he would recover in a minute or two.
“If that is the best you can do, this is going to be a long day for you, apprentice,” Master Orres chided.
Erik shrugged off Master Orres’ comment and got back into his ready position. The next apprentice, Gergu Smuld, charged furiously as soon as Orres started the duel. Gergu attacked with wild, uncontrolled swings, but Erik deflected them.
Suddenly Erik’s helmet spun over his face and his ears rang like church bells. Gergu had landed a hard blow straight to his right temple. Another stinging blow smacked him across his belly.
Erik listened closely and heard panting to his left. With all his might he lashed out with a cross strike. He felt solid resistance against his sword and heard the two wasters clack together. Erik leaned into his sword, not allowing his foe to launch a counter-strike. Erik kicked his left foot out and planted it solidly on the ground on a spot that he hoped would be behind Gergu’s leg. A moment afterward Erik felt movement at the back of his left ankle. Using all of his strength, Erik pushed forward with his right leg, driving his shoulders right into his foe’s chest. A second later Erik heard a loud thud on the ground, followed by some cheering from the crowd. Erik removed his helmet and discovered that Gergu was flat on his back.
“Well fought,” Erik said as he helped the other apprentice up.
“You’ll have to show me how you did that,” Gergu said.
“Perhaps next week,” Erik replied.
“Alright,” Master Orres cut in. “Off with you lad, there are still plenty of others waiting their turns.”
Gergu scurried off the field and another one took his place. Erik took a moment to readjust his helmet before getting back into position.
The next challenger, Jared Highborn, swung his sword fiercely at the air in front of him and got into place. Master Orres gave the signal and Jared rushed forward. Erik deftly blocked Jared’s over handed strike. The wasters smacked together again and again as the two danced in a circle.
Erik swept his sword low, catching his opponent just above the left ankle. Jared’s feet flew out from under him, but Erik wasn’t done. He didn’t want to risk his opponent correcting himself so Erik came in hard and fast with an overhead chop to Jared’s chest. The blow sent him straight down to land on his back.
The crowd fell silent in shock and Master Orres rushed over to the duelers. He knelt down beside Jared, who was still lying flat on his back, and removed the boy’s helmet.
“Can you speak boy?” Master Orres asked, slapping Jared’s cheeks. Jared groaned, and then he rolled over and pushed up to his knees. Erik offered a hand to him and helped him to his feet.
“Well fought,” Erik offered. Jared nodded, but said nothing.
“Let’s get on with it,” Master Orres shouted. He yanked the loser’s free arm and shoved him toward the waiting Apprentices of the Hand. “Send out the next duelist.”
Erik quietly got back into place and watched as Haddus Makh, a short, portly boy, waddled out onto the grass. Erik readied his sword, but before Master Orres could give the signal Haddus tossed his sword to the ground.
“I yield,” Haddus shouted.
“You can’t yield, the duel hasn’t even started yet,” Master Orres growled.
Erik could see the anger clearly written on Orres’ face, but it did nothing to stop the pudgy boy from waddling back to the crowd. Three more apprentices came out to the designated dueling area and promptly threw down their swords as well. With each surrender Master Orres’ face grew redder and redder.
“Is there any apprentice that is not afraid to fight?” Orres shouted as he kicked the abandoned swords away.
“I’ll fight ‘im,” someone yelled.
A very tall apprentice strode forward with his waster resting over his shoulder. The new opponent stood head and shoulders above Erik. Erik knew the apprentice by sight. It was Timon Cedreau. He was a tall third-year apprentice, and though he was not yet as broad-shouldered as most of the fourth-years, he was a strong young man with a reputation for being mean.
“Ready yourselves,” Orres instructed. Erik gripped his sword tightly and waited for the signal. Timon kept his sword resting on his shoulder and let out a belly-laugh.
Orres gave the signal.
Timon rushed forward and swung his sword at Erik’s side. Erik dropped his sword to deflect the attack, but Timon was too strong. Timon drove into Erik’s side, despite the block, pushing him a few feet to the right.
“That’s it Timon, squish him like a bug!” someone shouted from the crowd. This time, only a few in the crowd laughed. Most of the spectators remained silent as they watched.
Erik defended against an onslaught of heavy attacks. He made sure that he not only parried with his sword, but also stepped out of the way. He couldn’t afford to take any more heavy shots to the body this early on.
Timon bore down on Erik, pressing the attack. Erik dodged each swing and thrust of Timon’s sword, ever watching for an opening to exploit. He struck out twice, but Timon knocked his sword away both times.
“You are not good enough to challenge me,” Timon yelled. “You aren’t a true-blood like me. You’re just the cast-away son of a poor beggar woman, adopted by an impotent lord.”
Something in Erik snapped at the insult of his birth mother and adoptive father. His eyes narrowed, his cheeks grew hot, and a well of rage sprang from within him too strong to control. Erik ducked under Timon’s sword and unleashed a savage swing to Timon’s left knee. The blow was enough to knock Timon off balance, but not enough to topple the tall third-year apprentice. Erik jumped up and landed a strike on Timon’s head. Timon back-pedaled and tried to straighten his helmet, but Erik was all over him. Erik scored three heavy hits on Timon’s ribs, then he struck Timon’s knee again. His next strike slammed right into Timon’s sword-hand.
Timon winced and turned away. Erik came down hard on the back of his opponent’s head. The entire crowd gasped in unison as Timon fell flat on his face.
Erik didn’t bother moving to help Timon back to his feet. He was too blinded by his rage. Before Erik could say anything, Master Orres was there.
“Healers,” Orres shouted in his thunderous voice. Orres removed Timon’s helmet, but made sure not to disturb him too much. Erik watched Master Orres remove Timon’s leather glove. Erik was stunned when he saw the hand was purple and red. It was already swollen to twice its normal size.
Master Lepkin approached Erik and placed a hand on his shoulder. “You are not an animal, you must be able to control your emotions at all times.” Lepkin pointed to the trio of healers kneeling around Timon. “Imagine what would have happened if you had attacked Hal the same way.”
“I’m sorry,” Erik offered. In his rage he had wanted to make Timon pay for his words, but now he felt guilty. He did not revel or delight in Timon’s injury, in fact he was ashamed. “I’m sorry,” Erik repeated. “I’ll do better.”
The crowd cheered as the healers helped Timon back to his feet. Timon, still not firm on his legs, glared at Erik. “You’ll pay for this, cast-away,” Timon snarled.
Orres signaled for the healers to take Timon away, and then he whirled on Erik. “What’s wrong with you, boy?” Master Orres growled at Erik.
Erik felt his insides quiver at Orres’ voice. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Orres closed the distance between them in two strides and grabbed Erik by the neck-hole of his chest pad.
“I asked you a question!” Orres shouted. “You split his head open with that stunt of yours.”
“That’s enough,” Lepkin said.
Orres looked up at Lepkin, but instead of reverence, Erik saw only rage and anger in Orres’ eyes. Lepkin slipped a foot between Erik and Orres, and then he wedged between them and took Orres by the wrist.
“Let me go, Lepkin,” Orres growled.
The crowd took a collective step back.
“Release my apprentice,” Lepkin demanded.
“Your dog injured my nephew,” Orres countered. “I will not let him get away with this.”
“Your nephew knew the rules. Perhaps the other masters should have prepared Timon better.”
“How dare you say that,” Orres roared, Master Orres released Erik and took three steps back. Orres’ hand hovered dangerously near the pommel of his sword. The crowd backed away further still.
“Master Orres, your nephew is seventeen, and Erik is only fourteen. This duel was even, if not tipped in your nephew’s favor.” Lepkin gently pushed Erik back and then stood to face Master Orres, with his hands relaxed at his sides.
“This has gone far enough,” a woman shouted. Erik turned to see a tall, slender woman with black hair emerge from the crowd. She seemed to almost float as she approached the center of the courtyard. Her sky-blue eyes fixed themselves on Master Orres, and her left hand was poised with the palm facing out. Even if she hadn’t been wearing her dark blue gown, embroidered with a golden crescent-moon on the front, Erik would have recognized the master sorceress by the missing thumb on her left hand.
It was said that Lady Dimwater’s thumb had been devoured by a dragon’s flame in a duel that saved an entire cluster of villages on Kelboa Island. Whenever apprentices asked her about it, she was quick to answer that her thumb was a small sacrifice that she was proud of giving to save so many lives.
Erik had heard stranger rumors about her that were not as nice or heroic. Some apprentices said that Lady Dimwater had sold her soul to demons, or that she was born of devils. Other rumors proclaimed that she gained her power by stealing the lives of other wizards. Erik paid little heed to most of the rumors, but seeing her now gave him the distinct impression that there was definitely more to her than he had thought before.
Erik closely watched Orres and Lepkin as Dimwater stood between them. Lepkin stood still, but he fidgeted with his right hand. Erik had not seen Master Lepkin fidget before, ever. Orres, on the other hand, seemed to get angrier. His whole face turned red, he clenched his jaw and his hands curled into fists. Erik was almost certain that Orres was going to explode, but as Orres stared into Lady Dimwater’s face, all of the rage left him.
“You always were able to cast a spell over me,” Orres said.
“And you were always quick to anger,” Dimwater replied. “Your nephew will be fine,” she stated.
Everyone then looked over to the healers. Timon’s head wound had already vanished thanks to the healers’ magic, and his hand was beginning to regain its natural complexion.
“He’ll be just fine after a night’s rest, Master Orres,” confirmed a tall Apprentice of the Hand that Erik didn’t recognize.
“Very well,” Orres replied. There was an awkward silence then as Orres scratched the back of his neck and shied away from Lepkin’s unwavering stare. Erik expected Orres to apologize for his behavior, but it was Lepkin who spoke next.
“Forgive me, Headmaster Orres,” Lepkin said. “I forgot my place.”
Orres searched Lepkin’s face with his eyes. Then he looked to Lady Dimwater and sighed. “There is nothing to forgive,” Orres told Lepkin.
Lady Dimwater bowed graciously to Orres and helped the healers escort Timon out of the courtyard. Erik noticed that both Orres and Lepkin watched her leave.
“Shall we resume the duels?” Lepkin asked after Dimwater had gone.
“I think not,” Orres replied. Murmurs swept through the crowd. Orres raised his hand to silence them. “Today’s challenge was to prove the value of a knight’s word. All Apprentices of the Sword must understand that they must follow through with their words, for they will be expected to do so as Knights of the Order of Kelteshteg. Erik has shown his merit by following through on his challenge, and I have no doubt that he would continue to duel each remaining apprentice. He has done more than anyone could ask of a first-year apprentice.” Orres turned to address the remaining apprentices that had yet to duel. “As Headmaster, I believe that it is unnecessary to risk further injury to any apprentices. Erik has proved himself enough.”
Some of the remaining apprentices were obviously disappointed. They whispered among themselves and some of them shot Erik contemptuous glances. Erik felt a stab of fear as he realized that his brutal victory over Timon had earned him only contempt from the older apprentices.
Lepkin then stepped up beside Orres and addressed the apprentices.
“The Headmaster has spoken,” Lepkin said.
“Everyone is dismissed. Go back to your regular studies,” Orres instructed.
If not for Lepkin, some of the apprentices may have thrown out parting insults Erik’s way, but the crowd dissolved peacefully as students returned to their classes. Lepkin walked back to Erik and began to help him remove the training pads while everyone else filtered out of the courtyard. Erik noticed that Master Orres left without even looking at him or Master Lepkin.
“There is an old fire between us,” Lepkin said. He must have noticed Erik watching Master Orres.
“Is it about Lady Dimwater?” Erik asked.
Lepkin sighed. “It was a long time ago.”
“Before your battle at Gelleirt monastery?” Erik pressed.
“Many years before that,” Lepkin replied.
Erik slipped out of his chest pad and feather-mail. “If it was so long ago, then why does it still bother Master Orres?”
“Wounds of the heart are not easily healed, and more difficult still to forget,” Lepkin replied. Master Lepkin looked off in the direction that Dimwater had gone. Erik realized then that it still bothered Lepkin as well.
“I’m sorry,” Erik offered.
Lepkin gathered all of the training armor without another word about Dimwater while Erik stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to say or do. After everything was ready the two of them walked back to the hall.
Erik took three steps and sluggishly swung his sword. Lepkin stopped abruptly and put a hand on Erik’s shoulder. Erik looked up at his master with a puzzled look.
“Do you think you fought well?” Lepkin asked.
“I think so,” Erik replied. “But I didn’t realize it would be so hard.”
“What was the hardest about it?” Lepkin asked.
“I think the hardest thing was watching the healers work on Timon while you and Master Orres argued.”
“I see,” Lepkin said. “Well, a knight must understand that the wounds he inflicts touch more than one life. A man always has a mother, father, an uncle, or a friend that care about him. When you hurt or kill someone, you must realize that other, unforeseen consequences may arise from it.”
“It would have been awful if Master Orres had drawn swords against you, Master Lepkin,” Erik said.
“Was your duel with Hal difficult?” Lepkin asked, directing the subject elsewhere.
Erik thought for a moment. “Only a little,” Erik said. “I wanted to win, but I didn’t want Hal to have one of his asthma attacks.”
“Your forfeiture in that duel was actually an honorable victory for you,” Lepkin said. A hint of a smile appeared on his face. “It would seem that you are listening, and learning your lessons well. We shall have to harness your temper a bit, but I’ll make a legendary hero out of you yet, Erik Lokton. Come let us return to your studies.”
Lepkin led the way and Erik counted off three paces and swung his sword through the air.
“You no longer have to do that,” Lepkin announced without turning around.
“Why not?” Erik asked.
“As I said before, the purpose of your walking routine was so that others may judge you.” Lepkin turned around with a smile. “For better or worse, I think that others will judge your actions today for many days to come.”