Dawn of Dusk

Marshal steeled himself against any reaction of any kind. Seeing so many Masters and Grand Masters at once would be intimidating, but he would be the last one to show it. He put on a feeling of indifference and entered into the Treaty Room.

In the room he saw Thorak, the King’s Court Sorcerer. He saw his master Koripak among a group of powerful looking men. Some were dressed in wizards’ robes; some like Thorak were dressed in some of the finest clothes of the day.

Assignments were made; Marshal was assigned to a team of four Grand Masters headed by Thorak. Marshal noted that Koripak was assigned to lead the group testing Toverar; he wished her good luck and proceeded out of the room with his testers.

The tests took place outside, one at a time. Those who passed the test would be invited to stay for a few more days in another part of the tower, and then they would accept apprentice positions with the best wizards and sorcerers in the world.

Time seemed to stop for Marshal as he waited his turn. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the feeling of strength that magic gave him. He felt a spell being cast and rose a block to protect him from it. He opened his eyes and found that he was alone in the room. Seconds later Thorak appeared looking slightly annoyed.

“Lands sakes boy, we won’t do anything to you here. I was transporting all of us out to the testing area. Nice block though, I never saw someone who had not been tested able to block a spell by a Grand Master, a Master either for that matter. Now just relax and I will take us out to your test, I feel confident that you will do well.”

They appeared about twenty feet from the edge of the lake. Thorak stood to the right of the other judges.

“Marshal,” he said, “your test is about to begin. We wish you the best, but, we will do everything we can to make you lose. Do you see the small island over in the lake?”

“You may use the boat over there if you wish, but you will stand alone on that island for your test.”

Marshal teleported to the island and noted the expressions of satisfaction on the judges. He sat down and went into his trance. He noticed that whatever magical powers were in the lake also distracted him from concentrating on the judges. He fought for control of the magical sounds that were washing over him.

Lightning came from an open sky and he used his scepter to deflect it harmlessly back into the sky. The noise from the magic increased. He fought against it and turned back a fireball coming from one of the other Grand Masters and directed it to Thorak. The water called out to him even louder its pitch reached a deafening level. He dodged a lightning bolt that was strong enough to kill that he hadn’t known about earlier because he was so distracted from the noise from the water, it struck the ground and burned his arm bad. He healed his arm and cast a blast of air to lift the sorcerers off the ground; one of them was actually caught and signaled his capitulation. He had three attackers left.

The noise got louder; it shut him off from all other senses. He could no longer see, or hear, or feel, or smell, anything. It was like he suddenly was no longer in his body. He became alarmed that he was a sitting duck now that the water had consumed him with its noise. So he listened.

“Use me to protect you and I will teach you how to win... Use me to protect you and I will teach you how to win...Use me to protect you...”

“How can I use you, who are you? What must I do?”

“...and I will teach you how to...”

“Okay, I accept you into my life, show me what to do.”

“...win... Use me to protect you and I will teach you how to win...”

“Marshal reached out to the water surrounding his small island. He pulled it up and over his head making a dome over the island. Sight returned to him and he saw his burned body lying dead on the shores of the island, he had failed his test in the worst possible way.

“Now I guess I’ll never be Marshak.” As he said that, he realized that something must have happened to him because he could still see and hear, he cast a healing spell on his body but the damage was too great. He listened to the voices and to what they were saying.”

“Follow the water down to the source; you have only taken the first step follow the water down to the source.”

“Who are you?” Marshal screamed “What do you want from me.”

“I am Magic; I want you to learn your destiny. Follow the water to the source, the source of Magic. There you will find me and there you will be taught that which you need to fulfill your destiny.”

Marshal followed the water down. He could never have gone this far in his body as he neared the bottom, he saw a glow to his right, and he went over there.

Suddenly he was surrounded by light. As he remained within the light, he felt the magic enter him it felt like a warm glow that began in his heart and then spread through-out his entire being. His mind was being filled with spells that had never before been imagined by any human. His ears heard the voices of a thousand magicians who had died and left their greatest magic untaught to anyone else telling him their spells. It was as if all of them were telling him their spells at the same time, but his mind was able to keep each one straight.

After some time period, he felt the presence of another individual. The person came closer and he could see that it was Vientar. A short time later another presence came to them and Marshal was pleased to feel the presence of Toverar.

The learning lasted for some time after and then the light was Gone. Marshal tried to think of some of the spells that he had been taught, they were there, just like those that he had learned from Koripak. He cast a spell that made a bubble of air form around them. He looked around and the other two were looking at him. He started to rise to the surface; he now knew how to heal his body so he could return into it. He came up through the water into the water making up the dome around the island where his body was; he healed his body and moved to join with it.

He looked around and saw with his eyes. He rubbed his hands together and enjoyed the feeling of his hands touching. He tasted the water and felt the magic in it. It was good to be within him again.

He canceled his spell that had made the dome of water and dropped back into his trance. He was aware that his judges probably were not very impressed so far. He cast an Elven spell, creating a Golem as large as the Magician’s Tower. It reached down and in an instant, had the other three Grand Masters caught in one hand.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, Thorak said, “We concede.”

Marshal canceled his spell and teleported himself back to the area where Thorak and his companions stood. Thorak was looking at him in a very interested manner.

“Where did you learn that spell, boy?”

“I would rather not discuss that out here. If we could enter the tower to discuss this event, since it is warded, I would be happy to discuss all my new found magical knowledge with you.”

“New found? What do you mean?”

Marshal suddenly realized that what had happened to him was not a normal event. Most magicians learned their spells, just like he had learned his spells from Koripak. He was sure that he had been with Vientar and Toverar at the bottom of the lake. He had been there and then they joined him.

Marshal formed a teleporting spell and brought along his judges to the room they had been in before the testing. Thorak bellowed that he had never teleported others before and had no right to put their lives in danger.

Marshal looked at the runes on the walls and ceiling and floors and noticed that the Goblin wards were very weak; he strengthened them and added some for Elven protection as well.

Thorak was now gaping with his mouth hanging open. The other Grand Masters had taken a few steps back from him.

“How much do you want to know?” Marshal asked.

Thorak’s voice, now substantially weaker said, “Tell us everything.”

“When I arrived at the island, I heard noise, it wasn’t too loud or anything, but it was there. Every time I cast a spell, or one of you cast a spell at me, the noise grew louder. It grew harder and harder to concentrate on my test.

“I barely missed being struck by lightning when I realized that the noise was something talking to me. I stopped what I was doing and listened. It said, ‘Use me to protect you and I will teach you how to win.’ It kept repeating that, over and over. I finally realized that it was the water talking to me so I used a spell to make water cover the island in a dome.

“I shortly realized that I was not in my body, because I saw my burned and dead body lying on the ground. The water said, ‘Follow the water down to the source, you have only taken the first step. Follow the water down to the source.’

“‘Who are you? What do you want from me?’ I asked.

“It answered, ‘I am Magic, and I want you to learn your destiny. Follow the water to the source, the source of Magic. There you will find me and there you will be taught that which you need to fulfill your destiny.’

“I entered the water and started down; I went deeper and deeper into the water. A last I saw a light and went towards it. As I entered the light, I felt magic entering into me. It taught me things, magical spells, spells from Men, from Dwarves, from Elves, from Gnomes, from Goblins, all types of magic. It taught me that magic is alive. Then I was joined by Vientar and almost immediately after that, Toverar. Instruction continued until suddenly the light was Gone and the three of us were alone. I then went back into the dome, healed my body and pulled back the dome of water. You know what happened after that.”

Thorak just stared at him. “Well, that is easily confirmed,” to one of the other magicians he said, “Ask Koripak and Fryak to bring their teams and their candidates to the treaty room.”

“Of course Thorak.” He rose and left the room.

“I can tell you young man; I have heard some remarkable things about you; but nothing as remarkable as this. I thought that I hit you with a fireball just before the water shield went up. You know that this water is a shield from magic.”

“No sir I didn’t.”

“This water reflects magic like a mirror reflects light. When you put up the shield we knew you had to be hurt, but still alive. When the shield went down and you were perfectly well, it surprised us.

Come; let’s go to the treaty room.”

They arose and went into the treaty room. An awkward silence followed until the other teams walked in from their rooms.

Once they were all seated, Thorak asked the other teams what the results of the test were.

Koripak rose and said, “Toverar has passed the test. She even defeated three of four Grand Masters.” He then sat down.

Fryak stood, “Vientar withstood all attacks, I guess, and defeated three of four Grand Masters.”

“Well, this young man, Marshal, defeated all four of us. Soundly, there was no contest. However, the spell he used to defeat us was a spell that could kill! He claims to have learned it from the lake.”

Koripak stood and looked at Marshal. “What spell did he use?”

“A Golem grabbed the three of us that had not already capitulated, a Golem that was a large as this building. One squeeze and we would have been little more than grease spots on its palm.”

“Where did you learn that spell?” Koripak asked.

“Marshal has already answered us with a most interesting story. I was wondering if your candidates could share with us how their testing worked.”

All eyes went to Vientar and Toverar who happened to sit side by side across from Marshal.

Vientar looked at the floor, Toverar, looked at Vientar, then Marshal, and then Thorak. “I’ll tell, but you will think I am crazy.”

Thorak and Koripak sat down as she began her story.

“I knew that if I didn’t give up I would either be accepted or dead and that I would rather be either than have no magic in my life. I determined that I wouldn’t give up no matter what happened.

I started doing well, but then I kept getting distracted by some noise from all around me. It kept telling me to get into the water. I didn’t know if that was allowed and I didn’t want to be disqualified. Koripak sent lightning bolts at me, three or four at the same time. I was struck and managed to throw myself into the water and I swam down for a few feet. I looked up and my body was floating quietly in the water. The voice said to come down and I did. When I arrived near the bottom, I saw a bright light. I went over to it and inside the light I felt, or saw, I’m not sure; Marshal and Vientar. The voice told me that I could learn all of there was to know about Magic but that I would never be able to have children. I felt it was an acceptable proposal.

I joined them and received knowledge at an astounding rate. Things I wouldn’t have known for years in regular studies, things that I feel no one has ever known about magic. Then the light vanished, we were left alone. Marshal cast a spell that made a bubble of air form around us and then he rose back to the surface. Vientar went back up, then the light returned, gave me some additional instruction, told me to return, and what to do to defeat my judges.”

Fryak turned to Vientar and asked her if that story matched up with hers.

“All except for one thing, I saw no light, what I saw was darkness, black as night. It spoke to me, it called me, when I got there, and it taught me. It also told me that there would be a price to pay; if I accepted the instruction for learning all magic, that I would never be able to have children. I agreed and it told me what to do to defeat you. It told me not to divulge those things it taught me. I will do as the darkness told me.”

Marshal looked over at Vientar. “I want to know one thing, what happened with Ricaral, why didn’t he test this morning?”

“He used magic in his room last night.” Thorak answered.

“How do you know it was him?”

“He tried an augmentation spell, those spells are very dangerous for the most experienced magicians, but, it gives 24 to 48 hours of extra power in casting spells. It burned up his magical abilities.”

“Could something else have burned him up?” Marshal was looking Vientar directly in the eyes. She looked back calm as a summer’s morning.

“Yes, two or three other things would leave him burned up, but he would remember. If someone sent too much magic through him or a superior magician tried to steal his magic he would remember.”

“What if he was given a magical spell that made him forget a certain event like that?”

“Well I suppose it is possible, but it isn’t very likely.”

“Why is there all this interest in Ricaral?”

Marshal looked at Vientar again; she looked a little more uncomfortable than she had earlier. “I am interested in Ricaral because last night after we retired to our rooms, Vientar invited herself into my room. I told her that I wasn’t up to it and closed the door.

“I waited for a minute and opened my door a crack and she was inviting herself into Ricaral’s room. He accepted her invitation, and today he is burnt out.”

Vientar was obviously upset at this time, her hands were shaking and she was on the verge of tears. Marshal was sure she was going to confess to some heinous deed.

“It’s true,” she said, “I did go into his room, I was agitated, I was excited, we made love, I know it was wrong, but we did. I left him about an hour later. He was fine; he was talking about how he had a sure way to pass the test. He didn’t say what it was. Maybe I should have asked him, if I had, maybe we could have stopped him, maybe he would be all right now.” She dropped her head into her hands and cried.

Fryak went over to her and consoled her. One of the other magicians looked accusingly at Marshal and said, “Any other questions?”

Marshal shook his head as Thorak said, “Well, I think that answers all questions. Since apparently these three had some kind of magical experience, the information they received cannot be held against them. I see no reason to not grant accepted apprentice status to each of them and schedule them for the Master test.”

“Vientar looked through her tear filled eyes and asked, “Can we skip the test for master and go directly to the Grand Master Status?”

Ferthak who along with Tantak and Marterlak had joined the conversation some time ago said, “Technically you may apply for any status at any time if recommended by your master. First however you must take your oath before the guild and that will take place in two days; in the meanwhile, we will assign you to work with the group leader that tested you. We want to see if these new spells that you learned today are valid and safe.”

Thorak said, “I will not be able to be here in two days, there is a court function that I will be expected to attend, but I will be happy to work with Young Marshak here for the next few days. I can also offer him the position as my apprentice until he reaches at least master status,”

Koripak added, “I would like to offer my services to Toverar or rather Toverak, as well, although I don’t expect she will be an apprentice very long.”

Fryak made his offer to Vientar now Vientak and she accepted immediately. Fryak then said, “I must return to Fulsimter for the next few days, King Lemmal will need me as he prepares for his coronation.”

“So it is official, Fryak. You have been named Court Sorcerer to the new King Lemmal, which is one of the advantages of becoming a Grand Master at such a young age. Congratulations, but won’t you be too busy to handle an apprentice at this time?” Thorak asked.

“Not really, if these turn out as we expect they will be apprentices even less time than I was.”

“True, be sure to cover ethics well, you too Koripak, these won’t get ethics pumped into them like most apprentices because they will be with us such a short time, we need to be sure that they use their skills only for good.” He gave Vientak a hard look and left the room.

The others rose as if to leave and Tantak said, “By the way, two others were accepted into membership as Accepted Apprentices, Canthar, now Canthak and Bestemak formerly Bestemal, only Sterpal did not qualify for membership.”

As Marshak made his way back to his room, Toverak called to him and ran to catch up with him up with him. He slowed his pace so it would be easier for her to keep up with him.

“You don’t believe that story from Vientak, do you?”

“No, Toverak, I don’t. I think somehow she used magic on him and made him forget. She may have even used a spell to steal his magical knowledge. What really makes me mad is that she turned on the tears and had Fryak eating out of her hand.”

“I hope you don’t think that I am being forward, but I need to share with you something that I learned from the Light after you and Vientak left.”

“Would you like to go to my room or to a practice room?”

“Your room is fine; I understand you have a nice view from there. What makes you feel that Vientak did something bad to Ricaral?

“Well, I had my doubts this morning when she claimed to not have seen him after dinner. With the way Vientak was talking and behaving at dinner, I really don’t believe for a minute that she is one to be ashamed that she made love with someone.”

“I agree with that. Why do you think that she saw darkness when we both saw light in the lake?”

“My belief is that we see what we are. Magic has many faces. We are both interested in doing well for ourselves and others. Some who practice magic do so for their own selfish and sometimes evil purposes. To them magic is a dark and sinister property. I believe that Veritak did something evil to Ricaral last night. I also believe from watching her, that this is not the first time she has done something like this. We need to find out who her first instructor was. It would do well to find out who her most recent teacher was as well. I think she saw darkness because she has made a conscious decision to practice the darker side of magic. That means that we may someday find ourselves in conflict with her directly.”

They entered Marshak’s room and sat down. He sat on the bed and she sat on a trunk by the wall. She looked around, “These rooms are about the same; the feel of home sweet home.”

They both laughed. “Well tomorrow, I think we will move into nicer rooms.”

“Actually, I think we will move before tonight. Now that we can use our magic, we can make the move in seconds.”

“Well, I could certainly use a little thicker mattress.”

Someone knocked on the door and Marshak rose to answer it. Marielmak was there to tell them that they had to move their things into the rooms down the hall. They walked down the hall and looked into the rooms. Since Marshak and Toverak were together, he gave them rooms across the hallway from each other. Each of them took a few seconds to teleport their clothes into the new rooms and the resumed their conversation.

Marshak looked around his new room. The room was about the same size and like his other room, it had an outside view. Soft wool rugs covered the floor, in addition to the trunk, which the other room had; there was a chest of drawers and two fairly comfortable chairs. The bed had a feather mattress and a nice warm looking comfortable comforter.

Marshak sat on one of the chairs and Toverak sat down on the other. Marshak leaned forward and said, “So, what was it that the magic told you when you were left alone?”

“I don’t know, now it seems so silly, maybe I shouldn’t say anything.”

“No, go ahead, it must have been important or you wouldn’t have asked to talk with me.”

“Well you were there first, then Vientak, then me. You learned the most, I the least...”

“Well you arrived only seconds after Vientak but she probably did learn a few things that you didn’t. Since she saw darkness instead of light, we may not even have learned the same spells.”

“I understand all of that. The light came again and it spoke to me. It said that when the time was right, you would share with me that which we would need to save the one.”

“The one, that is what the magic said?”

“Yes, the one.”

“I don’t understand. Most of the spells that I learned before you arrived were Elven spells. I seem to have a special ability to be able to do Elven Magic as well as Magic for Men. I learned some Dwarven spells and some Gnome spells and some Goblin magic which I have heard is similar to Elven Magic only more on the darker side. I don’t know if I can make any of those other kinds of spells work, usually only a Dwarf can do Dwarven Magic, but that is what they said about Elven magic too.”

“Toverak, Koripak was my teacher. He found me as an abandoned child and cared for me as his own son until three years ago when he tested me for magic. When I passed the test I became his student. I love him like he is my father and he is a kind and good man. He will not only teach you the art of magic, but he will teach you how to use it, when to use it, and what to do with it.

“Soon I will be leaving to go to Karron with Thorak and you will be going to Landsdown with Koripak. I want to keep in touch with you, I don’t know, I feel real close to you. Maybe it is because I am a lot like you. I don’t know who my parents are, were, whatever.”

“Do you remember anything from before Koripak?”

“Just shadows sometime, not really memories. I remember seeing a face a lot, but now I can’t remember what the face looked like.”

“I can remember my parents’ funeral; all the people crying. I remember a brother or sister; I don’t remember what happened to him or her though. I remember a long trip and then I remember being in Cryarlac.”

“You live in Cryarlac? Duke Vistyral, brother to Prince Borrial rules there. What is he like?”

“Well, we hardly ever see him down where we are he comes through about four or five times per year. It seems like he is not trying to make himself richer at the peoples’ expense. A lot of good things have happened since he became the former duke’s regent and then later when he actually became the duke, more things started to improve. Life is good there, we feel confident that if someone tried, they would find Cryarlac a difficult place to conquer.”

“Why is that?”

“They will be difficult to because every man in the Duchy is a soldier. Once per month every man goes to a certain location for training and practice. The duke pays them for their day of labor. Have you ever heard of that from any other leader?”

“No, that certainly is an interesting concept. Does that include his court sorcerer?”

“He doesn’t have one. So far he hasn’t found one that he likes except Thorak, his father’s sorcerer, your new master.”

“I don’t mean to sound arrogant, but I expect to stand as a Grand Master very soon. If I knew how old I was, I might even qualify to be the youngest Grand Master in history. How old are you?”

“Well, I am not sure, somewhere between eighteen and twenty, why?”

“I am about the same age. I don’t know for sure how old I am.”

“It doesn’t really matter how old you are, but rather, how much you know. For some unknown reason, we were given the knowledge that most magicians take the better part of a lifetime to acquire, I don’t yet know why, but I’ll tell you, I intend to find out.”

“Do you believe magic is alive, or do you think that maybe it was one of the Gods of Karron that taught us? Kar is the God of Magic, could it have been him?”

“The pictures of Kar at the temples show a god that has a pleasant face on the front of his head and a dangerous face on the back of his head; his head rotates to face the person looking to him. That is supposed to show that magic has two faces, the face of benevolence if used correctly and the face of malevolence if used to destroy or for vengeance. Maybe it was Kar. He certainly could appear as light or darkness depending on which countenance the viewer would rather look to.”

“I’m hungry, let’s go eat.”

They got up and left the room and headed for the cafeteria. As they went to get something to eat, two men talked face to face for the first time in many years.

“You know he beat me with one of the most powerful Elven spells I am aware of. I’m sure some of their Drachlomancer’s could do a better job than that, but that is a powerful spell. It requires tremendous control, he could easily have had the golem squeeze us too hard and we would be so much paste. I was held in a firm, not tight grip that allowed me to wiggle around and do what I needed to do without getting crushed.”

“I know we have not gotten along over the years, Thorak, but now it looks like we need to be more cooperative. You are at the heart of intrigue in the palace, what is going on there. I hear some of the strangest rumors about life in the palace these days.”

“Well Koripak, in a nutshell, our king is dying. His son, the heir, Borrial, is about to ransom dowry of Princess Mirtar in order to marry Princes Lymar of Fulsimter. Duke Vistyral, is, I hope, going to get engaged to an unnamed party whose dowry will soon be ransomed. He gave Koripak a wink. A treaty has been signed with the Elves authored by the Duke of Cryarlac, not our prince.”

Now you knew all of these things as well as I did. You like to maintain the appearance of being off in the country doing nothing but your magic but you can’t fool me. You have been dabbling in politics since we both became Grand Masters, you could no more give it up than you could give up breathing.”

Koripak laughed, “You are probably right, it seems an awfully large coincidence that Krakal died the same day Lymar’s engagement is concluded and as Borrial steps ever closer to the throne. It seems that something inappropriate is going on.”

“Care in what you say, and how you say it, has always been one of your most “endearing” properties. You need to use more finesse. Too often you come trampling through like an enraged elephant. When you get involved in political things, move around more like a deer; lightly, quickly, and carefully. You don’t say things out loud like that about the crown prince. You can think them, you can even whisper them to the right people, but you never, ever, say them out loud!”

“Well I applied for the position of court sorcerer only once. I never wanted to live in any other kingdom and my allegiance was always to Lamercal. I was hoping however that my best pupil, Marshak might have a chance of being court sorcerer to the next king.”

“You are still young enough yourself, because magic allows one to age so much slower, you would still be young enough to apply for court sorcerer to the grandson of Borrial. I will recommend you to Borrial now if you would like. As much as I have not liked you in the past, I still recognize your abilities as first rate. I guess it is time to put our enmity to rest. We were friends once, there is no reason after all of these years that we should still not get along again, especially since we now share such a talented pupil.”

“I would never serve Borrial if he is anything like I have heard him to be. I will stay as far away from him as I can. Frankly, I think he will have trouble finding candidates for the job.”

“No, there are few sure things in life, but, one of them is, that even the worst king would get plenty of applicants for court sorcerer. The guild gives us a lot of latitude in magic. There are many who deal in the darkest kinds of magic, things our king-to-be would be delighted to have used in his behalf.”

“True, I was hoping to see Marshak in a court position. Now that he knows as much magic, maybe more than we do, there is little hope for him in the near future.”

“Well I wanted to talk to you about that come with me.”