Tegus: and the Shards of Solaster

Chapter 6: Vakaroth Rivalry

Vakaroth spent many moons watching the young wizard, learning his every move. Where he went, what he ate, who he spent his time with. And every moment Vakaroth did this, he did not realize, he was becoming corrupted from within by the envy and jealousy he had for Tegus.

Tegus never realised how much his presence effected Vakaroth. Tegus went to his studies and at every point Vakaroth could, he tried to hinder Tegus. He was always interrupted or what he had planned had failed.

One plot among other things stood out as Vakaroth intended to uncover the information from the Masters tower and do away with Tegus altogether.

Vakaroth spent many days preparing a potion that would make Tegus feel Vakaroth was his most loyal companion and also unnoticeably open and honest to him. Once he had got the information he wanted he was simply going to walk him off the edge of the University so that it looked like a tragic accident.

It started when Vakaroth had found an old potion book that was hand written. He had found this potion in the back and there had been a warning, which Vakaroth abruptly ignored. It said:

“WARNING: To anyone wanting to make the honesty potion. Please be aware not everyone should know the truth and learning it could have disastrous effects on friendships, lives and even yourself!”

Firstly, Vakaroth collected the simple ingredients, the ones he could find in the ground or that were easily accessible from the alchemy labs. So after a couple of days he had a plucked feather from a crow, which took him some time and energy to acquire, and gathered some witch-weed from the alchemy labs supply closet. Flame-root he got from on top of the towers that hung from the edge of the tiles. This took him some inventive ways of getting around and also made him learn a stronger levitation spell.

He also needed a piece of bronze wire, which involved him sneaking up to the now alive, statues. He edged his way around the side of Ocelot’s carriage after dark one night and appeared behind Revolver. The bronze men were all stood around chatting away from their carriages, so this made Vakaroth’s task even easier. He reached out and plucked a bronze hair from Revolver’s tail. The horse went crazy, neighing and stomping its hooves.

“Quiet, you old mare, there’ll be hell to pay if you wake these wizards up.” Ocelot warned Revolver.

Revolver was now looking around and behind trying to see what it was, to no avail. Whatever had been there, had gone.

Consequently after several days collecting the easier to acquire ingredients, he knew it was time to get the last two items he needed.

The first was not so much that it was not allowed, it was more that it was rare and hard to see as it was so tiny. Vakaroth needed an insect. It was rare and hard to track due to barely being able to be seen by even elf eyes. It lived near the University where it was originally discovered, and then later used in the original potion. Only three had ever been seen and caught.

Vakaroth researched the bug to learn what was known about it and discovered that it was almost invisible due to having a clear shell of a body, had six small legs and seemed to eat the roaming magic energies, which explained why it was at the University. Vakaroth also read that the three which had been found were behind the classrooms, and he knew the place with the most wandering magic was behind Kalthion’s classroom. Kalthion spent many days exasperatingly trying to teach spells most students could not master on their first try, so there was a lot of wasted magic built up behind the classroom.

Kalthion spent any moment he had behind there searching for the mysterious bug. Several days passed, and Vakaroth was getting annoyed, he was not known for being patient. One day Kalthion was passing and saw him moving slowly against the wall with his hands out looking at it.

“What are you doing boy?” Kalthion questioned him curiously.

Vakaroth a little surprised to be seen simply told him he was looking for the mysterious bug. Vakaroth was caught off guard and didn’t have time to make anything up. Kalthion walked over to him and looked closely at the wall.

“Ah they eat the wasted magic. I too spent many months trying to be the fourth person to find one in my youth. Fruitless effort it was but good luck to you. Admirable dedication.”

Kalthion believing what Vakaroth was doing was harmless and simply went to walk away. As he turned Vakaroth saw a twinkle on his shoulder, just where the sunlight reflected from a tiny glossy surface. That was it! That was the bug he needed, and it was resting on Professor Kalthion’s shoulder. Before he knew it he had hugged the professor, “Thank you for believing that I can find it.” he said.

“What has gotten into you boy, get off me, I said it was a fruitless effort. I do not believe you will find it.”

Kalthion was trying to push him off with his wand not wanting to touch him.

Vakaroth did not care what the Teacher thought, or if he had made him uncomfortable, as he now had the mysterious bug. Now it was time to get the second of the final hard to get ingredients.

The last one was locked within the supply tower, a tiny stumpy tower with just three floors. The first floor was a place for students and teachers alike, and the second was for teachers only. The third floor, however, was locked and off-limits to even most of the teachers. Only the Grand Master and a little handful of Master wizards were allowed in. Vakaroth knew it held the Siren’s tears he needed. One small bottle of those tears would react with his ingredients and bind them together to make his potion.

So after dark once more he slipped out of his tower and into the night. He stayed close to the building and snuck past the late night wanderers. He reached the supply tower quickly, and the lock was easily opened by an expanding spell, and he was in. Straight away he walked up the stairs cautiously to the second floor where the lesson supplies and teacher’s personal requisitions were kept. He looked on, and the room looked the same as the first floor only with even stranger things like giant legs from animals and different eggs, and unusual things in jars. At the far side across the room, he saw a door that was purple. It had chains that were magically bound across it with a huge key hole near the middle.

Vakaroth reached the door and looked at it for a moment. This lock was a screamer lock designed to scream a high-pitched frequency if not opened by a key. He did not have time to go back. He thought fast and grabbed a scroll from the side and covered it in sleep powder. He shoved it in the lock’s keyhole and after a few moments, the lock was still. Vakaroth grabbed the chains that ran from the lock to the corners of the door and melted them with a spell until the chain and screamer lock fell upon the floor. He was in.

This third floor was an even stranger place than the second, there were strange things hanging from the ceiling, grizzly trophies to the sides, and a very strange-looking book on a pedestal at the end. Little did Vakaroth know this had many secrets he could have made use of.

He looked in the cabinet where the potions and vials were kept and found several bottles of Siren’s tears. He grabbed the bottle and was gone before anyone ever knew he wasn’t in his room.

The next morning everyone was woken by the screams of the lock. It was a horrible sound, but to Vakaroth, it was the sign of his success. That following night, he heated his Sirens tears and added the ingredients. All he had to do was get Tegus to drink it. He would offer him a drink after classes had finished and the potion would take effect quickly. Then he could lead him away and get any information about the Masters Tower, and then he would let Tegus fall to his doom. His plan had taken weeks to prepare, but its execution would be simple.

The following day as they left Kalthion’s class Vakaroth waited outside the tower.

“Hey Tegus” he said as Tegus came out.

Tegus was a little confused that Vakaroth had spoken to him.

“Would you like to try my new drink? It’s designed to boost your magic and make you more alert.” he lied.

“Erm…” Tegus began.

“Go on, I’ve had one, look how alert I am.” Vakaroth was still lying.

“No I’m ok thank you.” Tegus refused.

Vakaroth hadn’t expected Tegus to simply refuse.

“It’s refreshing and will allow you to focus. It will give you energy for whatever you do after class?” Vakaroth tried again with the lie as Tegus began to walk away.

All of a sudden, the bottle was taken from Vakaroth by a big chunky hand.

“Don’t mind if I do.” Norsewind had taken it as he only heard Vakaroth recommend it and didn’t realize it was tendered to Tegus.

Tegus waved to Norsewind and walked off. Vakaroth looked at Norsewind; would he be caught? Would Norsewind realize what he had just drunk?

“Bah, it’s a bit salty!” Norsewind told him as he finished the last drop, “Thanks regardless, just what I needed.”

“No problem Sir, anytime Sir.” Vakaroth quickly replied, and scurried away in anger that his week of work was wasted on the dwarf. He would just keep trying things to find out what he needed to know.

Norsewind walked into Kalthion’s classroom. Kalthion greeted him with a bow.

Norsewind strolled up to Kalthion with his arms wide open ready to embrace him.

“Kalthion,” he began with a lump in his throat, “you’re my best buddy. You are, you know that, don’t you?”

He flung his tree trunk arms around Kalthion. “I’d do anything for you. I love you, you tall beautiful elf. I know we are both men, and you’re an elf and I’m a dwarf, but that doesn’t matter. I still love you!”

Kalthion looked down at him and simply said, “Have you been drinking?”