Chapter 1 Part 1

The Chime of Twin-Kleare

Part One: What’s The Big Idea?

Ultrecht roused himself from his meditation. Shaking off a growing sense of frustration, he poured himself a glass of apple juice. For months now he’d been trying to recall the details of what he’d read from the Tome of Creation, but his efforts were in vain.
He prided himself on his mental skills. Through a combination of natural talent, mental exercises, and magical enhancement, he possessed a near-perfect memory. He could even remember his birth--not really a pleasant memory, but a definite marker of achievement in recall.
Still the secrets of the Tome eluded him. Fuzzy memories of various passages hung tantalizingly close, seemingly just out of reach, only to come clear in a dream or meditation, usually to fade again as soon as he tried to pursue it.
“Oh well…” He said as he tossed back his juice. Setting the empty cup down, he glanced at the elaborate water clock sitting in its alcove. He was due to teach a class of advanced apprentices in two hours. Generally he hated to teach, but it was a requirement to maintain his membership in the Guild of Mages. He did teach as little as he could get away with though. He put on his robe and left to prepare for class.

The subject at hand was “Interrelation Elemental Dimensionalities and their Co-Connective Properties” and Ultrecht was warming to it nicely. He was lecturing to his class while drawing on the chalkboard when it dawned on him that someone was snoring. He concentrated on his Mage-Sight and viewed the class without turning around, disgraceful.
One student was leaned back in his chair snoring softly, three more were nodding on the verge of sleep, and the remaining four were all staring with glassy-eyed agony. Ultrecht began drawing a very complex diagram pertaining to the subject, using the motions of drawing to hide the somatic gestures of a spell.

Edwin was struggling to stay awake. Everyone he’d spoken to said that Master Ultrecht’s classes were the most difficult courses of all, and it was well known that only those students who stayed in the top ten percent of their ranks could even sign up for his teaching. But Edwin was amazed at the mind numbing depth of the subject. He’d spent the first two hours feverishly struggling to keep up, making detailed notes, and grasping for understanding, but now he felt overwhelmed and was fighting to stay awake.
It dawned on him that he was sweating. He blearily glanced around the room and noted three of his fellow students were asleep and the others just as dazed as himself. He pulled at his collar to try for some relief from the stuffy hot air, but to no avail.
At the front of the class, Master Ultrecht was drawing a large diagram of some kind. Suddenly a bolt of lightning exploded from the ceiling to the floor. Before he could even flinch, a torrent of freezing rain driven by gale force winds blasted through the room. Edwin clung to his desk as the winds tried to shove him out of his seat. Fortunately, the desk was bolted to the floor.
At the front of the room Master Ultrecht continued his drawing as if he were unaware of the raging storm behind him. Edwin tried to scream for help, but the raging winds ripped the words from his mouth. He was soaked to the skin and already blue with cold, but the wind whipped higher, freezing the rain. Wind-driven snow stung his face and arms, sapping his strength, and slowly breaking his hold on the desk. Fighting with everything he had left to keep his grip, he was suddenly dropped to the floor when the storm instantly stopped. He scrambled back into his seat, only then noticing that none of his papers were touched in the slightest.
In the deafening silence that followed Master Ultrecht said cheerily to the chalkboard, “My favorite classes are those in which the students actively participate.”
The Master turned to face his students, seeming not to notice the soaked and shivering wide eyed bodies or the piles of snow around each desk.
“Any questions?”
Every hand shot upward.

After the class was dismissed Ultrecht walked up to a slight shimmer in the air that was hanging innocently in one corner. The elemental was nearly invisible, very difficult to find unless one knew what to look for. A faint breeze moved interrogatively.
“Yes,” said Ultrecht politely. “A masterful show of skill. It was not the display I had originally intended, but you performed admirably even amid unplanned changes.” He pulled a small vial from his robe pocket. “May I call on you again in the future?”
The breeze fluttered affirmatively and Ultrecht pulled the stopper on the vial and sprinkled the expensive perfume into the elemental. A momentary whirlwind dispersed the liquid into fine particles and danced euphorically. Another moment later the breeze again moved in an interrogative manner and Ultrecht leaned forward and inhaled deeply.
“Yes, it’s a wonderful scent,” he said appreciatively. “It is indeed one of my very favorites. I believe you shall be the envy of your peers for quite some time. ”
The air quivered with pleasure.
As he released the summons on the elemental Ultrecht said, “Thank you,” and the being was gone.
“Hello Uncle.” A voice came from the doorway. “I was under the impression that elementals were unintelligent.”
Ultrecht smiled and turned to greet Avery’s son Gage, a student at the college. “Not unintelligent, my boy," he corrected, "merely alien. All it takes is an understanding of their motivations. ”
Gage nodded. Then he grinned and looked meaningfully at the melting snow on the floor. “Are all of your visual aids so dramatic?”
“No, I just take exception to people sleeping in my class. It makes me feel unappreciated as a teacher. ”
Gage’s grin grew even wider. “I doubt this group will sleep through any more classes. In fact young Edwin swears he’ll never sleep again, even at night.” He paused and took on a false look of concern. “You know uncle, these small displays of yours may cause the faculty to keep you from teaching. Today we have a small blizzard, three months ago a student was transformed into a donkey…”
“Jackass,” Ultrecht interrupted. “He seemed more natural that way.”
“I see.” Gage shook his head and chuckled. “Well I must admit, things seem much more lively around here after one of your classes. By now I’m sure the stories are telling of twelve-foot snow drifts and ice dragons.”
With a sly smile Ultrecht said, “Maybe next time I won’t have any students sign up.”
Gage laughed out loud. “Quite the contrary Uncle. The competition for this class was so intense two students had to be reprimanded. Your reputation makes it very prestigious to attend your lectures. ”
Ultrecht sighed. “Oh well. At least I can hope the faculty doesn’t want me to teach again too soon. ”
“Fear not Uncle. I think you’re safe for a while. But in any event, the reason I came to see you is that my master is sending me on a errand tomorrow, so I wanted to know if you’d like to join me for dinner tonight. ”
Ultrecht brightened. “Why certainly. I’ve heard of a new place opening in the merchant quarter that I’ve been meaning to try.”
“Sounds good to me.”