Chapter 1 Part 2

The next morning, Dylan gathered the small sack of things that he had packed and descended the ladder to find the two mages waiting for him. He had gotten up early so that he could be prepared for them, but instead they along with his father were sitting at the table talking quietly. His mother was still asleep, and for that he was glad.

"Are you ready to go, son?" his father asked in a whisper.

Dylan stood straight and tall. He put a brave front up and nodded. "I'm ready," he added.
The two mages stood and Tesron nodded grimly. Gage, the journeyman opened the door and the master left the house with Dylan and his father in tow. Outside, Dylan's father hugged the boy close and tightly for a few long moments. When they finally parted, there was moisture in the man's eyes that matched that of his son.

"Study hard and make me proud," Learth urged.

"I promise I will," Dylan answered.

Tesron mumbled something and Gage guided Dylan away towards the wagon that the two mages were traveling in. Behind them Tesron had a few final words with Dylan's father.

"We want to get away from the farm before your mother or the rest of the community wake," Gage told him. "Long good-byes are not good for you or your parents. Do not worry, the first few years will go by very fast, and you may yet have the opportunity to visit home on occasion."

Dylan swallowed the lump in his throat and climbed aboard the wagon and sat in the seat. Gage sat in the seat next to him. "There are many lessons for you to learn," Gage informed him politely. "Try to learn them quickly and your life will be very easy."

Dylan looked up questioningly.

"The first lesson is that the master sits in the seat and the student sits in the back of the wagon," he said jerking his head rearward.

Dylan understood and vacated the seat. He crawled over several large boxes and sacks to find a nook between a basket and the water barrel. He put his meager belongings in the nook and then leaned against the basket.

A few moments later the master, Tesron climbed into the seat and directed Gage to start the horses. The wagon creaked mutely but soon fell into rhythm as the wheels fell into long worn ruts on the road.

"Boy come closer," the master called.

Dylan crawled over the luggage and sat between and behind the two mages. "Yes, master?"

Tesron turned and appraise the youth. His expression was friendly, but the eyes were hard. "There are many things that you will need to learn," he told his newest student. "For the moment, you need only know that for a long time you will see very few people and will not be allowed to speak. It is not meant as punishment, but the solitude and silence will help you to develop self discipline and concentration. These skills cannot be taught, and until you discover them within yourself, you will not be able to learn."

Tesron placed a hand on Dylan's shoulder. "Gage will help you through this trying time, and when you have completed this all important lesson, you will be tutored by one of my apprentices as I have promised your family." The elf glanced over his shoulder and smiled at Dylan. The boy found the fact that Gage was going to be his first instructor comforting.

Tesron turned back to face the road and took the reigns while Gage stood and stepped over the seat to join Dylan in the back of the wagon. He sat across from Dylan and looked long and hard at him.

"Starting today," Gage told him, "you are bound to silence. You will be given permission to speak on occasion so if you have questions or requests, you must remember them and make them known at the proper time. In addition, when you are allowed to speak, it will be for a short time, so you must also prioritize your talk to ask or request what is most important first. This is to train your mind to remember many things and to make judgments based on need. Also you will spend this short time in a cell by yourself. The solitude will help you to meditate and to come to terms with yourself."

Gage noted that Dylan was anxious to ask a question, but Gage had once been through the same tasking. "This rarely lasts more than about three weeks, but if you find it hard to maintain your bearing, it may last much longer." Dylan's urgent question seemed to loose its urgency as Gage had answered it for him. Gage smiled. "Try to remember that all of us have gone through the same thing. The questions are almost always the same at first, so do not be too surprised if, in the beginning, you find that all your questions are answered without you having to ask them.

Gage noted Dylan's pack. "You will also be stripped of your possessions for a while. You will be given a smock to wear until you have passed through the initiation phase.

Afterward, your things will be given back to you, and you will be placed in with the other initiates and assigned chores and a tutor."

"While you are bound to silence, there will be brief periods of time when others will try to goad you or trick you into speaking without permission. We encourage them to do this by rewarding them if they are successful. This is to test your resolve and self control. Do not let them get to you."

Gage finished his instruction. He leaned back against the large sack of what looked like grain. "You will not be given a chance to speak until later today," he said at last. "Though this does not count towards your tasking, it will give you a chance to get used to it before we get to Allentown."

Dylan watched as Gage returned to the seat and accepted the reigns from Tesron.
They rode all day at a leisurely pace. Gage and Tesron kept to themselves for the most part and ignored Dylan. The only time they even acknowledged his existence was when they stopped at an inn in a village for the night. Gage directed Dylan to carry Tesron's baggage up to the room they had rented and then join them in the common room for the evening meal.

Dylan did as he was told, finding the bags relatively heavy and getting them up the two flights of stairs left him breathing heavily. He left them in the room and then went to join his master at the table.

When he was seated, Tesron immediately addressed him. "Take a few moments to ask any question that you may have at this time, and also let us know what you would like to eat. Keep in mind that once the food arrives, you will again be bound to silence."

Dylan nodded. During the day he had thought of many questions, but at the moment he could recall only a few. "How long will it be until we get to Allentown?"

"Two days," Gage answered.

Dylan opened his mouth to ask another question, but none came to mind. He decided to ask for something to eat, but had no idea what was available. He could see the mages reading from a sheet of hard paper. Dylan could not read, and did not want to test their patience "Please order for me whatever you think’ll be best," he asked.

"Strange choice," Gage noted with a half smile. "He has decided that since he can not read the menu to throw the decision back at us."

"It’s his decision," Tesron noted without taking his eyes from the paper. "He’ll dine this night on steamed vegetables."

Gage smirked at the frown on Dylan's face. He hated vegetables.

"In life," Tesron lectured, "you’ll usually be expected to accept the consequences of your decisions."

"Now is as good a time as any to begin," Gage added.

Dylan ate in silence. He was bound and determined to succeed and damned the vegetables if necessary. His resolve did falter somewhat as he quietly and with great reluctance forked a sprout of asparagus and put it in his mouth. He noted that the journeyman, Gage, was thoroughly amused by the display of disgust that forced itself onto his face as the food hit his taste.

The rest of the night went mostly uneventful. With the exception of a horrid taste in his mouth, Dylan felt very good. He was still bound to silence, but Gage had given him more direction as they made their way back to the rooms while Tesron paid for their meal.

"During the Rite of Meditation, as this time you are in is called, you will not be required to perform chores or labor for anyone except yourself. Likewise, no one will go out of their way to do anything for you either. This is to teach you independence and prioritization. Master Tesron will support you financially since you are not working for wages, but you must learn your lessons else you will be returned to you family in disgrace. And none of us want that."

Gage left Dylan at the door to the room they had arranged for him. Gage and Tesron were sharing the room next door to his. Dylan thought it strange at first that he should have a private room whereas the journeyman and master shared quarters. The arrangement only went to show Dylan how important the Rite of Meditation was to his master.

Dylan slept well that night, and the next morning he woke and bathed on his own and was ready to depart without instruction. Though neither mage commented on this, Dylan did receive a look of approval from Tesron.

He was not allowed to speak until they stopped for lunch at which time he inquired only if there were any special circumstances by which he could break his silence if the situation warranted it. Tesron simply told him that it was his decision to make as to what warranted breaking his silence, but that as always, he would be made to accept the consequences of his decision.

Dylan found that with solid thinking, careful observation and patience, he was answering his own questions and had very few to ask when he was allowed. The day of their arrival in Allentown, he wanted very much to ask permission to see the city, but he need not have asked. He decided that he would be allowed to visit the city at some point, and that it would have to wait until then.

Allentown's tent section was a massive carnival of peddlers and charlatans who traded everything imaginable. Dylan watched with excited curiosity as the tents drifted by and merchants called out to the riders.

After about an hour of winding through the tents, the wagon passed through a set of rough gates that were rusted open. Allentown's defenses had fallen into dreadful disrepair. The gates would never hold back against any size of ram, and the walls could be scaled without a ladder. The structures were not so much for defense as they were for serving as the boundary between the tents and the proper citizenry.

The middle city was where the craftsman shops, taverns, and residences were. The streets were packed clay and when dry very serviceable. During heavy rains, however, the streets were a mess.

Dylan took in the surroundings enthusiastically, but reserved until they passed through a large archway which served as a portal in a thick and tall hedge line. Before them, Dylan saw the Academy. It was an expanse of many interconnected buildings. The walkways between buildings wove in and out of gardens and floral arrangements of great beauty containing exquisite sculptured works. To one side was a large structure which Gage informed him was one of five of the great libraries of the world.

"The other three known libraries are in Keron, Tycho and Haganaw. Legend states that a fifth library existed in the far south, but was lost long ago when one of the great southern cities was wiped out by a plague and fell into ruin."

Dylan immediately wanted to ask how someone could lose a library, but due to his enforced silence, he had no choice but to hold his question. Instead he listened attentively to the journeyman as he also pointed out another great complex adjacent to the library. It was the guild hall of magic. That was the guild to which all magic using professions belonged.

Gage droned on as the wagon approached the front steps of the Academy. Dylan's attention was captured by a scene not far from the doors. Another wagon of similar nature to theirs was parked. A black robed mage and a small boy about his own age were unloading the baggage. As they rode closer, the mage mounted the steps and entered the hall.

Two boys perhaps a year or two older exited immediately afterward. They were dressed in plain white tunics and wore sandals. As they passed the wagon, one turned to address the smaller boy who patiently awaited his master.

"What’s your name?" the older boy asked, but received no reply.

"He doesn't want to speak," his comrade noted. "I bet he’s in the Rite of Meditation."

"But his master isn't here. Neither are any other masters, journeymen or apprentices." He redressed the silent boy. "So you can talk. We won't tell."

"Yeah," the second promised. "So what’s your name?"

The silent boy started hesitantly, then glanced around briefly. He appeared as if he were about to speak, when he spied Tesron's wagon and its occupants approaching. Then he aborted any thought of speaking.

The two other boys noted this as well, and ceased their interview and resumed their chores. Gage and Tesron had not missed the episode. Dylan heard them talking softly so as not to be overheard by the small silent boy.

"He almost gave in," Gage observed.

"He would have if we hadn't been here," Tesron agreed. "I'm afraid that he won't last very long. He was too willing to try to get away with speaking during his Rite of Meditation. He doesn’t have proper respect for the rules."

"He will break them if he thinks he can get away with it," Gage agreed.

Dylan listened and digested what had transpired. He resolved to be on his guard against older students trying to trick him into talking. He also caught a brief glimpse of insight. He was on guard against the older students because he learned from another person's experience. Was it possible that one of the lessons the Rite of Meditation taught was the value of learning from another's mistakes and successes?

When Tesron's wagon stopped, Gage and Dylan unloaded the supplies while Tesron entered the hall. Fortunately, though three older students did pass by, and their expressions clearly indicated that they would like to harass the newcomer, Gage's scowl sent them scurrying by leaving Dylan unmolested.

Gage and Dylan delivered the baggage to the front door where a set of small pushing carts awaited. They loaded the bags onto the carts and Dylan was instructed to push the cart as they followed Tesron.

Tesron reappeared almost immediately with a hand full of papers. He led them into back into the building and absently read his mail as they walked down the polished corridors of the large complex.

Dylan pushed the cart as he was told. It was not difficult and his attention wandered as he took in his surroundings.

The entrance hall was very large with a marble floor and rich tapestries. An open door to one side of the hall showed a small room with a wall lined with tiny open boxes. A black robed mage was taking some papers similar to those that Tesron carried from one of those boxes.

The rest of the hall was decorated with paintings, statues and floral arrangements. At regular intervals a large set of double doors would lead from the main hall way off to the left or right. Next to these doors a large black colored board containing white writing, which Dylan could not read, heralded information that the building's inhabitants found of interest. Tesron even stopped at one point to study one of these. He muttered something to Gage who nodded in agreement.

At the far end of the plush and beautiful hall, a wide set of steps led upward. Next to that set of steps. a small alcove seemed out of place and curious. Dylan cringed at the thought of pulling the cart up the steps, but before he made any errant attempts, Gage led him to the alcove.

While Tesron mounted the step and disappeared at the top, Gage assisted Dylan in placing the cart in the alcove. The first thing Dylan noted was that the floor was not steady. Then Gage opened a panel, turned a crank within several times and then pulled a lever.

The floor began to rise, and Dylan discovered that the tiny room he was standing in was actually a box and that something was making the box rise. Within seconds, they rose to the second floor of the building. Tesron was there waiting. When the floor box stopped moving, Gage led Dylan out and without a word, Tesron turned and walked onward, expecting the others to follow.

Already Dylan had seen a wonder beyond his dreams. If he could learn how to build moving rooms, then his whole experience would be worth the undertaking. He could think of many practical uses for the moving room. On the plantation, carrying bales of hay, cotton and tobacco up into the storage lofts was a dangerous and strenuous job. It seemed that a year did not go by that someone did not fall from a ladder and break something while trying to carry a bale up to a storage loft.

Tesron stopped at a door. Dylan took in his surroundings. The hall they had just traveled down was not as rich as the one below, but it was well constructed and polished clean. How it was kept that way was apparent as a pair of boys garbed in simple white tunics with plain rope belts were scrubbing the floor just a little farther down the way. Tesron removed a key from his robe and unlocked the door. He entered and Gage followed motioning Dylan to do the same.

Tesron's apartment, for that was what Gage would later tell him, was simple and spacious. The main room, contained several chairs around a fireplace in the middle of the floor. A metal flue led up and into the ceiling. On the far side of the room was a balcony and set of doors with real glass which allowed Dylan to see out into a courtyard where many black and gray robed people were congregating in a maze-like garden. To one side of the room there was a wall with many shelves filled with scrolls and books. Next to those was a large desk with an oil lamp. The other wall of the apartment was mostly bare with the exception of a couple of portraits and a single closed door.

Gage and Tesron removed most of the baggage from Dylan's cart and placed it on the floor. Tesron then nodded to Gage and picked one of the bags up and went over to the desk. Gage motioned for Dylan to follow him and then returned to the outer hallway. Dylan followed pushing his cart much more easily now that it was lighter.

"Those quarters belong to Master Tesron," Gage told him. "Remember where they are, because when you have completed your Rite of Meditation, you may be expected to help keep his quarters clean."

Dylan nodded his understanding. He followed Gage back to the stairs and the moving box. Dylan pushed his cart into the box and waited patiently. Gage joined him. He opened the panel and showed the crank and lever arrangement.

"To go up, you must turn the crank two times and pull this lever," the journeyman explained. "To go down you simply push the lever and release it. The elevator will move only one floor at time."

"If you need to go up two floors, you must turn the crank two times, pull the lever, wait for the elevator to stop moving, then turn the crank two more times and pull the lever again." Dylan nodded his understanding.

"Now speak. I wish to go up one more floor. What must I do?"

"You must turn the crank two times and pull the handle," Dylan repeated.

"Very good," Gage commended. "You listen well. Now return to your silence." With that Gage operated the machinery and the elevator rose to the next floor. Then he exited and Dylan followed him. They passed several other mages most of which were masters as far as Dylan could tell.

A set of youths wearing the short tailed white tunics, however were caring for a set of potted plants near a double door portal. Two boys were doing most of the work wore the plain tunics as those scrubbing the floor below had worn while a girl, obviously older than the boys, wore a green tunic and directed their efforts.

The idea that girls would also be serving at the Academy had not occurred to Dylan. He wondered just how many girls there were. It also occurred to him that the older initiates would serve in some kind of supervisory role and that the colored tunic was some type of rank.

After passing through the portal, the hallway made a sharp turn to the left. The ceiling was much lower in this hall and there were many of the white tunic girls and boys washing windows, scrubbing floors and dusting furniture.

Gage stopped at a door and removed a key from his robe. Dylan surmised that this was Gage's apartment. The room beyond was much smaller than Tesron's had been, but it was still quite large. A single window looked out over the garden. The fireplace was against the wall and there was also a small writing desk and set of shelves next to the window. Against the far wall was a low bed and wash basin complete with mirror.

At the wash basin was a young woman wearing a yellow colored tunic and sandals. She worked at cleaning the mirror and glanced at them only briefly as Gage and Dylan entered the room.

"Good afternoon, Sara," Gage greeted the girl as he began to remove the last of the baggage from Dylan's cart.

"That it is, sir," the girl answered embarrassed.

"May I ask why you are cleaning my mirror?" Gage inquired.

The girl, about twelve years old bowed her head. "One of my team failed to clean it properly before your arrival," she admitted. "I’d hoped to recover the error before you returned."

"Who was responsible for that function?" Gage asked as he sat in the chair by the writing table.

"Cody was supposed to have done it, sir."

"Did he forget his duties?"

"No sir," she answered with a nervous glance at Dylan. "He failed to execute them correctly."

"Cody seems to be a thorn in our side," Gage observed. "This is not the first time that we have had problems with him and you are not the first team supervisor or task leader to have to clean up behind him. It may be that we must speak with his parents about terminating his education. Where is he now?"

"I sent him to the kitchens," Sarah informed the journeyman. "Task Leader Jerome is there and has been instructed to put Cody on garbage detail. I told Cody that if he insisted on being sloppy with his duties, that I’d give him a duty where he could be as sloppy as he wanted."

"An excellent solution," Gage praised. "Let us see if he learns from this experience. Jerome is a good task leader and will soon be joining you as another team supervisor."

Gage paused in thought and Sara again glanced at Dylan. Dylan decided that the girl was pretty but not stunningly so. She obviously was a person of some rank among initiates.

Gage noticed the two children watching each other and decided that introductions were in order. "Sarah," he began, "this is Dylan. He is our newest initiate and has already begun to practice his Rite of Meditation. Would you have someone take his cart and also could you find Kayla for me?"

"Right away, sir." the girl immediately headed for the door.

"Oh, and one more thing, Sarah," Gage added, "Be sure that Robert knows that we are back. Tell him that he should drop by to see either Master Tesron or myself as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir," Sarah said and as she turned to the door, she flashed Dylan a smile. "Welcome to the team," she whispered.

When the door closed, Gage addressed the boy they had brought back with them. "Master Tesron is over many initiates, Dylan," Gage began. "As you may have noticed, most of the initiates wear plain tunics. These are the initiates who do most of the work and are here to serve their time and then leave. As a result they do not do their best.

Those who show that they wish to do well and try hard are clothed in green. These initiates are called task leaders. They still must work, but their primary function is to see that a job is done correctly.

Fewer still are those initiates who excel in what they do and continuously exceed expectations. These initiates are given yellow and called team supervisors. Each team supervisor is responsible for a work teams which performs several tasks.

Sarah's work team is responsible for cleaning the rooms in this section of the hall. She has several task leaders whose jobs it is to scrub floors, wash windows, dust and polish furniture, do laundry and other things of that ilk.

The senior initiate, is Robert. He is the initiate who assigns the teams to their work. He wears red and is called a manager.

Each master has a manager and a force of initiates. I am going to give you fair warning. Learn who Master Tesron's initiates are. They will help you with your studies and help you stay out of trouble.

Other masters' initiates will try to trick you into speaking when you should not and they will lie to you and try to get you into trouble. This is part of your training. In the world of initiate infighting, you will learn how to separate fact from fiction.

Undoubtedly you will make enemies with your fellow initiates. That is to be expected and normal. But always remember, no matter how much you dislike one of our other initiates, you must never let it interfere with your work or studies."

Gage was about to say more, when there came a knock at the door. "In," Gage called out.
The door opened and a young woman of about eighteen years of age entered the room. She had long blond hair and bright blue eyes. She was of medium height, and wore a gray robe.

"Did you send for me?" she asked.

"Kayla," Gage gestured to the boy, "this is Dylan. He is Master Tesron's newest initiate. Would you please help him begin his Rite of Meditation?"

"Of course," she said with a smile filled with sunshine. She extended a hand to him and Dylan reflexively took it. "Trusting isn't he?"

"For the moment," Gage agreed. He turned and knelt before the boy. "Dylan, this is Kayla. She is one of Master Tesron's apprentices. She and I will be in charge of your studies after you have finished your Rite of Meditation."

He placed a scribbled a note on a scrap of parchment. "Right now she is going to take you to a place where you can be alone. She will instruct you on what you should do and how you should behave."

Gage stood and faced the apprentice. "He is a good boy and was raised on a plantation. You should find him obedient and thoughtful. I suspect that we will discover that he is a model student."

"That’ll be a pleasant surprise," Kayla replied. "Will you be available later? We need to speak about one of the more troublesome initiates. His scores and performance has fallen to marginal levels at best."

"Come by when you have Dylan taken care of and we will investigate our options," the journeyman ordered.

Kayla nodded and headed for the door. She led Dylan out into the hallway and back up to the stairs. They then proceeded to climb for what seemed like hours until they emerged in a lofty hallway lined with many dull gray uniform doors.

A green tunic initiate sat at a desk near the top of the stairs. The boy, about thirteen by Dylan's guess, stood as Kayla arrived. "How can I help you, apprentice?"

Kayla passed the note to the green garbed initiate. "I need to enroll my master's new initiate into the Rite of Meditation."

The initiate nodded and opened a book he took a quill, dipped it in ink and began to write. "What’s the newcomer's name?"

"Dylan," Kayla answered. "And he’s a ward of Master Tesron."

The initiate finished his entry then turned to a small box. He selected a key and passed it to Kayla. The apprentice took the key and led Dylan down the corridor a fair distance before stopping at one door. She inserted the key and opened the door.

Inside was a small room with a sleeping mat, and rolled up blankets. A simple white tunic, undergarment, belt, and sandals were neatly folded and lay upon the mat. In one corner lay a chamber pot and in another a small table with a pitcher of water stood. High upon the wall, far out of reach was a small hole through which sunlight entered to illuminate the room.

"This will be your room for the next few weeks," Kayla told him. "Go and change into that tunic."

Dylan went over and began to undress, but stopped and glanced over his shoulder. Kayla was still there. She saw his face and rolled her eyes and then politely turned her back to him. "Each morning, one of the other initiates will come to get you. They’ll take you to a room where you’ll spend the entire day. Your meals will be brought to you by another of your fellow initiates and once each day, usually late in the evening, Gage or myself or one of the other apprentices will come to visit you and answer any questions that you have."

She turned back around. Dylan was wearing the tunic and though the fit was a little loose as he was a boy of small stature, it would serve well.

"Very good," Kayla remarked as she approached. She made a few adjustments and gathered his old clothes, then stood back to survey him. "At this time, you may speak. There’s no time limit and I won’t leave until you’re comfortable with your situation."

"How long do I have to stay here?" Dylan asked.

"That’s up to you," Kayla answered. "What you do each day will determine how long you stay. I can't say what the criteria is for your advancement to the next stage of your education. I’ll only say that while you are in the Rite of Meditation, we’ll be training your mind to do something. When we feel that you’re ready, this part of your training will be over."

"Will I eat today?" It was perhaps a waste of a question, but the fact that they had not eaten all afternoon was making Dylan's stomach hurt.

Kayla laughed. "Of course you’ll eat. Someone will bring tonight's meal to you here. Your routine will begin tomorrow so be ready."

"Thank you," Dylan said. "I guess I don't have any other questions."

Kayla smiled and cupped his chin. "It’ll be a bit scary at first," she warned. "But don't let it frighten you. The time will pass quickly.

Dylan smiled as the young woman stood and stepped out of the room. Then she closed the door behind her and Dylan was left alone.