Chapter 5 Part 3

The next day Dylan and Cindy reported to their new master as they were instructed. Gage was still billeted in the same quarters, but many of his things had been packed. In addition, his brother was there though his parents were not.

“Here they are,” Coran announced as he opened Gage’s door to let the initiates in. His mysterious black eyes shimmered with hidden thoughts.

“Please come in,” Gage urged as he sat behind his small desk. The students entered the room and took seats as they were instructed. “In truth, I really am not sure where we go from here,” he admitted to his pupils. “Tesron has given me some advice, and that should help us get a start, but for the most part we will all be working together to figure things out.” He smiled warmly.

“First of all I have to move to new quarters.” He motioned at the boxes and bags cluttering the room. “Coran has volunteered to help me and I also require your assistance. I have arranged for you to be excused from lessons today as well as arranged for some other initiates to drop by and help us move. Most immediately, though is the issue of your knots.”

Dylan involuntarily fingered the knot pattern on his rope that was characteristic for Tesron’s initiates.

“You will be allowed to wear Tesron’s knots until you come up with a pattern of your own. Since knot marking is not an official rule, I am going to let the two of you come up with the pattern that my initiates will wear. I ask only that you allow me to preview it before you wear it in public.” He smiled. “For now though, let’s get to moving this stuff before Coran runs off to find a lady to charm.”

“And why would I leave to do that,” the tall dark man asked, “when there’s such a lovely maiden here for me to flirt with.” He gestured at Cindy with a wink.

“You heard mother,” Gage warned. “Do not play with her emotions.”

“My apologies, my dear” Coran whispered with his musical voice. He bowed low before Cindy. “While you’re indeed quite beautiful, I’m afraid that the years between us would only serve as an obstacle to any relationship that I could lure you into.”

Cindy’s face turned bright red and Coran stepped aside and lifted a crate onto his powerful shoulder. Then he opened the door and passed though it.

“Do not take anything he says seriously,” Gage advised his charges. “He has a very strange sense of humor.” Dylan smirked at Cindy’s embarrassment. Then lifted a small box filled with candles and parchment and followed the tall human.

With the help of several other initiates, by early evening they had completely moved Master Gage into an apartment only a little smaller than Tesron’s. It was quite surprising how many books and manuscripts Gage had, and from Dylan’s examination, it appeared as though Gage had written them all.

Out of curiosity he paused at one moment to take a good hard look at what was written in one of them. The text was written by hand and had many scribbles and notes entered in the margins. Though he could read the words, too many of them were unknown to him for him to get a good idea of what the subject of the matter was about.

Then sensing that it was somehow improper for him to be looking in his masters books, Dylan closed the book and placed it upon the shelf just as Cindy entered with another box. She and Dylan unpacked Gage’s things and arranged the room as neatly as they could.

They had just finished when Gage entered the room with Coran in tow. He surveyed his underling’s work and nodded in satisfaction.

“An excellent day’s work, I think,” he told his brother.

“I’d have to agree,” Coran admitted. “I think a reward of some kind is in order here.”

“Then let us all four go out to eat tonight,” Gage suggested. “Cindy, you and Dylan go get cleaned up and meet me back here when you are ready.”

Dylan and Cindy did as they were instructed and Gage and Coran took them into the town where they were fed some of the best food available in town. Coran and Gage talked fondly of their days growing up in the northern woodlands near Tycho. Cindy and Dylan listened intently as the young men told of adventures against imaginary foes and their parents and family.

“It must have been very exciting having two masters as uncles,” Dylan noted at one point.

“Oh that it was,” Coran agreed. “The only problem with those two was knowing when they’re telling you the truth and when they’re pulling your leg.” The soldier laughed. “I recall one time when they had your master here convinced that dragons were extremely charitable and would give gold to anyone who had the courage to insult them.” Coran laughed as did Gage.

“Gage was so anxious to show his courage, that he walked right up to a silver dragon and called him an overgrown salamander.”

“Uncle Armegon had to do some fast talking that day,” Gage laughed.

“You actually saw a dragon?” Cindy gasped.

“Often,” Coran answered. “Armegon and Ultrecht and father are well acquainted with several dragons, unicorns, even a couple of centaurs and minotaurs.”

“Minotaans?” Dylan asked.

Coran nodded. “Sorry,” he apologized. “You are correct. Minotaans.”

“I’d love to see a unicorn someday,” Cindy stated dreamily as she spooned a piece of cake.

“Perhaps someday you will get that chance,” Gage offered. “But tomorrow we must return to our lives. These last few days have been very special, but time moves on.”

“And so must I, I’m sorry to say,” Coran agreed. “I must be off tomorrow to return to Tycho.”

“True and I must see to the education of these two,” Gage fixed Cindy and Dylan with a thoughtful look. “For the immediate future, they will keep to their normal study schedule. Kayla and Adam will work with them, but that must soon change and I must prepare for that day.”

They finished the meal and returned to the Guild where Dylan and Cindy left Gage and Coran and returned to the Academy. The next day they returned to their normal lives.

The year passed quite slowly at first. Dylan’s father visited during the second month since his extra duties prevented him from visiting the plantation. The meeting was emotional and very nice. Gage received Learth with open arms and put the quartermaster up in the best inn in the city--a fact which Dylan was both impressed with and grateful for. Dylan was excused from lessons for three days for the visit, and Learth was allowed to observe his son in his daily duties. The man was greatly impressed with his son’s performance. Learth left several days later fully confident that his son was getting a quality education.

After the visit of his father, Dylan’s days were pretty routine. There was a point of excitement in the early winter when Cindy was awarded a yellow tunic, and Dylan went out of his way to show her how proud and happy he was for her.

Near the end of winter, something tragic happened. Jeremy, the yellow tunic in charge of the warehouse was killed by an accident. A rack containing vials of quicksilver collapsed and fell on him while he was doing inventory. The whole Academy felt the loss and mourning was allowed for a whole week, while Jeremy’s family claimed the body.

It was at that time that Tesron suggested and Gage nominated Dylan for the yellow tunic and placed him in charge of the warehouse. Dylan’s first lesson was not to go in and change everything to suit him until he had taken a good hard look at how things were operating before. He had often thought of what would be a better way of doing thing, but when he actually started to look hard at Jeremy’s system, he began to see things a little differently.

It was about that time that Adam departed to serve a master residing in Seron. A party was held by masters Tesron and Gage, Cindy and Dylan were also invited as were Tesron’s other initiates. Dylan was sad to see the young man go. Though he had not gotten to know Adam until he had started attending classes in the morning, he had gotten to respect the journeyman, and it was with mixed feelings that they bade him farewell.

So it was that the rest of the year passed more or less quietly. But when the next summer came to a close, something so spectacular was brewing that Dylan was caught completely unawares and would never have dreamed of it.

Things became exciting when Sarah passed her Trial of Acceptance and left the Academy. To the surprise of everyone, the red tunic was offered to Cindy instead of one or two of the older initiates. Masters Tesron and Gage held a meeting with all the initiates where they made the offer publicly. That in itself was unusual. They were not required to explain their actions, but it showed that they respected those in their charge when they took the time to explain their decision.

It was Tesron’s decision to award the red tunic to an initiate who would not be leaving the Academy within the next year, yet had displayed the maturity to perform the job. Gage and he agreed that Cindy met those qualifications.

Dylan was thrilled for his friend and did not even flinch at the fact that technically she was his superior. He was, if only a little disappointed that he had not been offered the job. As it turned out, Dylan was to find out later near the middle of autumn that Gage had a reason for not offering the red tunic to Dylan. Dylan knew that his father would soon be visiting again, so he was very excited when he was summoned to Gage’s quarters by Kayla one afternoon.

When Dylan entered Gage’s quarters with Kayla, Learth was there waiting with Gage. The boy's father stood immediately and collected his offspring in his arms with a fierce hug. Dylan had grown quite a bit since leaving the plantation, and was well on his way to becoming a man, but Learth was still much larger.

“My son,” Learth greeted him. He said it with such emotion that Dylan had never heard before. The embrace was lasting and solid; a tenderness that was rarely seen between father and son. When the embrace was broken the large quartermaster appraised his son admiringly. “This day,” he beamed, “you’ve brought honor to our family and our name. I’m so proud of you.”

Now Dylan was confused. He knew that his acquisition of the yellow tunic would be a pleasant surprise to his father, but this outburst was more than he was prepared for.
Learth just stood before the boy grinning. Then his expression became puzzled as he realized Dylan did not know what he did.

Fortunately Gage came to the rescue. “Dylan,” he urged. “Would you please have a seat?” That too was unusual. It was not proper for an initiate to sit with his master. But Dylan did as he was asked and Kayla also joined them.

About that time, the door opened and Master Tesron entered the room. Dylan instinctively came to his feet, but Tesron motioned him back down. Something was defiantly up here.
Tesron also took a seat and after a long pause Gage stood. “Dylan,” he began. “I have called your father here and Tesron and Kayla are also present to help you make a very important decision.” Gage gestured to Kayla and Tesron. “Kayla,” he said, “has overseen as much of your schooling as I have and Master Tesron has also noted your well developed thinking process. Their presence here indicates their endorsement in the following request.”

Dylan was unsure where things were going and was totally confused. He suspected that they were going to offer him an early test in the Trial of Acceptance. This worried Dylan though, for he knew full well that he was nowhere near being ready.

Gage stood behind his desk and placed both hands on the back of his empty chair. “You are well on schedule to enter the Trial of Acceptance next year,” the master advised Dylan. “After which you will be free to return to your family at the plantation.”

Gage fixed Learth with a questioning glance. The man nodded. “However, it is on this day that I Gage, Master of Wizardry ask that upon your completion of the Trial of Acceptance that you stay on as my apprentice.”

Dylan went numb. Time seemed to freeze as what Gage had just said settled into his brain. It felt as if his body belonged to someone else and he was almost certain that he could have stepped out of it if he had wanted to.

“This is a very serious decision you must make, my son,” Learth advised. “I’ve told your master that I’ll abide by whatever you decide.”

“If you choose to decline on Gage’s offering,” Tesron advised, “then you’ll be allowed to stay and finish your schooling as if the offer had never come. When your lessons are done, you’ll be allowed to go home in honor and lead a happy normal life.”

“On the other hand,” Gage added, “if you stay here and study magic, you will be committing yourself to the study of our art for the rest of your life. It is a very serious decision.”

Dylan’s heart resumed its function. He could see in his father’s eyes the pride and respect that he had always dreamed of. But he also heard in his master’s voice the level of seriousness that his decision would carry. “When must I make this decision?” Dylan asked quietly.

“Your father is here for three days,” Gage told him. “It would be only proper for you to decide before he departs.”

“And I am pleased that you did not make a rash decision immediately,” Tesron added.

“Consider your options and the consequences well, son,” Learth said. “I’ll advise you however I can.”

Dylan was excused and he and his father walked slowly out into the city. They talked quietly as Learth relayed dozens of greetings and well wishes from many people at Sandy Hollow. “And of course your mother sends the strongest and most sincere greetings,” Learth said.

“Tell her how much I love her and miss her please,” Dylan requested.

“I will,” Learth answered. “Have you decided what else I shall tell her?”

Dylan shook his head. “I don’t know. I’d like to stay and study magic, but I know how much you were counting on me returning to my place in the plantation society.”

“Dylan, you are fourteen years old. Next year you’ll be fifteen and by our standards of marrying age. I’d hoped to see you married to a good girl from one of our neighboring farms and with children before I turned forty, but I’m not worried too much about it. Mari has been studying the craft of weaving. And I spoke to the master tailor of a small village between Sandy Hollow and Vermouth. He had an apprentice who was an orphan. I have arranged for the boy to move to Sandy Hollow when he becomes a journeyman. I plan for him to marry your sister.”

“Mari? Married?” The images of the dirty little girl who had once taken so much pleasure in getting on his nerves shattered in the wake of the revelation his father was painting for him.

“Your sister is turning into quite a young woman,” Learth laughed. “I already have to keep a sharp eye on the boys she spends too much time talking to.”

“It’s just that it’s hard to imagine,” Dylan muttered.

Learth smiled and placed a warm hand on his son’s shoulder. “Time has a way of changing things.”

“You think I should accept Master Gage’s offer?”

Learth did not answer. “You’ll be sorely missed,” he said instead. “But this is indeed an opportunity that is rare. Only you can answer that question.”

“It’s just that the price of studying magic is so high.”

“Things of great value usually have a high price,” Learth agreed.

They stopped at a tavern where they ate together and listened to a bard spin tales of the far west. He sang songs of the horsemen of the Janus Valley and of the great thunderbirds and of dragons. It was a thoroughly entertaining tale and Dylan found his mind drifting. His heart suddenly ached to see far off places and meet strange people. And though he did not speak of it at that time, he made his decision that night.”