Chapter 18 The Visitor
The following day, a stranger on horseback arrived at Durem’s house. Durem went outside to see who it was. The rider wore a hooded cloak and looked smaller than a grown man should be.
“Who are you looking for?” Durem asked the rider.
“I have an urgent message for Master Revik,” the rider said. It was the voice of a female.
The rider removed the hood revealing the face of a girl.
“I came from the Tower of Elemental Magic. I am his apprentice. My name is Aisha,” the rider said as she came down from her horse.
“I am Durem,” he said. “Wait here while I call Revik.”
But before Durem could go back into the house, Revik was already outside the door.
“Teacher!” Aisha exclaimed in child-like delight upon seeing Revik.
Revik was inside the house when he heard a familiar voice. He had gone out to see for himself. He then recognized his apprentice. As he walked towards her, Revik’s expression did not change.
“What are you doing here Aisha?” He asked.
Revik was surprised to see Aisha all the way here in Torinth. She had been the first apprentice assigned to Revik when he became one of the Five.
What could have made her travel all this way? Revik wondered.
“I need to speak to you in private, teacher.” Aisha said.
Revik considered this briefly as his curiosity grew.
“Let us take a walk,” Revik said.
They took the road that leads towards the sea. The sky was overcast and people here and there went about their business.
“I just finished studying the first volume of the Mystic Fundamentals as you had instructed,” Aisha said proudly.
To Revik, she appeared like a child seeking the approval of a parent. He had learned that Aisha was the daughter of a former apprentice who left years ago. Her father had apparently told her many stories of his life at the Tower when she was very young. When her parents both died from sickness, her first thought had been to come to the Tower.
“Excellent,” Revik said.
Aisha smiled. She looked at Revik endearingly.
His absence must be difficult for all of his apprentices, Revik thought. But it would seem to have been particularly challenging for Aisha. She had developed an attachment to Revik, which had been evident from the beginning. Revik did not mind it. The Tower had become his family. And Aisha was like a younger sister.
“What news of the Tower?” Revik asked as they walked, both of them gazing ahead.
Aisha began to act more seriously this time, as if suddenly remembering she was a student in the presence of her mentor.
“Where do I begin?” Aisha thought aloud. “Let’s see..”
Revik had always been amused by Aisha’s temperament. It reminded him of how he used to be before his father died.
“Ah! It had something to do with one of the other apprentices,” Aisha said. “He had just come back from his yearly holiday.”
Apprentices were allowed a yearly holiday during which they could visit family for up to two weeks if they so desire. During his years as an apprentice, Revik chose to stay in the Tower to study. He wasted no time in his pursuit of arcane knowledge. And his uncanny dedication paid off. It led to his becoming one of the youngest wizards in the history of the Tower.
“I heard from the others that this apprentice had gone to Selagim, his hometown,” Aisha continued.
Selagim was a town on the outskirts of the kingdom. It was not that far from Kestalon.
Revik remained silent as they walked towards the shore. He quietly urged his apprentice to continue.
“The apprentice was at a tavern there, when he had an encounter with a stranger whom he claimed possessed some mystic skill,” Aisha continued.
Revik became more interested. He was looking at Aisha now.
“The story goes that the apprentice had gotten a bit drunk when he overheard the stranger speak of his abilities,” Aisha said. “So, the apprentice foolishly challenged the stranger to a display of each other’s skill.”
“What happened?” Revik asked as he now gave his full attention to his apprentice.
“Well, according to the story, the stranger ignored him at first. But the apprentice boasted about the Tower of Elemental Magic.” Aisha said.
Revik shook his head disapprovingly. Ever since he became a member of the Five, he wanted the yearly holiday privilege restricted to the more disciplined apprentices in order to avoid this kind of incident.
“To get the stranger’s attention, the apprentice jeered at him and openly challenged him to show everyone what he can do,” Aisha said. “So, the stranger did. He uttered words that the apprentice seemingly did not understand. Suddenly, a bolt of dark light shot from the stranger’s eye and hit the apprentice. This burned the skin where the apprentice was hit.”
They were both silent now. Revik considered Aisha’s story before speaking again.
“What happened when the apprentice returned to the Tower?” Revik asked.
“The apprentice went to his teacher to tell him, but not before he had told others of the encounter,” Aisha answered.
“I see,” Revik said.
“The teacher apparently informed the Archon and a Meeting of the Five was called,” Aisha said.
The business of the Tower usually ran itself. Each of the Five had their own distinct responsibilities. Meetings are rarely called except for the gravest of reasons. And after hearing Aisha’s account, Revik felt that what had happened at Selagim merited such a meeting.
“When is the meeting?” Revik asked already planning the journey to the Tower.
“The meeting was held days ago,” Aisha answered.
This took Revik by surprise. Nothing could have been this urgent to merit a meeting without him, he thought. He tried to hide what he felt from Aisha.
“What is the message then?” Revik was clearly perplexed.
“I am to accompany you to investigate the events at Selagim,” Aisha said as she took something out of a bag that hung from her shoulder. She handed it to her teacher.
Revik recognized it as an official scroll bearing the seal of the Archon. He broke the wax seal and read the contents. It narrated in brief the events that Aisha had just told him. It also contained instructions to go to Selagim and to investigate what had occurred. It ended with a message he did not expect.
Dark magic may have returned.
This could only mean that the Tower of Dark Magic continues to exist. He had to tell his companions, he thought. But upon reading the Archon’s scroll further, Revik noticed that something was missing.
He smiled sparingly at Aisha and said, “This does not mention anything about you coming along.”
“It doesn’t?” Aisha said acting overly shocked with incredulity.
Revik could see that his words dampened Aisha’s spirits considerably. She was probably getting bored with the teacher to whom she was temporarily assigned, he thought. Aisha may have even volunteered to bring the message all the way to Torinth, perhaps to escape the tedium at the Tower. He looked at her as he waited for a response. Aisha’s gaze fell to the ground in apparent surrender.
“I hope you brought everything you will need,” Revik said. He then turned around and marched back towards Durem’s house leaving Aisha standing in the middle of the road.
Revik saw that it took a while for the meaning of his words to sink in, until he finally saw realization on Aisha’s face. “Yes!” Aisha exclaimed with absolute joy. She ran after Revik and walked alongside him again.
“I promise to do everything I am told, teacher,” Aisha said.
“Of that I have no doubt,” Revik replied as he looked at her in a forbidding manner.
Aisha seemed to cringe for an instant upon seeing Revik’s menacing stare. She fell silent the rest of the way. But Revik could see her smiling quietly as they went.
Revik’s thoughts went back to the Archon’s scroll and all the events that had happened since he first arrived in Torinth. He dared not reveal to Aisha the danger they were facing. He did not wish to rob her of the elation she felt at the moment. She would know eventually, he thought. Besides, he was one of the Five and he would keep her safe..
Revik and Aisha arrived to see the others outside the house apparently waiting for their return. Durem must have told the others of Aisha’s arrival, Revik thought. They all seemed eager to know who Revik’s mysterious visitor was.
Revik introduced Aisha to everyone. Misara appeared particularly elated upon meeting Aisha. They entered the house and Revik began to tell them the news from the Tower.
“Selagim is not that far from Kestalon,” Kort said.
Beret nodded in agreement and said, “We could join your investigation as well, if you would have us.”
“It all depends on teacher,” Aisha said to them as she looked at Revik pleadingly.
Revik could see the enthusiasm in Aisha’s eyes at the thought of all of them being together.
“Yes, I believe these events are connected,” Revik said. “It would not be unwise to pursue them together. This may lead us to the very answers we seek.”
********
Three days since the death of Master Ladris, Ildraig was back in the cellar with the man who had hired him. The man again wore lavish clothes that befitted his stature among the rich circles of Dormal.
“It is done then,” the man said. He was confident that Ildraig had accomplished the task. He had done so numerous times before without fail.
“Yes,” Ildraig replied.
The man smiled and took out another pouch filled with the assassin’s gold. He was about to hand it over when he noticed something different in the assassin’s demeanor. He sensed something was wrong.
“There were people there when I found the man in Hedak,” Ildraig said.
The man’s expression changed completely. He became anxious for the details of what had transpired.
“And?” the man asked.
“I overheard them. It seems he was able to tell his guests what he knew before I was able to …” “Who were these people?!” the man said as he became more agitated.
“They appeared to be acquaintances of the scholar from Torinth,” Ildraig said. “Perhaps that is where they reside.”
The man was silent as he considered the implications of this development. He would have to inform him of this, he thought.
“There was something else I overheard,” Ildraig said.
“What was it?” the man asked.
“Something about a manuscript that was hidden in Kestalon,” Ildraig said.
“Did you learn where in Kestalon it was hidden?” the man asked the assassin.
“Ladris died before he could say more,” Ildraig answered.
This was alarming news, the man thought. He did not anticipate that this so-called Circle would produce records of what they had uncovered. He considered sending the assassin to Torinth to eliminate these would-be interlopers. But now he had to consider the existence of this manuscript in Kestalon. He pondered the issue momentarily.
He then finally handed the gold to Ildraig. “I will need you to do something else,” the man said to the assassin.