Path of the Magi (Tales of Tiberius) (20 page)

“You can’t kill what was never alive, Tiberius,”  Dallen added.    “Maybe we should get you a drink?”

“I will tend to him,” Salina said.  “Now, come; we waste time,” she said, taking his hand.  “You will feel better on the dance floor.”

“I don’t know if I should go back there,” Tiberius said, hesitating.

“You are a magician, yes?  Change the color of your garb.  You must know this by now,” Salina laughed.

“Oh, right.” He gripped his staff and cast an illusion on his clothes, changing the black and white diamonds to shades of green to match her dress.  He then put the staff in a corner. 

Salina looked at his outfit.  “Good.  Our moments together are stolen, for now, my love.  Let us make the most of them.  Come,” she said, leading him to the dance floor, and waving Dallen back to his friends.  “We have important things to discuss.”

“Oh, yes about your visits…”  Tiberius said, trying to remember that he was supposed to be annoyed at her.

“La, I mean important things.  Like what are you getting me for Christmas?” she said, smiling as the dance began.

“I thought elves didn’t celebrate Christmas,” he said smiling.  “Aren’t you all pagans?” 

“Who told you that?” she said, laughing.  “What makes you think I don’t work for Santa Claus?”

“Wouldn’t you be rather busy this time of year?”  Tiberius said.

“I told you I have a demanding job,” she said.  “So, what are you getting me?”

“I can’t improve on your perfume.  A new looking glass, maybe?  One might have come in handy just now.” 

Chapter VII

University Life

To make any sort of a quick summary of all the interesting and mysterious adventures that naturally occur around an apprentice magus is, of course, impossible in a volume of this length.  It is a curious paradox, that while Tiberius was now starting to have adventures, which, for the first time were really worth talking about, we must also for the first time skip over some of them.  The incident of the ghost’s Christmas present, the sinking boat race, the Amazon’s challenge, the unhappy gargoyle, and other similar minor undertakings will have to be discussed at another time, as space prohibits their proper treatment here.  While interesting, they are not especially relevant to our narrative.  The reader will have to forgive the editors if we constrain ourselves to those incidents which were more directly related to the development of Tiberius as a master magus.  As recompense we can assure the reader that every effort will be made to give these incidents the attention they deserve on another occasion. 

The summer of S.R. 306 remains a mystery, though it is rumored he traveled extensively that summer.  It is possible that he went to London, though this hardly seems creditable.  Suffice it to say that over the next few years, from S.R. 302 through S.R. 307, Tiberius continued to grow and increase in knowledge and ability as he completed his graduate studies.

There were, however, certain incidents that occurred during this five year period of study that harbored some particular portents of the future.  For example, one day in the spring of S.R. 304, Tiberius was surprised and slightly annoyed to see a large number of students charging into the school library.  He’d come that morning in search of some quiet to finish an essay before breakfast, and now he had half the school keeping him company.   As he was fairly confident that it was not a sudden influx of academic enthusiasm that propelled his fellow classmates towards the stacks of books, Tiberius took the liberty of asking someone what was going on.

“That’s him, El Gato,”  someone said.

“There’s a cat in the yard?” he asked. Tiberius, along with everyone else, looked down on the school courtyard.  Queen's College was sort of “E” shaped, with a garden in the center. 

“Don’t be daft, Ti, that’s not a cat.  That is THE Gato.  The finest swordsman in the Stewardship.” 

“Oh, it’s a duel,” he said.  By now he’d caught sight of the small group of assembled men down in the courtyard.  “What’s it about?” Tiberius said. 

“A woman, naturally.  Don’t you ever read the gossip magazines, Ti?”

“I’ve managed to avoid them so far,” Tiberius replied.  “If he’s the finest swordsman in the Stewardship, what’s he doing here?  Why isn’t he with the Rangers?”

“Be realistic.  A man like him with the Rangers?  El Gato’s the toast of the town.  He can have any assignment he likes.  What would he want to go to some backwoods outpost for?”

Tiberius could see now that it was a duel, and a rather formal one at that.  The courtyard at Queen’s College seemed an odd place for it, but no one seemed to be objecting. As a qualified, medically trained priest was already on hand, there seemed little point in his trying to stop the event.  It was evidently a personal matter. 

El Gato was a man of above average height and looks.  He had that classic rogue’s look to him which Tiberius lacked and the ladies all seemed to love.  He had a gift for fashion too; he wore a red cavalier’s coat, a black feathered hat with a broad brim, and a shirt with slashed sleeves.  He took off the coat to prepare for the duel.   His opponent was dressed in a purple-blue tunic with gold trim.  It was a more conservative fashion, but a rich raiment none the less.

As the two swords were carefully measured by the seconds, the priest made one more effort to settle the match.

“Let me one last time implore you gentlemen to put aside your differences,” he pleaded.  The nobleman was having none of it though.

“This is a matter for the sword,” he said.  He was speaking to the assembled crowd, who were looking out of every window, though no one actually set foot in the courtyard.  “This rogue has paid undue attention to my wife.  Honor demands that I confront him.” 

The priest turned pleadingly to El Gato, who answered the priest in turn. 

“I will not apologize,” he said.  “I was simply consoling a friend.”

“Consoling a friend?  Is that your excuse for making love to my wife?” the nobleman indignantly exclaimed.

“She was distraught over the news that you refused to acknowledge your bastard son.  Or is it sons?  She’d rather lost track of your affairs when I last spoke to her,” El Gato replied.

From the over-exaggerated look of fury this assertion brought to the noble, Tiberius gathered El Gato’s accusations were true.  Regaining his composure, the other gentleman spoke again to the crowd.

“I’m tired of him swaggering about on reputation.  He’ll soon see how a gentleman fights.”

“Indeed,” Gato responded.  “I have tickets to watch Captain Walker at the jousts later.” 

In a cold fury, the noble took his sword and stepped to his place.  El Gato did the same, with an almost bored disinterest.  The marshal gave the signal and the two men advanced. 

The noble had some considerable training, but from the first it was obvious that El Gato’s reputation was earned.  He let the noble make a few wild thrusts; then he launched his own attack culminating in a disarm which sent the noble’s sword flying under Gato’s feet. 

El Gato smiled and calmly flipped the blade back towards the noble.

“Your sword, sir.  We continue, unless you would prefer to withdraw your complaint?”

“You won’t be so lucky again,” was the noble’s reply. 

El Gato shrugged to the crowd, as if to say “Well, I tried.”  Then he came en guarde.  There was another furious assault from the noble, again blocked almost effortlessly at every turn by El Gato.  Finally he lunged and made a small cut across the cheek of the noble. 

“First blood!” called the marshal.  “Honor is satisfied.”

The noble threw down his sword and stormed off.  El Gato calmly thanked the priest and the marshals and retained his jacket.  He’d hardly worked up a sweat. 

“That was amazing, wasn’t it?” someone said next to Tiberius. 

“The man ought to be with the Rangers,” Tiberius thought aloud.  “He’d do some good out on the frontier.”  Tiberius meant it too.  He was impressed with Gato’s skill with a sword.  He’d been trained by a master and could recognize one when he saw one.  For a moment he wondered who would win if the two of them fought a duel.  Probably El Gato, he concluded.  Mr. Okubo didn’t fight fair in serious fights.  He’d bet on Okubo in war, but El Gato in a duel limited to the sword.  Still the man had shown a good deal of professional restraint.  Tiberius was convinced that El Gato could have killed the noble at any time.  El Gato obviously had a weakness for the ladies though.  Running off with another man’s wife wasn’t a good idea even if she was planning on a divorce.  The frontier would find better uses for his skills than the decadence of the capital, he thought. 

The nine day wonder of the duel faded and Tiberius went back to his studies.  Things were fairly routine until one Saturday when he was waiting for Mr. Okubo’s arrival.  He still tried to train with Mr. Okubo as much as he could.  Usually they got together at least once or twice a month with the help of Dallen’s carriage.  He was a little late today, though, which was unusual.  He spun his staff around as he saw the coach finally arrive. 

He started to say something, then saw to his surprise that his brother Marcus was on the coach, not Mr. Okubo. 

“Hello, Marcus.  What happened to Mr. Okubo?” Tiberius asked.  He had the sinking feeling that something bad had happened, though what he couldn’t say.

“Ti, there’s been an accident,” Marcus explained. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked sharply. 

“It’s our godsister.  There was a problem at school.”

“Is she hurt?  How badly?  I can get Messura,” he said worriedly.

“It’s not her.  She almost killed someone.” 

Ti thought for an instant, then went over and got in the carriage.  “Tell me as we go.” 

Mr. Okubo was a good friend to him, and Maci was like a little sister.  If there was anything he could do, he had to be there for them.  Marcus gave him more details as they rode along. 

“You know that bully, Gabe?  I think you knew him slightly.  Behind us at school, thank God.  Obnoxious twerp.  He gave my boy a bit of trouble one time.  Well he took a dislike to Maci, probably because she reads better than he does.  He tried to push her into the mud by the creek,” Marcus explained. 

“Good God.  I know Gabe’s years older than she is, but Maci dodges full speed staff swings from me!”

“No one told Gabe that.  When he missed the first time, he tried to make an issue of it.  Maci fought back, broke his arm, and almost broke his skull.” 

“Serves him right picking on a lady younger than him,” Tiberius scowled.

“Yes, some hold to that opinion.  I don’t think anyone’s going to press charges on that account.  Still the pure lethality and professionalism she displayed was a bit alarming to her classmates.  My boy saw it.  You know she’s really hell on a bicycle when she gets mad.” 

Before long the carriage pulled up by the Okubo’s house.  Tiberius stepped out and went around back to where Mr. Okubo was sitting in his back yard.  He looked a bit shaken.  He’d had more than one cup of his home brewed sake already.  He rose and greeted Tiberius. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t come, Master Tiberius,” he said.

“Don’t be silly; I heard what happened.  I thought I might be able to help,” Tiberius said. 

Mr. Okubo sat down with a shrug.  “I don’t know what you can do.  I don’t know what anyone can do.  I don’t even know if there is anything to do.”  He turned to Tiberius with a look of desperation and urgency.  “She’s only a little girl!” he said, unsteadily.  “I thought she killed him, when I first heard.  She almost did!”

“She’s your little girl.  You’re a good teacher.  She’s a good student.  You’re teaching her an ancient and honorable art,”  Tiberius said. 

“I didn’t think … he outweighs her by a hundred pounds.  I hadn’t realized she was that gifted … that dangerous.  She’s not even nine years old ...”

“You didn’t train her to punch the nose of some school chum.  Maci’s a very sweet-tempered girl and you never expected she’d be in a schoolyard fight.  If that idiot Gabe wasn’t a bully with bad taste in his victims he’d have been fine,” Ti said.

“She’s…”  Old Okubo had run out of words.

“Better than you dreamed of?  The most talented martial artist either of us has ever seen?”  Tiberius offered.

Okubo nodded agreement.  “I’ve never heard of anyone actually using that flying kick in combat.  She did it, and she did it flawlessly.  What do I do?  She’s already a lethal weapon.”

“I guess you already gave her the safety lecture.  I think she can be relied upon to take it to heart.  I suggest your next few lessons concentrate on aikido techniques.  Something more appropriate to a schoolyard fight.  In Gabe’s case, something to inflict intense pain without leaving marks would be appropriate.”

“I just thought it was cute the way she copied what I did.  Do I dare keep teaching her?”

“Do you dare to stop?  Why should you?  She’s an excellent student.  You just need to keep the safety lessons in mind in the future.  I suppose you’ve spoken to his family?”  Tiberius said. 

“Yes.  They are not honorable,” he said with a grimace at the recollection of talking to Gabe’s family.  “But there were witnesses.  He did start the fight,” he said.

“No doubt he’ll try and take advantage of the situation.  He’ll try and make her life a living hell knowing she can’t hit him back,” Tiberius said.  Mr. Okubo nodded. 

“I’ll handle it,” Tiberius said.

“Hmm?  What are you going to do?” Mr. Okubo said.

“Something on the order of a direct threat.  Better you don’t know the details.  This is a job for a young hotheaded apprentice.  If anyone asks, it’s regrettable that you have no control over your old student.  Another year or so and I can call him out legally.  No court will deny a petition for a duel over harassment of a young lady.  I’ll make sure he knows that.”

Okubo nodded.  “Thank you.”

“Maci’s my little sister.  I have to take care of her.  Where is she by the way?”

“By the creek,” he said.  “I may have been a bit hard on her.  I spoke with her before I spoke with Gabe’s family.”

“She’ll get over it.  I’ll have a word with her,”  Tiberius said.  

Tiberius found Maci sitting alone by the river, her arms cradled around her knees.  He came and sat down beside her.

“I’m disappointed in you,” he said.  That earned him the expected glare and no more.

“If you are going to go and break Gabe’s arm you could at least wait till I’m around.  I’d have paid good money to see that.  He always was an obnoxious jerk.”

“It’s not funny,” she said with sudden indignation.  “That creep attacks me, I defend myself, and everybody yells at me!” 

“Says the lady to the man who lost his fiancée by saving her from a dragon,” he replied.

“Oh, right,”  Maci said, a bit humbled.

“I suppose you might want to be a bit more careful around the school yard,” Tiberius said casually.  “Not everyone trains with me and your dad, you know.”

“Can I help it if Gabe doesn’t know how to block?  I thought he’d duck.  I didn’t think he’d walk his arm into my best kick.  I wasn’t trying to kill him.”

“He’s pretty lucky then, isn’t he?  You know you could have killed him.”

“I know; I already had this lecture from Dad,” she said.

“Then I’ll spare you the safety tips.  I just want to make sure you know what this really means,” Tiberius said.

“I know what it means,” Maci pouted.  “It means I’m a freak.  I can kill people if I’m not careful.”

“Gifted, was the word I was thinking of,” Tiberius replied.  “You do have to be careful, Maci.  But that’s only because you can do things that other people can’t do.  I don’t think your dad really appreciated how good you really are.  You’re his little girl.  But I’ve seen you too.  You learn staff moves faster than I do, and I’m not bad.  When your dad gets over the shock he’s going to see it too and take your training more seriously.  You’re going to be a great fighter.  Maybe the best ever.”

“I don’t want to be great; I want to be like everyone else!  Everybody already hates me cause I’m smarter than they are.  Now they doubly hate me!  I don’t look like them; I don’t act like them; I don’t think like them.  What’s wrong with me?  I’m a freak!  I hate it,”  Maci cried.

“I know something about that,” Tiberius said.  “I didn’t exactly win any popularity contests when I joined up with Dallen and the magi.” 

“Oh … right,” she said quietly.

“It gets on your nerves at times.  You don’t make friends easily; there’s hardly anyone you can talk to.  You think it would be so much easier if you weren’t so bright or so talented.  But gifts from God makes us who we are, Maci.  We can’t ignore them; we have to cultivate them.  If people don’t like who we are, that’s their problem.  It’s more important to serve God than to be popular.  We have these gifts for a reason.  Remember what Jesus told us.  ‘Does the world hate you? Remember that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you like one of its own. But you do not belong to the world. I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.’” 

She frowned thinking about it. “John 15: 18-19, but I think he was talking about being a Christian, not beating people up.  Jesus didn’t break anybody’s arm.”

“He never met Gabe, did he?  My point is you should follow Christ in all things and not worry what the world thinks of you.  I’m not saying you shouldn’t be more careful.  But don’t hate yourself for being gifted.  You should take care of your gift and use it for God.  You’ll do great things one day.” 

“If they don’t put me in jail first,” she said gloomily.

“I wouldn’t worry about that.  I had a word with Pastor Adams on my way to finding you.  You know what the real moral of this story is?”

“What?”

“If you want swift action from the local constabulary, it’s wise not to fling rocks at the police chief’s window the week before,” he explained.

“Oh.  Did he … I told you he was a jerk,”  Maci laughed.

“I gather public opinion is decidedly mixed.  Half the town thinks you should be burned as a witch.  The other half thinks we should give you a parade, considering it was Gabe.  I think everyone’s willing to settle for you being a little more careful in the future.  Anyway, I thought you weren’t actually supposed to use those elaborate flying kicks in combat?”

“What is the point of learning them, then?  It worked, didn’t it?”  Maci said.

Tiberius couldn’t argue that point. 

The incident with Gabe died down, but Mr. Okubo did take Maci’s lessons more seriously from that point on.  Tiberius made a point to stay in touch with her, too, and see that her spiritual education was not neglected.  One thing was becoming apparent; Maci was a very gifted martial artist.  If she was bigger she’d have been unstoppable, but frankly Ti wasn’t sure that her being small was a disadvantage.  With her strength-to-weight ratio she could rocket up walls and gave her mother more than one fit over how high up trees she could go.  If she had to hit hard, she knew how to pick up a weapon. 

“She has another advantage, too,”  Singh observed one day when the conversation had turned in her direction.

“What’s that?”  Tiberius asked.

“She’ll never be afraid of a magician,” Singh said. 

Maci was given strict instructions on how to deal with any future schoolyard incidents.  Fortunately, however, there were none.  Bullies at school may have said a bad word to her now and then, but they didn’t dare to attack her.