The Guardian's Apprentice (Beyond the Veil) (10 page)

 
“My name is Grum,” said the left head as the creature gestured towards its chest with its left hand.
 
“And this here’s me brother Grim,” he said pointing to the head on the right.

“Your brother?”

“Aye.”

“But you’ve only got the one body?” said Keegan.

“Aye, so?”

“Well, normally a person only has the one head….” said Keegan carefully.

“Hmph.
 
One
might
say that you’ve got one head too FEW, boy!” Grum was obviously quite unhappy with the young man’s observation.

“Look, I didn’t mean to offend you.
 
I’m new to these parts and quite honestly I’ve never met anyone with more than one head before.”

The creature folded its great burly arms in front of its chest.
 
“Hmph.
 
Well boy, we’ll overlook it this time.
 
Mind you though, we won’t be taken it so easy the next.”

“Damn right!” said Grim. “You younglings show no respect, asking a stupid question like that!”

“Look, I didn’t mean to be rude.
 
You just surprised me,” said Keegan.
 
“I’ll just be on my way and leave you -- er, the two of you -- to your own business”

Keegan started to walk forward, but noticed that the giant had placed itself squarely in the middle of the path.

“You’ll not be going anywhere just yet,” said Grum.
 
“T’aint often we get visitors down this deep in the forest.
 
Now what might ya be doin’ this far into the woods?
 
Hmm?
 
’Specially at this time ah the night?”

“I’ll wager two Crowns he’s a poacher!” said Grim.

“Bah! He’s too little to be a poacher, you dolt.
 
And he don’t have a bow, so how’s he gonna kill anythin’ eh?” retorted his brother.

“I’m not a poacher, I’m just trying to get to the river by dawn,” said Keegan.

“The river eh?
 
What fer?”

“I need to get to the Council before it convenes.”

“Ha!
 
Why should the Council give a bent fen about a scrawny youngling like you?”

“This wasn’t my idea - I was summoned, okay?” said Keegan in an exasperated tone.

At this, Grim perked up and looked hard at Keegan. “Summoned?
 
You was
summoned
, was you?”

“
Yes,”
Keegan replied tersely.

Grim leaned over and whispered something in Grum’s ear that Keegan couldn’t quite catch.
 
Whatever it was Grum obviously didn’t seem to like it, as his face took on a dark, angry look.
 
He
 
glared down at Keegan and hissed between his clenched teeth.

“
YOU
was sent for by the
Guardian
, wasn’t you?!”

With a sudden giant step forward, the creature brought the back of it’s hand down hard across Keegan’ face, landing him unconscious at the base of the tree he had just unstuck himself from minutes before.

###

The High Council Hall was surprisingly nondescript, given that it was the seat of the ruling body for the magical world.
 
Apart from the drab surroundings, its size was the first thing one noticed, as it appeared much larger than the castle that housed it.
 
In the center of the Hall was an enormous granite table shaped like a twelve-pointed star, only with a large circular hole in the center.
 
Within the center swirled an eerie, semi-translucent mist-filled pool with a glowing blue-white crystal floating about ten feet above the surface.
 
Arranged around the table at each ‘point’ of the star were twelve chairs.
 
Nine of the chairs were for the elected members from each of the three different sects of magic, while separate chairs were reserved for the three permanent members of the Council.
 
The table, composed of three overlaid triangles, was itself was made from three different colors of granite.
 
One triangle was Black, for those representing the Dark Arts, one was white for those of the order of White Magic and one dark grey for those avowing Neutrality.
 
The triangles were situated in such a way that the points alternated colors.

The members of the Grey sect were typically the most influential, as the other two orders were diametrically opposed to the interests of each other.
 
Whenever the Council had to vote on a decision or law, it was typically the Grey members that were forced to break the Council deadlocks.
 
Three chairs, more ornate than the others, rested on a raised platform.
 
These were the places of honor reserved for the permanent members of the Council.
 
The Council was led by the Chancellor, a position elected by majority vote of the twelve.
 
Once the Council made its choice the decision was final, for anyone who tried to interfere risked the wrath of the Oracle.

Worried about his grandson, Phineas had come to the Council chambers to think.
 
The Council was adjourned for now and he knew there would likely be no one there to disturb him.
 
He leaned back in his Council chair and stared at the Oracle; a large crystal about the size of a soccer ball.
 
It was glowing a deep blue-white and hovered directly over the misty pool in the center of the table.
 
Once summoned by the death or retirement of the current Chancellor the Oracle would remain until the new Chancellor took office.
 
After the confirmation of the new leader, the orb would ascend through the chamber and out the roof, taking a permanent place hovering above the central tower of the castle.
 
Phineas supposed this was to satisfy the Oracle that the Council’s decision was honored.
 
No one quite remembered when or how the Oracle had first come into being, though there were those who believed it was the remaining essence of the Ancients left behind to oversee the Council.

One of the ornate mahogany doors opened with a cavernous creaking sound and Alexander Ducat, the head of the order of Grey Wizards walked in.
 

“I thought I might find you here Phineas,” he said as he took a chair next to the Guardian.
 
“Still trying to decline your place in the spotlight?”

“No, my friend, not this time.
 
I fear that the Council would not take kindly to being refused three times in a row.
 
Besides, I’ve always wanted to wave that little silver wand under Cedric’s nose, just to see if he can really shoot flames from his nostrils,” he said with a sad smile.

Ducat chuckled.
 
“Now, now, I don’t think Old Seedy is quite that talented, yet.
 
Mind you though, I think he wouldn’t hesitate to try and snatch the wand for himself if he could find a way past the big blue-white menace up there.”
 
Ducat leaned back in his chair and gazed upward at the crystal, watching it spin slowly above the mist.
 
“So, when will your apprentice be here?”

“That, Alex, is an excellent question,” said Phineas. “It would seem that Cedric has determined to test the boy’s mettle and make sure he measures up as a candidate before being introduced to the Council as a whole.
 
The courier dragon dropped my grandson in the wilderness, on the edge of Ebonwood.
 
The beast never returned, so I am assuming Brimstone’s freedom was the price paid in return for the favor, though Cedric denies this.”

The Grey wizard cut his eyes around at his friend.
 
“I’m not sure I like the sound of that, Phineas.
 
Cedric has lusted after power for years, but that’s awfully brazen to kidnap an apprentice.”

“My grandson’s life is at risk, Alex.
 
The boy only recently learned of his heritage and knows nothing about magic.
 
I should never have entrusted his safety to a courier; I should have had Acamar escort him.
 
Now I am powerless to intervene.”

“What do you mean?”

“Unfortunately, the guidelines spelled out in the Council Bylaws are a bit vague on the subject.
 
The Guild Rules do not offer any clarification either, I’m afraid.
 
As Guardian, I must simply bring my chosen apprentice before the Council for approval, where his abilities will be tested.
 
If one follows a loose interpretation, Cedric is within his rights to test the boy.”

“What if we were to bring the matter before the full Council for discussion?” asked Ducat.

“I doubt it would get very far.
 
Cedric’s order will back him and he wields a great deal of influence over certain members of the Grey order; a few skeletons that haven’t been exposed to the light of day, that sort of thing.”

“So how do you ensure that the boy arrives unharmed?”

“Technically I am not allowed to interfere, Alex.”

“Technically?”

“
Technically,
Alex.
 
Let me assure you that I am doing all within my power to ensure Keegan’s safety.
 
If my grandson is harmed, Cedric will regret it,
” said Phineas in an ominous tone.

Alexander stood and placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder.
 
“I’m certain this will work itself out, Phineas.
 
I look forward to meeting your new apprentice, my friend,” he said with a smile as he turned and left, returning to his chambers.

Phineas stood and stretched.
 
He would do well to return home and rest prior to the Council gathering, he thought.
 
If his grandson did survive, it would be a stressful meeting indeed.
 
With a last glance at the Oracle, he turned and left for the Transit Gateway that would take him home.

###

Nisha soared over the main castle courtyard, admiring the sparkling central fountain and the beautiful flowers that were bursting from every corner.
 
There were times when she definitely did not mind being bound in the form of a raven; times like this when she was flying over everyone else, she felt almost free.
 
Today was actually her anniversary - it had been fifty years ago today that she stood before the Council and was found guilty.
 
She had been sentenced to become a civil servant for a period to be determined by her Master, who was to oversee her rehabilitation.
 
She was currently indentured as assistant to a Lord of the Dark Arts, the current head of the Sect of Dark Wizards.
 
She was at least grateful that the Council had allowed her to use her natural animal form - if her master had been allowed to have his way she would have ended up as a snake or lizard or some other unpleasant creature.
 
She continued circling the garden until she saw her Master, Cedric, standing in the shade of an ancient, twisted oak tree.
 
She angled toward him and, putting aside the urge to defecate on his head, touched down lightly on the small statue next to him.

“Well, well, my pretty.
 
It’s about time.
 
You’ve kept me waiting for over an hour now,” he said, not bothering to look in her direction.

“I am sorry, my master,” she gasped.
 
She was still out of breath from her long flight.
 
“I ran afoul of storms to the south –”

“I really don’t care about your troubles, Nisha, I only want the information you carry,” he snapped.

“Yes, my master” she said.
 
She hopped from the statue and morphed to her normal, human self.
 
She put her delicate hand into the sleeve of her black robes and pulled out a small stone tablet.
 
Trembling slightly, she handed it to Cedric.
 
“You will find all of the information you requested contained within the runestone; simply utter the incantation to unlock it.”