three-four-five rule for squaring corners just did not compare to the ability to lift and move objects with a magical spell.
They even received lessons in riding and horsemanship, as this was the chief method of transport around the inland regions of the Empire. A magician, especially in his early years, would be expected to travel far and wide performing the various duties of the Order. Samuel’s experiences from his youth actually helped him greatly, and although he had spent much more time under the animals than on them, he quickly found himself becoming a fairly competent rider.
One sunny afternoon, Samuel and many of the apprentices were resting in their bunkhouse-either lying idly in their cots or studying at the tables below. Samuel was leaning on the balcony rail, staring out into space and thinking about some new spells he would like to try, when he noticed an old man come wandering in through the bunkhouse door. The man wore a simple surcoat down to his knees along with some stockings and buckled shoes, and he was peering around the room almost as if he had lost something. If not for the fact that his clothes were all of deepest black, Samuel may have thought the man an old vagrant who had wandered in off the streets. Taking a closer look at the fellow’s wispy, white hair and straggly beard, Samuel was taken by surprise as he realised they had met before. It was the old man from the Burning Oak-the one he had first seen do magic.
‘Grand Master!’ some boys exclaimed and hopped up from their bunks and raced down the short stairs.
The old man laughed as he was quickly surrounded by all the boys in the room. Samuel made down the stairs after them and stood at the edge of the small crowd, waiting expectantly.
His voice was as warm and youthful as Samuel remembered. ‘It’s good to see you all again; each taller and more manly than before, as I can see. I’ve been away far too long once again.’
‘We’re happy to see you again, Grand Master,’ Goodfellow declared. ‘What have you been doing?’
‘Oh, I’m always being sent all over on Order business these days,’ the old man replied. ‘Almost too busy to care for my precious school-it’s criminal. But I shall remain here awhile now. Now, what can you show me? What have you learned since I last had time to visit you? I’ve been away far too long.’
‘Look, Grand Master!’ Chadly Doon, a blond-haired boy, exclaimed and immediately created a star-shaped formation of lights above them.
‘Look, Grand Master!’ called another, making a spell of his own and letting a plateful of beans go hopping and jumping across the table.
‘Look! Look!’ they each cried.
‘Calm now, calm now!’ retorted the Grand Master, holding up his hands. ‘Hold your spells for the moment. Go back to your places and I will come and chat with each and every one of you before I leave. Go on!’
The boys all dispelled their magic and slowly dragged themselves away back to their cots and tables. Samuel returned to the second floor and looked down upon the old man as he made his way amongst them all. They would chat a few minutes before each boy summoned his best spell and the Grand Master would nod and exclaim ‘wonderful!’ From time to time, the old man would look around the room, as if looking for something, and the smile on his face would fall away for the briefest moment, showing some dark concern. Then, he would laugh and make some joke with the boys and his face would be free of its fleeting vexation.
Samuel soon became bored of watching on and collapsed onto his cot. It was wearisome watching all the boys fawning over the old man with their tired tricks. Fetching some notes out from his chest, he lay on his back and began practising some Old Tongue.
After some time, a deep smooth voice sounded beside him. ‘Now whom do we have here?’
Samuel dropped his notes and quickly sat up as the Grand Master sat down beside him at the end of bed.
‘Grand Master Anthem,’ Samuel greeted.
‘So you are the boy who liked to spy through the window?’ the old man said, and Samuel immediately felt his cheeks burning. ‘Samuel, isn’t it? I heard you had joined us here in the school. You seem to be fitting in well enough.’
‘Yes, Grand Master. I like it here very much.’
‘And what about your studies? I hear you had some catching up to do?’
‘Yes, but I am studying very hard,’ Samuel explained.
‘Well let me see what you have learned.’
‘I don’t know what to show you, Grand Master,’ Samuel admitted.
‘Now don’t be shy, my boy. Just some small thing is fine. Any trivial spell you care to muster up,’ the Grand Master urged him.
Samuel thought a moment and then created a few coloured mage-lights in the air beside them. They looked somewhat pale in the afternoon light.
‘That’s it?’ the old man quizzed him disappointingly. ‘I’m sure you can do better than that. I can tell that took you no effort at all.’
Samuel dispelled his lights with a gesture and paused again to think. Gathering himself for a moment, he put out his palm and began to spell. A tiny speck could be seen in his hand.
‘Oh?’ said the Grand Master quizzically and bent his head to look closer. ‘What’s this?’
Soft light began to shine from Samuel’s palm and the speck began to grow and became a short green sprout. Samuel poured his magic into the spell and the thing became as tall as his longest finger, then buds and leaves began to form. Slowly, the sprout thickened and the tiny leaves became fuller and the stem wider until Samuel finished and a small shrub sat in his palm.
‘Wonderful!’ Grand Master Anthem exclaimed. ‘Quite a complex spell.’
‘It’s an apple tree,’ Samuel stated. ‘A very small one. I’m still experimenting.’
The old man leaned in even closer to inspect the creation. ‘Why, it even has tiny apples. Samuel, what a marvel!’
Samuel laughed. ‘It’s only simple. I have a lot of work to do to make it better.’
‘Nonsense, boy. It’s a grand illusion. You just need to work on it a little more and make it a bit bigger.’ With that, the Grand Master stood. ‘Well, I have a few more boys to chat with. I will keep an eye on you and talk with you another day, young Samuel.’
The old man then took his turn to sit with Eric Goodfellow and then Eric Pot, who took great relish in showing the Grand Master his favourite trick: making a pebble leap magically between his two clenched fists. After the aged magician had done with them all, he started back down the stairs, grasping firmly onto the rich, hardwood hand-rail as he went to help him descend.
Samuel was somewhat disappointed and placed the plant on the floor beside his chest with a few others he had made previously. He had been secretly hoping to impress the Grand Master, but the man had not even noticed the spell was not an illusion at all. He was the only apprentice in the whole dormitory who could even start to grow a real tree-in the whole school for all he knew. Samuel reached into his pocket and dug out the last few apple seeds he had collected and threw them out the window with disappointment.
After a few more minutes, Samuel heard the Grand Master call out his goodbyes from below and looked down through the balusters as the old man left, almost hurriedly.
‘I’m getting worried,’ came an insistent voice, penetrating Samuel’s dreams.
‘I’m sure there’s no need for alarm,’ came another.
Samuel had been having a pleasant dream about the mountains around Stable Waterford. It had been wonderful playing and running through the woods again, but the voices had started interrupting him and would not go away. It became hard to concentrate on the trees and branches and adventures, and all became grey and foggy until just the troublesome voices remained.
‘He’s just a boy, but he could be the one everyone is searching for-here, with us!’ the first voice stated.
‘Yes, yes. You may be right,’ mused the second-a thin and whiny voice. ‘At the very least, it deserves further investigation. I will begin searching the ancient manuscripts and you keep an eye on him. Tell me of anything you learn-any clue or hint at all.’
‘Of course, but what should we say to him in the meantime?’
‘Nothing. Watch him. It’s too early to be sure. He shows all the signs of great power, but we could be mistaken.’
