assuage this,' Crohn replied. 'In any case, I doubt you have within you a pennyweight of power that you have not used today.'
Grimm laughed; it sounded like a dog's bark, and he knew Crohn was right.
'It will be some time until you have recovered your full strength,' the Magemaster continued, 'and I will have taught you much by that time. Sleep well.'
Grimm's head spun, as if a spell had been cast upon him, and he did as he was bidden. Crohn walked from the room like a drunkard and collapsed in the arms of the waiting Healer; he, too, could rest now.
Chapter 24: Aftermath
Grimm had been in the infirmary for two days when two visitors came to see him: Madar and Argand; the former sporting a gloriously-hued ring around his left eye and a swollen lip. Grimm's face lit up; he had not been allowed to associate freely for a long time.
'How are you now, Grimm?' Madar asked, his voice cautious.
'I do ache,' Grimm admitted, 'and I'm tired a lot of the time; but I'm better off than you, by the looks of things, Madar! It is so good to see you both.'
Madar nodded, but his expression was still grave.
'Believe me, Grimm,' he said, 'I'm better off than that bloated oaf, Shumal, and his slimy hanger-on, Ruvin, have been since you finished with them.'
Grimm felt a moment of panic, but Madar assuaged his worries with an airy wave of his hand.
'Don't worry,' Madar said, 'they're not exactly at death's door, but they're in no condition to celebrate, I can assure you.'
Argand spoke next; even his beefy face looked pale and worried. 'Magemaster Crohn told us all about your Ordeal, Grimm,' he said. 'It was a filthy thing but I'm glad you're over it. He says you're to be a Questor, the first for ten years. Who would have thought it, Mage Questor! Can you tell us anything about it now?'
Grimm nodded. 'I think I'm free now of the Compulsion that was placed on me,' he said. 'It seems I burnt it out in what Crohn calls my 'Outbreak'. You are both Neophytes now, so you probably know a few spells, although I'd sooner not say much about that at the moment-it's got some bad associations. But do you remember how we were taught that Questors make their own magic?'
Madar and Argand nodded.
'It seems I have my own, personal, mage-language that nobody else shares, so I don't need scrolls or rote- learning of spells. I can still Read as well as any conventional mage, but, apparently, if I can visualise a spell, I can cast it. I have no idea yet of how it works.'
'Apart from the fact that it's obviously not a good idea to cross you when you're in a bad mood!' Argand was freely smiling now. 'Evidently I taught you well in that regard!'
Grimm shrugged. 'I did it, but I really don't know how; I can scarcely believe it myself. I cast those spells when I was burning with anger. Now, I have to go back to school to learn how to call it up when I'm calm. Let me tell you, it really took it out of me.'
'Will you be free to associate with us again when you're in training?' asked Madar.
Grimm nodded. 'Oh, yes, and I'll be allowed free run of the Library again; and not just the public books and scrolls. I am being told that I may not have much free time to enjoy my new liberty, though.'
'Well, just remember that we're still here,' Argand said, 'and we owe you a lot.'
Grimm shook his head firmly. 'You owe me nothing, Argand. I owe you everything. You have always been my friends, and hope you always will be. Without you two, I'd have gone under ages ago.'
'We owe you more than you can guess, Grimm,' Madar said, now wearing his habitual gamin's grin. 'Crohn won't be taking us any more; he'll be in sole charge of you, although he's still Senior Magemaster. I overheard him telling Kargan that the chance to raise a Questor has been the pinnacle of his life's work, and he should be able to retire gracefully, with honour and the Guild's gratitude.'
Grimm smiled; he had mixed feelings about Senior Magemaster Crohn, but he recognised that Crohn had done what he had thought was right.
'I do feel for you, though,' Madar continued. 'How can you bear to look at him after what he did to you?'
Grimm shrugged. 'He's really not so bad when you get to know him, Madar. And he was under orders from high up to do what he did. He really didn't enjoy it.'
'Ha! He surely hid that well,' Madar said, with a contemptuous toss of his head. 'Oh well, I'm afraid we have to be going; we were told by the Healer not to overtax you. Got to keep your strength up for all the visitors you'll be getting, begging your forgiveness.'
'Oh, I doubt that!' Grimm cried. 'They were keen enough to abuse me.'
'You'd be surprised,' Argand said, wagging his right index finger. 'They're really not all so bad when you get to know them. And even some of the worst of them were probably under some Compulsion to do what they did, even if they didn't want to or understand why.'
Grimm smiled wryly, as his defence of Crohn was tossed back to him as a defence of his other abusers.
'I think you'll find that many of them are truly ashamed of their behaviour. The rest, of course, are just terrified that you'll blast them into a thousand motes with your eldritch power. You'll soon know which is which, just check their auras. You might have fun scaring the rotten ones.'
Healer Chet came in to shoo out the boys. As his friends left, Grimm thought of what Argand had said. Yes, it might be fun just to tease some of the others a little. But just a little.
A tall figure entered, and Grimm recognised Dalquist, resplendent in sumptuous robes of bottle-green velvet.
'Adept Questor Grimm, it is so, so good to see you.'
Grimm brightened at Dalquist's use of his new title. He took his friend's right hand in a firm, brotherly grip and smiled.
'I saw what happened in the Scholasticate,' Dalquist drawled, 'and I pride myself that I can recognise the spoor of an angry Questor.'
Grimm gulped and nodded. 'I demolished it, didn't I, Dalquist?'
The Questor nodded. 'Believe me, I completely understand and sympathise with what you've gone through,' he said. 'When I broke out, they needed to rebuild a large part of the Refectory. That was very unpopular with the other Students! It looks like you let Crohn off pretty lightly. At least he can walk, albeit with the aid of a stick! You look pretty good, considering what you've been through.'
'I feel much better than I did yesterday, Dalquist,' Grimm assured him. 'I'm just looking forward to making Shumal Tolarin and his friends sweat a little; and maybe a little play-magic.'
'Don't do it, Grimm,' Dalquist urged. 'It's not worthy of a Questor. Believe me: sweet forgiveness will have far more effect on them. Many of them were probably under some Compulsion, or under threat of expulsion to act as they did, and had no choice in the way they acted. You won't be able to tell, even by their auras, as they will all feel guilt, even if it wasn't their fault.
'Of course, they taunted you and hurt you. But now you're a Questor, and the finest treasure in the land can't buy that. You're a fighter and a survivor; remember that nobody can belittle that, or take it away from you.'
Grimm nodded slowly, not quite seeing Dalquist's point.
'Just be proud of what you are,' the Questor continued, 'and of what you always were; take pity on these poor, rich simpletons. When you're fully trained, you may be able to destroy fortresses at a word of command, or to subdue demons and dragons. Rise above petty revenge as only one of true power and nobility can and you will gain respect and admiration. These Students and Neophytes will remember every slight, every trip and every punch they visited on you, and they'll relive every one ten-fold in shame. Will you promise me this?'
Grimm thought long and hard about Dalquist's words before he answered, 'If you think it best, Dalquist, I shall bury my bitterness,' he said with a sigh. 'But it would have been fun to watch them squirm a bit.'
