Creators Guild: A Wizard's Beginning (21 page)

             
He tripped over something on the floor. Bending down he was shocked and backed up into the wall. There in front of him on the ground was a human skeleton.  He got his mind back and went to look back at it, with a closer examination; he saw several ribs broken as well as a leg.

             
One leg still had some material on it so he took it, wrapped the material around the joint and lit it with the last of his candle.  He continued to walk; now with more light he could see the walls better. They were made out of skulls.  He just about vomited. He started to run and before he realized he was outside on the other side of the lake.

             
He marked the location of the tunnel entrance, then decided to explore through the woods. He was surprised to find various footsteps, going in and out of the tunnel.  He figured that they were the footprints of the wizards, as a way of getting in and out of the house.  He took his torch back in with him, this time knowing how long it would be. It seemed shorter knowing where he was going and with a purpose.  He had to get back to Wizard Petron; he needed to talk to him about what he had found.

             
The only problem now was how to convince the two standing outside his door that he needed to talk to the headmaster again without letting them know what he had found.  He went to the door and slowly opened it. He saw one of the patlins asleep while the other one was standing guard.  He turned to see what Roland was doing; he stepped out of the room, holding his head down. "I need to talk to Wizard Petron, its urgent"

             
The patlin looked down at Roland, an utter look of disgust. He walked over to his friend, nudging him in the leg to wake him up.  He woke up to see Roland standing there.

             
"Now what does his majesty want," he said, glaring at him.

             
"He needs to see the headmaster, say's it’s urgent," the other one answered. "He wants us to take him now,” he said in a snide manner. “Like we ain’t got nuttin better to do than do what this putrid little snake wants us to do.”

             
They got up and walked in front of him talking to each other. He knew that they were talking about him, not liking the fact that they had to watch someone inferior in standing to themselves.  Or at least that's what they thought. He picked up a little on the wind to listen to what they were saying, none of it important.  It didn't take long before they reached the infirmary again.

             
They went up to the wizard that was standing at the door, telling them what Roland needed. The wizard was more willing to accept who Roland was and knowing the secrets that he possessed.  He went in letting the headmaster know what was needed.

             
The wizard returned quickly, allowing Roland to come in.  He took him directly to the headmaster. He didn't look much better to him, but he knew he had to let the headmaster know this new information.

             
"Headmaster, how are you feeling?"

             
"Tired my boy, what did you need?"

             
"How long have those passageways been behind the walls in the apprentices rooms?"

             
"What passages?"

             
"The one's that I found behind my dormitory walls."

              "I'm sorry son; I don't know what passageways you are talking about."

             
This concerned him; he knew that someone had been using the passageways recently, due to the fresh footprints at the entrance to the cavern. 

             
“It’s not that important. I’ll go and find Terinal and show them to him.  I’m very sorry I bothered you headmaster,” he said backing away slowly.  He decided not to bother the headmaster concerning this anymore, seeing how tired he looked and the stress that he was sure he was under.

             
He was escorted back to his room. He was still thinking of the passageways when he got permission to go back to the library. The two patlins escorting him didn't seem to mind, they figured they could find out more of what was going on.  In the mean time, he could look through the old logs for missing people.  That dead person had to of found the passageways, and was possibly murdered. After he returned to his room he decided he would go back in the passage and see if he could pull the skeleton out.

             
There had to be some clues there, maybe he could find where or how the person died. More importantly who had it been?  It kept puzzling him that the headmaster had no idea that the passageway was even there. He figured that he would take up the matter with some of the other wizards in the morning. He was feeling so drained now that he laid down and fell asleep before he realized what happened.

             
The door opened letting in the smells of fresh breads, and mulled cider. He looked as one of the servant girls brought in a tray of food for him; she was an attractive young lady, smiling at him.  He finished waking up, putting on his robe and went to sit at his little table, tasting the refreshing rolls and drink.  The excitement of the last few hours had drained him more than he had ever known.

             
The fresh cider brought a rejuvenating sense with it, filling his body with renewed energy.  He quickly ate the pastries and finished off the pitcher of mulled cider.  Getting dressed he left his room. It surprised him that the two patlins that were outside his room the night before were no longer there.  He brushed it off as a fault in the change. He walked to the infirmary, figuring that's where most of the wizards would be.

             
He was surprised to find that there was no one in the foyer to the infirmary, especially with the headmaster inside.  He went in finding it empty as well, after seeing the headmaster in the shape he was in the night before he couldn't figure that he had left already.  All this seemed unreal to him, the breakfast, the patlins missing, and the empty infirmary.

             
He awoke with a jolt screaming, his bed soaked with sweat. The two patlins ran into the room, both holding the power and looking all around to see what was going on. Roland was pale so they rushed him to the infirmary. The wizards there rushed to his aid casting healing spells trying to help ease his mind and allow his body to relax.

             
Wizard Recorian, the most skilled in the use of probability was authorized by the headmaster to use the power to try and look into his mind.  They wanted to know what was causing the night madness. Never had one so young as he was had been plagued by the madness, usually manifesting in the early wizards. Those suffering usually did not survive, and as far as their extensive knowledge was they could never find the cure for this dilemma.

             
If this was in fact what he suffered from, they were in a dreadful state. The biggest question being was why he had it.  They prepared him for the mind search; the technique was more of a lost art. This was a very risky technique, by entering into someone's mind you risked the possibility of losing yourself to them.

             
Treglinar Mederi Domanila Eknon Volme
as Recorian continued to repeat these words he drifted into a deep trance. He could feel inside of Roland's mind, it was dark, there seemed to be a mental block. It took him several tries to get through it. He could see all of Roland's recent memories as he wandered through his mind.  Seeing the passageway, he followed the memory, seeing the same things that he had told the headmaster, knowing this to be a recent memory he continued to follow it.

             
The boys mind was dark, the past mixing with the future in a way that he had never seen before. For most people it was a clear line from past to a single point of the present, leading to another line not as definite as the past showing the possible future. For him there was no clear definition between the past, present or future.  He ran into so many more walls than he was used too.

             
There was one block that he was not able to get through no matter what elements he put together. It seemed that the harder he pushed at the block the stronger it seemed to get. When he realized there was nothing he could do to get through he turned. That is where he made his mistake.  He was struck hard in the side of the head; although he was in a world between worlds anything that was inflicted on someone here has the same results as though it happened in real life.

             
He blacked out, the most dangerous of circumstances. The wizards standing around him saw him start to convulse they could sense the change in his status. As he started to convulse they severed the links that they could, cutting him off from the power.  His body continued to convulse throwing him into spastic seizures.

             
Both Recorian and Roland remained in the comatose state. Recorian stared muttering incoherent phrases, his mind locked in a turmoil trapped between two worlds.  The other wizards had no idea now of what to do, now having lost a wizard to the mind disease as well and not getting any closer to the information that was locked in Roland’s mind.

             
"Where am I? Hello is there anyone out there?" he kept calling out. He remembered being in this place before. It seemed like it had been cycles since he had had this dream, but he knew now that he was in a dream.  There was something different about it this time; he could feel a new presence, something from within.  He walked around the room, looking for a way out. He was blocked by something that he couldn't see, touch or penetrate.

             
The feeling that there was someone with him was coming from the other side of the obstruction. The presence was there one minute and then seemed to disappear; the only feeling was one of despair, as though whoever it was was now in trouble.

             
"Hello, is there anyone out there? I can feel you, but I can't hear you or see you. Are you out there?" he continued calling out.

Chapter 13

Mind
Spells

             
   he nightmare continued for what seemed like an eternity.  The wizards were struggling with all their cures to bring an end to the night tremors that he was having. They didn’t dare send another wizard into his mind, losing one was dangerous and costly as it was, loosing another would be insane.

             
Fortunately, Wizard Recorian was improving, the seizures had stopped and his rest was becoming more relaxed. The herbalist had tried every type of herb and medicine that they knew of to calm him and hopefully make his transition into reality easier.  Seeing how this had not been done for centuries there were no wizards left living that knew of the consequences of what happened. All they had to reference were the history manuscripts.

             
And all they told was of the destruction of the mind of the wizard. The longer he was out of pure reality the harder it was for him to accept the truth. Soon he would begin to accept the dream state as his true reality.  It had been several weeks now that he had been unconscious.  Just recently they had been able to make progress. He was now opening his eyes, although they were still not focused his mind was not completely lost, they could still bring him back to the true realty.

             
The hope was that if he could see some familiar faces, as well as hear familiar voices that he could find his way back.  What they didn't know was how his mind was being held captive by a mind sweeper.  Until he could break free of this evil incarnation he would never be truly free, and the longer that he was held captive, the greater risk of falling to the dark.

             
"Roland, can you hear me?" asked the headmaster.  "It’s time apprentice. The advancement ceremony has come, you must return to us to proceed."

             
He started to stir, still lost in his dream. He could hear the headmaster calling him, the words forming in his mind, but he couldn’t answer. The more he yelled, the tighter his throat became, he felt that he was losing his voice.   He reached for the power of the elements, trying to weave anything he could.

             
That was no use, he could see it, feel it all around him, but it would not form anything.  Something was blocking his abilities. He never gave up as he continued to fight against this unseen power that was holding him. He kept looking for the weak spot he had been told about to find the one way that the barrier could be broken.

             
As he heard the voice of the headmaster, it was something new; he started wondering if somehow the barrier was weakening.  He wove together his greatest strength, fire and water. Although they were two contradictory elements he found that by blending them in the right way he could make a powerful tool.

             
He bound the two together as strong as he could, but with the block on his power it was still weak. Throwing them at the invisible wall, the weave spread out, seeking the weakest point.  He could sense something different this time; the wall was not as strong. As the weave continued he sensed a weak point.  Focusing all the energy at that one minute area he could feel it start to grow, as the weave broke through, it became stronger, growing; eventually the pin sized hole grew. The bonds growing stronger and stronger, he could feel it, sense the increasing power, causing him to smile almost laugh with hysteria.

             
He added earth and wind to the bond now that he could control more of it. With the last two elements added the barrier shattered, the power flying back at him, almost consuming him.  He was physically thrown back from the force of the power, releasing it as quickly as he could.  The light in the room grew in intensity; he walked out feeling the presence even stronger.

             
Recognizing the passageways, he followed his senses, the feeling growing stronger. Turning a corner into what would have been the apprentices' common room he saw what appeared to be the apparition of one of the wizards lying on a table.  He was bound with cords made of pure darkness.

             
Standing next to the wizard was a shrouded figure; he could hear him whispering incantations.  He walked up quietly behind the figure, not knowing for sure what would happen. He took a candelabrum from the table, raising it high above his head.  He brought it down with all his strength on the back of the person.

             
The figure fell to the ground in a limp mass. He pulled the hood back to see who was now laying there. The face now contorted from pain, he looked pale as if the very essence of its life was seeping away.  As the man started to disappear, he could see the bands around the wizard getting thinner and vanishing as well.

             
He stepped over the vanishing person and walked over to the wizard. He could see the look of torment and pain in his face, his features pulled tight with a look of despair in his eyes.  Roland shook him gently; he put his hand over his heart and could feel it strong, as though it was trying to break through his chest.  His pulse started to slow down, and the wizard's breathing became easier, he could see the life returning.

             
He sat up on the table, looking around seeing the robe lying on the ground with only the feet left and even they were quickly disappearing.  He looked lost and confused, not knowing exactly where he was.  He looked at Roland remembering now where he was, and surprised that he was still alive.

             
"A dream sweeper, very dangerous and vile creatures," he said, looking down at the robe.  He kicked it only dust rising from it.

             
"Where are we?" he asked the wizard.

             
"We’re in your dream that is how you were able to destroy it. They enter into dreams and take possession of the mind, most of the time when someone has a night terror they are the cause of it. Generally they only keep a person’s mind captive for a night, feeding on the fear they create. I was not prepared when it hit me, taking control of my body. Had you not destroyed it, it would have destroyed me," he told him.

             
"So how did you get in here?"

             
"I used probability; you have been unconscious now for almost a month. We found you the night after the headmaster was attacked. You were having a night terror so to help you I was sent inside your dream with the hope that I would be able to help you get out.  I have no idea how long I have been in here now."

             
"I was trapped behind a wall of some type; my magic wouldn't even work on it. I could feel it start to weaken, it was then that I was able to break through it, that's when I found you lying there."

             
"That’s good, you very well are as strong as Wizard Maglin has claimed," he smiled holding onto Roland's shoulder to help himself up.  "I hear that you have found a passageway. Let’s go see where it is while we are still in your dream?"

             
The infirmary erupted in commotion; healer’s apprentices as well as masters were running here and there, some collecting herbs to make new potions, others grabbing pre-made potions mixing them together. Everyone seemed to be talking at once.

             
The headmaster could hear the healers talking and working feverishly. He walked over trying to hear what was going on when Rendle the Master Healer stopped him, taking him by the arm and leading him out of the room.

             
"Headmaster," he started, "both fevers have broken; my people are now trying to figure out what has happened. They are both still unconscious, but this sudden change has everyone in a frantic. If all works out well we should have both of them awake soon."

             
"Very good Rendle, please keep me apprised of their conditions, it has been a long night, I am going to turn in, but do not hesitate to send for me the minute either one of them wakes," with that said he left retiring to his private room.

             
It didn't take long for the healers to wake Recorian. He was still sore from the entrapment that he was under, so the healers let him rest as they continued to work to revive Roland.  Because he was still trapped in his own dream it was going to be more of a challenge to bring him back.

             
"Send for the headmaster," yelled Rendle, "the boys waking up."

             
The headmaster showed up running, followed by a large procession of wizards. Rendle was amazed at how fast news could spread when it needed too. The crowd was building quickly around Roland he now had to push his way through the crowd.

             
"Back up everyone, give the boy some room and some air," shouted Rendle, when it came to matters of health he had more power than even the headmaster.

             
Slowly the crowd broke apart, the healers and infirmary workers returning to their respective patients or chores, although a hushed whisper could be heard around, everyone wanting to know what was going on.  After Wizard Recorian had revived Roland he spoke with the headmaster. Letting him know that they may have a better understanding of why a wizard loses his mind. With the dream sweepers binding the mind and not being able to feast, they never release the mind of the individual.  Roland was now considered a hero.  The only ones now standing around Roland were the headmaster, and the heads of each order, along with a few of the healers.

             
Roland tried to sit up; he was still feeling shaky and dizzy, as well as extremely sore and hungry. He tried focusing his eyes to the light after being asleep for so long. The images of those around him were fuzzy.

             
"Don't try to move to quickly son," spoke an unfamiliar voice, "you have been through a lot. You need time to heal properly now, some food has been sent for you, but you need to take it easy."

             
He could see better now, the older gentleman was placing a hand under his arm and one to support his back, helping him to sit up a little straighter. Each movement bringing a flash of pain as sore and stiff muscles were being flexed after a long time without being used.  Each face was coming into better focus; he saw the headmaster as well as all the others who had been involved with his training.  He could see their faces starting to relax, and he realized he wasn't the only one that had been through a great deal.

             
"Hello apprentice," came the headmasters voice, "it's good to see you awake now, how are you feeling?"

             
"Sore, but alive, what happened?"

             
"You were trapped in a mind spell, very dangerous situation. It wasn't until we had sent Wizard Recorian into your dreams that we learned it. You were very lucky young man; most people that get caught in one never survive."

             
"Well to be honest with you, the way I feel right now, I wish I hadn't," he said smiling.

             
"I can imagine so, you get some rest now. When you’re feeling up to it I have some questions for you, we need to learn all we can from this."

             
"Headmaster," Roland said.

             
"Yes."

             
"Tell me did I miss the advancement ceremony?" he asked with a touch of disappointment in his voice.

             
"No son, we held it off in hopes that you would come around soon. As soon as you’re feeling better we will hold it."

             
"Thank you," he said, lying back down.  Although he had been in what seemed an endless slumber his body and mind were spent, he barely remembered laying down before he was asleep, only to be waken a few hours later to eat.