Guild Mage: Apprentice-Chapter 122 - 121. East

Most of the first year students didn't sit for the emergency examinations in the morning, though Liv noticed a few of the more promising ones filing in. Liv ended up sitting next to Arjun, at the same table as her team from the king tide. Brom, Isabel and Sawyer took seats on the opposite side, facing them.

"Bryn?" Liv asked the second years.

Sawyer shook his head. "Dressing up fancy at the coronation," he told her. "Her cousin's baron of someplace or other. Ashwood?"

"Ashford?" Liv asked, and the boy nodded. "I didn't realize that, but it explains the steam. She's related to my first teacher." Before she could spend too long chastising herself for not making the connection sooner, Liv was distracted by Tephania plopping herself down on the empty bench at Liv's other side. "I thought you weren't coming," she said, and then immediately regretted it. The last thing she wanted to do was make Teph angry again.

"I decided it doesn't cost me anything to try," the blonde girl muttered. After that, there wasn't time for talking, as the three professors who'd remained at the college began passing out examinations.

There weren't nearly as many people to help with the organization as there had been at the beginning of the year, but there were also a lot less students testing, Liv realized. The great hall was perhaps a quarter full, at most. She guessed there were no more than two score students putting quills to ink pots and leaning down over their work.

It was easy, Liv reflected, not to realize just how much you were learning, day by day. Nearly four months of classes blurred together, and she couldn't have told anyone just when she'd memorized the most common characteristics of a western timber viper that had been exposed to mana, or the medical uses for its venom - but when the questions were in front of her, the knowledge came to mind, and her fingers set to writing.

Of course, Master Grenfell had spent years working with her over an old copy of Blackwood's bestiary, even before she'd come to Coral Bay, and old Master Cushing had taken nearly as much time to show her how to drain pus from an infected wound, or set a broken arm. Liv could admit to herself, now, that she hadn't truly appreciated just how well they'd prepared her for the courses here. The fact she'd been placed in so many advanced classes, back at the end of Harvest Season, was less due to her own talent, than to the diligence of her teachers.

Except for magic, of course. Other than a few frustrating roadblocks - learning the adamant ice technique, or silent casting - that had always come easily to her, instinctively. Even when fighting Karis, Liv had held herself back. She could have reached out to the mana of the rift, and had a nearly limitless well of mana to draw on – but the memory of how badly she'd been poisoned at Bald Peak had prevented her.

This time, when Liv finished, instead of looking around helplessly for someone like Cade to take her aside, she went back and double checked all of her answers. She pushed down the brief twinge of loneliness that came when she thought of him: it was better this way. Now, Liv could be entirely focused on learning what she needed to know for the fight against Ractia - on learning the secrets of the Vædic ruins. The extra time before the examinations ended didn't amount to much, but here and there she added a note of clarification, or expanded on a thought. When Archmagus Jurian finally called a halt, Liv capped her inkpot and felt, if not confident, at least satisfied that she'd done her best.

Luncheon was served at the tables, while Professors Blackwood and Norris left the room with Archmagus Jurian and a small cadre of journeymen instructors to sort through the students' answers. Thora brought Liv a special plate of food, prepared by Lambert and the kitchen staff of High Hall.

"Figure they'll have it all done by the time we've eaten, then?" Brom asked, and Isabel snorted.

"Not a chance," Isabel said. She was nearly as small as Liv, with dark hair and eyes, but the second year had the attitude of someone who didn't take trouble from anyone. "Maybe by tonight. Maybe. There's nearly – forty, you think? – of those things to grade."

"How do you like your chances?" Liv asked her.

"Even?" The second year shrugged. "I thought I had another few months to be ready, but we all intended to test for journeyman by the end of Flood Season. I don't know how they expect any of the first years to pass, though. Anyway, what's Lendh ka Dakruim like?" Isabel asked, leaning across the table to address Arjun.

"I hear they ride monsters around," Sawyer interrupted.

"Hastim," Arjun said. "And they aren't monsters, just animals. They can be trained, like a horse can."

"We have those in the far north," Liv said. "Up near Kelthelis. We saw a herd on our trip back to the waystone, remember?"

Arjun nodded. "The kind in the south aren't nearly so shaggy," he said. "I was surprised your father didn't say anything about training them."

Liv shrugged. "Maybe the southern variety is calmer?" she suggested. "But I really don't know. You'd have to ask him."

"Anyway," Arjun continued, "It's quite a bit different than here. A bit warmer than Coral Bay, but the mountains act as a real barrier. The kinds of plants and animals you find in the east, compared to the west, are almost entirely different. And we don't have nobles in the way you do, though kṣatriyas come closest."

"That's one of the jati, like your family?" Liv asked him.

"Honestly, I'm glad you're going to be coming," Sawyer said. "I mean, if I'm one of those who goes. I wouldn't know the first thing about what to do or what to say."

"He's right, you know," Isabel said. "Even if you aren't a journeyman, Arjun, everyone who goes will be relying on you quite a bit."

"Let him talk about the important part," Brom broke in. "What's the food like? And are the girls pretty?"

"Can I talk to you for a moment, Liv?" Tephania asked. Liv nodded, and the two girls stood up, leaving Arjun to fend off Brom's enthusiasm. The last thing she heard as they left the table behind was something about varieties of pepper. They weren't the only students leaving the great hall: as everyone finished eating, people were returning to their rooms, or even heading down to the training grounds to get in a bit of exercise.

Liv, on the other hand, led Teph over to the edge of the bluff, slipping through a fallen section of stone wall and finding a place to sit. The wind of the ocean caught both girls' hair, and threw it about their faces until Teph took a few combs out of her pocket. She handed one to Liv, and they each pulled the errant strands back, securing loose buns behind their heads.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you last night," Tephania began. "That wasn't fair of me. You can't help how talented you are. I just - I was worried about you, when you ran off down to the beach. And I was left behind again. Useless."

"You aren't useless, Teph," Liv said. "You know, I was thinking, all through the examination this morning, about how much Master Grenfell and Master Cushing, and even Duchess Julianne, had done to get me ready for Coral Bay. I don't think I really appreciated it at the time, but they knew exactly what they were doing. I had years and years of tutoring - and you didn't have that. It isn't fair for you to compare yourself to me."

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"I try to tell myself that," Tephania said. "But I think it's pretty clear at this point I'm not going to catch up with you," she continued. "And to be honest, I don't think I want to." Liv opened her mouth to protest, but Teph stopped her. "Just let me finish, please?"

Liv nodded, and remained silent.

"I'm not the sort of person who goes running off to fight," Tephania said. "I couldn't do what you do. I don't like wrestling around the training yard with Rose. I'd rather be working in the library, or even enchanting. I'm not going to run around the kingdom fighting things. I'm going to be a court mage," she declared. "I can do that, I think. Teach the local children, give advice to the baron. As long as I can find one who's kind."

"You'll still have to cull when there's an eruption," Liv cautioned her.

"Once every ten or twenty years," Teph agreed, nodding. "That's better than going off to Varuna, or Lendh ka Dakruim, to fight monsters. I'll do my time on the king tides here, and the culling I need to do to finish my schooling. But I'm not some kind of warrior, and I'm not going to try to be." She turned to look at Liv, and she looked nervous - maybe even frightened. "Does that make you think less of me?"

"No," Liv said, without hesitation. "My first master was like that, you know. Master Grenfell. He still is. Court Mage to Baron Henry, when I was growing up - now to Duchess Julianne, though it's really the same thing by another name. He only fought when he needed to. Actually," she admitted, "he called Jurian crazy a few times. Got really upset the first spell I learned was meant to kill things. Said it was typical."

"But Teph," she continued, "we need people like that. We need professors, and court mages - people to teach, while the crazy ones are off crawling around in caves and ruins and jungles. What you want to do is just as important as what I'm going to do. Maybe you'll even find a kid like me," Liv said, "someone who didn't have anything going for them, until you came along." She reached out and wrapped an arm around Teph's waist, and pulled her in for a hug.

With a sigh, Teph put an arm around Liv in return. "I was afraid you'd be disappointed in me," she admitted. "And not want to be my friend anymore."

"I'm not disappointed," Liv said. "But I will miss you until we get back. I feel like – like I had friends, for the first time really, when I got here. And now everyone's gone off in different directions. Sidonie went culling, Rose is still at the capital. Arjun's going east, no matter what."

"And we all know I'm staying here," Teph said. After a moment, she continued, "And Cade. You miss him?"

"I don't know. I miss the feeling of someone caring about me," Liv admitted. "It was nice. But it was a distraction, and it wasn't going to work out, in the end," she said, firmly. "We're both better off with it over."

Above the ocean, in the distance, half a dozen gulls wheeled, and Liv could hear their calls across the bay.

"Bring me back a present," Teph said. "Something I can put on my desk and show my students, and tell them it came from the east."

"I will," Liv promised. "And I expect you to be an apprentice, at least, by the time we get back. You can show me your magic."

"Deal," Teph said. They stayed there, looking out at the ocean, until the wind grew chilly with the onset of twilight, and the bells rang for the evening meal.

☙

Out of near forty students who'd taken the emergency examinations, seven stood before Archmagus Jurian the next morning. Liv didn't want to think about how late the professors and their journeymen assistants had stayed up the night before – one look at the dark circles under Genne's eyes, when they crossed paths in the central courtyard, told her all she needed to know.

Brom and Isabel were the only students Liv knew by name, and she herself was the only first year. Sawyer, it seemed, had not made the cut. She thought back to his hesitancy and lack of confidence during the king tide, and wondered whether the third-year would actually finish his time at the college, or not.

"I know that some of you may not have felt you were ready to test out of your courses yet," Archmagus Jurian said, addressing the students lined up in front of his office desk. "However, your results speak for themselves. You are journeymen, as of today. I wish that I could ease you into things with another king tide, but we simply don't have that luxury. We've already delayed for the testing, and every wasted day will be costing innocent lives in Lendh ka Dakruim. Our help has been requested, and we will answer."

"Apprentice Arjun Iyuz," Jurian said, indicating the dark-haired boy with his hand, "will serve as your translator, guide, and liaison with the local jati. Isabel Tanner will serve as your culling commander, if needed, though I expect you'll fall under local command once you arrive."

"Me?" Isabel gulped, looking a bit wide eyed.

"You," Jurian repeated. "You're one of only two people in the group to have survived an eruption before, and of the two, you're the senior student. I'd recommend you take the other as your second, but it's your choice, Journeyman Tanner."

"That's Liv, isn't it?" Isabel turned, and looked Liv in the eye. "How about it?"

Liv nodded. It sounded like Isabel had less experience than she did, so far as rifts were concerned, but she could see why Jurian had made the choice. She doubted any of the second years would be enthusiastic about taking orders from a first year. "Of course," she said. "I'll help you any way I can."

"Good," Jurian said. "You have until ninth bell to get your things packed and get down to the waystone. I will send you on from there: I don't want any of you going into danger without all the mana you can hold. You'll be going to a fortress known as Akela Kila." He glanced over to Arjun. "You know it?"

"I've heard of it," Liv's friend said. "I've never visited myself, but my father and my uncle have."

Jurian nodded. "Good. Off with you all, then. Get your things together. Journeyman Brodbeck, remain behind a moment."

Liv stood before the desk until the other students had all left, and closed the door behind them.

"You understand why you are not the one in charge, I hope?" Jurian asked her.

Liv nodded. "I may have more experience, but they don't know that," she said. "Second years wouldn't like being told what to do by a first year."

"Correct. I expect you to support Isabel - she's tough, and she learns quickly. The other professors should be back this afternoon," the archmage admitted, "which is one of the reasons I need to hurry you all along so quickly. You should bring your maid with you."

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"I'd rather not put Thora in danger during an eruption," Liv protested.

"You can't leave her here," Jurian stated plainly. "If you do, the archmagus will question her. I know Wren will go with you no matter what I say, so I'm not worried about her."

"I understand," Liv said. "I'll go make sure we're all packed, then."

"Good. And Liv?" Jurian said, catching her with her hand on the door. "You passed the examinations without any assistance from me."

She couldn't help but smile as she slipped out of the office and hurried down the stairs of Blackstone Hall.

☙

Liv, Wren and Thora were the first ones down to the waystone; she wanted to take no chances on Archmagus Loredan arriving early. They waited there, just far enough away from the stone that the waves wouldn't wet their boots, while the other students gathered.

Liv had stopped by the stables to say goodbye to Steria: the shaggy northern horse would be miserable in the heat of Lendh ka Dakruim, from everything Arjun had told her. Instead of loading the mare's saddlebag, Liv had conjured a disc of mana. Though she'd made every effort to see that the three women packed light, a whole pile of bags and trunks needed to be hoisted up onto a platform. Liv directed it down the road behind them, using her wand to maneuver it all the way down from the bluff.

Arjun and Isabel came next, walking down in conversation; whatever they'd been talking about, they broke off before joining Liv and the others. Just a short distance behind came the other students, in a cluster.

"It doesn't seem like very many," Thora admitted, and Liv had to agree. Seven new journeymen, Arjun, Wren and Thora made for a party of only ten. None of the students had brought horses, which wasn't a surprise: all of the nobles, and those from the wealthiest merchant families, had gone to the coronation - like Rose.

Liv would have liked to have had at least one more friend with her, and Rose was good in a fight. She'd learned that at the king tide, and when they'd dueled at the beginning of the year. The best Liv had been able to do was to leave a note for her with Tephania, but she also hadn't dared explain Jurian's true reasoning in writing. She wouldn't be able to tell Rose the truth until they all returned to Coral Bay - if then.

Finally, Archmagus Jurian came down, trailing a short distance behind the students. "Remember," he said, "you are all representing our guild. People will be depending on you, and your purpose is the noblest there is: to save lives. Step onto the waystone."

Liv stepped out into the breakers with the others, and used her wand to skim the disk of blue mana carrying the pile of trunks along with them. She watched Archmagus Jurian find a particular sigil, and did her best to commit it to memory. When the stone beneath their feet began to shine, Jurian backed away, up onto the road.

In the moment before the magic of the waystone carried them away, he met Liv's eyes, and gave her the slightest nod. Then, the world dissolved into light.