The Dragon's Champion (4 page)

He went to the
desk. He sat in the chair and looked at the large, open book. It was an old
dusty and yellow tome that described the history of various regions of
Terramyr. He pushed the book aside and started to search for Dimwater’s diary.
He pulled open the drawer and rummaged through some old, stiff papers. Some
were potion recipes, some were anatomical drawings, and others were written in
strange languages that Erik did not understand. After a thorough search of the
drawer he found a small, leather bound book under the papers. He pulled the
book out and opened it. He hoped he had found the diary, but again he was
disappointed. The pages inside were blank. Erik replaced the book and closed
the drawer.

Something big
growled in front of him.

Erik slowly lifted
his gaze. A great, silver wolf stood with its front paws on the desk in front
of him. Its snarling lips curled back to reveal shiny, white fangs as long as
Erik’s fingers. The wolf lowered its head and stared directly into Erik’s eyes.
Erik’s body froze. The fear gripped him so tightly that he couldn’t move. He
sat paralyzed, helpless, as the wolf inched closer.

The wolf slid a
paw forward on the desk. Its ears were flat against its head and its eyes never
broke their gaze. Erik knew he had to do something, but he couldn’t. Even when
he felt the wolf’s breath on his face he could barely blink.

The wolf opened
its massive jaws and Erik could see its throat. He had nothing to fight with.
His waster was back in Master Lepkin’s study, and he had left the spear in the
hall, but he knew he had to try something –anything! Finally, he broke the
spell and lunged forward at the wolf with his fists. He let out a feral yell
and swung at the wolf, but his fist never connected.

The wolf was
gone, just as suddenly as it had come. Erik took a moment to catch his breath.
His heart was pounding like a hammer in his chest. He leaned back in the chair
and wiped his brow.

“I better find
that book and get out of here,” Erik told himself.

“I don’t think
so,” someone said.

Erik stiffened
and looked around. A purple light, no bigger than a candle’s flame hovered just
above where the wolf’s head had been. The light expanded slowly at first and
then it exploded. Erik threw up his arms to shield himself as the whole room
was washed in violet. Then, it collapsed inward on itself. An instant after the
light vanished all of the furniture in the room disappeared.

Erik landed hard
and hit his rump on the bare stone floor. Everything was gone. The books, the
beakers, the birdcage, and every single piece of paper had vanished.

 “What is
this?” Erik asked.

“It’s magic,”
the voice answered condescendingly.

Erik looked up
and saw a woman standing over him. “Lady Dimwater,” Erik said breathlessly. He scrambled
for something to say, but Lady Dimwater was first to speak.

“I know why
you’re here,” she said. “You have come to learn for yourself the truth about my
past. Is this not so?”

Erik wanted to
explain that his curiosity was just too strong. He had so many questions that
he hoped her diary would answer for him, but he was too shaken up to form an
explanation. Everything had happened so fast that he couldn’t collect his
thoughts.

“You don’t have
to speak,” Dimwater said. She waved her hand and a rectangular, wooden table
appeared off to the side. She snapped her fingers and Erik watched two chairs
materialize on opposite ends of the table. A red, silk table runner appeared
and unfolded itself along the length of the table. Next, two plates, a teapot, and
a large clear bottle filled with green liquid appeared.

“Come and have a
seat,” Dimwater instructed. She took a seat with her back to the wall.

“Yes, ma’am,”
Erik replied. He got up and walked over to the empty seat. He reached out and
grabbed the chair, just to make sure it wasn’t an illusion.

Dimwater
chuckled and motioned for Erik to sit. “The chair won’t disappear, I promise.”

Erik nodded, but
he kept his hand on the chair until he was completely seated. “Can I ask a
question?” Erik asked.

“
May
I
ask a question,” Dimwater corrected. “Of course you have the physical ability
to speak and arrange words into question form, but since you are asking for
permission the correct way is to say
May I
.”

“Yes, ma’am, I
meant may I ask a question?”

“You may.”

“What were those
things that attacked me?” The ghost and the wolf I mean.”

“Again you ask
questions to which you already know the answers,” Lady Dimwater tapped her
fingernails on the table and looked at Erik intently. “Surely Master Lepkin’s
chosen apprentice is not as stupid as he presents himself. I think you meant to
ask
why
they attacked you, as you have already correctly deduced
what
they are, but the answer to that should be obvious as well. They are guardians
of my study. They keep intruders out.”

Erik sighed and
looked to the window high up on the wall. He was used to being teased by
others, but for some reason Lady Dimwater’s insults hurt more than most.

“What kind of
tea would you like?” Dimwater asked. She pointed to the teapot.

“I like mint
tea, may I have that?”

“Very well,”
Dimwater said. She muttered something that Erik couldn’t understand and seconds
later the entire room was filled with the aroma of fresh mint tea. Steam
escaped through the spout of the teapot and trailed off as it rose through the
air. “I find it better to discuss bitter topics over drinks,” Dimwater said.
She snapped her fingers and two tea cups appeared; one on each saucer plate.
The teapot gently floated toward Erik and poured tea into his cup. The bottle
of green liquid floated over to Dimwater, popped its own cork, and filled
Dimwater’s cup.

“What is that?”
Erik asked. He was feeling more comfortable now after being offered refreshment
in place of infinite demerits or immediate expulsion.

“It’s absinthe,”
Dimwater replied. “It is a bit too strong for you, but I find it helps to clear
my mind.” She took a slow sip and set the cup back on the saucer.

Erik tested his
tea. It was almost too hot, but that was how he liked it. Hot enough to sting
the lips and be felt on the way down his throat. “It’s very good, thank you.”
Erik looked up and saw that Dimwater was still staring at him. Her face was as
stone and despite her beautiful features, looked scary. Her finger lightly
traced the rim of her cup as she stared. It was then that Erik remembered why
he was here. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have entered your study without your
permission.”

“Your apology is
accepted,” Dimwater replied. “However, we should discuss the matter of your
punishment.”

Erik set his tea
down and prepared for the worst.

“I deal with
intruders quite differently than other teachers here at Kuldiga Academy.”

“Other students
have done this before?” Erik asked incredulously.

“Of course,”
Dimwater chuckled. A smile broke her stone-faced expression. “There are many
rumors about me, young Erik. The rumors, combined with my powers and position
here at Kuldiga Academy make for an irresistible temptation for all kinds of
intruders, it seems. That is why I am so careful about guarding my study.”

“But why guard
it if you can make everything disappear?” Erik asked.

Dimwater laughed
out loud for several moments. When she calmed down a bit she wiped a tear from
her left eye. “This room isn’t my study,” she said.

“But what about the desk and the books?”
Erik countered.
“And why would Janik tell me to come here if it wasn’t your study?”

Dimwater smiled
and took another drink before she answered. “So, Janik gave you the key did
he?” she asked.

Erik fidgeted in
his chair nervously. He tried to think of a story to save his friend, but
nothing came to his mind. “I made him do it,” was all he could think to say.

“My dear boy,”
Dimwater chuckled. “Janik couldn’t be forced to do anything by a mere
apprentice, not even Lepkin’s chosen protégé.”

“He’s crippled,
ma’am, that gives me the advantage,” Erik replied smugly.

“His hand and
leg may be twisted, but even if you had Lepkin’s flaming sword, you could not
come close to defeating Janik. Perhaps you saw the painting of him in the
hall?”

Erik nodded
sullenly.

“Don’t worry; I
will not involve Janik in your punishment.”

“Thank you,
ma’am,” Erik replied.

“Now, so that
you understand what I meant about this room not being my study,” Dimwater
began. She finished her drink and then tossed the cup into the air, where it
vanished. “This room is a decoy. My real study is in the top of the tower.”

“But there
aren’t any stairs. How do you get there?”

“Your ignorance
of magic amuses me,” Dimwater replied. “Let me warn you that the other
guardians of my study make those you encountered look like church mice by
comparison.”

“Why didn’t
Janik warn me about the ghost and the wolf?” Erik asked. The question was
rhetorical, but Dimwater answered all the same.

“The guardians
are meant to keep intruders out. Janik is not an intruder, as it is his job to
clean Kuldiga Academy.”

“But he’s never
seen your real study, I’ll bet,” Erik replied.

Dimwater touched
her index finger to her nose and nodded. “Now you are starting to understand.”
She stood from the table and waved her hand at the wall on her right. A large
map of Terramyr unrolled from the ceiling to the floor. “Come and look here.”
Dimwater pointed to a small island.

Erik was
awestruck. The whole world of Terramyr was on a single map. He had never seen a
map this large before. He approached it eagerly. As he drew nearer his jaw
dropped open. There were waves on the ocean and seas, not just illustrated, but
actual, moving waves. The trees of the forests swayed with the wind. Clouds
rolled over the tops of mountains and valleys. Erik even saw a snowstorm on the
southern-most continent.

“This is
incredible,” Erik exclaimed.

Dimwater smiled.
“I created it myself,” she said. Then she touched the island she had pointed
out to Erik. “This is Kelboa. The island lies fifty miles to the west of here.
To reach it we will use a magical device, called a teleporter.”

“We?”
Erik asked. His crooked expression showed he wasn’t
following.

“When a student
breaks into my tower, I take them on an assignment with me. This way the
student can work off his offense as my assistant, and learn firsthand what kind
of person I am. Of course, I could also give you Kuldiga Academy approved
punishment if you prefer.”

“No, ma’am,”
Erik replied quickly. “But I’m afraid I won’t be much use to you, I can’t
perform magic.”

“I didn’t say
that I wanted you to. I said you would assist me. That can be done in different
ways. Just do as I tell you.”

“Yes, ma’am,”
Erik replied with a nod.

“My assignment
is two-fold. First I am to go to Spiekery and persuade a local priest to desist
preaching and practicing his religion in the town.”

“Why should we
do that? I thought we could practice any religion we wanted to in this
kingdom.”

“Mostly that is
true, but this man has created a religion that demands human sacrifices.
Therefore I have been charged to put an end to it.”

“You mean, they kill people?”
Erik asked.

Dimwater nodded.
“The priest swears that it is the only way to appease a demon that ravages the
city, but I have been given new evidence in the matter and the religion will
end today, one way or another.”

“That’s awful,”
Erik said.

“After that, we
must travel to Kuressar. I must speak with a local official there.”

“What about?”
Erik asked.

Dimwater went
silent for a moment. The map went blank, rolled up like a scroll and
disappeared. “I must swear you to secrecy before I tell you any more.” She
pulled a needle from thin air and grabbed Erik’s hand. “You must not tell any
apprentice what I am about to tell you. In truth, I only tell you because you
will play an important role in the events to come.”

“I won’t tell
any apprentice, but I can’t keep a secret from Master Lepkin.”

“Master Lepkin
should have told you himself,” Dimwater replied. “Perhaps he felt you weren’t
ready to know what purpose he chose you for, but I believe events are moving
too quickly to put this off.”

Erik furrowed
his brow.
What is she talking about?
Erik wondered. All he wanted was to
know more about Dimwater’s past with Orres and Lepkin.

“You may speak
of this to Lepkin, but no one else. Do you so swear?”

“I swear,” Erik
promised. Lady Dimwater pricked one of his fingers and the needle with his
blood began to glow. Erik wondered what could be so important, but nothing
could have prepared him for Dimwater’s next words.

“Erik, the
kingdom is fracturing from within while new, deadly threats throw themselves
across our borders every day. The Masters of Kuldiga Academy are preparing for
war.”

“What do you
mean we’re preparing for war?” Erik asked. “Who is our enemy?”

“It isn’t as
simple as that,” Dimwater replied. “It’s not just a war between the kingdom and
some invading force, or some legendary foe. This is a multi-faceted war. There
are many different factions vying for power in the realm. Some factions are
friendly to King Mathias, some are neutral, and others are extremely hostile.”

“But if the
enemy isn’t unified, how can it threaten us?”

“You aren’t
hearing what I am saying,” Dimwater said. Her tone grew impatient. “The kingdom
is not unified either. We have enemies from within and without. It’s too
complicated to lay it all out for you now. Just understand that even the noble
lords are divided against each other. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the
Masters were also involved. You’ll catch on quick enough. After we return, you
can ask Lepkin about it. He’ll be mad that I told you, but I think even he will
see the wisdom in helping you understand your role in the events to come.”
Dimwater clapped her hands and a mirror appeared in the center of the room.