"This is Daniel Karmosyn? But he's so little!"
Zainab, Guinevere and Daniel were in Daniel's room for a private meeting which wasn't as private if some of the guests of The Crow's Nest were quietly standing outside and eavesdropping.
"What did you expect from a nine-year-old?" asked Zainab as she folded her arms in front of her chest.
"I'm just saying — my methods of protection are a bit ... age restricted?" said Guinevere, squinting at Daniel as she studied him like a piece of art in a museum no one understood except for artists who had their own opinions on what it was.
"What do you mean protection?" asked Daniel, finally finding the strength to talk.
"The Black Rider's getting restless the more you race to ten," said Guinevere before Zainab could answer him. "He'll most likely destroy this world in search of you. With my help, and your mara, you might stand a chance of surviving or even killing him."
"How am I supposed to kill him when an entire planet of Enchantants fear him?" asked Daniel. "And what's a mara? Is that, like, my spirit animal or something? Aren't those called regalias?"
Guinevere gave Zainab a nasty look. She wanted to scold the woman for not explaining everything to Daniel, but she kept it all within her for another time.
"Your mara is the amount of power you have." Guinevere explained, slowly walking towards Daniel. "Every living thing has mara. It's that piece of energy that gives them stamina; that gives them the rage and power to win in a fight. It's like adrenaline, but you can harness it and use it more effectively. Mara can only be accessed through hard work, determination, and practice. Unlike the regalia, the mara is the most important necessity that let us gain what we want."
"Gosh, why is everything so confusing?" asked Daniel, grabbing at his hair. "Mara? Regalia? What the hell does all of that mean? I haven't even mastered a hex yet and now I'm supposed to access my mara to fight the Black Rider? What nine-year-old kid do you know is going through this exact problem?"
Guinevere sighed heavily and shook her head slowly. She knew that explaining to Daniel would just take hours of trying to get him to understand it. "Okay, instead of explaining to you what all I just said means," she started. "I'll teach you what it is. It'll be difficult at first, but seeing as I'm gonna be your teacher you should have it mastered in no time."
"Oh great, so I'm gonna be homeschooled all over again?" he asked, rolling his eyes. It was his turn to fold his arms in front of his chest.
"No, you're going to be trained every day after school." said Zainab. "Your birthday is due in a month and nineteen days. When the month's over the Black Rider will begin sending his 'men' after you. If they can't find you, he'll come himself. By then you'll know how to defend yourself using your true abilities: magic."
"So I'll finally get a wand and learn how to cast hexes?" asked Daniel, a smile crossing his face as excitement dropped in his mind.
"Not so fast," said Zainab, stopping from getting any hasty ideas.
"Oh shut up, Zainab," snapped Guinevere. Daniel was shocked at how quick Zainab was to obey the woman. Well, seeing as the whole inn bowed before her she must have been a relatively important person. "Have you and his mother not kept the boy from his true calling long enough?"
Zainab had her hands clenched. Daniel could hear her skin rubbing against each other. She wanted to talk back to Guinevere and give her a piece of mind, but the fact that the woman in front of her was known as The Sorceress, or so Daniel heard, Zainab wouldn't dare do so.
"I'm going to teach him everything you won't," Guinevere went on. "And I'm going to tell him everything you're not telling him."
Daniel knew Zainab was hiding things from him, but the fact that other people were also noticing it meant that it was true. He wondered what things Zainab was really hiding from him. That included for everyone living in The Crow's Nest: they were ordered to hide things from Daniel as well.
God, his life was built on secrets! When would he finally get to know the full truth? Would he be able to handle the truth as Zainab would put it? Or would he be terrified for the rest of his life after finding out the truth?
"The only question is: Daniel, are you willing to become my pupil?" asked Guinevere.
Daniel turned to Zainab and saw the look on her face. She didn't want to admit it because she was a bit pissed at Guinevere for talking to her like that, but being her pupil seemed like an honour only the foolish of fools would say no to and risk giving up an opportunity of a lifetime.
"What will happen if I become your pupil?" asked Daniel. He wanted to make sure he knew what he was getting himself in to before agreeing to anything hastily. "Will I get my own wand and learn hexes? Will you answer all of my questions about Gumoldur?"
"You'll get that and so much more," said Guinevere, her tone promising him just that. "Believe it or not, I've been waiting for someone who would have the ability to destroy the Black Rider. Your aunt tells me your mara is powerful. We'll test it out and find a way to increase it so you can harness it and use it to its full potential."
"Don't mind me, but this sounds a lot like a plot for some adventure book or movie." said Daniel, trying his best not to sound offensive. "Are you sure you're not joking?"
Guinevere's eyes flashed with rage. Zainab wanted to say something to put her at ease; to remind her that Daniel was just a child.
But Guinevere silenced Zainab with the wave of her hand. It was then that Daniel noticed that Guinevere was wearing a white glove on her right hand. It had lines of azure curling from the wrist to the fingertips with small, very small, sapphires glistening on the lines.
"Young boy," said Guinevere, her tone serious and angry. "You think this is a joke? You think that the Black Rider is a joke? That he'll just accept his fate and wait for death? That he won't send legions of monsters after you? Son, you have a lot to learn about Gumoldur and its inhabitants. Trust me when I say that they don't give up as easily. You're going to die before your birthday whether you like it or not. If I don't do anything to prepare you, then your fate is sealed."
Daniel swallowed and looked down at the floor. Now he was scared all over again. Guinevere had told him a harsh truth which he couldn't handle. He was going to die whether he liked it or not. What would the other harsh truths be?
"So, I'll ask you one last time because I have other places to be, but instead I am here to give you a chance at living a full life." said Guinevere. "Are you willing to become my pupil and protect yourself against the Black Rider, and maybe even vanquish him?"
Daniel held a hand over his mouth as he thought of an answer. He didn't want to think long because Guinevere was impatient.
If he agreed to be her pupil she might teach him a thing or two, if not more, about his heritage. He could become a warlock like his father, or he could become a wizard. Maybe a sorcerer even?
All he knew was that if he didn't get proper training the Black Rider would destroy more than just him. Would his body even be able to handle the pressure of magic? He'd only cast a few hexes before, but what about the rest? Damn, there were a lot of things he doubted he could handle in the future.
"Can you really prepare me for the Black Rider?" asked Daniel, looking up into Guinevere's eyes. The two women exchanged one last look of concern and sincerity before Guinevere returned her attention to Daniel.
"I promise you, Daniel, when I'm done with you, you might be a step closer to following in your father's footsteps." said Guinevere.
And already Daniel knew that Guinevere meant he'd become a warlock like his father. The question: was he ready to become one himself?
∆
Sameerah, the clerk, was busy eating a bag of wine gums as she waited for something interesting to happen. There have been a few guests who signed out and only two who signed in for the night.
The front doors opened and she looked up from the yellow packet of wine gums and watched the man walk in. He was dressed in a warm cloak and a pair of black Balmoral boots with a staff in his right hand. His hair was scruffy but made him look attractive. The dark sunglasses over his face increased his mysteriousness.
"Can I help you?" asked Sameerah when she saw the man was walking towards the front desk. The man stopped three feet from the front desk and took off his sunglasses, revealing bright yellow eyes. His silky black hair fell down his neck and touched his shoulders. His light-brown skin complimented his eyes and made them appear to be glowing.
If Sameerah didn't have her guard up, she might have fallen head-over-heels for the man's looks. He may have looked absolutely handsome and gorgeous, but he was still very old.
"Yes," said the man, his voice smooth but loud. "I would like to book a room. Three nights. Can you squeeze me in?" Sameerah gave him a strange look. She was still chewing on the orange piece of wine gum.
"You're lucky there's a room available." said Sameerah. She didn't need to look at the monitor and look up if there was a room free."The Crow's Nest offers great service to anyone from Gumoldur. We offer outstanding and breathable rooms, free Wi-Fi, delicious meals from morning until night. You're safe from any danger here, and for any newcomers the price for one night is Ȼ175; your second night, however, will be a cost of Ȼ300."
"Not a bad price," admitted the man, taking two steps toward the desk. He leaned his elbow against the desk and granted Sameerah a warm smile. "I'll still take the three nights, thank you."
Sameerah nodded at him and calculated the price in her head. "That'll be Ȼ775." she said. She moved to the monitor and began tapping at the keyboard before her. "Okay, under whose name shall I put this?" she asked, taking a quick glance at the man.
The man thought for a while. His name was quite famous but his face wasn't. His actions were known, too; all his crimes. What name could he give Sameerah that won't cause any trouble?
"Put it under Phil Busuem." said the man. "It was once my father's name, now it's mine. Not proud to own his name, but proud to own his last name."
"Yeah, last names are important." said Sameerah as she typed in his name, spelling his last name correctly.
The man gave her a look and nodded at her. "What's your last name?" he asked her.
Sameerah looked up at him and stopped typing. Was he trying to flirt with her? Trying to get her to say yes to a date? No, he wouldn't dare. But then again some old men enjoyed playing teenagers.
"Waben," answered Sameerah. "Not a powerful family, but some may know us for our jojoberry-farms."
"Ah, yes, jojoberries are quite a delight." said the man, tapping his finger on the surface of the desk. "Especially if they're baked into pies or cakes."
Sameerah smiled and nodded to his response.
"Alrighty then," she said, handing him a silver key. "Enjoy your stay at The Crow's Nest. Rate us after your visit, and I hope you'll recommend us to your friends and families."
"Oh, I surely will recommend you." the man said with a grin. "I'm pretty sure this place will be very ... life-changing."