When Meyer woke up, the late afternoon sun was dancing through the window. He pushed himself up, his memories from the morning washing over him. First Master Healer Vayse had visited him, then Lord Moon, and then the Master Healer again. Upon his second visit, Vayse had examined Meyer concerning his momentary spell of pain, but the Master Healer found nothing unusual, and dismissed the incident as a benign aftershock of the trance. "Whenever there is magic involved, there is unpredictability," he had said. "But there is no reason for concern. Rest now. You surely need it." And indeed the Master Healer had been correct. Vayse had hardly closed the door before Meyer was fast asleep.
And yet now Meyer was awake, and with a clear mind. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back, trying to sort out the implications of his new situation. He had always been so preoccupied with the present while traveling with Gibb and Sarn that he had never bothered to consider Galdin Moon and his future. Yet now the future had arrived. Everything seemed to have turned out well, but Meyer felt uneasy. It was as if every piece of new information was a surprise that required adjusting to, and the overall effect was crippling. He felt his heart searching for relief and he tried to steer his thoughts away from home—
The door creaked open.
Taking a deep breath, Meyer composed himself, forcing his feelings away. He couldn't let Moon or Vayse, or whatever new authority figure that entered the room see weakness in him. Meyer was very much surprised then, when he opened his eyes and saw a boy, probably no older than twelve, standing halfway between the bed and the door. He was short and skinny, with almond shaped eyes.
"Hi," he said. "I'm Damian."
Meyer managed a half smile.
"What's your name?"
"Meyer."
Damian nodded. "Nice, to meet you, Meyer." He walked over to the chair next to Meyer's bed and pulled it back a few feet back before sliding into it. His legs were so short that his feet swung freely above the floor.
"Where are you from?"
"Vanroc," said Meyer.
"Never heard of it," said Damian.
"It's in the Outlands."
"Oh, so Blood Hunters brought you here. How were they?"
"Alright."
There was a silence and Meyer stared at the boy. He looked so young, but he carried himself with poise.
"You're not very talkative," said Damian.
"Sorry," said Meyer, "I woke up a few hours ago after being asleep for a month."
"You slept for a month straight!"
"I think it was a trance..."
"Oh," said Damian, looking like there was much more he wanted to say.
Meyer hesitated. A large part of him wanted to curl up and forget about everything, least of all worry about meeting new people, but he resisted the impulse to ask Damian to leave. He couldn't send away the only appearingly unintentioned person he had met in two months, even if that person looked hardly older than a child.
"And sorry, but who are you?" said Meyer.
"A tempest in the Illith Curriculum of Sorcery for Magical Prodigy."
"What?"
"Someone with magical talent brought here to develop their ability." Damian raised his eyebrows as if expecting Meyer to nod knowingly, but he only stared.
"I'm not the only one that Moon brought here?"
"Of course not," said Damian. "There are over one hundred tempests in Eldrin's Dale. How old are you?"
"Sixteen."
"Then we should be in the same age class. You'll have to start in the first discipline, but that will only affect parts of your schedule..." Damian kept talking, but Meyer wasn't listening. His thoughts had snagged on the first sentence.
"How old are you?"
"Fourteen," said Damian. "I know. I'm really short. And I was pushed forward a class."
Damian glanced around the room, and Meyer took a moment to collect his thoughts. He hadn't given much consideration to the specifics of Moon's offer to train him as a sorcerer, but he definitely hadn't envisioned himself training alongside other people. The idea almost seemed ludicrous, and his self-pitying defenses shuddered at the prospect that his situation was not unique, but still, he felt a flicker of optimism rattle his hardened spirit. He wasn't alone.
"If you don't mind me asking," said Damian. "I heard that without any training you managed to break an enchantment. Is that true?"
Meyer prepared himself for another exchange that would undoubtedly leave him feeling even more ill-informed. "Well, I've definitely never had any magical training, and I hardly understand the first thing about magic," he said. "In truth, I'm still having trouble believing I'm magical."
To Meyer's surprise, Damian laughed. It was light-hearted and childish, and again Meyer found himself thinking about Damian's youthful appearance.
"What's funny?"
"It's just whenever people arrive from the Outlands or the Far South, or any of the fallen lands, they seem to treat magic like its mystical. I mean, from what I understand you have Healers out there, even if they're casting pretty simple spells, and you have artifacts from the Great Realms. Isn't that enough to have a basic understanding of magic?"
"I don't know. Back where I'm from magic is more natural: a Healer puts people to sleep and fixes broken bones; the Great Realms invent a few nifty trinkets. Sure, magic. But here people treat it differently: real sorcerers, powerful spells. Doesn't it sound a bit legendary?"
"Not really."
Meyer shook his head slowly. "I just keep coming back to the thought that I can do magic," he said. "And it's the hardest part for me to believe, even though it should be what I'm most certain about. I've definitely done magic a few times, and I can't deny that I've felt something strange, or seen something strange, or both, every time it's happened."
"Have you tried doing any magic recently?" said Damian.
"No."
"Well, why don't you try?"
Meyer smiled slightly, wondering why he hadn't thought of the idea himself. "I really don't think anything will happen," he said. "But I'll try."
He pushed himself up against his headrest, preparing himself to attempt the impossible. Closing his eyes, he cleared his mind and tried to connect with his magical sense. He didn't feel anything, and despite his best effort to concentrate, his mind would not stay focused. A small part of him felt disappointment, but there was also a sense of relief. If he wasn't magical, then he could go back to Vanroc. He just need to give it one more try to be certain...
Taking a deep breath, Meyer tried to probe outward with his mind. In the past, it had just happened. All of a sudden he would be feeling with a new sense, and the rest would be natural. But as he sat straining with his eyes closed, he couldn't find that sense.
With a final push, Meyer reached out—and then he felt something. His other senses faded, and there was an emptiness before him, but within the emptiness there was a kinesis of sorts. He tried to reach farther out, but then his strange sense faltered, and his normal senses returned. Meyer opened his eyes.
"What were you trying to do?" said Damian. "You were starting to turn purple."
"I felt something," said Meyer. He couldn't tell if he was unsettled or intrigued, but the memories of his magical experiences were taking on a more tangible quality.
"You didn't do anything," said Damian. "Were you trying to do magic?"
"Yeah," said Meyer. "Maybe if I tried again, I could get something to happen."
"Get something to happen?" said Damian doubtfully. "Are you planning on casting a spell, or hurting yourself—or both of us for that matter?"
"I was just trying to do magic," said Meyer. "Isn't that what you asked me to do?"
"So you don't even know about spells?" said Damian.
"When you do magic that's not a spell?"
"Loosely speaking, sure, but there are five-thousand incantations that divide into Charms, Enchantments, Curses, Hexes, Jinxes, and Blessings. That's generally what people mean when they say spells."
"Oh," said Meyer. "Don't know any of those."
"So you were trying to do Free Magic?"
"Um..."
"Free Magic is when you do magic without using an incantation to channel the Currents."
"Maybe?"
"And I'm assuming you don't have a Talisman?"
"Considering I don't know what that is—"
"Goodness, your Blood Hunters didn't tell you anything! I've met kids from far out, but usually someone's explained the basics to them." Damian shook his head. "Anyway, want me to teach you a spell?"
"Sure," said Meyer.
"Alright," began Damian, "First thing you need a Talisman. It's like a magical conductor. It makes it much easier to connect with the Currents."
Damian reached into the front of his shirt and withdrew a necklace. Suspended by its fine links was a small green jewel. He took off the necklace and handed it to Meyer.
"Put it on," he said.
Meyer took the necklace, and placed it over his head. At once he felt the same ethereal feeling as a minute ago, but this time it didn't fade. He could sense an openness, and if he just reached into it...
"—Stop!"
Meyer looked up. His magical sense faded, though he could still feel it in the back of his consciousness.
"You were closing your eyes, again," said Damian. "I told you not to do Free Magic!"
"Sorry," said Meyer. "But that time I definitely felt something."
"I'm not surprised," said Damian. "Talismans make a big difference. Anyway, you need to know the name of the spell you want to cast. I'm going to teach you a spell called Algarios. It's a very easy spell, and it makes a small flame. To cast the spell, the basic idea is to connect with the Currents, and then say Algarios. If you do it right, a small flame should appear from your hand. I'm not sure which hand; I think you control that, so just keep them both away from the blankets. But don't worry. Even if you mess up, you won't be lighting the place on fire. The spell is incapable of producing more than a small flame, and because it's your first time, you probably won't even get that far. Most likely just a few sparks if anything. Actually, do you want me to show you first?"
"Good idea," said Meyer. He pulled the Talisman back over his head, and handed it to Damian, who placed it around his neck.
"Algarios," said Damian.
A small flame burst into life in the palm of his hand. It wasn't much bigger than a candle's blaze, but it was hotter, and almost entirely blue except for the edges.
"I can't believe it doesn't burn you," said Meyer quietly.
"That's the beauty of a spell," said Damian. "If I wanted to do this with Free Magic, it would be a complicated and potentially dangerous. I would have to worry about making the skin around my hand resistant to fire, and making sure the flame didn't grow too big or burn too hot, and lots of other things. With a spell, it's easy. All the details are taken care of for you."
The flame in Damian's hand went out suddenly. "Ready to try?"
Meyer nodded. He took the Talisman from Damian and placed it around his neck. At once he felt its presence drowning out his heart beat.
"Okay, just remember to say Algarios clearly," said Damian.
Meyer wasn't listening. Already he was rushing up the channel to meet the Currents. He pulled on a evanescent thread, and at once a mysterious force started pouring down the channel that connected him with the Currents. Suddenly the magic was flowing towards him quickly. The situation felt familiar, like when he had tried to escape Sarn's chokehold. He could feel the power of the Currents flooding towards him. He need to do something with it. "Fire!" he thought, but it was too late. There was a flash, and Meyer felt pain—overwhelming pain, and then it was over.
Meyer opened his eyes and lifted up his head. Damian was leaning over him, a concerned look on his face. "Are you alright?"
Meyer nodded slowly. He could still feel the presence of the Talisman, but now the gateway it provided to the magical force seemed to be muddled, and when Meyer tried to reach out, his magical sense became disoriented.
"What happened?" asked Meyer.
"You tell me," said Damian. "All I saw was you closing your eyes, and then suddenly you slumped over."
Meyer recollected himself. "I reached for the magic," he began, "and then all at once it was rushing towards me, and I forgot about the special word. Next thing there was a flash, and I felt a pain, and that was it."
Damian pursed his lips, his brow furrowed. "I think you did Free Magic," he said. "Or at least were on your way to doing Free Magic. I wouldn't really know because I've never done it, but it sounds like you grabbed onto the Currents and pulled without using an incantation. It's supposed to take a lot of experience to do that. I'm surprised you managed it."
"But how else can you do magic though without pulling?" asked Meyer.
"You mean without pulling from the Currents?"
"Yeah."
"Just say the incantation," said Damian. "Sorry I didn't make that more clear. You still pull from the Currents of course, but it's safer that way. The pulling happens for you."
"Let me try again," said Meyer.
Damian raised an eyebrow.
"It's fine. I'll can just say Algarios right away. I can do this." Meyer felt his magical sense returning, his Talisman amplifying it as powerfully as ever.
"Alright," said Damian hesitantly.
Again Meyer reached out using his magical sense. The moment he felt his normal senses fading he spoke the incantation: "Algarios."
The sound of the word seemed distant to Meyer, as if someone else had spoken it, but it reverberated in his mind, and then he was whisked away. He could feel the Currents pushing in the distance, all he needed to do was open the way. Following his instincts, he reached out, and the Currents came. Rather than flowing madly, they twirled towards him, filling the channel with an infinite movement that formed a simple pattern. As quickly as Meyer's magical sense had taken control, it dimmed to the back of his consciousness. In his palm was a dancing blue flame.
Meyer lifted his hand up, so that the flame was directly in front of his eyes. He could still vaguely feel the magic pulsing through him, but mostly he felt elation at his success, and suddenly, for the first time since he was taken from Vanroc, he was laughing.
"Look at this," he said. "Fire coming out of my hand!" His laughter subsided but he continued to smile.
"Impressive," said Damian. "After what happened on your first try I didn't know what to expect. Trust me though, that little flame is nothing. Wait until you start to learn levitation charms, and then you cast them on yourself. That's the really fun stuff."
Without giving it any thought, Meyer extinguished the flame in his hand. It was as easy as twisting a valve shut. The Currents ceased running through him.
"Levitation on yourself?" said Meyer. "Like flying?"
"That's the goal," said Damian. "I'm not good enough at the levitation charms to fly yet; I only hover a few feet above the ground, but I've seen people do it. It's unbelievable. Really dangerous though. Mess up twenty yards in the air, and you're in for a bad fall. Of course, you cast anti-impact enchantments on yourself first, but trust me, there are plenty of stories of wizards literally falling to their death."
Meyer was speechless.
"I am pretty good at mass distortion charms though," continued Damian. "Imagine being half your weight—jumping twice as high, running twice as fast. Again, you have to be careful, but it's pretty awesome."
"So when do I learn all this?" said Meyer.
"Well, I'm not sure. Usually it takes a while to get to levitation charms, but I've never seen anyone master Algarios as fast as you did. Maybe it will only take you a couple years."
Meyer slumped back against the bedframe. "A couple years?"
"I'm not terrible myself, and it took me four years before I got to levitating charms. I just started them a month ago."
Meyer sighed.
"Don't worry, there's still lot's of fun stuff before then!"
Right then there was a loud noise of footsteps, and Damian dashed to the other side of the bed and knelt down. Meyer gave him a puzzled look, but Damian just brought a finger to his lips. The footsteps amplified, and just when Meyer thought they could grow no louder without entering the room, they began to recede. Soon they had passed all together.
Damian got back up and walked around to the other side of the bed. "I'm not supposed to be here," he said. "At least I don't think Master Healer Vayse would be too pleased to find me visiting without permission."
"You snuck in?" asked Meyer.
"It's not like Moon's estate is a prison, but still, I shouldn't push my luck." Damian took back his Talisman and started for the door. He was about to leave when Meyer cleared his throat.
"Wait," he said.
Damian paused, his hand on the door handle.
"Thanks for stopping in," said Meyer.
He wasn't sure if he had ever meant it more in his life.