To Be a Maestro Read online

  “Seriously, you need more than crossbows,” David said, being totally unaware of Daniel’s line of thinking.

  “Look at his eyes. I believe the Chosen Vessel has way more than just crossbows on his mind,” Silvia told him while setting aside her weapon.

  “I do,” Daniel assured them. “Still, I want to borrow your crossbow and a bolt to use as templates, if you will allow.”

  The female Teki removed one of the bolts from her belt and placed it on the crossbow. “I will allow, but I get to have first use of the other weapons you intend to make.”

  Daniel would need a non-Aakacarn volunteer and so did not hesitate to agree while opening a drawer. “Deal, you will be the first to try each new weapon.”

  David leaned forward abruptly, apparently feeling left out, “Hey, what about me?”

  “As a recently-wed, you will no doubt be close by when she does the testing, and she might allow you have a turn with the weapon. That is totally up to her,” Daniel replied, and then levitated the crossbow and bolt up, over the desk, and into the top drawer.

  Silvia patted her husband on the knee. “Be nice and I’ll let you play with the new weapons.”

  Daniel ignored the friendly bantering of his Teki escorts that ensued and concentrated on the rocks. He shoved the cushion and Sam’s silks off his desk, levitated the bucket over, and dumped the contents on top, then removed two diamonds and a sapphire from the silk pouch he always kept within his coat pocket. Holding the gems in his hand, Change It played in his mind and three rocks turned into duplicates of the precious stones. He touched his gold belt buckle, played, Change It, and a fourth rock turned into a larger gold replica, being bigger because the rock was heavier than the buckle.

  Silvia and David suddenly became quiet. Daniel glanced at their glassy-eyed stares. “After everything you have seen me do, this is what has you speechless?”

  David finally found his tongue. “Healing people, disintegrating hills, and linking your mind to animals are one thing, but making riches out of rocks, that’s enough to make even a Master-of-the-ring’s tongue freeze.”

  Silvia leaned forward until her nose was no more than a hand-span from the items, and then looked up. “I remember you telling Jared about having access to more gold, yet I never dreamed you could conjure it.”

  Daniel shrugged his shoulders. “The estate requires a large sum of money to keep it going and even more is needed now that I’ve been ordered to build what amounts to an army.”

  He went back to work, removing a topaz from the pouch. Each of the gems was about the size of a robin’s egg. Daniel focused, Change It, at one rock, and Hunger, at the pile, thus not only turning the one rock into a topaz, he was able to make the new one bigger than the original by drawing the little worlds with their tiny moons from the pile until the new gemstone was as long and wide as he desired. That size being a hand-span long and three fingers thick.

  Daniel split the gold buckle in half, reformed it into a golden cap on the end of the topaz, and then cast, Potentializing The Baton. The lighting bolts on his shoulders tingled as the spell assessed his potential and created the type one level four crescendo with seven bolts of amplification. Now for the amulet, he tinted the first diamond red, left the other one clear, and reshaped the other half of the buckle to create a rounded setting. As he did with all spells meant to be permanent, he tied the Da Capos to the residual energy in his hunting knife.

  The bell rang and in walked Jaim Cutler, at least he rang first. “Accomplisheds DeSuan and Trenca are here to see you, Sir Daniel.”

  Daniel did not even look up. “Let them in. Accomplisheds, wait, watch and learn.”

  He placed the red-tinted diamond, the clear diamond, and the sapphire into the gold settings. Daniel summoned potential and infused spells into all of the gems and for the final step he fused the tri-gem amulet onto the crescendo.

  The ever inquisitive Simon could not resist asking the obvious question, “Why did you just attach an amulet to a crescendo?”

  Daniel chuckled. “I don’t want to be called every time someone wants to use the toilet.”

  Both Accomplisheds were standing and staring and neither seemed to understand the answer. Jerremy shook his head as if giving up. “What does that have to do with the other?”

  “According to Oceanic Varroon, every sink, bath, and water cabinet in this compound requires an Accomplished to draw water. I’ve no idea how long you and your colleagues intend to stay,” Daniel explained. “One thing is for sure, I don’t want to run every time someone needs to use the toilet.”

  Simon began laughing, David started in, and Silvia moments later. Jerremy’s eyes widened in alarm, “You modified spells. I mean, I know you can do some remarkable things, but this could be dangerous.”

  Simon sobered up immediately. “To modify is to die.”

  Daniel focused on the sandy-haired Aakacarn. “Harmon Gramm taught you well.”

  “The Instructor is a hard man, yet in this he is correct. There are reasons conformity is strictly taught in Aakadon,” Jerremy stated emphatically.

  They were correct, Aakacarns who dared to modify a spell would likely be injured or even killed, not so an Aakasear. Simon had been informed of Daniel’s nature, yet old teachings tend to stick stubbornly in the mind. As it is, they both jumped to the wrong conclusion. “I did no modification of spells in the making of this. Either one of you could do it. What I have done is called innovation,” another bad word in Aakadon, “I simply built on some old ideas. The spells, Spout a Leak, Heat Water, and Chill Water, are within the gems in one gold setting, unusual but nothing dangerous. The crescendo is made the way we were taught in Aakadon and I put both objects together in order to power the spells. I am calling this a Crescendo/Amulet Fixture, CAF, for short. I’ll make a CAF everywhere water needs to be drawn in this compound. That way even the non-Aakacarns can use them without draining their limited life force energy.”

  Jerremy’s eyes began blinking rapidly, as if his brain was going into high gear. “But that’s, that is unheard of, what made you think of it?”

  “Della Lain, her unique use of amulets started me thinking about them as more than communication devices,” Daniel readily admitted.

  The Serinian stared at the CAF and then nodded his head. “One amulet attached to the casket on the flute of Della Lain caused anyone near it to be ill and another provided a shield. It is also true commoners can use communication amulets. But adding a crescendo to power stronger spells, that is brilliant. I would enjoy seeing you install the first CAF, if I may?”

  Daniel stood up with the CAF in his hand. “Let’s go now. Silvia, you can be the first non-Aakacarn to draw water. Come, the kitchen is the place to start.”

  Simon hesitated. “I did not see you glow when casting those spells or even the potential hitting the focal point. How did you manage that?”

  “Your observation is correct,” Daniel replied without answering the question. The Accomplished was so inquisitive it would take all day to respond as one inquiry led into another, and on and on. “Are you coming?”

  Simon glanced back at the cushion of air lying on the floor, moments later it vanished. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  They passed through the dining area where Samuel sat eating a hardy breakfast of pancakes and bacon at table three. Jeremy came to an abrupt stop. “You gave him a new hand.”

  Simon spared him a glance, “He did, and a new physique as well.”

  Samuel grinned while chewing, winked at the Serinian, and continued eating. Daniel went straight into the kitchen and over to the sink without commenting, seeing no reason to verify the obvious. Folks gathered around him, including Marge with her long dark hair pulled back ponytail-styled. Jerremy and Simon evidently finished their conversation about Sam and came in when Daniel was about to start the installation. He placed the CAF on the sink and fused it into place. “Silvia, touch the clear diamond for water and the sapphire at the same time to chill
it. Touch the clear diamond and red one for hot, and touch all three for warm.”

  The Teki acrobat stepped forward and touched the diamond, water flowed from the spout, she touched the sapphire and placed her other hand under the stream. “Chilled water,” she announced, and then moved her hand from under the stream and lowered another finger, touching the red diamond. Steam rose up as the water accumulated in the basin. She touched all three while placing her free hand into the stream. “The water is warm.”

  Daniel placed the palm of his hand on her forehead and cast, What Is This, focusing in until he could see her vat of life force energy. The reservoir of a non-Aakacarn, as interpreted by the spell, is small and filled with clear liquid; hers was filled to the brim. It worked! She had cast a spell and the drain on her life force was so small it could not even be seen through Change It. He supposed the drain would become more apparent the longer she touched the gems, and so frequent exposure to spell casting would have to be monitored so as not to prematurely shorten the lifespan of the user. Even so his theory worked, non-Aakacarns can safely cast spells with the aid of an amulet powered by a crescendo.

  Marge leaned in, eyes widening with delight. “Sir Daniel, this is a wonderful device.”

  Daniel glanced at her. “I’m glad you approve. More CAFs will be ready soon and I hope to install them throughout the holding.”

  Marge nodded her head. “You are making our work much easier.”

  Daniel smiled. “Mine too.”

  The kitchen staff began clapping their hands, clearly pleased by the innovation. Daniel decided he would replace the hand pumps at his southern estate with CAFs, seeing as he no longer chose to hide the fact that he could summon potential.

  Samuel entered the kitchen while finishing off a strip of bacon. His eyes seemed to be analyzing the occupants and finally settled on Jerremy. “Did you get around to persuading him about the flute?” His soft tone of voice was not low enough. “Or were you and Simon sidetracked by another one of Daniel’s wonders?”

  The Serinian raised his nose upward as if all else was beneath him. “The CAF is a good idea and has me thinking of how I can use it in my own designs,” he stated and then fixed his haughty gaze on the Teki. “I see you have a new right hand, yet there does not seem to be a flute in it. Could it be you were sidetracked?”

  “Did you notice how Daniel did not glow when he cast the spell to fuse the CAF?” Simon asked.

  Samuel cracked a half smile in his direction “The skill is acquired through intense concentration and plenty of practice.” He had asked the same question of Daniel days ago and received an answer.

  Simon, eyes blinking rapidly, opened his mouth, yet spoke not a word. His right eyebrow arched up momentarily and then he closed his mouth and nodded his head. It never seemed to take him long to adjust to the unexpected. He clearly did not expect Sam to be the one with an explanation, especially since the Teki had not been in the room when the CAF was installed.

  “You seem to have the answer, yet I see no evidence of the skill in you.” Jerremy’s observation was accurately aimed at the Teki, who stood clenching his fist and flexing his muscle.

  “Lower your gaze and look around. I am not talking about my skill. Take note of the hand and the CAF, there is your evidence of skill. As for answers, I’m an Accomplished of the Eagle Guild and a big part of what we do involves investigating the truth of a matter,” Samuel explained and stopped flexing after making his point.

  Daniel focused on his Aakacarn friends. “See, I’m not the only one with the answers. Pester the Fledgling while I get on with my chores, unless you want to work on the plumbing with me?”

  Samuel shook his head. “You are good at sidetracking, I’ll grant you that, but we need to talk about the flute.” True to his nature, he stuck to his goal.

  Daniel glanced at the people standing around him. “Right here in the kitchen?”

  “We could go back to your office,” Simon suggested.

  Jerremy sighed and then drew a deep breath as if about to say something he would really rather not. “I have been ordered by my mentor to persuade you to hand over the flute to Oceanic Varroon for safe keeping. The plan is to take the crescendo to Aakadon.” He did not seem pleased by the assignment, nor did he mention being in agreement with it, perhaps he felt the same as Daniel.

  “Sam has the same assignment from Lassiter, who seemed to believe you would be more amendable hearing the suggestion from Accomplisheds who have known you longer,” Simon threw in the information, causing Samuel to shake his head and roll his eyes.

  “Simon, if you’re not going to help can you at least try not to be a hindrance?” the Accomplished of the Eagle Guild firmly admonished, perhaps thinking about the meeting last night and how the Battencayan-born Aakacarn sided against him.

  The Sapling of the Willow Guild’s sudden smile shined in his eyes, clearly reflecting amusement. “I could try.”

  Samuel glanced significantly at his right and then left shoulder. “Is this the respect you show a Two-bolt?”

  Simon burst out laughing. “When there is a huge gator in the pond, who notices a trout?”

  Jerremy lowered his nose and smiled. “The gator does.” They all looked at the seven-bolt Accomplished in the room.

  The analogy amused Daniel briefly, yet he did have a busy day planned and the current conversation did nothing to help. “The flute is safest with me until proven otherwise. No one has yet convinced me Della’s instrument should be in Aakadon and that closes the matter for now. Samuel delivered the opinion shared by the majority of Accomplisheds within this holding last night, and now Jerremy; so that much of your assignments are complete.”

  Daniel removed the CAF; the working model would now be a template from which he would duplicate enough for the entire holding and his estate. “I thought this was for us,” Marge stated, disappointment clear in her tone.

  He turned to her. “This was a test, I’m going back to my office to make more, and I promise your kitchen will be the first to receive the next CAF.”

  She nodded her head. “I always taste a new broth before deciding to make a big batch of it. I suppose it makes sense in the ways of Aakacarns as well.”

  Daniel nodded to her and each of the kitchen staff, and then headed back to his office. Unfortunately his unwanted entourage followed along. David and Silvia were his Teki escorts and expected to be near him, not so much the three Aakacarns. He went to his desk and sat down. The spell, Change It, played in his mind while he held the CAF in his right hand and focused on the pile of rocks, transforming them into scores of CAFs, enough for this holding. He would need another bucket full in order to make more for the southern estate.

  “I don’t remember seeing that spell in the Stone Guild library, yet it must be one from my affiliation or..,” Jerremy commented and then halted as if deciding to choose his words more carefully. “Your repertoire seems quite broad, full of specialized spells from every guild.”

  Daniel saw no reason to deny the fact. “If you mean by, every guild, meaning the Serpent, you would be correct. All of the spells they taught me I have used to good effect, you standing here whole and in control of your body is proof. It is how they use the spells that is evil.”

  “I need no further evidence of your good will. My words were meant to be a statement of fact not an indictment. You teleported us here and the only guild possessing a spell for that is the Serpent. We all know this, yet none of us accuses or even suspects you of being one of them. Like Silvia declared, we too have come to believe that you are the Chosen Vessel, and that you will always oppose Tarin Conn,” Jerremy replied without a trace of haughtiness.

  Daniel gave him the traditional nod of respect. “You can inform your colleagues I freely acknowledge the fact that some of the spells in my repertoire are compositions of Tarin Conn, they need not tiptoe around the subject as if it is something that cannot be mentioned in polite company, and my usage of those Melodies speaks for itself.”
r />   Jerremy stared at the CAFs and then focused on Daniel. “I will inform them. Before I do, fusing stone to stone and metal to metal is a task any fourth year Talented could manage, might I help install these?”

  Daniel had intended to do all of the work himself and did not even consider passing the job to others. His remark about them helping with the plumbing was a quip not a request. “A Benhannon never fobs his chores onto someone else,” his father taught him. Maybe it was time to learn the art of delegating. “I would appreciate you doing so.”

  “If Jerremy can do it, so can I,” Samuel spoke up after putting on the rest of his clothes, and then matched word to deed and began picking up CAFs.

  Simon grabbed a handful. “I’ll start in the kitchen. You promised Marge she would be the first recipient.”

  The three of them walked out of Daniel’s office with all of the CAFs, leaving him free to check in with his scouts, many of which were vying for his attention within the compartments of his mind. Before doing so he decided to do a little more delegating. “David, would you ask Sergeant Keenan and Commander Herling if they and one other person are willing to spar with me? Silvia, Gurrumble will be arriving later today with thirty-one additional sasquatches, please inform the people of this holding. When the time comes, I want to introduce them to the sasquatches and develop a way for everyone to recognize the creatures in service to me.”

  David gave a quick nod of the head. “I will do as you ask, Chosen One,” he replied, formally, and headed out the door without delay.

  Silvia had a tendency to spread word around without being asked, this particular chore aimed her at a specific target. She sat up straight. “Informing the people is a good idea. Every story ever told of the beasts has them under Serpent Guild control, and since that is still mostly true, we will need to recognize the ones in your swirl,” she replied. “I’ll also come back with suggestions on how we can make the distinction.”