To Challenge a Maestro Read online

  “What a relief,” Terroll said and visibly relaxed.

  Jason nodded his agreement and addressed his Maestro. “By the way, how much were you able to teach the young man?”

  Terroll smiled, for the first time in this meeting, obviously amused by the question or the answer he was about to give. “In just four days I taught him the twenty basic spells of each of the seven guilds, how to focus his Potential, and how to properly use a crescendo. His natural talent for music is incredible and helped greatly but I believe it was his enhanced memory that made it possible.”

  “No, seriously, how much did you teach him?” replied the Instructor.

  Terroll’s smile was quickly replaced by a sober expression. “I am serious. Daniel had already mastered the guitarn before I met him. He can play any melody after hearing it played just once. My own memory has improved to the point where I have total recall. Perhaps Balen Tamm or Tarin Conn himself taught Daniel the spell in a failed attempt to seduce him to their side.”

  Efferin had difficulty believing the conversation taking place before him, such total nonsense coming from two highly educated and experienced Accomplisheds. A correction seemed to be in order. “Memory spells only affect short term memory, helping a person remember something recently forgotten. None of those spells can enhance memory.”

  Terroll did not appear to be chastened by receiving a lecture usually given to third level Talenteds, nor offended. He seemed to be quite sure of himself on the issue. “That was my understanding until after experiencing the affects of Daniel’s spell,” he replied respectfully.

  The suggestion that Tarin Conn taught the spell to the young man suddenly had merit. Few people knew the Dark Maestro was an Aakasear and could compose his own Melodious spells, Aakacarns could not. There were only four Aakasear in all of recorded history. Nimrod was the first. He composed two thirds of the spells currently being used by all Aakacarns. About two thousand years later, Sarah Isis was the second Aakasear and she composed most of the specialized spells used by the Aloe, Willow, and Aqua guilds. Ten and a half centuries later Joshua BenCappa came along and composed many of the specialized Melodies used by the Eagle, Stone, Sun, and Zephyr guilds. Exactly one thousand seven hundred fifty years after the death of Joshua was the birth of the last Aakasear, Tarin Conn, whose compositions, known exclusively among members of the Serpent Guild, included Melodies for Teleportation, Extreme Longevity, and scores of monstrous spells like, Condemnation; a hideous spell that twisted a person physically and mentally. He tried to rule the world and fancied himself a god even among the powerful Aakacarns. That part of history, the existence of Aakasears, was known only by a few select scholars, the Maestros of each guild, and the Grand Maestro.

  The world at the time was saved by the Creator, who sent the Chosen Vessel, Della Lain, to defeat the Dark Maestro. She, the Grand Maestro of the day, was blessed with the skills needed to achieve victory. Success was not guaranteed to the Chosen Vessel, only the ability to win. She was not an Aakasear, but she was one highly skilled Aakacarn, with six bolts of potential at her command, and the ability to draw whoever or whatever she needed to achieve success. The Aakacarn War, that part of history, and her part in it, were taught the world over. That battle happened a thousand years ago and a good part of the fighting took place in the kingdom of Ducaun, which is why the people there were, to this day, fearful of anything to do with Accomplisheds of any sort.

  The thoughts made Efferin think of the spell cast by Della Lain holding Tarin Conn beneath Mount Kelgotha, the weakening spell. Being the Grand Maestro, and a six-bolt Accomplished, was a heady experience and it was easy to feel all powerful but he knew he was no Chosen Vessel. He shuddered to think what would happen if the Dark Maestro were to break free with no Creator’s champion to lead the fight. All he could do was trust that one would be chosen if the spell were to fail. Who knows, maybe he, Efferin, would become the Chosen Vessel under those circumstances.

  He brought his mind back to the present where the two Aakacarns were still discussing the new found prodigy and Bran stood quietly over to their right. The Grand Maestro listened to their conclusions about where Daniel may have received at least part of his education and then interrupted. “Based on the information at hand, I agree with you,” he said and then turned to the Chief Aid. “Get me Fenton Chen’s amulet.”

  “Yes, Grand Maestro,” Bran replied and then ran from the office, he returned moments later with the requested item.

  Efferin snatched the amulet and placed the gemstone at its center against his forehead and sent his thoughts, “Fenton Chen.”

  Precious moments wasted away while the Accomplished to Ducaun took his sweet time in making a reply.

  “I hear, Grand Maestro, how may I serve?” he finally replied. The man at least knew how to properly address his superior.

  “I have information for Cleona. Is she near you?”

  “Yes, I am presently in the royal court with her.”

  “Good. Tell the Queen her soldiers, with the help of our Talenteds, have saved the village of Bashierwood and destroyed the legion of yetis that had invaded her realm,” Efferin sent with a great deal of pleasure. It was always good to gain political points whenever possible. “I am happy to announce the discovery of a Potential among her subjects. Daniel Benhannon is the most gifted Aakacarn ever to be found in living memory.”

  Efferin drummed the desktop while waiting for a reply or, at least, some acknowledgement his message had been delivered.

  “Her Majesty is most pleased by the news and expresses her hope, after he becomes an Accomplished, that you will consider allowing the young man to serve in her court,” Fenton Chen sent, and then added, “By my side,” although it was not clear whether the last three words were hers or his.

  Efferin leaned back in his chair. All he need do now was keep a sharp eye on the new Potential, which should not prove difficult once the young man was safely within the walls of Aakadon. “Inform Cleona I shall consider her request in due course and express my desire for her continued good health,” he sent, and then severed the communication link and handed the amulet back to Bran. Of course, some excuse would be made when the time came for the young man to be given assignments of any kind. Efferin never allowed an Accomplished to serve in the kingdom of his or her birth.

  “I look forward to teaching your pupil,” Jason said with a smile and a sparkle in his eye, the man did seem to love his work, and proved it when he added, “Educating a mind that is quick and eager to learn is always a pleasure.”

  “Daniel should prove quite satisfactory,” Terroll said with an obvious bias. “He especially needs to learn the proper conduct of an Aakacarn. Most of the time I had with him was spent on teaching him our art. He still needs to learn about the use of a Da Capo and we discussed a few things about honor and marriage. The young man was on the verge of taking a bride when I met him, so I explained the matter to him and he seems to understand that the union is no longer possible.”

  “Well, he will be formally educated right along with the other Talenteds. I assure you, Daniel will know all of what is expected of him,”

  Jason said, wiping his hands as if eager to get started. “If the young man is as advanced as you have indicated, it should not take him long to graduate to the level of Accomplished. He hopes to leave Aakadon after his link to the Dark Maestro is severed. That being the case, how long do we have to get him to choose a guild affiliation?”

  Efferin focused on the Instructor. “I am the only one, with the exception of Tarin Conn himself, who can sever the link. Daniel Benhannon will have to formally request his audience just like anyone else who wants to come before me. He shall be accorded the same priority given to any Talented in his position. It would be unfair to others if I were to give him preferential treatment. When his audience comes, I will explain to him what must be done. Until then, Daniel will not be permitted to leave. We cannot run the risk of Tarin Conn making a disciple of him. Balen Tamm, as le
ader of the Serpent Guild, is strong enough as he is.”

  “We certainly cannot have that!” Terroll said, quickly, as if the idea frightened him, and properly so. “We will keep him safe here. How long will it take for his audience with you to be granted?”

  “In due course,” Efferin replied. “The Talented needs to receive training from our Instructors. If he learns his lessons as quickly as you say, he will be free of Tarin Conn soon enough.”

  The Maestro of the Zephyr Guild pursed his lips as if lost in thought. He still seemed to be hiding something, unless Efferin missed his guess, and that was unlikely. A Potential can in theory be taught to perform a High Power spell like the one that caused all of the commotion, but would or should not be able to actually do so without dying in the attempt, even using a guitarn as a type two crescendo. There was more to learn about this young man and Efferin was confident the truth would surface eventually. For now, he was satisfied with what he knew. He glanced at each of the three men before him. “You may return to your duties,” he told them.

  “Yes, Grand Maestro,” Terroll and Jason said in unison. They exited the office with the Lead Instructor blathering something about how wonderful it was to educate an eager mind.

  Bran remained behind. Apparently he had a question or nothing else to do. He reached some inner decision and stepped forward. “Grand Maestro, I’ve never heard of anyone successfully breaking the link formed by Tarin Conn. The unfortunate souls end up giving in to the seduction, killing themselves, or going mad,” he spoke softly, with an obvious attempt to keep his voice from having an instructional tone. What he had said about the link to the Dark Maestro was true and also common knowledge, something any level one Talented would know.

  Efferin decided not to take offense, choosing rather to explain to the Chief Aid. “You are correct. What I am about to tell you is sealed to this office. Do not repeat this to anyone, not even your own Maestro, and especially not to Terroll Barnes. The Maestro of the Zephyr Guild has developed a fondness for his young protégé.”

  The Chief Aid had a number of faults but his greatest attribute was loyalty, which was why he had been selected for the job in the first place. “I’ll not tell anyone,” he replied solemnly.

  Efferin leaned forward in his chair. “Very well, it is possible to break the link but we do not have within our grasp the means to do so. I know the spell, it must be cast by a six-bolt Accomplished, and I am willing to summon the necessary potential. What I do not have is the particular crescendo needed in order to be successful. Therefore, Daniel Benhannon, even if he achieves the rank of Accomplished, cannot ever be permitted to leave Aakadon.”

  Chapter Two: Traveling Companions

  Mount Tannakonna stood twenty spans back and farther behind by the moment. Thoughts of the final farewell filled Daniel’s mind. He patted Sprinter, his ashen stallion, on the neck, and it seemed to him that leaving Bashierwood for the second time was harder. Physically leaving was not more difficult, it was the people begging him to stay that made his departure a greater struggle emotionally. They called him a hero and treated him with love, respect, and fear. He never wanted them to fear him, but he was an Aakacarn in their eyes, and fear of what he was would always be in the backs of their minds, if not the forefront. Before what was commonly being referred to as, the Battle of Bashierwood, he was considered to be a nightmare incarnate. Afterwards, they referred to him as a special man endowed by the Creator with the ability to save them from the evil plots of the Dark Maestro, Tarin Conn. Some knew, some suspected, but most of the people never realized the forces of the Serpent Guild had been sent to capture and recruit him. At best the minions of Balen Tamm would have used Daniel’s family and the entire mountain community as hostages to insure his obedience. At worse, many would have been killed, and those who survived would have been Condemned; a fate far worse than death.

  Every female in the village, young and old, had given him a farewell hug, the Tannakonna way of saying, “happy hunting.” They believed he was moving away for good, and in fact they were correct, it was best for everyone, including him. Even after his cursed link to Tarin Conn is severed, he had no intention of going back there to live, although he certainly intended to visit.

  The hard packed dirt trail was big enough for six horses to ride side by side. On the left, were thick bushes and huge boulders. To his right, trees, their branches hanging low, dotted the rolling hillside, and on ahead the trail veered sharply to the right. Just over half of the five thousand royal horsemen accompanying him had already rounded the bend. The rest followed in the rear ahead of the supply wagons. Following close behind Sprinter was Tim Dukane, Daniel’s friend, whom he trusted absolutely, one who chose to ride with him to the most feared city in the world; or at least feared by most Ducaunans. Tim sat quietly on Tremor, a brown and beige mare he borrowed from Chad Grening. On the back of his saddle were two drums latched together and cover by buckskin.

  Tim’s hat barely contained his wavy brown hair and his red-dyed buckskin shirt and blue-dyed pants were a match for Daniel’s own. The two of them were the only ones wearing buckskins and straw hats and looked out of place in their present company.

  The green and gold uniforms of the cavalry were immaculate; an onlooker would never suspect they had taken part in a hard fought bloody battle. Daniel and the three Aakacarns had no trouble casting the Laundering spell to clean and repair the garments, even the fine chain mail under their coats, and the soldiers really seemed to appreciate the gesture. Two of the Talenteds from Aakadon rode on either side of Daniel while the third rode beside Tim. Sherree Jenna, a light complexioned woman of Lobenian decent, kept the hood of her white silk cloak pulled forward while riding on Misty, her white stallion, keeping to Daniel’s right.

  All of the Talenteds wore white silk, pants, shirts, cloaks, and white leather boots. Other than being tailored perfectly for them, the design of each was exactly the same; there were no gender distinctions among the Aakacarn. Sherree was always hiding her yellow-gold hair, which was a shame because Daniel thought it was beautiful. Everyone’s hair on Tannakonna were either, brown, reddish-brown, or black, and most everyone had brown eyes, hers were bright green, and Daniel’s own were so dark they were almost black.

  Jerremy DeSuan, the Serinian, sat tall in the saddle of his gray Taracopian war horse, Banner. His skin was well tanned, and his silky hair was black as pitch, which was common among his people. He rode beside Tim with the military bearing of an officer. According to Samuel, Jerremy was the son of a wealthy Serinian lord, and his attitude reflected it.

  Samuel Cresh had dark brown, almost black, depending on the light, curly hair, and seemed to be in excellent physical condition. His thick eyebrows stopped just short of being one straight line, which was common among the Teki, the traveling people. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, letting his black mare, Salsa, have her head, and she dropped back half a length. Samuel lightly heeled his steed and she quickly caught up, matching pace with Sprinter. “Aakadon is like no other city in the world,” the Teki intoned as if about to make a speech.

  Daniel pictured the Aakacarn city to be dark and foreboding, a dreadful place only people who had no choice entered willingly. “I expect so,” he replied.

  Samuel sat straighter in the saddle and assumed the look of an old man about to explain the facts of life. “You need to be taught how to behave correctly.”

  “My parents did that,” Daniel replied. He did not recall saying or doing anything that could be considered rude or ill mannered.

  The Talented chuckled and shook his head. “No, I mean to behave toward an Accomplished. They expect Talenteds to conform, be humble, and subservient,” he corrected.

  Daniel glanced over at Sherree and then at Jerremy. “I haven’t noticed that attitude among you three and the Serinian does not in any way come across as humble.”

  Samuel laughed and it took him several long moments to compose himself. He seemed awfully jovial, considering nothi
ng remotely funny had been said. “That’s because we’re equals and outside of Aakadon. You’ll see the difference when we arrive, even Jerremy will act humble.”

  “Now, that will be something to see,” Daniel replied, provoking laughter from Tim and several nearby soldiers.

  Samuel laughed so hard he nearly fell off Salsa. It took the Talented even longer than before to regain his composure, and even then his mirth was barely contained. He cleared his throat and took on a more serious expression, as if to emphasize the importance of what he was about to say. “You must always look to the ground when seeking to address an Accomplished until he or she chooses to acknowledge your presence. Make sure to end every response using the person’s title, such as; ‘Yes Accomplished,’ ‘No, Instructor,’ or ‘Your will be done, Maestro.’ When called upon you must reply, ‘How may I serve, Accomplished, Instructor,’ or whatever the title of that individual is.”

  “They must have awfully low self-esteem if their egos need to be stroke so much,” Daniel observed.

  Sherree and Jerremy both chuckled. Aakacarn humor was peculiar and Daniel did not understand it. He did understand that a city full of emotionally underdeveloped Accomplisheds did not seem to be a pleasant destination; surely not all of them were so pompous. Bella Sander, the Accomplished of Dowman’s End, was just the opposite, a kind and generous person possessing deep compassion. Terroll Barnes, Daniel’s teacher, never called for his ego to be stroked or mentioned anything like what the Teki was talking about. Could this be more Aakacarn humor?

  Samuel glanced at his fellow Talenteds and frowned, perhaps he was annoyed by their outbursts. He cleared his throat and continued with the lesson. “The respectful responses are required. They are Accomplisheds and have ways to teach conformity and respect, some of which are painful. The rule is, be humble or be humiliated.”