The wandering inn volume.., p.160
The Wandering Inn: Volume 5, page 160
part #1 of The Wandering Inn Series
“Archmage Feor, I understand that a [Witch] is a—uh, weaker spellcaster in this world than most [Mage] classes, but what about [Wizard]? Why does Wistram have [Mages] rather than…[Wizards]?”
The question made Feor smile, and earned Blackmage a silent glare from the female half-Elf [Mage] waiting patiently by the table. It was a stupid question he was sure, but Feor only pondered a moment before replying.
“A [Mage] or [Magus] is commonly understood to be a general practitioner of magic. By contrast, Wistram does have a few [Wizards]. They would be considered more scholarly and wield magics in the form of prepared spells or items. It would be easiest to understand them as ‘[Mages] who rely on wands’, whereas a [Mage] may choose to use an artifact or not as the situation demands. One is a general class, the other is specific, even cumbersome to obtain. Does that make sense?”
“It does. Thank you.”
“Very good. It would make sense for an academy of magic to boast a higher percentage of [Wizards]. As for [Witches], well, we have had a number of them in our halls from time to time, but they generally keep to their covens. Their magic is more specialized—a blend of alchemy and spellcraft. I do not mean to impugn their abilities, but they are considered weaker in purely magical terms to a [Mage] of the same level. Now, I believe this hat will suffice, and a small demonstration would not go amiss. I shall consider the appropriate spell. The first ships should have already arrived in the harbor—why don’t you inspect the new arrivals as they enter the hall? Teura shall escort you.”
Feor nodded to the half-Elf woman and she inclined her head. Blackmage stood up hurriedly. He’d hardly eaten his poached egg, but a flick of Feor’s fingers sent both his plate and the Archmage’s floating over to a cart laden with used dishes. It turned out no house elves or disappearing plates in Wistram, much to Blackmage’s disappointment. Not that he was comparing the two places! Not at all.
“This way, please.”
Teura beckoned and Blackmage stood. He followed her away from the table, out of the dining hall, and into one of the many corridors of Wistram. Dark stone and bright windows replaced the lit dining hall and Blackmage had to hurry to pass before a giant figure carved of stone. The Golem waited as students passed in front of it, its hands gripping one of the laden carts. The Golem’s face was crude and it looked weathered from years, centuries of service. But it moved with a steady, unwavering pace as it followed Blackmage and Teura into the academy.
This was Wistram. Blackmage’s heart beat faster every time he passed by a gossiping group of Lizardgirls holding wands and spellbooks, or saw a ghostly pale Selphid wearing magical robes flicking colored sparks of magic up into the air. Everywhere he walked, every time he turned his head he saw magic.
To say he was enthralled would be an understatement. Sometimes Blackmage wanted to run about screaming. He was here! In a magical world. When he’d been ten, he’d dreamed of magic, and he’d counted the days until his birthday. When he’d been eleven he’d been crushed. Now, eight years later it felt like he was a kid again.
Of course, it wasn’t all fun and games. Blackmage knew that. In fact, after the jubilation of seeing Archmage Feor wearing a magic hat had faded he stared at the half-Elf he was following with some degree of annoyance and chagrin. She too was a half-Elf and like Feor, she radiated magical power. Unlike Feor, Blackmage would have given anything to not be around her.
His trailing footsteps meant that Teura was moving faster than he was. Blackmage hoped she might turn a corridor and lose him, but she seemed to notice and stopped. She turned her head and he instantly quickened his pace.
Teura was a half-Elf. She had bright red hair, sable eyes, and the kind of effortless grace that made Blackmage flush and stumble every time he focused on her. So he stared past her instead. The half-Elf clicked her tongue softly as he caught up.
“Archmage Feor used to teach one of the highest-level magic courses for students in their eighth year. He still has quite a number of apprentices and fellow mages whom he advises. His private instruction is something you should be honored to receive.”
“I am, uh, Mage Teura.”
“That is most wise. Please try to keep up. And as I have informed you, please do not openly identify any of the new students. Speak to me in private once the banquet has begun.”
“I will.”
She nodded and strode off. Blackmage stared at her back. Identify them? And how was he supposed to do that? Humans looked the same in both worlds! Okay, the ones here sometimes had identifying elements like actual swords at their waists, but it wasn’t as if he could make sure of anything! He stomped after Teura, noting how the students and some of the mages got out of her way.
She was one of the better mages of Wistram, as Blackmage understood it. He didn’t know her level—that was a secret, and the mages of Wistram guarded their secrets as fiercely as a Dragon guarded their treasure. But Teura, like Feor, stood at the higher end of badass. She was senior to many [Mages], having lived in Wistram for over six decades. Too, she was part of Archmage Feor’s personal faction. As was Blackmage himself.
Factions and power and politics. Again, sort of like Hogwarts. But not. Blackmage resolved to stop making the comparison soon. The first month he’d been here he’d annoyed everyone in earshot mentioning Harry Potter references, and they hadn’t even understood what he’d been talking about.
How would he explain it to the others? Blackmage tried to figure it out as he walked. Wistram was…well, it was an academy located on an isle in the middle of the sea. Literally in the middle of the sea. The bubble surrounding Wistram kept it from being besieged by waves, but sail just a bit away from the academy and you could find yourself in the middle of a storm. But Wistram was a safe haven. The citadel sat on an island, large from the outside, but enormous once you passed through the metal doors.
Because Wistram was magical. Within its halls you could run for hours and still not reach from one side of the academy to the other. If there was even a straight line in Wistram. So many mages had built and added onto the academy over the thousands of years that it had stood that it contained more secrets and hidden spaces than anyone could guess at. And it was knowledge of those secrets that defined Wistram. Mages traded in secrets like coin, and they fought with each other to gain more influence, power, and above all, magical knowledge.
There were factions in Wistram. Almost any powerful mage would be in one of the major factions that controlled Wistram’s Council, or allied to one of the big players. Feor was part of a faction in Wistram, the Centrists, but he also had his personal group of half-Elf mages whom he trusted implicitly. Teura was one of his best [Mages] so she watched Blackmage like a hawk.
That would be the downside of it all. Blackmage stared at another Golem he passed in the hallway. This one was sand. Living sand. Its body shifted constantly as it walked, bearing a load of mana crystals which all shone different colors. Blackmage would have loved to follow it and stare, perhaps ask about how it had been made, what it could do. But he had to follow Teura. Because he was a prisoner. Of sorts.
Blackmage wasn’t an idiot. Okay, [batman] had called him an idiot, but she’d sounded really paranoid when they talked. Even if she was right about some things.
It had been months since the day when Blackmage had appeared out of nowhere in the room with the Golems. He remembered walking to the door of his college dorm to get a pizza and opening it—
Before finding himself standing in a room with three Golems. They rose as Aaron stared. One was a being of fire, a creature of burning magma formed into humanoid form. The second was a giant metal knight, armed with a sword that was twice as tall as he was. It couldn’t be real.
Aaron’s gaze turned to the third, a tall, thin creation of metal that looked like it had stepped out of some kind of sci-fi movie. It was too thin, insanely tall! Three giant creations stared at him across the room. The fourth bounded towards him, a creature of stitched flesh and shadows. It rotted as it bared its teeth, its jaws opening wide, wide—
He’d screamed then, and fainted. When he’d woken up he’d found himself staring into a white, porcelain face. She’d called herself Cognita. She had demanded to know how he’d come here. After many explanations she’d summoned four people who called themselves ‘Archmages’. They had debated, cast magic on Blackmage, and then accepted his words as truth. Thus, he had entered Wistram. He had not left since.
A Human from another world. Blackmage understood the significance, especially after he had managed to actually tinker with his phone and get it to actually call the other iPhones in this world. Over eighty [Mages] had linked to perform the spell that he and Feor had worked for two weeks on.
Blackmage could still remember the sweat on his hands as he typed responses and the [Mages] of Wistram debated every line that had appeared in the air. He remembered the shock as they read the King of Destruction’s declaration, realized that someone was spying on the chat. Funny, he’d laughed as he read [twinTrouble_53]’s messages. Now he realized the significance.
He had not left Wistram. For his protection. Teura was there every time Blackmage turned his head, or another one of the half-Elves that Feor trusted. Again, for his protection. The mages of Wistram let him take classes, learn magic, and they’d given him his own personal rooms, spellbooks, and a wand! But they were determined not to let go of him.
One example of the danger he was in—might be in—was Blackmage’s name. He hadn’t asked to call himself Blackmage. But as soon as it was discovered that someone was scrying others by their real names, Feor had informed Aaron never to use his real name in Wistram’s halls. Wistram guarded its own, but an individual could be bought, and a true name could be used for more spells than just scrying.
Sometimes Blackmage stayed up at night thinking about that. But mainly he tried to live in the positive side of things. Magic was incredible. He was learning spells—he’d already reached Level 18 in [Mage], which was incredibly fast! He would have been content to stay in Wistram his entire life, especially if he could find more people from Earth. Just without Teura glaring at him, thanks.
They were nearly at the entrance hall when Blackmage carefully spoke.
“Do you really think there will be any people from…my place will be with the new students?”
“Perhaps. That is what Archmage Feor wishes to know. The first group of students has already disembarked. You will inspect them as they pass. These…decorations and the dressing up is meant to aid in that inspection, is it not?”
Teura had a witch’s hat on her head and she looked good in it. Also peeved. Blackmage nodded quickly.
“Oh, totally. But uh, aren’t the odds really low of anyone coming to Wistram? I mean, I know we’re looking for people from Earth—”
He broke off as he remembered not to mention Earth in public. Teura frowned at him. Blackmage blushed.
“I mean, people I know. But Wistram is hard to get to, right? People have to pay lots of money to get in. Couldn’t you waive the fee or something?”
The half-Elf sniffed.
“And let a horde into Wistram’s halls? That is a Revivalist notion. I will admit, the Council deliberated on that idea to attract those like you. But the change in policy would have been too drastic. We are simply relying on those you contacted to make their way here.”
“Yeah. Okay. I guess that might work.”
“Indeed. As for the others scattered across the world, the Council is preparing to send teams of [Mages] to each continent.”
“I wish they’d hurry up.”
“The Council does not move without due deliberation. Now, we are nearly at the hall. Stay behind me and keep si—”
Teura walked forwards and froze. She looked up and nodded slowly.
“Cognita.”
“Mage Teura. And student Blackmage. Greetings.”
Someone stood in the entrance hall. Not a person. A Golem. A towering woman carved out of stone turned, her dress rippling. She was eight feet tall, a giant. She inclined her head as Teura walked carefully past her.
“Hello, Cognita.”
Blackmage grinned up at her. Cognita was a Golem, the leader of the Golems of Wistram, the mage’s silent, tireless workforce. She alone could think. She was a Truestone Construct, an adjudicator of Wistram’s laws and beholden to no one. Not even the Archmages. He enjoyed seeing Teura get nervous around Cognita. Then he remembered why she was nervous and got a bit nervous himself.
Cognita guarded the upper floors. To pass into the higher levels of Wistram, one would have to defeat her and the other four Golem guardians that Archmage Zelkyr had placed there as a test. To Blackmage’s knowledge, no [Mage] had ever attempted the test and survived. Still, Cognita was unfailingly polite and helpful in all other capacities, so Blackmage edged over to her as Teura stood several paces away and watched the doors.
“Hey Cognita, everyone in the banquet hall is dressed up. Even Archmage Feor. I was wondering if you would—”
“No.”
The Golem woman turned her head and stared at Blackmage with a neutral expression. She had been carved so perfectly that she looked like she really was a living person, albeit eight foot tall and made of stone. Her mouth moved and her eyes blinked, the stone moving like flesh. Blackmage hesitated.
“Please?”
“I will not. My role as steward, protector, and guide of Wistram will not be compromised by your desires.”
“Oh.”
It was fairly hard to argue with that, so Blackmage stood and waited. He did not have to wait long. Within minutes of arriving in the entrance hall, he saw the double doors slowly open. He heard a loud voice.
“New students, welcome to Wistram!”
A Lizardman strode through the doors. Blackmage recognized him instantly. Cessic, his rainbow scales polished and the red frill at his neck bright, stepped into Wistram. He had a hat on his head and a wand in one of his clawed hands. He grinned at Blackmage and turned. Behind him streamed in students.
They had come by ship, through the stormy waters, from every continent. From Rhir, Baleros, Izril, Chandrar, and Terandria, they had paid or been given scholarships for outstanding magical ability and been sent here to learn magic. Blackmage saw young Human faces, a pale Drake with blue scales staring around wildly, a pair of Selphids wearing the bodies of twins—fresh students.
Wistram admitted new students at regular times each year and this spring crowd was the first Blackmage had ever seen. He grinned in delight as they filed in, exclaiming at the mage lights hung in the air, the staircases high above where [Mages] walked, the Golem made of rusted iron who passed by—
“Pay attention.”
Teura’s voice made Blackmage stiffen. He realized he had been caught up and guiltily started inspecting all of the Humans by face. They weren’t a majority in the crowd, but they were the largest minority. Humans were one of the most prolific races on this world, although it looked like this crowd had come mainly from Baleros. Unfortunately, Blackmage couldn’t tell if they were from Earth. They were all staring around wide-eyed.
Everyone jumped when Cognita moved. She had been standing so still she had literally been a statue. Now she strode forwards. Cessic gulped and moved out of the way as Cognita stood before the first crowd of arrivals.
“Oh yeah. Um, everyone, this is Cognita—she’s—uh—”
He was cut off as the Truestone Construct spoke. Cognita’s voice echoed as she spoke loud enough for even the students still climbing Wistram’s steps to hear. The new students stared up at her, some afraid, many simply wondering.
“I am Cognita. I am a Carved Golem, or rather, a Truestone Construct designed to oversee Wistram and its mages. I and my kindred maintain and preserve this building and will assist you for the duration of your stay. In a few moments you will be led to your rooms, but before that I must tell you of the rules of Wistram.”
She stared down at each person in turn, her emerald eyes serious.
“Firstly. You must never venture into the high parts of the castle or the lower reaches unaccompanied and even then, only with great cause. Dangers lurk within Wistram, ancient magics and spells and creatures called here and never destroyed. Too, the very enchantments keeping this citadel intact sometimes fray. Only a mage with true power is allowed into such places. Second. Some of the Golems here were made as I am, but most lack any form of intelligence and simply obey orders. Do not attack or obstruct them in any way or they may react unpredictably. Third. Anyone attempting to cast area-wide magics must first consult with I or an experienced mage. Unpredictable results may occur if a spell affects a wide area of the academy at once. Is that understood?”
No one spoke. Blackmage saw Cognita pause. She stared down at the students and then nodded.
“That is all. Follow me, and I will lead you to your rooms and give you your keys.”
It was the same speech she gave every year. She’d given Blackmage the identical speech, word for word. Cognita strode off and Cessic jumped. Remembering his job he called out.
“First years, this way!”
He winked at Blackmage and the young man grinned in delight. He’d said the thing. He heard Teura sigh as the students hurried after both Golem and Lizardman.
“Did you sense anything from the Humans present?”
The slight hope in her voice was dashed by Blackmage’s denial. Teura shook her head.
“Very well. You will have ample opportunities to study the other students in time. You will be placed into the first-year classes when they begin.”
“What? But I’ve been studying from Feor for months!”
Teura looked reproving.
“Archmage Feor’s instruction has indeed given you far more levels than any typical first-year student should hope for. But the fundamentals of magic theory require years of study. And Archmage Feor does not have the time to personally tutor you.”
