Natural Ordermage

LXXXV

Rahl spent the next eightday having his shields tested in various places, from the mills to the coking furnaces, and while having to spar with Taryl at the same time. By the following threeday, he had the sense that he’d actually recovered his ability with the shields, and he had far more understanding and control than he’d had in Nylan. After all that effort, he’d been happy just to copy reports on twoday.

He’d finished two more reports on threeday morning and was picking up the third when Taryl stepped into the copying room.

Taryl surveyed the three mage-clerks, then nodded at Rhiobyn. “If you’d accompany me, mage-clerk.”

“Yes, ser.” Rhiobyn rose with a bound, sounding far more cheerful than he had moments before.

Rahl paused in his copying, but waited until Taryl and Rhiobyn were well away from the copying room before he spoke. “What was that all about?”

“It’s time for seasonal evaluations,” Talanyr said slowly. “That’s the only time Taryl ever calls anyone ‘mage-clerk.’ Jyrolt must be here.”

“Rhiobyn seemed happy.”

“That’s because he’s got an exaggerated view of his own skills.”

“I wouldn’t know,” replied Rahl. “I’ve never seen him do anything.”

For a moment, Talanyr looked surprised. “I hadn’t realized it…I mean, I knew it, but it hadn’t really struck me. You’ve never sparred against either of us. What mage-guards has Taryl had you work against?”

“Mostly Taryl and Khaill,” Rahl admitted. “One or two others, sometimes.”

“You never did say how you got those bruises, not in any detail.”

“I was having trouble order-sensing things. So I had to go against Taryl with padded staffs in pitch-darkness until I could do it.”

Talanyr’s mouth opened. Then he shook his head. “You’ll pass any arms evaluation.”

“I thought…everyone…”

“No…you have to pass that level to get assigned to the city stations, but some mage-guards can never do that. That’s why Rhiobyn won’t make it. He gets confused in total darkness. He usually gets around it by using chaos to create light.”

“Isn’t that allowed?”

“Oh…it’s allowed, but it takes more strength, and it makes you more vulnerable.”

“As does talking when you should be copying,” observed Thelsyn from the doorway. “Since it is possible that one or more of you might actually pass the evaluation, for the sake of either those who do not or the new mage-clerks who will be arriving in the next day or so, I would appreciate your making sure that there are no reports left uncopied.”

“Yes, ser.”

Rahl went back to work on the report before him, and Talanyr did the same.

Before all that long, Taryl returned and summoned Talanyr, leaving Rahl alone in the copying room. He forced himself to continue copying. He wasn’t even certain if Taryl would have him examined. If not, would he spend more time as a clerk, or would he be sent some place like Highpoint?

He finished another report before Taryl returned and stepped into the copying room with Rhiobyn.

Rhiobyn looked shaken, but said nothing.

“Mage-clerk Rahl, if you would accompany me?” asked Taryl politely.

“Yes, ser.” At least, he would be examined and evaluated, but what if he failed? He really had no idea what level of skill was expected, since he’d never seen what the other two could do-except for Talanyr’s expertise with the truncheon in Guasyra-and the normally cocky Rhiobyn looked like he’d been coldcocked with a staff, if not worse.

Taryl walked quickly, leading Rahl toward the weapons-training area and in through the open door.

The only other figure in the chamber was a stocky and muscular man, slightly shorter than Rahl with broader shoulders and short brown hair. Like all mage-guards, he wore the khakis and black-leather boots and belt, with the sunburst insignia on his shirt collar. His eyes were a brownish green, and an aura of controlled chaos enshrouded him.

“Evaluator Jyrolt, this is mage-clerk Rahl,” said Taryl evenly.

“Ser.” Rahl inclined his head politely, and when he straightened, Taryl was leaving the weapons exercise chamber.

“We’ll begin with a few questions about what is expected of a mage-guard.” Jyrolt’s tenor voice was higher than Rahl would have expected from such a muscular figure.

Rahl waited.

Most of the questions were similar to those that Taryl had already asked Rahl, often several times in differing forms. A few were not.

“Mage-clerk, why are those mage-guards who embody order both uniquely qualified to serve the Emperor and fortunate to be able to do so?”

Rahl had to ponder for several moments before he had an answer, although he thought only half came from the Manual. “Because a peaceful land must be governed by order, and because it is difficult if not impossible for an ordermage to escape poverty and want without power, and it is difficult for an ordermage to obtain power without losing all or some of his skills.”

“What about a chaos-mage?” asked Jyrolt dryly. “They could certainly hold power without losing their skills. They have for centuries in Fairhaven.”

Rahl hadn’t seen an answer to that question, or if he had, he hadn’t remembered it. “A land must have order to remain peaceful. Too much chaos will not allow order. Does not Fairhaven spread its chaos-mages all across Candar?”

“Why does the Emperor allow his people to ridicule and criticize him, and why are mage-guards charged with enforcing that freedom?”

Rahl had read that section of the Manual and pondered it, but he’d never asked Taryl about it. He wished he had, because, again, he had to use his own interpretation…and hope. “Some people will always find fault. To punish them would only suggest that what they say is true, and more punishment would then be required, until all the mage-guards could do would be to punish those who spoke out, and before long there would be no order in Hamor.”

“But would not too much criticism lead to unrest, mage-clerk?”

“It might, but if the unrest results in physical acts, then the mage-guard must stop it. That provides a balance. People can say what they feel, but they cannot act against the Emperor.”

Jyrolt did not comment, and Rahl did not think that he had displeased the examiner, but with the other’s shields, it was hard to tell.

The questions continued for a time longer, before Jyrolt declared, “Enough for the Codex and Manual. You must also be examined in weapons. With what are you most skilled?”

“Truncheon, and to a lesser degree, staff, ser. I can use a falchiona for a short period of time, but that gets most painful rather quickly.”

Jyrolt nodded. “Then we will begin with the truncheon. Although you may have your own weapon, and may use it on duty, for purposes of evaluation, you will pick one from the case there.” He gestured to a leather case set on the bench against the wall. “You are to choose first.”

“Yes, ser.” Rahl walked to the case, studying the truncheons. In the end, he picked up the longest and the heaviest, although it was of light oak, and he would have preferred dark oak or lorken.

Jyrolt picked one that was broader and slightly shorter, then moved to the center of the floor. “You are to wait until I attack the first time. Then you are to do your best.”

“Yes, ser.”

While Jyrolt was quick and skilled, after several passes Rahl realized that Taryl was better, and he began to see openings, although he could not quite take advantage of them at first, because he was uncertain whether they were merely feint-traps. But after another series, he slipped inside Jyrolt’s guard, but pulled the thrust rather than striking with full force, and moved back.

Jyrolt immediately stepped back. “I doubt we need more examination with the truncheon. Pick a staff.”

Matters with the staff were similar, except it took Rahl slightly longer.

The falchiona was another matter. Jyrolt was far better, and Rahl was hard-pressed, even retreating, just to avoid getting mauled, and he felt lucky to have taken only two or three blows, which Jyrolt had clearly pulled at the last moment. Just defending, by the end, even holding the falchiona was exceedingly painful.

Jyrolt again stopped. “Replace the falchiona in the case and return to the center of the floor.”

Rahl did so, then stood there waiting.

“I want you to defend against my thrusts. Raise whatever shields you have.”

“Yes, ser.” Rahl took a moment, remembering to feel everything around him.

The first attack was a light chaos-jab-without any chaos-fire. From there, the jabs got more intense, and Rahl began to sweat even more heavily behind his shields.

Abruptly, a small chaos-bolt flew toward Rahl, but it burst against his shields, and he could sense the free chaos swirling around.

After a second bolt, somewhat stronger, flared away from Rahl, Jyrolt said loudly. “That will suffice.” Then he turned to Taryl.

Rahl had not seen the other mage-guard enter, but that didn’t surprise him. He’d been far too occupied in avoiding getting chaos-pummeled or — burned.

Jyrolt turned back to Rahl. “You may go. Mage-Guard Taryl will inform you.”

Rahl inclined his head. “Yes, ser. Thank you.” He wanted to blot his sweating forehead, but he did not, making his way from the training room.

Once outside, he did not close the door all the way but bent to examine his boot, trying to use his order-senses to catch what the two might say.

“Good weapons skills…”

“…better than good, and you know it…”

“Shields…adequate…hard to tell…his experience is limited…”

“…have had inexperienced mage-guards before…needs to be in Swartheld…we both know…”

“Enough of that now. Is this another of your future visions, Taryl?”

“I wish that it were not…dangerous for him, but more dangerous for us for him to remain here…”

“When then?”

There was a laugh. “Why not now? He could travel with you, and you could brief him.” A pause followed. “Remember…he is a natural, and that means-”

“I know…I know. No lectures, just information and examples. More hands-on demonstrations…I suppose Mage-Captain Gheryk could assign him as an assistant to one of the patrol mages in those areas where they patrol in pairs. His arms skills are better than most…”

Rahl couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing. Taryl was almost ordering his superior as to what to do. What exactly was Taryl?

He could sense someone coming. So he straightened and began to walk back toward the copying room, nodding politely as he passed Dymat. His thoughts were still swirling about the part of the conversation he’d overheard. Jyrolt was the examiner, but Taryl hadn’t been all that deferential.

When he stepped into the copying room, both Talanyr and Rhiobyn stood and looked at him. Neither looked particularly pleased.

“What happened?” demanded Rhiobyn.

“I don’t know.”

“Didn’t they test you?”

“Jyrolt tested my knowledge, my arms skills, and my shields, and then they dismissed me.”

Rhiobyn nodded. “That’s always how it is. We don’t find out until later.”

“What weapons…?” asked Talanyr.

“Truncheon, staff, and falchiona. If he hadn’t been kind, he would have turned me into chopped meat with the blade.”

“You used a blade against Jyrolt?” demanded Rhiobyn. “How many times did he strike you?”

“Three, I think, but I was mostly circling, trying not to get chopped up.”

The other two exchanged glances.

“How did you do with the truncheon?” asked Talanyr.

Rahl felt uneasy about answering that honestly. “I guess I did all right. I kept him from hitting me.”

Talanyr’s laugh was almost bitter. “‘All right,’ he says. Taryl’s the only one who’s never been struck by Jyrolt.”

Rahl wished he could have downplayed it, but he’d told the truth, if not all of it, and Talanyr would have known if he’d lied outright. “I just did what I could.”

Rhiobyn just looked at Rahl, who could sense the other’s bewilderment.

Rahl looked at the two reports that remained at his place at the copying table. “I suppose I’d better finish these.” As he sat down, he glanced at Talanyr. “When will they tell us?” He paused. “What will they say?”

Talanyr shrugged, then settled into his chair. “They’ll say whether we’re ready to become mage-guards or not. If we are, Taryl will tell us whether we stay here as full mage-guards or where we’ll be sent.”

“If…if we’re not ready…then what?”

“Taryl will say whether Jyrolt thinks we just need more preparation or whether we’ll be mage-clerks for life.”

Rahl winced at the thought of that.

Talanyr laughed, ruefully. “Sometimes that’s not all bad. If they think your character is good, you can be sent to headquarters in Cigoerne or to one of the large city stations. They have a lot of reports to write and file in those places. Sometimes, clerks develop late into mage-guards.”

Could that be what Taryl had been talking about with Jyrolt?

Rahl could only wait and wonder as he began to copy the next report.

He was finishing the second report when Taryl appeared. “Mage-Guard Rhiobyn…if you’d accompany me.”

Rahl could sense the relief-and the nervousness-held within Rhiobyn, although he was smiling when he left with Taryl.

“Poor bastard.” Talanyr shook his head.

“Why?”

“They’ll send him to someplace like Ceostyr or Mludyn.”

Rahl had no idea where either was.

“They’re towns smaller than Jabuti or Guasyra, where you’ve got maybe two or three mage-guards, and none of the women he has his eye on in Cigoerne will ever consort him with that kind of assignment.”

“You don’t think he’ll stay here?”

“He’s too impatient. Haven’t you noticed how patient and deliberate the mage-guards are here? They don’t put up with trouble, but they don’t lash out either.”

Rahl had noticed that.

At that moment, Jyrolt himself appeared. “Mage-Guard Talanyr, if you’d accompany me.”

Talanyr’s grin and relief were more than palpable. Rahl grinned back at him. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

Rahl got up and walked over to the reports that Talanyr hadn’t finished and picked up the one on the top, carrying it back to his seat. He finished it and was wondering if he should start another when he sensed someone approaching-Taryl.

He looked up.

Taryl smiled. “Congratulations, Mage-Guard Rahl.”

Rahl bolted to his feet. “Ser.”

“Since we’re alone here, I don’t need to escort you off. Sit down.”

Rahl sat, nervously, as Taryl pulled Talanyr’s chair closer and seated himself.

“I shouldn’t have to tell you, but you’ve posed a considerable problem for us.”

“I had that feeling, ser, with my loss of order-skills…”

“That’s not the problem I’m talking about. You have an aptitude with staff and truncheon that comes along maybe once in a generation. As an ordermage, you shouldn’t even be able to hold a falchiona for more than a few moments, let alone use it. I know the pain of doing so is agonizing for you-any ordermage around can feel it-and I don’t suggest you make a habit of picking up blades, but it’s indicative of your ability. The problem is that you’re a natural ordermage, and you have to learn things slowly, and by doing them. You can’t rush things. We’re not set up for handling mages like you, but you’re already too far along to stay here.”

Rahl still had no real idea of where Taryl was headed.

“Jyrolt and I have talked things over, and we’re going to send you to Swartheld. This has several advantages and several disadvantages. You know some of the city, and you know commerce. But you’re not a chaos-mage, and most mage-guards in the larger cities have to be. You’ll be assigned to work with an experienced mage-guard there, but you’re going to have to find a way to develop more order-skills on your own. We’ve worked on the ones you need to survive as a mage-guard, but if you want to do more than that, it’s up to you.”

Rahl considered Taryl’s words without immediately replying. The thin-faced mage-guard had been more than fair, much more than fair. He’d effectively saved Rahl’s life, and for that Rahl had no way of really thanking him, let alone repaying him. “I can’t thank you enough, and I think you know that, ser.”

Taryl smiled. “I do. The only way you can repay me is by continuing to learn and in time, perhaps, by saving someone else of such potential. Or keeping them from making near-fatal mistakes, but given the minds of the young, that is often impossible.” The smile vanished. “One other thing. Hamor is generally a just land, but it is not a kind land. You will see injustice, and you will see good people broken and be unable to do anything. The hardest thing for you will be not to take the laws of the land into your own hands and use your powers to set things as you see they should be. Do not do it. That is the way to destroy yourself and all the good that the mage-guards stand for. The Codex is not perfect, but any alternative is worse. If you do not see that, please take my word for it until you do.”

Although Taryl had not raised his voice, the concern and the conviction in his tone burned through Rahl.

“Yes, ser.”

“You’ll take one of the downriver barges to Swartheld, and you’ll go with Jyrolt, tomorrow, because that’s where he’s headed next. That will give him a chance to brief you.” Taryl stood and set the canvas bag he had carried on the table. “Here are your insignia for your cap and collars, as well as two more sets of uniforms and a cold-weather jacket. Oh, there’s also a pouch with three silvers. Your pay as a beginning mage-guard is three silvers an eightday, and passing the evaluation entitles you to an eightday’s pay.” He smiled. “Now…put on the insignia and go find your friends. You’re all free for the rest of the day, not that any of you would be worth much as copyists or mage-guards at the moment.”

“Thank you, ser.” Rahl still couldn’t believe the pay. Three silvers an eightday plus lodging and two meals a day.

Taryl offered a last smile, then stepped back. “You earned it, and you’ll keep earning it.” Then he was gone.

Rahl had sensed a certain sadness in Taryl, as well as something else, but he couldn’t very well chase Taryl and ask about it.

After taking his new and additional gear to his chamber and affixing the mage-guard sunburst insignia to his collars and visor cap, Rahl went looking for Talanyr and Rhiobyn. He found them in the small courtyard outside the mess.

Talanyr smiled as Rahl appeared. “I thought you’d make it.”

“Well…I thought both of you would,” Rahl replied. “You’ve both had much more training and experience.”

“Where are you going? Or are you staying here?” asked Rhiobyn quickly, not quite looking at Rahl directly.

Rahl didn’t want to answer that. “Taryl said I couldn’t stay here.” That was true, even if it had been said to Jyrolt. “What about you?”

“It could have been worse.” Rhiobyn shook his head. “I’m being stationed in Heldya.”

The town name was familiar, but Rahl couldn’t place it mentally, and he glanced at Talanyr.

“It’s on the east side of the Heldyn Mountains, about fifty kays north of the Great Highway. It’s a lumber and herding center, and they say it’s about three times the size of Guasyra.”

Rahl looked at Rhiobyn. “It’s not Cigoerne, but it sounds like a good-sized place compared to some of the stations you two have told me about.”

Rhiobyn squared his shoulders and offered a smile. “They do have mage-clerks there. Taryl told me that.”

Talanyr laughed. “You’re fortunate. Clyanaka doesn’t.”

Rhiobyn glanced at Rahl, but Rahl had never heard of the name.

“I’m being assigned as a range guard on the northwestern high grasslands in Merowey. They wanted someone who could ride and knew plants and animals.” Talanyr shook his head. “Taryl said that they’ve been asking for more help there for years, and I was a good fit.”

Rahl could sense that Talanyr was pleased. “You really didn’t want a city post, did you?”

“No. I’d hoped for a small town at least, but this is better. There is a town there, but most of the mage-guards patrol the grasslands against poachers and rustlers.”

Rahl found both of them looking at him.

“They’re sending me to Swartheld. They think that because I know something about commerce and trade…I guess. Taryl didn’t say, except that I’d have to be paired with a very experienced mage-guard.”

“That’s tough duty,” said Rhiobyn.

“I’d wager that’s why Taryl worked on your weapons training so much,” added Talanyr. “They get sailors and bravos from all over the world there.”

“Is Clyanaka far from Jabuti?” asked Rahl, wanting to change the subject away from himself and Swartheld.

“Only some six hundred kays over roads that are barely that.” Talanyr grinned. “But I’ll be able to ride again, and not be so hemmed in. I miss the open skies…”

Rahl listened to Talanyr, realizing that he had been the first adult male friend Rahl had ever had…and that he would miss Talanyr’s quiet steadiness in the days and seasons ahead. He doubted that he would miss much else about Luba station and the ironworks, except Taryl, who was far more than he seemed.

“…and there aren’t that many people around, except near the Clyan River…”

Even Rhiobyn listened as Talanyr went on.