Wielder: Apprentice: Book 1 of Lady Shey's Story (The Wielder Cycle) (11 page)

“Ah, there you are,” Morgoran began. “The staff has prepared us a meal.”

Sheyna had to admit that she did feel hungry. Her illness did not affect her appetite. She found a place beside Marella, and the others sat across the table.

“Well, dig in,” Toborne stated while pointing at a mound of sliced roast beef.

Sheyna didn’t have to be told twice.

“Sheyna, Erinthill has prepared the Chamber of the Ancients for your trial. We feel it’s best to have you visit the chamber as soon as possible,” Ianthill said.

Morgoran took a drink of his ale to wash down his food. “We will take you there after this meal. While I do not think you will have any issues, I would suggest that you refrain from becoming too full.”

Sheyna nodded but couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous about Morgoran’s statement.

The three wizards lit up their pipes and waited with Marella in the Chamber of the First Trine while Erinthill and Brynna took Sheyna to a side antechamber to prepare her for what was to come.

“Do not be frightened, dear,” Erinthill said. Her kind eyes and pleasant voice was soothing, and Sheyna relaxed. “The trial will be over before you know it.”

“What should I expect?” Sheyna asked.

“Every wielder that has taken the trial leaves behind a piece of their essence. To date, I know of no wielder who has ever passed through Rugania that has not taken the trial at one time or another. The essence sickness is part of a young wielder’s first training and is usually inevitable,” Erinthill said.

“Fawlsbane Vex, the father of wielding, created it that way so that wielders who lacked training would not become powerful enough to be a threat to themselves or others. The illness eventually burns out the ability to wield if left untreated,” Brynna added.

“It is a good system that has served us well for centuries,” Erinthill continued. “You will enter the chamber, and the essences of all the wielders before you will appear to you. One essence, the most compatible, will join with you, which will immediately cure your essence sickness, and help you leave your own essence contribution.”

“Is your essence there?”

“Aye, mine, Brynna’s, Ianthill’s, Toborne’s; all of us have had to take the trial.”

“What of the wielders who have caused ill in the world. Are they there, too?”

“Aye, but as I said, only the most compatible will bond with you. If you are not harboring nefarious intentions, you need not worry about them.”

“Good!” Sheyna breathed a sigh of relief.

There came a knock on the door, and Marella stuck her head in. “All ready to go?”

“I think we are ready here,” Brynna responded.

Sheyna nodded.

The complex containing the Chamber of the Ancients stood separate from the citadel and its surrounding buildings. A temple of Loracia, the goddess of life, was the only other structure in the complex attached directly to the Chamber of the Ancients. Erinthill guided Sheyna to a hallway, which led directly to the huge stone doorway to the chamber.

“There are a few traditions we observe when one is about to take the trial.” Erinthill explaned. “Each Master Wielder present will surround you with their essence as a gesture of protection.” She gestured to Morgoran who stood before Sheyna. The others fell in line behind him.

In turn, Morgoran, Erinthill, Ianthill, Dicarion, Brynna, and Toborne surrounded her in an essence field. She felt none of the effects of the essence as the gesture was purely ceremonial.

“Next we say the prayer of Fawlsbane Vex to guide you through your trial.” Erinthill said. The group recited the short prayer and Sheyna was ready to enter the chamber.

Erinthill took Sheyna’s hand. “Should you find yourself in duress, there is a cord hanging in the center of the chamber. Pull on it, and it will sound an alarm bell. We will be in the temple waiting.”

“Wish me luck,” Sheyna said.

Erinthill put her hand on Sheyna’s shoulder. “There is nothing to fear. Go now.”

Sheyna walked down the torch-lit corridor toward the stone door. She pushed lightly on it, and it swung open. Inside, the walls were mostly smooth except for the enormous stone sconces, which were positioned at the center of each. The scones were filled with jagged-looking, glowing green crystals.

Sheyna moved to one of the crystals. She reached out and touched it, but nothing happened. She visited each crystal-filled sconce in turn. She turned back to the doorway and watched as the stone door closed and fit seamlessly in the stone around it. Sheyna went to the door and ran her fingers along the seams but could not see or feel the creases of a door anymore. She noticed the flames from the torches began to flicker, and she surmised it was due to puffs of air coming from a series of holes in the walls near the ceiling.

“Sheyna Namear,” a voice boomed.

“Who’s there?” she asked.

Several ethereal apparitions seeped out of the walls. They came forth as transparent mist. The crystals glowed green as soon as they appeared. “We are the vestiges left behind. We are what is left. The essence of those who came before. You have touched the vessels of our being.”

“The crystals?”

“Aye, that is where we dwell.”

Sheyna caught movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to see balls of mist floating from each of the crystal sconces. Hundreds upon hundreds of the ethereal forms entered the chamber. Sheyna’s nerves stood on end. The hair on the back of her neck bristled.

“This is your trial, Sheyna Namear.” Mist snaked its way up to her head. It formed into a face eye-to-eye with her. “I am the essence of Erinthill. I can cure you.”

Sheyna relaxed. “Erinthill, I am so pleased it is you.” The other mists returned to the crystals, leaving only Sheyna and Erinthill’s essence remaining in the chamber.

“I am merely the essence of Erinthill left behind. I will cure you. I also carry a message for you left with me from your mother.”

Sheyna felt faint. “My mother? You never told me you knew my mother.”

“Child, do not confuse this vestige for the elf maiden you know as Erinthill, for I am simply a shadow.”

“I don’t understand.”

The essence abruptly entered Sheyna, and she drew a labored breath. It felt as though a cold wind blew upon her skin.

As soon as she caught her breath, a wave of relief washed over her body, and she felt as if a fog lifted from her mind.

“I will remain with you for a few moments,” she heard the voice of Erinthill say inside her head.

“You mentioned a message from my mother? Who was she? Is she still alive somewhere?”

“I was sent to you specifically. Your mother was powerful, and she arranged that I be the most compatible with you. I am afraid I have a limited ethereal memory and am able to only answer a few of your questions. Remember, I am only a small portion of the one you know as Erinthill.”

“So you can only tell me what you were made to tell me and nothing more.”

“That is correct. The message is your mother left you a magical wooden box that only you may open. She did not want you to have it until you reached an age where your ability to wield would bring you here for your trial. Its contents are of the most dire importance and essential to your training as an apprentice.”

“Go on.”

“The location of the box is in the living quarters of the citadel. Erinthill has already been instructed to place you in the correct room. You must retrieve the box while alone, for the box will not open for the first time if any other eyes but yours are upon it.”

“How do I find it?”

“The moment I was joined with you, a spell was cast within you that will allow you to locate it when you are near enough.”

Sheyna took a deep breath. “I feel much better now.”

“The task is complete; you are whole again. Only one issue remains.” The essence exited her body, and a moment later, another ethereal mist also left her. It coalesced before her and told the form of herself.

“I am the vestige of Sheyna Namear; what would you have me do to serve?”

“How should I know?” Sheyna responded. “I know nothing of such matters.”

The essence of Erinthill hovered nearby. “You must command your essence to join the others in the crystals.” Then it disappeared, leaving Sheyna alone with her own vestige.

“All right, just for fun, I command you to join with anyone I personally have contact with that I may send here for their trial. I will probably have apprentices someday. Better yet, join with them and bring any other essences along too that may help in curing their essence sickness, and help them become the most open to the power of wielding possible.”

“It is done.” The essence flowed away to join the others in the crystals.

Sheyna pulled the cord at the center of the room, and a bell sounded. A few moments later, the great stone door opened and Morgoran rushed in, followed by Toborne and Ianthill.

“Are you all right, child?” Morgoran asked urgently, checking her over for injury.

“I’m fine. The trial is over.”

“You are only supposed to pull the cord if you are in grave danger,” Toborne muttered, somewhat amused. “In an emergency.”

“Oh, sorry. I thought it was to pull when the trial was done.”

“No harm done,” Ianthill said. “You certainly appear to be of much better health.”

“I am. It was wonderful.” Sheyna noticed Erinthill poke her head in the doorway. “Although I would like a few words with you in private, my lady.”

Erinthill pursed her lips and sighed. “We can talk when we get back to the citadel.”

“I look forward to it,” Sheyna said.
For some reason
, Sheyna thought,
you are dreading it.

Marella burst into the room with excitement and embraced Sheyna. “You see, it’s as I told you. All better now?”

“Aye, I am cured and ready for more of Toborne’s instruction.”

“We shall see about that,” Toborne said. “I plan to work you. I hope you are a speedy reader.”

As they left the Chamber of the Ancients behind to return to the citadel, Sheyna could hardly contain her excitement. She had to get her hands on that box. She felt the now familiar sensation of being watched. Following the eerie feeling, she happened to look up at the top floors of the citadel as they strolled nearer, and for a brief moment, she could have sworn she saw that shadow again as it ducked behind a pillar. She froze for a moment. She was still being watched even here on the protected grounds of Rugania.

Sheyna had almost forgotten about the shadow watching her when Erinthill insisted on showing her to her rooms before agreeing to talk in private. Sheyna suspected that Erinthill had an idea of what she wanted to talk about, but she wanted to postpone the talk for some reason, perhaps to consult with her brother.

The room Erinthill selected for Sheyna made her curious about how the other rooms in the citadel were adorned. It seemed too nice for a mere apprentice. A large, canopied bed accented the room with velvet curtains and rich woodworked tables. The walls consisted of browns and greens with intricately-carved wood side paneling. She followed Marella to her room next door and discovered it was appointed essentially the same. Marella didn’t seem to think there was anything special about them when Sheyna mentioned how nice the rooms were.

Sheyna thought she had her chance to be alone in her room when Dicarion arrived and Marella went down to the docks to meet him, but Toborne came to visit almost as soon as Marella had departed. He carried a couple of thick, tightly-bound books.

“Let us go inside your rooms,” he said. “Now that your essence sickness is gone, I can bring your training up to standard. There is much to learn.”

“You draw in essence and use it to do your will. What more can there be to learn?” Sheyna regretted the statement as soon as she uttered it. Toborne puffed up with offense.

“It’s that kind of statement that makes me want to ensure you do not take your head out of a book until you are my age.” He put the books down on one of the tables. “There is more to wielding and being a wielder than meets the eye. For instance, the more you learn about wielding the slower you will appear to age. Once you become a master, you will seemingly freeze at that age; however, you do still age, just much more slowly.” His serious eyes narrowed. “This first tome is about the changes you can expect in your life both physically and mentally. I expect you to read it thoroughly. Start it tonight.”