The Eye of Elicion: The Kinowenn Chronicles Vol 1 (12 page)

“Another language class?” asked Gavin, his eyes wide. “I thought you were already taking four.”

“I am, but there are over twenty languages on Kinowenn that we can take and a few more obscure ones I hope to learn when I get there,” replied Maya.

“Wait, you plan to learn twenty languages while you are here?” asked Lucy, impressed by Maya’s ambition and the fact that it was probably an achievable goal given the fact that she was already taking four languages.

“Certainly. I want to be fluent, or as close to that as possible everywhere I travel. You never know when being able to speak a language will come in useful or save your life.”

“I suppose that’s true,” said Lucy. Languages were not entirely her strong point. She could learn to read a language quickly and even understand a decent portion if someone talked to her, but she was terrible at learning how to speak other languages. Her pronunciation issues usually made her classmates laugh. She knew she was going to have to start to learn languages as soon as she picked a land to go to. She hoped she would be able to gain some respect from other students before she had to embarrass herself in a language class.

Lucy slept in a little on Saturday. She was relieved to make it to the weekend. She kept up with her homework rather well, but she still had plenty to read and a couple of essays to complete. Not to mention, it might do her some good later on in life if she practiced shooting with a bow sometime today. Lucy stretched, dressed, and made her way down to breakfast. She had only been at school a week and had already gotten used to the routine. She was not sure what she would do all weekend without the exhausting, though enjoyable, schedule of classes.

She sat down next to Gavin who swallowed a huge mouthful of pancakes to wish her good morning before continuing to work on the excessive stack in front of him. Lucy started eating her myriad of fruit, while thinking about what she would like to accomplish that day. It was not long before her choices were made for her, for the morning at least.

“Morning,” said Justin, sitting down, his stack of French toast not quite rivaling Gavin’s pancake tower.

“Morning,” replied Lucy, while Gavin nodded in greeting, his mouth full.

“I have a message for you,” Justin directed this comment to Lucy.

“And what’s that?” asked Lucy, wondering who would have a message for her.

“Eric has requested you join him in his office after breakfast for a first week review.”

“Review? That sounds ominous.”

“Nothing to worry about, really,” assured Justin. Gavin nodded his agreement. “Everyone has one. Basically he asks how you like things, if you still want to continue with training, if you are having any issues, or if you have any questions that need answering, that kind of thing.”

“Eric likes to have a feel for the students and what’s going on around here. Be honest with him,” added Gavin. “Besides, it would not surprise me if he could read minds.”

Gavin took another mouthful of pancake and looked perplexed, pondering the idea that Eric might be able to read minds. Justin was half-way through his French toast when Maya sat down.

“Morning,” she greeted them. “What are our plans for this fine day?”

“Lucy has a meeting with Eric,” offered Justin.

“First week review? Nothing to worry about, you’ll be done quickly. What shall we do after that?”

Gavin swallowed, “I’ve heard a rumor that Lucy could use some practice shooting,” he said in a teasing way.

“Sadly true,” admitted Lucy.

“I say Lucy should meet us at the practice yard when her meeting is done. We can do some shooting and perhaps some other weapon training,” suggested Gavin. “I like to get some good practicing in on weekends.”

The others nodded in agreement.

“I could use some more practice with a bow,” added Maya, “and sparring keeps me on my toes.”

Since plans for the day had been tentatively made, Lucy finished the last of her fruit and got up to leave.

“Do you remember the way to Eric’s room?” asked Justin.

“I think I can find it. I’ll see you at the practice yard.”

It was odd being a part of other people’s plans, but Lucy was starting to like it. She had never had a lot of friends and was used to spending lots of time on her own. Suddenly, she had plans and friends. Even though she hadn’t dealt with all the mental and emotional changes she was experiencing, she liked this place and the people in it.

Lucy left the Dining Hall and walked down the hallway. Even though the others had brushed off her meeting with Eric as a mere formality, she could not help but be a little nervous. She had been working hard and she was sure she was meeting expectations and standards. Still, meetings with authority unsettled her. She always felt that she was in trouble even if she was sure she had not done anything wrong. She reached Eric’s door more quickly than she had expected and knocked.

“Come in,” Eric said from the other side of the door.

She entered. The room was exactly how she remembered it.

“Good morning,” she greeted him.

“Good morning Lucy,” he replied and motioned for her to sit. She did. Then the questions began. He asked the next one almost as soon as she finished responding to the first. He asked her to stick to immediate impressions rather than go into detail. They would go into detail after they got the basics out of the way.

“How do you find school?”

“I love it,” Lucy replied with enthusiasm.

“Your room is satisfactory?”

“Beyond satisfactory.”

“You like your classes?”

“They are the classes I have wanted to take all my life.”

“Your classmates?”

“I’m finding like minded people to associate with.”

“Your teachers?”

“Fully competent, demanding, and patient.”

“Your performance so far?”

“Adequate except for weapons.”

“Weapons?” he asked obviously wanting more.

“So far we are working on shooting a bow. I think I cause more damage to myself than the target. Don’t worry though, my friends are meeting me at the practice grounds after this to help me work on that.”

“I’m not worried. Not everyone can excel at everything. As long as you find one weapon that you can use proficiently, you should be fine. I find I have little use for staffs. Long ungainly things to trip over,” Eric finished with a smile.

Lucy smiled back.

“Does any weapon catch your fancy?”

“I’d like to try them all. That’s what I like most about these introductory classes. They give you a wide variety of experiences and hope.”

“Hope?” asked Eric.

“Well, I know I will be trying many weapons. I can always hope that I will be better at the next one since I am so poor at shooting.” Lucy smiled. Then she said almost shyly, “Actually, Justin mentioned magical weapons such as throwing fire balls earlier in the week. I would like to learn that if I am capable.”

“Lofty goal,” replied Eric.

“Maya wants to speak twenty languages, and I want to strike people with lightning. We each have our goals,” shrugged Lucy.

“You claim your performance in class is adequate, yet you think yourself capable of highly advanced magic?”

“Well,” Lucy faltered, “it was just an idea. Perhaps not.” She began to feel disappointed in herself and self-conscious.

“You gave up quickly.”

“I’m not sure I can do it,” said Lucy truthfully.

“Modesty is becoming; a lack of self confidence is not. Never underestimate your significance,” said Eric sternly.

Lucy nodded, “Then I will keep my lofty goals.”

Eric nodded back.

“I have spoken to your teachers. They find your performance more than adequate. I was thinking about putting you on a fast track program. What do you think of that?”

“What would that entail?”

“You will stay in your classes for now but go at a quicker pace. Your Intro to Basic Magic instructor will teach you the next skill as quickly as you can learn them rather than trying to keep you with the class. Also, what do you think of Kinowenn?”

“I was thinking of choosing it as a land to study further.”

“Good choice. I can arrange for you to start that on Monday.”

“What of other lands?”

“I expect you to finish reading the book for that class on your own time. You will not be tested. Your other teachers will work with you as well. Moving at your pace rather than the pace they have set for the class. This will involve extra work on your part, but you will cover material much more quickly. Are you willing to do this?”

“Yes,” replied Lucy. This was sounding great. It had only been a week and already she was sometimes frustrated by how little she knew in comparison with her friends. Besides, she would enjoy working faster in some of her classes.

“I will make the arrangements with your teachers. Any questions?”

“Why me?”

“I would like more time before I fully answer that question. Let me say that we have an experiment of sorts in mind and we think you are what we need to complete it. However, we need you to be more advanced than you are if we are to proceed with the experiment when the time is right. If you rise to the challenges placed before you, I shall tell you in good time.”

“If I fail?”

“Then you will have no need to know, and you may return to normal pace with no penalties or side effects other than, perhaps, an elevated feeling of stress.”

“I will not fail.”

“I like to hear that. Remember that in days to come. I expect your friends will help you as well as they can. Accept their help. Also remember to give help to others in need.”

Lucy nodded again. “Will I learn any astronomy or astrology?”

“You may learn some astronomy, if you choose. Stars can be useful in navigation, although there are other ways to get a sense of direction so we do not require it. There really is no point in learning astrology.”

“Why not?”

“Each land has its own star formations and names for them. Some races have legends and even prophecies about stars and what they mean. We have not found that there is merit to these ideas. It turns out that stars are simply stars. Enjoy them, but do not look towards them for prophecy.”

“So, not everything has a deeper meaning?’

“Sometimes the deeper meaning is simply that they are.”

Lucy nodded more so because she was unsure of how to respond than because she understood. If nothing else, this meeting was giving her a lot to ponder.

“Have you any other questions while you are here?”

“My job?”

“Right now, your priority is learning as much as you can as quickly as you can. We will put off starting your job for another week to give you a chance to try this new method. Then we will add it in. If it becomes too much, come speak to me and we will work out something. It may be that we will only have you work Saturdays rather than trying to fit it in on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

Lucy nodded, “I have an off the subject question.”

“Ask away. My aim is to answer.”

“I notice we have other races, if you will, as teachers. I have not noticed students from other races. Why is that?”

“A good question. We teach anyone interested in learning here independent of race. Most do not choose to come here. With you, you must leave your land to learn magic and must travel to other lands to practice it. Individuals in other lands can sometimes learn in that land if they choose. Or, they may not choose to learn at all. Very few dwarves or giants are interested in learning magic. Elves generally teach their own. Very few have any desire to leave the land they are from, so many of our services would not even benefit them. We provide a place to learn, we do not control who is allowed to practice magic and where they are allowed to practice it. Does that answer your question?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t worry. You will meet many individuals from other races soon enough,” Eric smiled kindly. “Now, I believe I am detaining you from inflicting injury upon your person.”

Lucy laughed.

“Perhaps you should skip the practice and have Gavin teach you a new weapon. Orin and Tannin won’t mind. I believe they are starting a new weapon this week.”

“I might do that.”

“Besides, you won’t need to shoot arrows if you can throw fire.”

“True,” responded Lucy as she left his room.

Lucy made it only a few steps down the hall before encountering Justin.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I had to do a couple of things before I joined the others at the practice yard. Then, I decided to see if you were done with your meeting.”

“I just finished.”

“Are you ready to go to the practice yard, or do you need anything from your room first?”

“I’m ready to abuse my body,” said Lucy. “I may forgo the bow and ask Gavin to start to teach me another weapon.”

“Not a bad idea. Shall we then?” he asked motioning down the hallway.

They walked in silence for a few seconds. Lucy was sure Justin was dying to ask how her meeting had gone, but trying his best to do it in a nonchalant way. She was curious to see how long he would be able to wait. Not long as it turned out.

“How did your meeting go?”

“Fine,” Lucy replied, doing her best to seem uninterested.

“Anything interesting come up?”

“Depends on what you call interesting,” said Lucy noncommittally. Obviously Justin knew something or guessed something. Did he know about the experiment Eric had alluded to?

“Do your teachers think you are doing ok?”

“Sure. My performance is adequate.”

Justin was positive from what he had seen that her performance was more than adequate. He was also sure she was teasing him. Perhaps he should have waited for her at the practice ground so as to appear less eager. However, Justin had learned early on that practicing with weapons and having your mind elsewhere was a poor combination at best. Now, the dilemma was, should he tell her what he knew or let the matter drop? He decided to let the matter drop. She would tell him soon enough.

They walked in silence down the stairs. Lucy was surprised he let the matter drop. She was sure he was going to grill her. In fact she wanted to tell him about her meeting. She had questions to ask, but Justin always seemed to know more than he let on. This time, Lucy had been hoping to learn something without having to ask. Instead she asked him about his work with the creatures. It turned out the kitten had stopped breathing fire. However, Nerek now lacked eyebrows. This conversation captured their attention until the practice yard.