"Young Wren. You must remember that this is one of the True Masters. They are not as I am, or even as the Master of this school is. Be sure to show her your deepest respect and honor." Here his eyes narrowed. "Else we shall have a lesson after this meeting that you shall not forget soon."
Wren nodded, furrowing her eyebrows and trying to appear serious and trustworthy. She knew the lore of the True Masters. How they had saved the world from the danger of the Orbs when they threatened to destroy the Four Lands. How they had led the Lands with wise hands even across the great distances that now separated them. And now one of them wished to see her. She grinned as she followed Cartak into the meeting hall.
The meeting hall was much like the rest of the indoor portion of the training grounds: windowless stone walled rooms with periodic torches lighting the area and only a set of benches lining the walls as furnishing. Much of the training grounds was outdoors, open to the sky. Even the trainees' sleeping areas were located outside much of the time (save when weather threatened the students' health). The Masters of the academy believed that Wren and the other trainees needed to be prepared for the realities of life outside the academy, where their combat skills would be put to use as guards or warriors in the militia of the Kren-land. Thus they trained and slept as they would in such situations, with few comforts save those they created for themselves. Though this kind of training might have seemed hard to some others of Wren's young age, to her and her fellow students it was the best way to live. They shared a camaraderie rarely found in those of their age, and a confidence in their skills rarely found in those twice their age.
Standing in the center of the room was a tall, gray-robed elderly woman and a shorter, younger woman wearing obviously expensive yet (Wren surmised) functional traveling garb. She glanced quickly at Cartak as he bowed low to the figure in grey and did the same. This must be the True Master, she thought. Not quite what she was expecting. As Wren's green eyes met the woman's serious gray ones, they both looked each other unflinchingly in the face. After a moment, the woman graced Wren with a small smile.
"Student Wren. We are True Master Bur." At this she paused, seemingly awaiting Wren's response. Wren blinked, not sure what was expected of her, before settling on a "Good to meet you."
"And you. We regret that you must leave the academy for a time. We have need of you." Wren's heart jumped. She knew it! There must be some great mission that only she could complete and save the world! Wren managed to keep her face straight and her expression serious as she nodded her understanding.
"We realize that you must have been taught our history, but permit me to reiterate some of it. Beyond the earliest history of the Four Lands, the Orbs were created. There were four of them, each, as we are told, only as large as would fit in your two hands, and each of a different color. They were each linked to the others, and through that link enabled transport between each other. We know that you do not study magic here, so we do not expect you to understand, but magic is a primal force drawn from the ambient environment all around us. The affinity required to channel and shape that force is innate to some, but is limited by their mental and magical discipline and focus. Transport from one location to another then takes a great amount of discipline; more than most mages possess. Thus, the orbs revolutionized trade and exploration when it was discovered that the magical network between them made transport of people and even objects between any two over almost any distance a relatively simple magical task. You may not be able to imagine travel without days of walking or riding, but it is true that hundreds of years past it was common to travel between the Kren-land and the Sur-land in no more time than it would take you to travel from here to your quarters!"
The True Master paused to let this image sink in. Wren was not as impressed as she thought the True Master was expecting. Admittedly, she hadn't heard a lot of this before, not particularly caring to pay attention in her History classes, but it didn't come close to the fantastical tales that she imagined daily as she trained. She did vaguely remember hearing about the Orbs before. Were they what this was all about, she wondered? And if so, what did this history lesson have to do with her? The True Master continued.
"The Four Lands were established then as the orbs allowed transport and trade to flourish across distances previously unexplored. However, after many years of use, there was an accident. That was when the first True Masters saved the Lands from destruction and performed the Severing. The Severing destroyed the magical network between the Orbs and the Orbs themselves. The Four Lands became in a moment isolated from each other. In the turmoil that followed, only the wisdom of the True Masters kept the Four Lands from civil war. We all owe much to those first True Masters, and all those that have followed them!"
During this last speech True Master Bur's voice had grown more impassioned and her eyes gleamed as they looked off into the distance. Even Wren could not help but feel a pang of patriotism at the fervor in her voice. As Bur finished her statement, she lowered her eyes to stare intensely into Wren's face.
"No memorial stands to these historic events save that in our memories. This has been the case for far too long. We seek to honor the memory of those that preserved our way of life in a more tangible manner now. You are almost prepared to begin work outside the academy, are you not?" At this Bur looked at Cartak, who lifted his bowed head long enough to give a small nod. Bur turned her attention back to Wren. "Then let this be your first assignment, young Wren. You will accompany a surveying group as they seek out the locations of the Orbs before the Severing and erect monuments to the events which happened there. "
Wren tried to keep her expression serious and not let her disappointment show through. Her first mission ever and it was to escort some bureaucrats. Great. She squared her shoulders a bit more. This was important enough that a True Master chose me in particular to guide them and came all the way out here to tell me. That's gotta mean something. Wren brought her attention back to the True Master in time to hear her finish her statements, now directed as Cartak.
"... your academy. You have our assurance that Wren's services are necessary for this mission. She shall be returned here once the journey is complete." Master Cartak, his eyes sincere, bowed once more to the True Master.
"It is my honor to serve the True Masters and the Four Lands." Cartak shot Wren a sharp look. She hastily followed his bow with one of her own.
"It is my honor to serve the True Masters and the Four Lands." she repeated. Bur inclined her head once more to them and then turned away, clearly signaling the meeting was over. Cartak laid his hand on Wren's shoulder and walked her quickly out of the meeting hall. She threw a glance backwards as he did, catching just a glimpse of the True Master conversing quietly with her companion. As they left the room, Wren could feel some of the tension leave Cartak's posture. He slowed to a stop in the hallway and turned to face Wren. His face crinkled into a smile.
"Well done, Wren. You may yet do your academy honor." She grinned back at him. Cartak's approval meant much more to her than anything the True Master had said. Cartak's expression turned earnest again. "You must prepare yourself now. The True Master and her escort leave tomorrow. Remember, you represent myself and all your comrades here in this mission. Perform it well, and you will bring us all honor. I have every faith in you, young one." He laid an affectionate hand on her fiery hair, which already looked wild again despite the thorough brushing earlier. Wren gazed intently back at him.
"I won't disappoint you, Master." Cartak nodded shortly.
"I know you will not. Now go. We have much to do before the morrow." Wren bowed shortly to him in farewell and ran off down the hallway. As she ran, she found herself grinning fiercely. Sure, maybe this wasn't the most glorious mission ever; there were no dragons to be slain and no imminent danger threatening the Lands. But it was her first mission! Without slowing as she skidded around a corner, she mentally yelled a challenge to the whole of the Four Lands.
Bring on your worst! I'm ready for you!
The True Master paused to let this image sink in. Wren was not as impressed as she thought the True Master was expecting. Admittedly, she hadn't heard a lot of this before, not particularly caring to pay attention in her History classes, but it didn't come close to the fantastical tales that she imagined daily as she trained. She did vaguely remember hearing about the Orbs before. Were they what this was all about, she wondered? And if so, what did this history lesson have to do with her? The True Master continued.
"The Four Lands were established then as the orbs allowed transport and trade to flourish across distances previously unexplored. However, after many years of use, there was an accident. That was when the first True Masters saved the Lands from destruction and performed the Severing. The Severing destroyed the magical network between the Orbs and the Orbs themselves. The Four Lands became in a moment isolated from each other. In the turmoil that followed, only the wisdom of the True Masters kept the Four Lands from civil war. We all owe much to those first True Masters, and all those that have followed them!"
During this last speech True Master Bur's voice had grown more impassioned and her eyes gleamed as they looked off into the distance. Even Wren could not help but feel a pang of patriotism at the fervor in her voice. As Bur finished her statement, she lowered her eyes to stare intensely into Wren's face.
"No memorial stands to these historic events save that in our memories. This has been the case for far too long. We seek to honor the memory of those that preserved our way of life in a more tangible manner now. You are almost prepared to begin work outside the academy, are you not?" At this Bur looked at Cartak, who lifted his bowed head long enough to give a small nod. Bur turned her attention back to Wren. "Then let this be your first assignment, young Wren. You will accompany a surveying group as they seek out the locations of the Orbs before the Severing and erect monuments to the events which happened there. "
Wren tried to keep her expression serious and not let her disappointment show through. Her first mission ever and it was to escort some bureaucrats. Great. She squared her shoulders a bit more. This was important enough that a True Master chose me in particular to guide them and came all the way out here to tell me. That's gotta mean something. Wren brought her attention back to the True Master in time to hear her finish her statements, now directed as Cartak.
"... your academy. You have our assurance that Wren's services are necessary for this mission. She shall be returned here once the journey is complete." Master Cartak, his eyes sincere, bowed once more to the True Master.
"It is my honor to serve the True Masters and the Four Lands." Cartak shot Wren a sharp look. She hastily followed his bow with one of her own.
"It is my honor to serve the True Masters and the Four Lands." she repeated. Bur inclined her head once more to them and then turned away, clearly signaling the meeting was over. Cartak laid his hand on Wren's shoulder and walked her quickly out of the meeting hall. She threw a glance backwards as he did, catching just a glimpse of the True Master conversing quietly with her companion. As they left the room, Wren could feel some of the tension leave Cartak's posture. He slowed to a stop in the hallway and turned to face Wren. His face crinkled into a smile.
"Well done, Wren. You may yet do your academy honor." She grinned back at him. Cartak's approval meant much more to her than anything the True Master had said. Cartak's expression turned earnest again. "You must prepare yourself now. The True Master and her escort leave tomorrow. Remember, you represent myself and all your comrades here in this mission. Perform it well, and you will bring us all honor. I have every faith in you, young one." He laid an affectionate hand on her fiery hair, which already looked wild again despite the thorough brushing earlier. Wren gazed intently back at him.
"I won't disappoint you, Master." Cartak nodded shortly.
"I know you will not. Now go. We have much to do before the morrow." Wren bowed shortly to him in farewell and ran off down the hallway. As she ran, she found herself grinning fiercely. Sure, maybe this wasn't the most glorious mission ever; there were no dragons to be slain and no imminent danger threatening the Lands. But it was her first mission! Without slowing as she skidded around a corner, she mentally yelled a challenge to the whole of the Four Lands.
Bring on your worst! I'm ready for you!
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