Chapter 1 - Of Agnecs and Amblers
In all of Aiden's fifteen summers, he couldn't remember a hotter couple of months in Philadelphia. His bedroom was sweltering, despite the fan oscillating at full blast. He had already resorted to wearing his white undershirt, which was more of a long tank top, and still he could hardly take the heat. He decided the best thing to do was not move.
So far, this idea had seemed to work a little, and he stretched out on his bed, his back soaked in sweat. Beats were emanating from the stereo on Aiden's dresser as he listened to the latest rap CD. He tried only thinking of the music, but there were far too many other things to think of.
Most of them were things he really didn't want to think of.
Despite how school was no longer in session, the events of last year still taunted him. Once word got out that he was different, it was a sure sign that he would end up at some other school. Some other school in some other neighborhood, and his mother would have to drive out of her way to get him there. Sometimes he hated that the most.
Some of the guys from school, including John, had caught him at the store just this morning. They would not let him forget about the fire.
Aiden wasn't sure how to explain it, but something strange sometimes happened when he felt intense emotion. His hands would swell and burn, and his heart would pound until the compulsion to rid himself of this energy was far more important than anything else. Flames would leap from his hands in bright balls, slamming into anything in their path.
He was very thankful he had never actually hit anybody with one of these energy balls, as he called them, but he had done a fair bit of property damage. Although, when he saw the leering faces of his accusers in his mind, he could almost feel that burning sensation all over again.
"Screw them anyway..." Aiden said, staring at the popcorn-patterned asbestos ceiling.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, and his mother popped her head inside the room. She smiled, but her eyes were tired and her hair was pulled back in a rather rushed fashion.
"Honey?" she said, glaring at the stereo. "Can you turn this down?"
Aiden sighed and rolled his eyes. It took all of his energy just to pry himself off of his bed and reach over to turn down the volume. When he was done, his mother smiled again.
"Someone's here to see you," his mother said.
Aiden's face wrinkled in confusion. "Who?"
"Come on out and see."
"Who is it?" Aiden asked, refusing to move.
"Someone's here from the school I was telling you about."
Aiden grimaced and his shoulders tensed. "That reform school?"
"It's not a reform school," his mother hissed. "Now get out here."
Aiden stood up, clicked off the stereo, and begrudgingly followed his mother out of the room and into the short hallway. Being not very tall himself, he couldn't see past his mother in the narrow space, though he tried. There, in the small living room, Aiden stopped, taken aback.
Before them stood a tall, bearded man with strikingly blue eyes. His long trench coat made Aiden think of those old mob movies he used to watch on late night television.
"Mister Pestler," Aiden's mother addressed the man. "This is Aiden." She gestured to her son. "Why don't you two sit down?"
"Thank you, Lisa," the man said, his voice strong. "Please, call me Vodin. In the Agnec world, everyone tends to be on a first-name basis."
Aiden's mother nodded in agreement, ignoring Aiden's lost expression. Vodin smiled at the woman, then turned his attention to the boy.
Aiden shrugged. He sat down on their old couch while the older man sat across from him on a floral-patterned armchair. Vodin seemed far too comfortable, making Aiden squirm in his seat. Vodin looked away for a moment, watching Aiden's mother step into the kitchen, but then returned his full attention to the boy.
"Aiden," the man said, his kind eyes taking in the boy's discomfort. "I am Headmaster of the Mount Katahdin Guild School for D'Tari. Your mother's told me a lot about what you're going through."
Aiden was silent, feigning a look of disinterest. He tried to ignore the school's very strange sounding name. He tried to ignore the almost hypnotic effect of the man's youthful blue eyes.
"I hear you've had some trouble at school," Vodin continued, his mouth almost curling in a whimsical smile. "As did I, in the olden days."
Aiden almost smiled, but caught himself. Despite the beard, the man did not look old enough to talk of "olden days".
Aiden's mother returned and handed Aiden and Vodin each a tall glass of lemonade Vodin nodded in appreciation, looking weary in his trench coat.
"Aren't you uncomfortable in that coat?" Aiden's mother asked the man.
Vodin nodded. "Yes, I suppose I am. I hadn't thought about it."
Aiden placed his glass of lemonade on the old coffee table, unsure how cool it was to be drinking lemonade. It seemed like such a little kid's drink to him. Then again, he could feel the sweat gluing his back to the couch... He picked up his glass again and drank deeply.
When he was done, Aiden looked over and realized Vodin had taken off his long trench-coat. Aiden's brown eyes widened at the sight. Once Vodin had gently laid his trench coat over the puffy arm of his chair, it was revealed that he wore a kind of suit. It was a casual suit, and looked liked something men wore a long time ago, perhaps in the early nineteen-hundreds, or even before. Aiden couldn't even be sure. He just knew that he'd only seen this sort of thing in movies.
Vodin wore a green sleeveless vest with a high-collared white shirt beneath it, the sleeves of the shirt neatly rolled up just above his elbows. Aiden raised an eyebrow at the Headmaster's pants, which were somewhat tight, tan trousers that tucked into tall leather boots. He averted his gaze, trying to hide his amusement.
Maybe he's one of those historical reenactment weirdos, Aiden wondered.
"Where were we?" Vodin said, looking back to the boy after Aiden's mother had left the room once more. "You've noticed my clothes, I see."
Aiden's eyes snapped back to Vodin's face, his cheeks turning pink.
Vodin smiled. "No matter. It is all part of the culture clash I suppose," he said. "As I was saying, your mother tells me you've been in some trouble."
"I guess..."
"It's alright. Most of us do, when we realize we have something that others don't."
Aiden's face had gone blank.
"I hear you can make fire," Vodin said, his tone matter-of-fact. "Energy, more explicitly. Raw energy that bursts into flame whenever it impacts upon something."
Aiden knew that he looked guilty, but he said nothing. Why would his mother have actually told someone about that?
"No. I can't do that," Aiden mumbled, shaking his head.
"You set something on fire in your school auditorium, I believe..."
Aiden could only stare at the floor.
"It's alright," Vodin said, smiling at Aiden. "So can I. It was one of the first things I realized I could do."
There was a moment of silence as Aiden tried to imagine what Vodin had meant.
"It won't be easy to hear this, but bear with me," Vodin continued. "I belong to an ancient order called the D'Tari. We all have the abilities you have, and in fact, many more. We train children like you at the Mount Katahdin Guild, and help them discover their abilities."
Aiden was listening, his mind exploding with questions.
"Wait," Aiden said, looking around the room as if wondering where the camera crew was. "There's others who can do... what I can do?"
Vodin smiled. "Of course. And more."
"This can't be real."
"I know this can be shocking at first," Vodin said, his tone calm. "So I suppose it's good you're sitting down. I feel I should explain to you some of the basics right now, because, well..." Vodin stopped and made eye contact with Aiden. "You've never had the chance to know."
Aiden wasn't sure how he should feel about that, but he said nothing and simply shrugg
ed.
"The world is full of two kinds of people--for lack of a better way to put this: The Agnecs and the Amblers."
Aiden raised an eyebrow.
"It's a long story, a very long one," Vodin continued. "But I have reason to believe you come from a long line of people whose ancestry belongs in the Old World, a place called Aignesia. Don't bother trying to look it up on any maps of course; It's not there anymore. The Old Worlders are people like you and me, and others, whom you'll also meet. Nowadays, we tend to call ourselves Agnecs. And as for all the New Worlders, we call them Amblers."
"Why?" Aiden cut in, his curiosity getting the best of him. "Why Amblers?"
"It's a very old word," Vodin said, almost laughing to himself. "I think lore has it that Agnecs saw New Worlders as sort of purposeless. Just... Ambling about. It may not be the nicest perception in the world, but it's a name that has stuck, nevertheless."
"So... I'm an Agnec?" Aiden said, trying to keep it all straight in his mind. "You think my family comes from the Old World?"
"Well, yes. At least on one side, it would seem," Vodin replied. "But in this new world, there are Amblers, Agnecs, and D'Tari. Now some Agnecs can be D'Tari, but no D'Tari can ever be Amblers. And you, sir, are D'Tari."
Aiden was speechless, his thoughts overwhelming him. He found himself smiling, to his own surprise.
"The point is," Vodin continued, searching Aiden's face. "That I am thinking I would like you to attend the Guild this year, although I have a little more investigating to do first."
"And this school stuff," Aiden began, his throat getting dry. "I mean, you'll teach me about my powers?" It sounded strange, talking about his powers to someone other than his mother.
Vodin nodded.
"And exactly who are the D'Tari?"
"I suppose we're many things," Vodin replied, looking thoughtful. "Many of us are guardians. Guardians of what's left of Agnec culture and way of life... And I don't want you to get your hopes up, but many times, the burden falls on us to help out the Amblers as well--though such things must be done covertly."
"Like police, or FBI, or something?"
"Deeper than that I'm afraid," Vodin said, his eyes alive as if reliving bitter-sweet adventures. "We are an elite order, Aiden. There are D'Tari all over the world. Though the ranks seem to thin every year, it is our duty to help protect Agnecs and their communities. Because the average Agnec won't have the powers you and I possess. In the past, D'Tari have protected kings and helped tear down tyrants."
"Protect?" Aiden blurted out. "Can I learn to fight?"
"Only if it becomes necessary." Vodin gave the boy a stern look. "We teach defense and technique, but that is least of what we offer. I came here tonight because your mother has told me about your powers, and the problems they have caused.'
"Aiden," Vodin continued, leaning forward and looking into the boy's eyes. "Do you understand what I'm telling you?"
"I think so..." Aiden said, his mind racing. "Agnec is the bloodline thing from the Old World, right? And you think I'm one of them."
Vodin nodded.
"But my powers make me a D'Tari. Just like part of a special group."
"If you decide to come to the Guild, yes," Vodin said, looking pleased. "You will be D'Tari."
"So I do have a choice whether or not to come," Aiden said. "I thought I was being shipped off somewhere..."
"I don't believe your mother would do that to you," Vodin said, looking around the quiet living room. Aiden's mother was still in the other room. "Your mother came to me with a difficult proposition. She doesn't know what else to do, and frankly, I don't think you do either."
Aiden sighed and looked to the floor.
"There's very little the Ambler world has to offer someone like you, Aiden," Vodin said, his tone calming. "At least at the Guild, we can help you find your place in a society that you can contribute to. We can help you put your abilities to good use. We don't just teach powercasting... You'll learn the history and lore of your ancient roots; the properties of the Elves and Dwarves; scrying, healing, prophecy... We even teach the arts, and many other things."
Aiden looked up. "Powercasting?"
"It's what you've been doing with your hands," Vodin explained.
"And did you just say Elves and Dwarves?" Aiden said, before he'd even had time to digest Vodin's answer.
"Yes." Vodin laughed. "Did I not mention them before?"
Aiden shook his head. He looked down again, his heart pounding from a strange mix of excitement and bewilderment.
"Look, I know it's a lot to think about," said Vodin, struggling to get out of the armchair. "Before I leave here today, I have to evaluate your abilities. So let's focus on that."
Aiden nodded, for lack of a coherent thought. He also stood up and now faced the man directly.Vodin placed a hand on Aiden's shoulder. It was much gentler than the firm hand of Principal Sevalis, and Aiden felt a strange comfort in that.
Vodin smiled again. "We can help you discover what it is you need to be," he said. "Because you and I, we're made of the same stuff."