CHAPTER 12
✧
Erif swung his long sword in the air as he stood on the rocks on the highest hill on the island. The tip of his sword glanced off a rock as he tried to swing it in a circle before him.
“Practice on the beach,” said Zul, “you have yet to master the length of the long sword you made. Do that where you will not damage the blade, then return to the rocks to work on your footing again.”
“You are right,” said Erif.
He went to his horse and untied it. He had yet to name the stallion. It was not completely tame, but he could ride it now. It helped on these long trips to the hilltop pool. Erif threw himself onto the horse, and it bucked its head.
“Easy, now,” said Erif, “I just want to go to camp. No more trips after that until next sunrise.”
Erif pulled the makeshift bridle to the left and turned the big horse toward the trail. After three steps the horse took off at a run. Erif leaned forward and grinned. The stallion never seemed to want to walk with Erif riding. Erif had finally stopped trying to make it slow down and just learned to ride at speed. It wasn’t easy without a saddle, but Erif had long enough legs to hang on. The horse knew it was headed for camp, and always ran faster on its way home.
Back at camp Erif gave the horse some grain. Once the stallion seemed settled, he took his sword and walked to the beach. Erif didn’t even bother to eat. He was motivated to train. This new sword was taking much longer than he had anticipated to master.
On the beach he took a stance and extended the long sword in front of him. It felt twice as heavy as a normal sword. He would have to build strength to handle it well. He swung the sword through the basic defense moves. The tip dug into the sand twice as he circled. Erif muttered to himself. He had mastered a shorter sword after he first arrived on the island, but this longer sword kept hitting the ground or a nearby object when he practiced deflecting attacks. He almost felt like he was starting over again.
Zul appeared before him.
“It is about time you showed up.”
The old spirit smiled. With a wave of his hand Zul formed a ghostly image similar to the dragon. The image struck, and Erif slashed his sword through a vaporous arm. He would need this longer sword to deflect the dragon’s talons. A shorter, standard sword would not be able to reach beyond the dragon’s long talons to inflict the needed damage, it would only be useful for defense, if that. Zul caused the vaporous form to attack again, and Erif continued his practice. He only grazed the sand once this time while deflecting a strike. As Zul increased the intensity of the training Erif continued to go through the moves, learning to feel where his arms needed to be with this longer sword.
✧
Raef woke slowly, until he remembered the night before. He was going to be an apprentice. And not just any apprentice, an apprentice Keeper! All younglings could request to apprentice with any adult within their own class, and in many cases these requests were granted. Keeper apprentices were different. A sign from the Great Spirit is required to even apprentice for a Keeper. Raef could have been an apprentice to any Intercessor, but to be an apprentice Keeper was special. And at only ten seasons! Well, nearly eleven, as his celebration would be later this cycle.
Raef stood up and noticed the window shutters were already open and the sun showed one quarter sky. He turned quickly to see the privacy curtains opened, his father and sister gone, and his mother cutting up vegetables for mid sun meal.
“Mother, why did you let me sleep in so long!”
His mother turned to him and smiled.
“You needed sleep after how late you were up last night. Besides, you have no lessons to attend this sunrise. You are an apprentice now.”
“Already? I…I thought it would take a little longer.”
“Some of the Keepers will be by in a bit. You should change out of your night robe.”
Raef waited until his mother turned back to her work, then he faced the wall, changed into his trousers and put on a linen shirt. He put his shoes on, trying to lace them neatly up his calves, and knotted his tie straps.
“I saved something for you to eat,” his mother said.
Raef sat at the table where a mug of weak beer and a piece of bread was laid out for him. His legs bounced up and down as he ate, shaking the bench and making it squeak. His mother giggled to herself.
Just as he finished eating, he heard the sound of men talking and laughing at the door. He turned to see Prime Keeper Bremen, Keeper Dimmel and his father enter. Bremen was smiling particularly wide.
Raef stood to greet them, and Folor removed the benches from around the table and set them facing each other near the center of the room. A third bench was retrieved from it’s place along the front wall to make sort of a triangle. The three Keepers sat, motioning for Raef to join them. Dimmel pulled a folded cloth of blue out of a cloth sack he had been carrying.
“This is for you,” said Bremen, “your apprentice Keeper robe.”
Dimmel handed the robe to Raef.
“You may put it on now,” said Raef’s father.
Raef stood, put his arms through the long sleeves and pulled the robe around himself. It was very new looking and bright blue, though a bit long for him. He could not help but smile, and he felt his face grow hot as he blushed.
“Blue is for apprentices,” said Keeper Bremen, “You will receive a red robe at the end of your training, but that will be several seasons from now. You will serve as an apprentice, then a novice until that time.”
Raef realized he was still standing and quickly sat again.
“You will begin your apprenticeship under me,” said Keeper Dimmel, “Come to the Keep after mid sun meal, and we will begin.”
Raef was a bit disappointed to serve under Keeper Dimmel, but he was too excited to feel badly about it. Keeper Dimmel continued talking, but Raef’s mind was racing with too many questions to hear.
“Where will I…will I live in the dormery?”
Prime Bremen smiled, “No, no. You are too young for that. You will stay here with your family until you have thirteen seasons like the other apprentice Intercessors.”
Keeper Dimmel began to explain something, but Raef interrupted again.
“I am no longer to attend youngling lessons with the others?”
“No,” said Dimmel, “you are an apprentice. Anything you need to learn I will teach you.”
“Are you to instruct me all sun’s journey long?”
“I will give instruction each sunrise. After mid sun meal you will assist other Intercessors with their work, spending at least one moon cycle in each of the Intercessor trades. This is how you will learn the role of each kind of Intercessor in the village. You must know this in order to oversee them in the future.”
There was a silent pause.
“Do you have more questions, or can I speak again?” said Keeper Dimmel.
Raef felt a little embarrassed. He smiled, then looked at the ground.
“Let us all return to our homes for mid sun meal,” said Keeper Bremen, “then Raef can come to the Keep afterwards, and we can continue.”
Prime Bremen and Keeper Dimmel stood and excused themselves. Raef stood, looking to his father.
“Mid sun meal will not be ready for a while,” said Folor, “why don’t you go outside and see your friends for a bit while we are waiting.”
Raef smiled, then dashed out the door and down the road. He had to be careful not to trip on his long robe. When he was half way to the training lodge he saw Domik coming down the road toward him, just out of youngling lessons. Domik spotted him, then stood still in his tracks.
“You have a Keeper’s robe already?”
“It’s only an apprentice robe. But I start my apprenticeship this sunrise!”
“I still can’t believe you are going to be a Keeper. You just seem…so normal.”
“I won’t have to go to lessons anymore, I get to study with the Keepers in the Keep!”
“You mean, the act
ual Keep, not the Ceremonial Lodge?”
“Yes! Is that not amazing?”
As they were talking, Chaz, Liet and Keever came down the road toward them.
“Ho, Raef,” said Liet, “what are you two doing, playing Keeper?”
“Why weren’t you in lessons, and why are you dressed like that?” asked Keever.
“I’m an apprentice Keeper,” said Raef.
Liet stopped walking and blinked.
“For real?” asked Chaz.
“Yes, for real,” said Domik, “he was chosen, sun’s journey past, at new moon meditation. He’s an apprentice to the Keepers and serves in the Keep, so he won’t go to lessons with us anymore.”
Keever looked puzzled and remained silent.
“But, you have only ten seasons!” said Chaz.
“Eleven this cycle,” said Raef.
“Ten, eleven, whatever,” said Chaz. “Apprentices are greenlings, not youngling like us.”
“He was chosen in a vision,” said Domik. “That happens for Keepers hardly ever, but it can happen.”
The three young Warriors stood in silence for several moments.
“Really,” Chaz said, “you are a Keeper?”
“Apprentice Keeper,” said Raef.
“I can’t believe it,” said Liet.
Raef turned and began to walk toward Domik’s home. Domik ran to catch up. The other three remained still, watching them leave.
“I don’t know if I’ll like lessons without you,” said Domik.
“I know. I’ll miss you too.”
“Can you play afterwards?”
“After mid sun meal I have to serve. I help the other Intercessors.”
“Oh, well maybe we can see each other during late sun.”
“I hope so. I hope my father will allow it.”
Raef returned home for mid sun meal. He was feeling a bit somber after realizing how little he would see Domik, but he began to get excited about his apprenticeship again.
“Father,” he said at the table, “why is Dimmel to teach me? Is he not a bit, you know, not so smart?”
Folor laughed, “Dimmel is plenty smart. He just gets ahead of himself sometimes. He’s actually very nice. Besides, he was already chosen to train the next apprentice. We simply had not expected one so soon.”
Raef shrugged and continued eating.
“Don’t worry, son, I think you will enjoy Keeper Dimmel.”
Raef finished eating then left the house with his father. They walked together to the Ceremonial Lodge where Folor paused.
“I need to speak with the herbalists then I have business at the Healing Lodge,” said Folor, “I will meet you at home for last meal. Go on to the Keep; Keeper Dimmel will be waiting for you.”
Raef waved to his father as he left, then walked towards the ornate structure that was The Keep. He had never entered it without his father, and then he had only been in the entry hall or meeting room. He noticed that his hand was trembling a bit as he pulled open the door. Keeper Dimmel was waiting in the entry hall.
“Greetings, apprentice Raef,” said Dimmel.
“Uh, greetings Master Dimmel.”
“Just ‘Keeper’ Dimmel, Raef. The title, ‘Master’ is for Laborers and Merchants.”
“Sorry, sir.”
“Think nothing of it. Come this way.”
Dimmel lead him down a narrow hallway to the inner rooms of the Keep. Raef had never been allowed in these rooms, even though his father was a Keeper. These were sacred rooms, he knew. Dimmel took him through a door where a silver bowl of water sat on a pedestal in the center of a small room.
“First, you will learn the rituals of washing,” Dimmel said.
“There are more than one?”
Dimmel laughed, “The son of Folor does not know there are three rites of washing? Do not worry, I didn’t even begin to go to ceremony until I had fifteen seasons.”
“Really,” Raef said, “you mean, you didn’t grow up an Intercessor?”
“Spirits no,” Dimmel said, “My family were practically nomads in the forest. They, well, I suppose we all believed in all kinds of mystical nonsense. But, I met a greenlia and was so taken with her I followed her back to her village. She and her family were Intercessors. We married, and I became her father’s apprentice. I was chosen to be a Keeper when I had eighteen seasons.”
Raef stared up at Dimmel, “I never knew that.”
“There are lots of things you don’t know, young apprentice, but you are in the right place to learn.”
“Okay, so what are the washing rituals for?”
Dimmel put his hand in the water and playfully flicked some at Raef.
“For getting clean!”
Raef laughed, then straightened up and tried to remove his smile.
“Instruction number one as my apprentice. Do not wear a forlorn appearance. Do not be incessantly serious. That is not part of a Keeper’s job.”
“It seems like it sometimes.”
“Well, it is not supposed to be. The Province is hard enough without adding our own darkness on top of it.”
Raef relaxed his posture.
“The first ritual of washing is the New Leaf. It is like a new beginning. It is a way of starting the sunrise clean.”
“But, I already wash myself. Maybe not every sun’s journey, but…”
“No, no, this is not like a bath, it is a symbol of what we are doing in our inner self.”
“Um…”
“You clean your body in your bath. New Leaf is a symbol of cleaning your heart and mind-returning our selves to be like a new leaf bud, completely free of anything soiled.”
Raef remembered the dragon. He understood.
“The second is Open Flower, the preparation for meditation. This frees our mind from anything that could take our attention away from the spirits.”
“Okay,” said Raef, not completely sure he understood.
“The last is for sorrow and remorse, or the washing of the Broken Stem.”
“Why would you wash when you were sad? I used to hate washing. Washing when you’re sad might make some people even more sad.”
Dimmel laughed loudly.
“It is so good to have an apprentice that is such a blank slate. For now I will simply show you how each is done.”
Dimmel had Raef stand before the silver washbasin, his hands to his sides. Dimmel moved Raef’s arms so his hands pointed down and lifted Raef’s chin upward.
“Now you silently tell the spirits you are releasing anything evil you have been holding onto.”
Raef tried to do that, but he wasn’t sure he did it correctly. Then Dimmel had him wet his hands and lift them upwards while looking at the water in the basin.”
“Now you have washed off anything evil and have lifted your hands to show the spirits. You look into the basin to focus only on what is clean and good.”
Dimmel showed Raef the other washings, Open Flower and Broken Stem, but Raef knew he would not remember the details of each.
“Do not worry, apprentice,” said Dimmel, “there are many more rituals, but you have many seasons to learn them.”
Afterwards, Dimmel took Raef to another room that had a map of the Great Province painted on one wall. Dimmel began to teach Raef the ancient history of the Province, of the great war between the spirits, and how mankind had been sent to live in the forest. Raef had learned history in the teaching lodge, but he had not heard all of this.
“So, the…the…” Raef was afraid to say it in front of a Keeper, “the dragon. The other spirits sent it away to live in the forbidden mountain.”
“On the other side of the mountains, to keep it away from mankind, who it wanted to destroy.”
But the dragon was not trapped on the other side of the mountains. It came very near the village. Raef did not know how to ask why this was true without giving away his secret. Then he had an idea.
“But…but it is said the dragon eats villagers. How can it do that if i
t cannot get here?”
Dimmel’s face grew sad.
“Yes, the dragon has broken free somehow. Zul protects us and keeps it away, but the spirits are still at war, and sometimes the beast does get through to harm the villagers.”
This was even more confusing to Raef. If Zul could not stop the dragon all of the time, then was Rail capable of defeating the Great Spirit? And Raef knew that the dragon was near the village nearly every sun’s journey. Did the Keepers know about this? Were the spirits weaker than the villagers imagined and the dragon more powerful? Raef became very confused.
“You have sat still for some time now,” said Dimmel, “this is enough this sunset.”
“But, sun’s journey is not over yet.”
“Yes, I had arranged to have you assist the sacrists with the cleaning of the Ceremonial Lodge. Wait here while I see if they have arrived yet.”
Dimmel left, and Raef sat staring at the map on the wall. Fir Hollow was just a small village in the middle of a vast forest. Pine Creek was to the north and Moss Rock north of that. To the west the map showed rivers merging to form a larger river that lead to the ocean. Raef had never seen any of that. At the far north end of the Great Province an elevated plateau were Summit City, the ruling city of the entire Province and Krellit, the city of learning. South of Fir Hollow were the Three Sisters: Big Sister, Middle Sister, and the flat-toped Little Sister, all in a row with no villages near them. West of the mountains the map indicated a dry region with few trees. Raef could not imagine such a place. A single large city, called Midland, was located in the center of this dry area. Farther south was the south coast with Salt Marsh, Two Rivers and Crest Ridge. To the east of all of this was a vast forest, empty of villages. Beyond that was a mountain range painted black on the map, and in the middle of the range was the tallest and widest mountain of all, Black Rock. That, Raef knew, was where the dragon lived.
“They are ready for you.”
Raef jumped at the sound of Keeper Dimmel’s voice. He got up and followed Dimmel back down the narrow hallway to the entry hall and outside. The bright sun made Raef’s eyes blink after being in the dark inner rooms of the Keep. He followed Keeper Dimmel into the Ceremonial Lodge where Raef saw several young men cleaning with brooms and rags. One of them motioned to him. Raef removed his blue robe and laid it over a bench.
“He may go when you leave,” said Dimmel to the man.
Raef approached the young man. He looked to have twenty-five seasons or so, Raef imagined. He had a thin, scraggly, short beard, and his long hair was not well kept. His clothes were worn and ragged.
“Take this broom, youngling, and sweep this part of the floor. I’ll be over there, sweeping as well. We have to get this whole room cleaned for next sunrise homage.”
Raef took the broom, a little offended by the “youngling” remark after being called an apprentice since sunrise. He began to sweep and glanced at the man, who was also sweeping some distance away. The man did not look very happy, which Raef though odd for an Intercessor. Then again, being a sacrist, whose job it was to clean the buildings in the Intercessor sector, was perhaps not the most fulfilling position to have, even if one was an Intercessor.
Raef was allowed to return home in plenty of time for last meal. After eating he took all the trenchers used since mid sun meal and ran out to meet Domik. Together they brought the used bread to the square to give to the poor, then stayed to play ball with a group of Merchant younglings who were playing in the square. As darkness fell the younglings returned to their homes, Raef and Domik to the Intercessor sector. Raef dropped Domik off at his house and continued toward his own, gazing east to the dark peaks of Black Rock. Raef imagined that Rail was there now, alone in its lair. He tried to imagine what it must be like.