“Ladies and gentlemen, I declared Rite of Holsgyng prior to conducting the recent duel, and as part of that, a group of Battle-mages set out to secure various properties around the Kingdom that transferred ownership to me. One of those properties was the Vischaene Vineyard, and upon surveying the property, my agents made a rather disturbing discovery.”
Gavin turned and gestured to the waiting men. Those eight men stood and carried the strongboxes of evidence to the floor. As there was no table at hand for the strongboxes, Gavin invoked a Word of Conjuration, “Nythraex.” A table appeared at Gavin’s side, standing waist-high to him. It looked to be made of rough-cut lumber, and there were no signs of seams in the wood or any form of fasteners.
Gavin gestured for the strongboxes to be placed on the table and went about opening them.
“Beneath a shack that appeared to be a laborer’s residence, there was an underground planning room with what I’m about to show you.” Gavin held up a sheaf of papers. “Here, we have communications between Iosen Sivas and eight other arcanists that cover meeting times and interest in what Sivas calls the ‘New Age.’ These communications themselves are not very incriminating, but let’s move on.” Gavin returned those papers and withdrew another group. “Here, we have a detailed analysis of Tel Mivar’s vulnerability to assault…written by a retired officer of the Army of Tel. He goes into significant detail about tactics for obtaining access to the city as well as force estimates if it should devolve to a siege. He concludes with a list of officers in the Town Guard who might be amenable to leaving a gate-or gates-unguarded.”
Gavin returned those papers and moved to the next strongbox, withdrawing more. “These papers discuss the logistics of-and possible locations for-preparing a training camp where the mercenary army can prepare for the assault with acceptable risk of discovery. The rest of these strongboxes contain purchasing records for supplies and equipment, pay records for the mercenaries, records of bribes paid to various people, copies of potential assault plans, and many other documents. I can present each document, or you are welcome to look through them yourselves.
“This is clearly an attack on the independence of the Society laid down in the Constitution of Tel. In all truth, I’m skeptical the mercenaries would be able to defeat the defenses built into the College walls, but that just means they’d be free to rampage through the city. We must prevent this now…while that army’s out in the middle of nowhere.”
Tauron stood from his seat and walked over to the evidence. He began sifting through the strongboxes, scanning each item. He stopped when he found a document containing notes on the plan, written in what Gavin had been assured was Iosen Sivas’s own hand.
Tauron stood in silence for what seemed an interminable time before he turned to face the Council once more.
“There is enough here that I feel further action is warranted, and I see there being only one response to this. I shall send a detachment of Inquisitors to summon Iosen Sivas and all those named as conspirators to answer the charges encouraged by this evidence. It could be a massive misinformation campaign to encourage us to fight amongst ourselves, but it could also be true. We must discover which is the case.”
The Chamber of the Council was so silent one could’ve heard a mouse walking across the stone floor. Everyone but Valera and Kantar stared at Tauron, their expressions betraying shock.
“I’m impressed,” Gavin said. “I thought you’d fight this evidence tooth and nail, simply because I was presenting it.”
Tauron turned to Gavin, saying, “Don’t let this admission kill you with shock, but there are people in this world I hate more than you. Iosen Sivas happens to be one of them, and I recognize his penmanship.” He turned to walk back to his seat, but he stopped, turning to face Gavin once more. “Though…if you were inclined to die of shock, don’t let me stop you.”
The Council agreed that Tauron’s suggestion was the proper action to take, and Tauron said he would write orders for six Inquisitors to depart at once. As the Council filed out of the Chamber, Valera held back, waiting for Gavin.
“Sera said you had two matters to discuss, Gavin. What was the second?”
Gavin was well aware he had the rest of the Conclave at his back, but he went ahead and answered Valera’s question. “Torval and the others have requested I train their Heirs as my apprentices, and I wanted to ask your thoughts on that.”
Valera nodded and spent a few moments apparently in thought. At last, she said, “I don’t see as how you have any other option. Despite the recent cooperation, I don’t think we could get you named as an Instructor at the College, and Mariana has already graduated. Yes, Lillian and the others could drop out, but they’d be forfeiting any future standing in the Society if they did so. Article 23 is your only option.”
“I thought so,” Gavin said and sighed. “Well, there’s no time like the present. Can I ask you to serve as witness?”
“Of course, Gavin.”
Gavin turned to those standing behind him and took a couple steps back. He took a breath and said, “Be it known to all persons that I claim the following people as my apprentices as was in the old ways: Lillian Mivar, Mariana Cothos, Wynn Roshan, and Braden Wygoth.”
Lillian, Braden, and Wynn cheered. Mariana looked like she wanted to but was far too mature for that kind of thing. Even their parents and grandparent smiled.
“Thank you, Valera,” Gavin said.
“You’re welcome.”
Valera stood by the Council’s table, watching them leave, and her mind went back to the piece of parchment in her office desk drawer.
“‘…the Apprentices shall be drawn unto him,’ indeed,” Valera whispered.
Chapter 46
Gavin led his apprentices down into the lower levels of the Tower. They passed the summoning rooms, where a few classes were in session, and eventually reached their destination. As they approached, the specter faded into view beside the door.
“Have you come to resume your studies, Kirloth?” the specter asked.
“Yes, I have,” Gavin said, “and these are my apprentices. Is it possible for you to permit them entry to work on their lessons without my presence?”
“Of course,” the specter said.
The specter turned and, as it had done so many times before, pushed its hand into the door. The sound of a massive latch releasing echoed throughout corridor, and the door began to open upward.
Once the door was high enough to proceed, Gavin started walking into the arena. The place was ‘old hat’ to him by now, but no matter how hard he tried, Gavin could no longer face the place as just a training venue. He still remembered the sight of Rolf Sivas’s corpse laying in the sawdust outside the ring, and he was still very conflicted about it. On the one hand, he felt satisfaction that Rolf would never harm another woman, but he also felt the guilt and shame of having taken a life, especially when the Council should have done its job of enforcing the Arcanists’ Code.
“Before we begin,” Gavin said, “there is something I feel I have to say. I am no master of forgotten lore. I am happy to teach you what I know, but I am not Marcus. Even with everything he taught me, I feel we only scratched the surface of what he knew.”
Wynn and Braden looked at each other, and Lillian broke out into a grin.
“But you are, Gavin,” Lillian said. “Wizards manipulating Words of Power is the stuff of legend to us, and the entire student body saw you do it not once but twice…as if it were second nature to you. I doubt even the magisters themselves could’ve created that blurring wall of silence you made.”