Red Wizard of Atlantis Read online

  There were no wild cheers or celebrations. That would have been undignified; however, Qel felt it inside, and by the smiles of the others around him, they were feeling it too. Grand Wizard Tochthon quietly glided from the room through a side door while Master Curatei took his place in front of the line of graduates. The old master had overseen Havacian’s apprenticeship in the Blue Hall and also served as the Keeper of Records for the order. He was reputed to be the most learned man in all of Atlantis, with an unrivaled depth of knowledge of not only the places and cultures of the present day but most recorded history as well.

  Like all the masters, Curatei was very old, and what little hair remained on his elongated head was gray and perpetually out of place. He walked with a noticeable limp that caused him to rely on a cane, and his once straight posture had a permanent hunch from the untold hours leaning over writings of every form and medium. Despite his physical appearance, Master Curatei’s disposition was generally good-natured and approachable, with a penchant for finding humor in almost everything. His apprentices, including Havacian, always spoke highly of him and enjoyed his often-lengthy lectures and extensive studies of aquatic elements. Even with the little exposure Qel had to Master Curatei, he often found himself laughing at the old man’s anecdotes and ramblings.

  “Good afternoon, my young and newly appointed wizards,” he greeted them all. “I will try to keep this short and to the point.” There were smiles and muffled snickers. Master Curatei was never short and to the point about anything.

  Master Curatei smiled with them. “The world as you once knew it outside this Enclave will not be the same as when you first arrived here many years ago. Not because the world has changed so much, you’ve all been out enough to know that, but because you have changed so much. When you walk out those doors today, you carry knowledge and power with you as well as the responsibility that goes with it!” The master waved his hands dramatically when he spoke, emphasizing his words with exaggerated gestures. “We can’t have you running around blasting down trees and recklessly putting others at risk, Atlantean or otherwise. There are grave consequences for those that abuse their endowment!”

  He raised his cane and pointed it at them, and the medallion of his office swayed on the thick Aurinium chain around his neck as he adjusted his balance. “Take everything in moderation, whether it be drink, lovers, or especially your hubris! Your character reflects fully upon the order, and you will be judged for it!”

  For nearly an hour, Master Curatei listed what seemed like every possible situation they might get into while on their Discovery before he finally came to the end. “Just a few final items of importance.” He cinched his luminescent blue belt, which had loosened under the torrent of his gesticulations. “You will have a weekly stipend available to you to withdraw wherever you find a Source structure or one of the order’s many Towers in the more advanced kingdoms you may visit. Also, when you mingle with the peoples of other cultures, you may dress as you like, and you are not required to identify yourself as a Wizard of the Order unless you choose to.”

  Master Curatei’s voice turned uncharacteristically grim, “Finally, as powerful as you all are, it is a dangerous world out there, and sadly we lose one or two of you every year. Remember that the purpose of Discovery is to gain practical knowledge and understanding of your abilities. Those of you who survive will return to us mature and wizened in ways you could not possibly understand right now.” He waved his hands in a final flourish of dismissal. “Be careful and may Pontus guide and look over you.”

  Qel quietly filed out of the room with the others, pausing to look to his master as he left, receiving a confident nod and a wink. It all felt so surreal to him. This had been his home for a decade, and soon he would be leaving. Outside the tower, Qel and Havacian bade farewell to the other graduates before they walked together toward their rooms.

  “So we are in agreement?” Havacian asked.

  Qel nodded. It wasn’t really much of a plan, but it was a plan. “To Avalon”—he smiled broadly—“and then we’ll go where the wind takes us.”

  “Good.” Havacian clasped Qel hand. “I’m off to see my family, and I expect to find you here again in two days. Are you sure you don’t want to come with me since your family is at their summer estate in the country?”

  “I have a few things I need to finish here before we leave, and I don’t want to delay our departure any longer than necessary,” Qel sighed. “I’ll make sure I collect all the supplies we will need for the journey, and we can resupply at my family’s home, since it is not far from the border with the Sylvan Forest. Wish your family well for me.”

  “Will do!” Havacian replied and hurried off toward his dormitory. Qel smiled, watching his friend’s departure. There was a skip in his step and enthusiasm to match. Somehow, he knew that they were going to have grand adventures together, and just like Havacian, he couldn’t wait to get started.

  Qel’s one disappointment was that his own family was so far away. He was eager to tell them of his accomplishment, and he had not seen them for several months already. Their estate in the north was where he grew up during the cool summer months before he was taken to the Wizards Enclave. His family was highly respected and relatively affluent merchant landowners who cultivated a well-regarded stock of wine from obsessively tended vineyards. He considered going to stay at his family home on the inner ring of the city—certainly there would be a few servants to keep the house clean and maintained while the family was away—but he would be lonely there by himself. At least here in the Enclave, he knew nearly everyone, and there would be no end of activities to keep him busy until Havacian returned and they began the journey that he hoped would be the adventure of their lives.

  Chapter 3

  Ἀτλαντίς

  Departure

  “Master Curatei told me that we will immediately be elevated to Class Four when we return from Discovery,” Havacian was saying excitedly as they rode through the Wizard’s Enclave.

  Qel laughed without much humor at that. “Well, that assumes we safely return from our journey and gain the knowledge and experience expected of us.”

  “We’ve been cooped up within these walls for so many years that I wondered if the masters would ever let us out.” Havacian was twisting the length of his newly acquired Aurinium chain, which hung around his neck, and biting on it occasionally. Qel knew it was a sign of how nervous his friend really was about leaving the comfy confines of the Enclave and the only home they really knew.

  “It seems the masters are very generous to those who manage to graduate.” Qel shook the pouch of mixed gold, silver and copper strips that he had withdrawn as his first stipend. “If you recall, there were more than fifty of us in our first year and only seven at the end.”

  Outside of the supplies of food, blankets, and packs, their only significant purchases were the two horses they rode. Qel was sure they wouldn’t have enough money to buy them, but apparently, the Imperial Order of Wizards had a pre-negotiated price with certain livestock traders in the city for graduates going on Discovery. To his surprise, the horses were quality Lambei with light-colored manes and tail hair. The powerful steeds were known for their strength and constitution, although they were not the fastest horses and tired quickly if not paced properly. The livestock vendor, an Atlantean with corrals outside the city, explained that the Lambei originally came from the western continent, and now he bred them on his farm here on the Emerald Isle.

  That was one thing the Atlanteans were very good at—bringing the best of everything they found back to the Emerald Isle to replicate for their own people’s convenience and enjoyment. The Imperial Order of Wizards was the only class that encouraged its members to get out and see the world. Most other Atlanteans, except for the merchants, preferred the comfort of their island home and rarely traveled beyond it. Avalon was the notable exception, where many vacationed. His father used to quip that there were very nearly as many Atlanteans in Avalon as ther
e were Elves.

  “Did you calculate the time it would take to travel to the border?” Havacian asked.

  Qel had. “If the weather is good and the road is not congested, we should arrive at my family’s home in about twelve days, and then another two days more to reach Aquilon.”

  Havacian’s words dripped with enthusiasm. “We have a long journey ahead of us, but I am looking forward to every moment!”

  Qel nodded his agreement while gazing out over the vast, circular array of the city beyond the gates of the Enclave. It would take them half the day just to get to the northern road on the mainland from here. The Wizards Enclave was constructed on the central island at the same elevation as the palace and just below the Temple of Pontus. Glancing up he could see the massive temple complex between the high towers of the Enclave. The central island was basically the pinnacle of a massive dormant volcano, according to the Dvergr Dwarfs, and the temple was built upon the highest peak. Over the years, Qel attended many religious ceremonies in its expansive courtyard said to hold as many as five thousand citizens. It was a beautiful temple profuse with towering columns easily ten times his height, fountains that spouted rivers of water and sculptures intermingled among buildings covered with carved images of Pontus and the Oceanides. The entire complex was constructed of bright white marble and red Orichalcum, but the overwhelmingly impressive feature of the temple that could be seen for leagues in every direction was the truly colossal sculpture of Pontus rising from its center and thrusting his trident toward the deep blue depths of the Primal Sea. Somehow, the Earth Wizards were able to tint the marble blue, and the trident was reputed to be pure gold. It was an extraordinary sight by any measure.

  He considered the six imposing towers of the Wizards Enclave, a tower for each hall that overlooked the clusters of one and two story buildings between them. All were constructed of white marble to match the palace and temple, although they looked diminutive compared to the effigy of Pontus that rose above them. Even the emperor’s palace on the opposite side of the center island was outshone by Pontus. And perhaps that was the point, Qel mused. Below the elevation of the Wizards Enclave and the imperial palace were the estates of the wealthiest Atlanteans and then finally, near the base, were four ports, each located at the cardinal points of the compass. Between them, one could find exclusive shops, taverns, and imperial storehouses. Wide swaths of manicured parks, amphitheaters, an arena, and a racetrack filled the remaining spaces on the island that was just shy of three leagues in diameter. Some of Qel’s favorite books in the Enclave described cities from around the world. A few included beautiful illustrations, but not a one matched the scale and beauty of his city—the City of Atlantis.

  Riding out through the gates of the Enclave, they passed several imperial soldiers, resplendent with their translucent blue Aurinium armor and spears, guarding the entrance. They were entirely symbolic, as there was almost no crime in the city, and when there was it was usually committed by a human or a drunken Dwarf. The road they followed took them down to the foundation of the island, where the ports were located. They could exit the city either by way of bridges that traversed the three land rings, each separated by water, or by direct ferry to the outermost ring. After some quick discussion, Qel suggested they take the boat, even if they had to wait a little while for its arrival.

  As luck would have it, by the time they reached the busy north-facing port, the ferry was taking on its last passengers before it departed, and they made it on board with only minutes to spare. Qel watched the port slip away behind them and admired the white marble estates that dotted the once violent peak of the volcano. There was so much on the island to hold his visual interest, but his gaze kept wandering back to the towers rising from the Wizards Enclave. He felt a pang in his stomach watching his home for the past twenty years slowly diminish in the distance.

  “Master Curatei told me once that the old volcano extends another league under the surface of the water on the south side of the island,” Havacian remarked. A quiver in his voice betrayed his nervous excitement in contrast to Qel’s desire to wax nostalgic over their old life. “Apparently it is one in a chain of ancient volcanos, including the Ourea, which caused the Emerald Isle to come into existence in the first place many millions of years ago.”

  One of the things Qel liked most about Havacian was his craving for knowledge was not just restricted to the school of his hall. He had a lot in common with Master Curatei in that way. Who knows? Qel thought. Maybe Havacian will find himself Keeper of the Records one day.

  They traversed the quarter league of water quickly. The ferry was propelled by a magical means Qel was not familiar with, but he guessed it was like the disks and horseless carriages that the wealthier Atlanteans used for transport. He and Havacian moved to the front of the ferry and watched as they passed through a wide break in the first land ring that surrounded the main island. It was on this ring that most of the affluent Atlanteans lived alongside a few foreign merchants, the embassies, libraries, and local temples. Here the buildings were constructed of polished white granite and marble, and the streets were laid with roughly textured gray granite that tempered the starker white buildings and conveyed a soft, elegant appearance. If nothing else, his people had a penchant for consistency. His parents’ home was located on this ring, although it was out of sight of where they passed into the next channel of water.

  Qel pointed in the distance to a figure, three times the height of a man, gliding across the water. “Tell me about the Oceanides, Havacian. I have always been fascinated by their odd nature.”

  Havacian smiled. “Well, you know the legend of the Oceanides and how they are asserted to be the children of Pontus. That may be true, as they are an enigma even to the Water Wizards. Of course, some in the Blue Hall are capable of summoning water elementals, but they are a very different creature,” he shrugged. “The Oceanides apparently exist for one reason, and that’s to protect the waterways of Atlantis. We have not been able to control them in any way or compel them to go beyond the outer ring. The only record of them doing anything beyond their endless patrols was during the Vikja raids a few centuries ago. They devastated every Vikja ship that managed to fight its way into the waterways. Since then, the Vikja have given the city a wide berth. The Vikja are a very superstitious people, and the Oceanides are terrifying to them. That’s why they won’t even come here for trade under the flag of the Dvergr, preferring to use the port of Aquilon instead.”

  Soon they were passing through the break between two segments of the second ring. Flanking the cut on either side stood a pair of magnificently colossal stone creatures, half fish and half man, holding implements of trade and craft. They were known as the Telchines. There were a total of nine Telchines around the second ring, and they were said to represent another group of children of Pontus. The mythology suggested that they were exceptionally skilled in metallurgy and that they lived on an island far to the west near the Confederation of Hella, where they worked their forges in service to Pontus. As far as Qel knew, no Atlantean had discovered this island, but he was hardly privy to anything the emperor chose not to announce publicly.

  Each segment of all three rings had a port near one of their breaks and two bridges that connected it to the parallel section of the adjacent ring. None of the segments of the same ring had connections via a bridge over the breaks between them, so as not to impede the movement of ships into the interior. The second, or center, ring was similarly constructed as the inner ring. Here, however, the population was more balanced between Atlanteans and affluent humans.

  Qel noted that the ports on this ring were much busier than those of the inner ring and island. Of course, the population increased in proportion to the escalating diameter of the rings as they went farther out. He could see more horses carrying humans and Atlanteans, some with carts pulled by Hydruntin here and there along the stone-paved streets. While the second ring was almost entirely residential, with upscale markets, temples, and t
averns to serve those that lived there, it was also the location of many of the schools and trade institutions with the best reputations. Qel never spent much time on this ring, but two of his older sisters had attended one of the schools here when they were young. The eldest became an administrator of land grants for the imperial government, and the younger one studied economy and trade, eventually returning to help his father manage the family business.

  The ferry continued on, pausing several times for other water traffic on its way to a port on the final land ring that surrounded the city. Qel was patient, knowing that the water channel between the second and third rings was always busy, as were their ports. The segment of the outer ring where they would dock was on the north side of the city and the only segment to be built upon the mainland. The other three sections were like the rest of the rings: fully surrounded by water and connected to the inner rings by bridges arcing high enough above the water to allow a ship of nearly any size to pass under. Unlike the center and inner rings, the segments of the outer ring were connected by two sets of colossal gates that could be closed to protect the city from weather and intrusion. Always they were guarded by imperial soldiers on land and in ships as well as an Oceanide or two lingering nearby.

  Qel watched the details of the third ring resolve on their approach. It was dominated by taverns, inns, trade houses, pens for livestock, and public buildings. There were several clusters of residences inhabited mostly by humans who could afford to live inside the walls as well as a few Atlanteans. Qel was always astonished at the mass of people who went about their business on the third ring. Before entering the service of the Imperial Order of Wizards, he grew up in his family homes in the country or on the inner ring where there were never more than a handful of people within view at any given time. The press of people on the outer ring seemed chaotic and confounding to him. It would have been much worse if not for the smaller canals and waterways that spidered along the main thoroughfares and back alleys. These narrow waterways served as the main trade line for goods and livestock transported around the city from the main ports. Moving trade goods in this fashion kept the streets and alleys of the city clear of merchant traffic and uncluttered for pedestrians to enjoy. Even so, he was glad they would be passing through it quickly once they docked on their way to the north road.