Ized- the Ancestors Page 4

  The assembly hall was huge, old, and venerable. The seats in the back were always a little higher than the ones before. So every lord could see the respective speaker at the podium, the leading magicians, and also the king when he was present. The High Lords occupied their places behind the podium. In the middle were the seats of the Supreme Lord and the Administrator. King Carbacan sat elevated behind them. His guards always accompanied him. The king himself attended the meeting only on special occasions. Today he was present and not only him. Next to him stood his son, Prince Belenus. Everyone in the hall understood how important today’s meeting was. The Prince had never attended before.

  Nevertheless, it took until all the magicians got their seats. While the warriors usually went quickly to their places, the healers, the seekers, and the alchemists exchanged ideas.

  Adar hurried to his place and became impatient.

  As so often, some of the mages were still talking in the corridors. After all, most of the armchairs were covered with hundreds of lords in black robes. Each wore a sash in the color of his faculty. They always took the same places. All the magicians present here worked in the city. But there were more magicians. Several healers, warriors, and seekers worked was outside the capital.

  Most healers lived in villages and cared for the population there. Most of the warriors lived in the garrisons at the borders. They only returned to Farsie every few months. There were also Seekers in the strongholds who mentally watched over the land and additionally secured the borders. Hardly anyone could enter Ized without being discovered. Only the alchemists stayed in the capital. But this branch of magic was very rare, the number of magicians limited.

  The young magicians, almost as many as the lords, could be recognized by their grey robes. They did not occupy fixed places and sat in front of the stands. A large gong hung in a rack in front of the podium and was used to ask for attention during the meeting.

  Of course, the Supreme Lord, Lord Abarta, was also present. Only Administrator Lord Sangen was missing. That was unusual because Sangen always was present. For many decades he was the Administrator of the country and the representative of the Supreme Lord. Both magicians conducted the meetings of the magicians prudently and wisely. Adar could not remember that Lord Sangen had not attended even one session. The Supreme Lord sounded the gong, and it became quiet in the hall. Lord Abarta kneeled before the king and prince and bowed his head with his hand on his heart. At the king’s sign, he rose and stepped up to the podium. He needed a moment, struggled for composure before declaring: »Today we have come together for some sad news. A life clock has stopped beating, for one of ours has left us. I was informed of his death by the Administrator’s servants. Administrator Sangen died last night.«

  A whisper went through the crowd. For most of the present magicians, Lord Sangen had always been the Administrator. Countless years he had served the land and supported and advised Lord Abarta.

  »Lord Sangen spoke to our king some time ago about his succession.«

  Carbacan rose and stepped to the podium. Lord Abarta bowed again with his hand on his heart and took a step back to make room for the king. But he stayed behind him.

  »Dear magicians, that’s how it is. Indeed, Lord Sangen visit me. Years ago, he felt the burden of age. He would have relinquished his post to a person earlier and supported his successor for a while. But since it is not usual according to our laws, I made him a promise at that time. It was his wish to be allowed to determine his successor himself. Lord Abarta, who would otherwise appoint the successor, agreed. Lord Sangen thought about it for a long time and tested the man for years. He was sure to have found a suitable candidate for this position. He gave me great pleasure with his election. I agree with him when I say that the magician in question has served our country loyally to this day and will continue to do so. I now ask Lord Befen, the High Lord of Warriors, to come to me. Take from my hands the robe and sash of the Administrator.«

  Befen flinched and pale. He stared at the king in disbelief. Since he was of the particular opinion that he had misheard himself, he remained seated.

  Lord Abarta, meanwhile, handed the king a black robe and a purple sash, worn only by the Supreme Lord and his second. The king accepted them and nodded Befen benevolently: »Lord Befen, please come to me. The Administrator wished you as his successor, and we support his decision,« the king affirmed kindly. He waved him to himself with one hand.

  Befen rose hesitantly, stepped to the podium. There he went down on one knee and bowed his head before the king, his right hand on his heart. He presented him with a robe and sash.

  »Rise, Administrator Befen. Please change your clothes and take your place at the side of the Supreme Lord.«

  Befen was completely surprised but did what the king had told him. Lord Abarta helped him out of his old robe. Befen put on the new one and hung on the purple sash. He had never believed that Lord Sangen, with whom he had had so many arguments, would make him his successor. Often they had disagreed, had discussed for hours. Rarely had he been able to convince him. Befen had learned a lot from the wise man and loved the discussions with him.

  The king turned again to the assembly and continued: »Tonight when the sun sets, we will say goodbye to Lord Sangen on the Square of Fire. For this, the Supreme Lord and the new Administrator will stand on the Stone of the Rising Sun. His three sons will weave the Fire Spell of Farewell for their father on the stones of the other directions. That also was a wish of the Administrator. Since Lord Befen is no longer the High Lord of Warriors, Lord Sangen asked to give this post to his youngest son, Lord Reito. I think that here, too, we are allowed to do the will of the deceased. Lord Reito is still quite young for such a prominent position, but he has proven himself in different tasks for our country. Please, Lord Reito, come to me. Receive your new robe and sash from me.«

  Reito rose without hesitation and joined the king. He honored him as was customary. The Supreme Lord Abarta handed the king another robe and a sash, which he handed over to the new High Lord of Warriors. Although all magicians possessed their official clothing, it was a tradition to receive a new robe and sash with a change of office. Each new post gets also dressed symbolically.

  Lord Sangen was blessed with three sons who all possessed magical faculties. Lord Reito, the youngest of them, was a warrior like his father had been, his two brothers are healers.

  It was not always natural that the male descendants were magicians. Since women could only practice black magic, they were forbidden to be magicians. For this reason, only the father inherited magical talents. It was said that the magic of woman could not be controlled and meant a great danger for all. It was, therefore, not awakened in principle. If it happened and awoke, then the magic was taken away from the Sphere of Power.

  The large ball, the ancient structure on the palace, had existed since time immemorial. It had existed since black magic had developed among women and threatened their people.

  No one knew how it had been created. That it was of magical origin could be felt by anyone near it. Even though no one could explain how it worked, it took all the strength from a magician within a single night. Filled with this power, it cast a soft light on the king’s palace. The light came from the magical energies of the countless women who get deprived of their power. For centuries, they had acted in this way, and it would continue.

  Since only the man brought the facility for magic with him, it could even happen that no male descendant carried magic within him. Once grown up, the young man had to leave the neighborhood. However, this gradually reduced the number of magicians in Ized and threatened the continued existence of their profession.

  A custom had developed due to this circumstance. Often magicians accepted young boys with magical potential from the land of Ized as foster sons. The children were tracked every year by the seekers in the villages of the country. Their families get generously remunerated.

  The farmers were glad when a son showed magical potential, becau
se he got an education in the capital Farsie, in the quarter of the magicians. He was trained to be a lord. Besides, it was a tradition in Ized to support the parents and ensure them a pleasant old age. A son who became a lord was a guarantor for a good livelihood in old age.

  For each son, a certificate was issued about the names of his parents and the place of his origin. That was presented to him when he was appointed lord. Until the appointment, the foster father kept the papers.

  The children get separated from their parents at the age of five. That was the moment when magical potential became apparent. They were brought to their new families in Farsie. In Ized at that time the education in the elementary school began. At school, both boys and girls were taught together in the mornings. Here everyone learned reading, writing, regional studies, and mathematics. In the afternoon the lessons were only for the boys. Then they discovered the first basics of magic.

  As soon as Lord Befen and Lord Reito were seated in their new places, the king turned once more to the assembly. »After the farewell ceremony in the evening, the days of mourning begin. On the morning of the second day of mourning, I invite all the lords to the hunting lodge for three days. We will go there together and commemorate the deceased. In addition, we can tell our experiences with him and let him revive. We will also pay tribute to the appointment of the Administrator and the High Lord of Warriors. During the day, the warriors will have the opportunity to go hunting. In the evening, we can enjoy a glass of good wine«.

  Now King Carbacan stepped back from the podium and Lord Abarta once again. »Dear magicians of Ized. The day is slowly coming to an end. Soon is sunset. That is the time when we say goodbye to our good friend, who was my second for a long time. We will meet at the place of the fire and think of him together.«

  That was the end of the meeting. The king left the hall with his son and the guards. Meanwhile, all the magicians respectfully lowered their heads, the right hand on their hearts.

  Afterward, the magicians congratulated Lord Befen and Lord Reito for their new positions. It took time for all to compliment the two men.

  Adar waited patiently until the hall emptied. Even Lord Reito had gone. Only then did he approach his paternal friend. »If anyone can fill out this position, it’s you, my friend. Congratulations. I am glad that there are no fights for the post of the Administrator, as there are for the position of Supreme Lord.«

  Befen still shook his head in amazement. »I am surprised. Why did Lord Sangen appoint me of all people as his successor? We argued all the time, and I often told him my opinion.«

  Adar shrugged his shoulders. He didn’t think the choice of the old Administrator was that surprising. For him, Befen was the most loyal magician in the country, along with the Supreme Lord. Besides, he didn’t know any other magician with Befen’s strength.

  His friend would have become an outstanding Supreme Lord. Still, Adar knew that Befen did not want to hold such power because the Supreme Lord war Izeds most powerful magician. Adar felt the same way. He won’t such a position either. The Supreme Lord only had to justify himself to the king. Adar admired the magicians who saw their duty in fulfilling an important role like this. Lord Abarta had his highest respect. The man sacrificed himself to be a good, righteous leader of the land. And Lord Sangen had also been loyal.

  »Probably, that was what impressed him. Because you always had your own opinion towards him. Maybe he thought strategically and wanted you to be a reliable man in the leadership. When it comes to the battles for the position of the Supreme Lord, nobody knows how they will end. Then you are the Administrator. So you can’t take part in the battles anymore, but the office gives you a certain amount of influence. Who knows his motives. Lord Sangen was a good administrator, and you will be just as good. In my eyes, you would be excellent for both positions, Befen. Lord Sangen has certainly seen that in you too.«

  »The position of the Supreme Lord would not suit me. But I also never want to be the Administrator. To be High Lord of Warriors was an honor. It’s enough for me to serve my country. Perhaps there is something to your assumptions, Adar. By the Waves and now, I have to move into this residence. I’m horrified by that.« He moaned and rubbed his chin.

  Adar, however, laughed. »Enjoy the luxury the residence offers you, you spartan warrior.«

  Befen also had to laugh mockingly. »Just as you, as a young warrior, should enjoy the conquest of a woman?«

  Adar flinched and raised an eyebrow. He shook his head. »That is not the same,« he said discontentedly.

  Why wouldn’t Befen let it go?

  »That’s true,« he admitted, blinking cunningly at his friend. He spontaneously had an idea with which he could make Adar want to try it. He lowered his voice as he continued: »Conquering a woman is like an adventure. Imagine you are standing on an abyss. A tree with rare and exquisite fruits grows right here and just in this place. You want to taste them, but to enjoy them you have to climb the tree in the face of the abyss and pick them. A risky venture in every aspect. An object of desire that you want to see fulfilled.«

  Adar quickly changed the subject. »What do you think of Lord Reito as your successor?«

  The young man had hit the bull’s eye with this. Befen glanced at him with gritted teeth and drew a smile from his friend. Adar knew him well. Reito would never have been his choice.

  Reito was brutal. The magicians tried to avoid any confrontation with him. Because such a fight inevitably led to a battle that only Reito survived. Befen answered diplomatically, thinking about every word: »Reito is a strong warrior, a powerful warrior, almost as strong as you are, my friend. But he is also cruelly inclined. In the next few years, he will have to prove whether he is suitable for the current position. Just as I must on my new post. And who knows, perhaps the man will develop in such a way that one day he will even make a useful Supreme Lord for our country. He is strong enough.«

  »You avoided an exact answer quite elegantly, Administrator,« Adar said cynically.

  Now Befen smiled again. »As a High Lord of Warriors, I had a few years of practice, to avoid clear answers elegantly. He must prove himself, and I hope that he will succeed. We need strong magicians like him. We count on them. Let us hope that neither his ambition nor his cruelty will overwhelm him. But now, let’s go to the Place of Fire so that we can be there when we say goodbye, and I can fulfill my first official act.«

  Slowly they strolled through the park. Other citizens of Farsie were also on the way.

  The Place of Fire has always existed. There were no records of when it had build or even who had created it. It was a huge arena. Around the almost circular surface, thousands of seats were terraced in stone. The sandy ground was decorated with five equally round, mirror-smooth rock slabs. The largest of them was in the middle. The other four represented the four points of the compass. The only entrance to the square was on the eastern side, where the sun rose.

  The dead have always get burned here. But not only that. There were also the fights with which the new Supreme Lord was appointed after the death of his predecessor.

  It was a place that many went to remember their deceased relatives. Usually, there were flowers or small letters weighted down with stones on the black plate in the middle. The mourners brought them here and remembered theirs. Today, however, one of them gets burned again. All the inhabitants of the quarter had gathered to remember him.

  On a large stone slab in the middle of the square lay the dead man on stacked wood.

  The seats of the arena filled slowly. Lord Abarta was already standing on the stone of the rising sun with his head inclined respectfully. Befen stepped up and also bowed his head respectfully. For many decades of his life, he had worked for the land of Ized. Now he lay on the wood so that everyone could say goodbye to him.

  The three sons of Lord Sangen joined him and stood on the stones of the three other cardinal points. All the people were waiting for the sunset in silence.

  As the sun touched the horizon
, the sky slowly turned red. That was the sign. The magicians in the arena raised their hands and woven together the gentle fire spell of farewell. They sent it to heaven. It trickled as a dense rain of fire onto the stack of wood and ignited it. The flames quickly blazed in the dry wood and surrounded the corpse.

  As always, it was quiet during a farewell. Only the burning wood was heard crackling. The smell of the burning flesh spread across the square, as did the heat that spread from the enormous fire.

  Tears of sorrow ran among many of those present. Everyone followed their thoughts. All who were here knew the Lord. For many, he had been a good friend.

  Only a small pile of ash would remain of him. Moreover, the memory of a beloved father and respected magician remained.

  The ashes of the deceased were filled into an urn and given to the family.

  As the pile slowly burned down, the magicians and their families gradually departed. Even here, it remained unnaturally quiet.

  It had been dark for a while, but Befen was still standing on the stone. The fire had almost burned down, flickering away while the Administrator followed his thoughts.

  He was not happy to be the delegate of the Supreme Lord now. He had never sought such a position. When he was appointed High Lord of Warriors, he didn’t like it very much. He would have preferred to become captain of a garrison. But his life was for the good of Ized. Therefore. Therefore he had taken office then as today. »Why, Sangen? Why did you choose me of all people? There are more capable men among the warriors who could better fulfill the duty,« he whispered to himself, lost in thought.

  In the meantime, it had become completely dark. Befen breathed deeply. It shivered him. Then he tightened up and was the last to leave the Place of Fire. Adar waited for him at the entrance, and they walked through the park. Befen made his way to the houses. He was still affected. Everything had gone much too fast, had taken him by surprise. Today he did not want to move into the residence.