Riders of Tethra Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Hunter's shot had taken about two seconds to hit its mark at the one-hundred-twenty-yard target. It seemed like in that same amount of time, the entire population of Pandor's Fen was aware of the feat. By dinnertime that night, virtually everyone was mumbling about the miraculous shot or openly congratulating the strange boy from another parallel.
Bandor, of course, dismissed it as "dumb-shit luck" and quietly, many of the students and even staff concluded that was probably close to the truth. During the following days, always observed by curious eyes, Hunter continued to prove his skill with the bow and arrow. He rarely missed the eighty-yard target and when asked, would usually successfully connect with the one-hundred-yard. Students were constantly demanding another arrow launched at the farthest point but Hunter declined, instead focusing on the other skills necessary to be the youngest trainee to ever earn a bolt for archery. He became a master at hitting moving targets, hitting targets while he was moving and using a variety of arrows to accomplish differing objectives.
By the time it was acknowledged that Hunter would receive his bolt, most of the students had accepted that he was remarkably talented and that the famous shot was no accident. Bandor, however, was unrelenting in his initial assessment, taunting him to do it again.
At the bolt presentation, all of the fourteens and most of the fifteens showed up. Lurking in the background, sneering, Bandor continued his commentary. He was the only seventeen to show up.
"It is my great honor to present a bolt in archery to the youngest person ever to achieve one," Master Norwild intoned. "To be honest Hunter, I have never seen anyone as skilled as you are and I suspect that were there a contest between you and me, I would end up on the losing side."
Hunter laughed as the old archery symbol was removed from his belt and a new one emblazoned with a bolt attached. "Thank you Master but of course a student can only become skilled because of the quality of instruction he has received."
"Bullshit," Bandor muttered.
"It is bullshit," Sayer thought to Hunter. "Ass kisser!"
Hunter just looked over and grinned at his soulmate who was also grinning.
"I asked this once before Master Norwild," Hunter said. "May I have another arrow?"
"Certainly," the instructor said handing a smooth shafted arrow to the boy.
"I have not tried to give in to Bandor's crap because to do so would be doing what he wants. And I generally don't like to do anything Bandor wants. But today, you have honored me with a bolt. You say I have earned it so now that there is nothing left to prove, I'd like to try the shot again."
The entire crowd of boys erupted with cheers and Master Norwild simply nodded in agreement. Hunter stepped to the line, notched the arrow, pulled back on the string and let it fly perfectly into the center of the farthest target. There were more cheers and very violent hand shaking on the master's part. Bandor had simply disappeared.
Again, word of Hunter's repeat performance on the range spread across the fen. Hunter had quickly acquired enough skills to earn his symbols in each area except the stone. Secretly, Hunter was well trained in blocking but the four boys had decided to allow Hunter's riding ability remain secret, thus blocking was not a scheduled area for his training. Hunter was working especially hard on the hand to hand skills, hoping that he could earn a second bolt. He did not like being dependent on Talen or Rory for protection. He knew that Sayer was very close to a bolt in that skill as well.
The light was fading into a violet blue as dusk descended on the fen. It had been over a month since the four boys had moved into One. The early grumbling by fellow students about favoritism had subsided when the explanation of Hunter's vulnerability had been offered. The boys in Fourteen were happy to have the extra room until new recruits would fill in the empty spaces.
"I wonder why we can't telepath like you guys can?" Rory lamented. The firelight sparkled around the room. "We've tried everything we can think of to see if we can get the ability."
"We know!" Sayer laughed. "We've heard you two trying all those `everythings' but it sounds like you sure had fun."
"Fuck you," Talen said with a slight smile.
"I don't think you need to," Hunter joined in. "Think you guys tried it and it didn't work."
"Maybe we need to try it with Hunter," Rory suggested.
"That's not what caused it," Hunter said. "We've done enough stuff in here to know that whatever is going on between Sayer and me is just that -- between Sayer and me. We love you guys, but not as much as you love each other or as much as he and I love each other. I wish there was a way for us all to telepath. It would sure make the fear of the danger we will face easier."
"We do have each other though, the four of us," Talen said softly, the light flickering off his golden hair.
"I don't think that will ever be broken," Sayer agreed. "I have never heard of or seen a bond as strong as we have, other that Pandor and Farin I guess."
"Do you think they loved each other like we do?" Rory asked.
"Yeah, I think they must have. Bet we would know a lot more if we could read that book," Hunter said.
"What book?" Rory and Talen questioned in unison.
Hunter looked sheepishly at Sayer and shrugged. "Oops!"
Sayer smiled and looked a bit embarrassed himself. "It's my fault guys," he said to the other two. "This book or journal or whatever sort of launched itself off the bookshelf of its own accord the day before I had my meeting with Doyen Parfell with all my questions about what we could do. Then the archery training and I just forgot. I told Hunter I would share with you the next day and I just fucked up. I'm really sorry."
"Where is it," Talen asked seeming to accept the explanation.
Sayer wandered over to the bookshelf and unwedged the book. He handed it to Talen.
"Shit, it's in Magin!" Talen exclaimed.
Rory grabbed the book from his friend's hand an looked at closely. "It looks ancient. Handwritten. I know someone who can read it."
The other three boys looked at him with questioning expressions.
"It's an old man, very old man. I think I am related to him somehow. He lives outside the wall of Lorenwood, a ways into the forest. People give him food and clothing when he comes into town. They think he is some kind of a, uh, I don't know how to say it, some kind of sorcerer would be the best way to put it. They are sort of afraid of him."
"How do you know about him?" Sayer asked.
"When he's in Lorenwood, he always stops at my mother's. If he has to spend the night, he stays in the spare room. I used to hear them talking softly after I went to bed. He knows the lore and the legends. And he can read Magin. They say he is the last to be able to read it."
"Wonder why he isn't here, like a master?" Hunter questioned.
"I don't know," Rory said. "But if anyone can read the book, it would be only him."
"What's his name?" Talen asked.
"Fellsmane. Strange name. Nothing like anyone else's in Lorenwood. But if it has anything to with hair, it fits. He has a long beard and long grey hair to match. Skinny as a post but not short. He is always quiet but I used to be afraid of his eyes. It was like he could go way beyond riding, like he could see things in me that I couldn't see myself."
"Maybe we should go see him," Hunter suggested. "I could ask Doyen Parfell for permission."
"Don't!" Sayer commanded, looking very serious. The other three were startled by his outburst. "That book didn't just accidently fall off the shelf. It was almost like something moved it. The fewer people who know about it, the better for now. Do you trust this Fellsmane?"
"Yeah, I guess so. My mom really respects him and they talk for hours about the lore."
"We have our day's reward yet to use. This would be the way to use it," Sayer said.
"Are you trying to ride me, Sayer?" Doyen Parfell asked with alarm.
The meeting with Hunter had been reduced to once a week. It was apparent that the Doyen had not ridden him or he would have known of Hunter's secret skill. Parfell continued to meet with Sayer as well but it was obvious that disappointment was seeping into his thoughts, his hopes of another Pandor and Farin fading.
Sayer could sense the despair and felt sorry for the aging master or masters. So today, stupidly, he took a shot at riding the Doyen. He leaped into the master's head and within a few seconds had been blocked. But those few seconds were revealing. Sayer took a deep breath.
"I'm sorry sir. You seemed sad and I got curious. Please forgive me."
"Did you see my sadness," the Doyen asked wistfully.
"Just a flash," Sayer admitted.
"I'm sorry to have laid this burden on you and Hunter," the old man sighed. "I had such hopes that the call from another parallel would bring us a miracle."
Sayer relaxed in the huge chair and simply shrugged. But behind the shrug he was thinking at Hunter.
"Parfell is really down. I tried to ride him."
"You what??!!" Hunter thought back, totally distracted from his lore class.
"He thinks we are failures. He really hasn't ridden us just as he promised. He blocked me in seconds but he isn't mad."
"So you didn't get anything but failure?" Hunter replied.
"No, I got more. I'll tell you when we are back in One but I think he needs to know about you. Should I tell him?"
There was a long pause between Hunter and Sayer then Hunter thought back, "You are the one who decided to keep it secret so if you think he should be told, he has been fair to us. Tell if you choose, Sayer."
Sayer could not only get the words being spoken to him from his soulmate but the emotion as well. Hunter trusted him above everyone else. Sayer took another deep breath and looked at the Doyen.
"Hunter can ride," he said quietly.
"What? What did you say?" Doyen Parfell asked in surprise, obviously being awakened from his own thoughts.
"Hunter can ride."
The Doyen was speechless for almost a minute. "When did this happen?"
"A few days after we came here," Sayer confessed. "We weren't sure it was permanent so we decided not to say anything. I'm sorry. Only the four of us know."
"So it is possible that ...." The Doyen trailed off.
"Hunter is very good at things here Doyen Parfell. He learns quickly and has obvious skills. I have taught him to block because we didn't want anyone to know but he had to be able to stop an invading rider."
"You are full of secrets today," the Doyen said with a smile. It was obvious that his depression was lifted by hope. "Does he know you have told me?"
"I told him today that I might share it with you, now that we are pretty sure that it is not a temporary thing."
"I will meet with him this evening then," Parfell said. "I have to be sure that his blocking skills are sufficient. No reflection upon you Sayer. But I think it wise to continue your decision not to make his ability known, thus he cannot attain a badge for blocking. If he needs stronger training, I will do it personally."
"Great," Sayer agreed. "It would be good for you to test him sir. Oh, and I have a question about blocking. It seems there are bolts for all other skills but I have never seen one for blocking. Is there one?"
"Yes," the Doyen replied. "But it is never displayed. Most of the masters have attained the bolt. All masters are taught the art of masking which prevents a person from knowing he is being ridden but not all of them can do it."
"So we might have already have been ridden by a master here and not know it."
"I would know," Parfell said instantly. "It has not happened."
"And can you know you are being ridden if it is a masked attempt?" Sayer probed.
"You really are asking questions that no student has been allowed to know. But as hope has returned to me today, yes, a few of us can block even masked attempts."
"Is it something you might be able to teach us?"
"Never has a student been taught those skills unless he ultimately qualifies for master training," the Doyen paused thoughtfully. "But today I see a reason to make exceptions. I will try to train you and Hunter."
"No, sir. The four of us. All of us, Rory, Talen, Hunter and me. If we are to be the exceptions, then we are a team sir."
"I don't think that would..."
"Sir, it has to be all of us or none of us. I don't know why things have happened the way they have but I do know that there is something out there that is telling me we are all in this together."
The Doyen stroked his hair back and slid forward in his chair. "It would have to be done in One. The rest of the school must not be aware, not even the masters. The boys and staff are used to me visiting you in One on occasion, so that is the only choice. But it is a difficult thing to do and I am not confident that any of you will succeed at your ages."
"Thank you, Doyen. We can only try.