Journeymaster 2
Fu kept telling himself not to let the feeling get to his head. Still, he had to admit, the way his once-peers looked at him and side stepped out of his way as he walked down the halls in his Journeymaster robes was very pleasing. Fu started making a name for himself early, and most of them knew better than to cross him in general. Wearing the robes of a ranked Journeymaster, however, took it to a whole new level.
It wasn’t fully official. Not yet, at least. Not until he earned the approval before the Chamber that night. All that was merely for looks, however. There were very few that were chosen to go before the Chamber who did not earn the rank they were offered. The Manor didn’t extend such invitations lightly.
While part of him was wary about what the Manor wanted from him, the other part of him was quickly warming up to the idea. Not only would he have more authority and a chance at a higher position with this promotion, but he would also earn his freedom. Though most Journeymasters lived within the walls of the city by practice, they were not restricted the way students were. Very soon, Fu would be able to go home again… a place he had not seen in far too long.
Mother will certainly be surprised. And Father…
Fu frowned at the thought. He didn’t know where his father stood in all the politics of the Manor. If he had an official rank, it was never made public. Becoming Journeymaster would place Fu in a place of authority over his father, which was something a little concerning to him.
Not that we ever speak.
Well, that was somewhat an exaggeration. Fu did see his father from time to time. They always acknowledged each other, but Fu made a point to let Father know of his displeasure through looks, words and other means of communication only known to mind mages. Father got the point, Fu was sure.
So why does he keep trying to press the issue and get on my good side?
He paused before the large double doors, peering at the gatekeeper for a sign to enter the Chamber. On the other side, his destiny waited for him.
It is not the time to worry about that. I have more important things to attend to now.
The gatekeeper opened the doors for him, allowing Fu to pass through to the room within. As he stepped into the Chamber, he found himself frozen, unable to do anything but stare. Though he promised himself that he would not show the Masters any sign of weakness during his initiation, the marvel that stretched before him was not something he expected to find.
It looked far different on the inside than on the out. The walls reflected like crystal, sleek and dark, multitudes of tiny pulsing lights zipping over the surface, leaving traces of intricate runes burned into the back of his mind. They had machines there, strange mechanical things that he had no name for. Things he could not have imagined, nor had ever seen a trace of in the normal city life. He didn’t know what the machines did, but they were powered by the tiny fragments of embedded crystal stone.
The room within was completely circular, giving the feeling of watching, judging gazes coming from every direction. Some of the Masters were familiar, teachers and workers he saw often throughout the halls of the school or in the streets of the city. Some he did not know, their stern faces strangely lit from glowing flat panels on the desks before them.
At the far end of the Chamber, five undeterminable shapes sat, perched over the entire room on a platform shrouded in shadow. When Fu’s eyes flickered across them, he had to suppress the shudder that gripped his body. That was the moment he realized that something much, much bigger was happening behind the walls of the Manor than even he suspected.
“Step forward, FuSoYa,” the presiding Master’s deep voice intoned, bringing him back to his senses.
Silently, he strode down the center walkway towards the waiting platform in the center of the room. Fu could feel his courage flailing as he forced his feet to move, and he forced his mind back to the comforting thought of freedom. Of earning his right to go home again. Even with those thoughts fortifying his resolve, he felt the cracks of fear threatening his composure.
“I assume you understand the reason for coming here today,” said the Master.
“Yes Sir,” Fu found his voice in time to prevent discourtesy.
“You realize the magnitude of the offer the Manor is providing you. You also understand that you are the youngest candidate who has yet to be recognized for this position,” the words were statements, not questions.
“Yes, I understand,” he forced his chin up, trying to face the frightening ring of faces.
“Do you have a personal statement to offer on your behalf?” came the first question.
It was a question that Fu was not prepared for. He spoke the first thing that came to his mind, quickly overriding the silence.
“I am here to serve the Manor. My skills and knowledge are at your disposal,” Fu lied so smoothly that he almost convinced himself that he meant it.
Most impressive save.
The Master waited for a moment to see if more would follow. When it didn’t, he remarked, “You are a young man of few words, I see.”
“A long speech does little to convince others where only a few words are really required,” he replied, defending his position. The truth was, the more he spoke, the more he was afraid that he would give his honest opinion away.
“If only some in this Chamber would follow such examples,” remarked one Master from somewhere behind Fu.
A few chuckled at the comment, making those within seem a little less alien. But then that moment passed.
“Well, someone has found you worthy in deed, knowledge and power to hold this position. I feel that if there is no argument, we move ahead with the appointment,” the first Master spoke, lifting his pen as if to scratch an item from his list.
“I have an argument,” came a sudden voice.
Fu felt his heart sink as he turned to see the man standing amongst the others. It was Zemus.
“And what is that?” the first Master lowered his pen.
“He is but a boy and has seen far fewer years in the system than some of our own Headteachers,” the man motioned strongly with one hand. “How is it that this child is promoted when many of our own with much more experience are overlooked?”
“Whattsa matter Zemus,” came a voice from somewhere across the room. The same voice as before, “Can’t take a little competition?”
“Don’t be absurd,” Zemus retorted. “This is not about competition. This is about conduct. Have you seen this boy’s past records?”
“I agree,” said a stuffy-looking man sitting not far from Zemus.
“Nothing new with that,” said a bored-looking woman a few rows up. “You always agree with Zemus.”
The stuffy man gave a humph and a scowl to curdle milk.
Zemus, however, was smarter than to rely on the support of his internal lackeys alone. He pulled a sheaf of parchment from inside his coat and began to read off a list of infractions, slowly, “Threatening students. Destroying personal property. Destroying Manor property. Disrespect to Headteachers. Disrespect to presiding Masters. Telling a Manor watchman to… go flush his head…”
The man gave Fu a look over the rim of his glasses at that one. This won a few more chuckles from the other side of the room.
“Do you really see this one as fit to wear the mantle of a Journeymaster?” Zemus pursed his lips with displeasure.
“Are these accusations true, FuSoYa?” asked the first Master.
“Yes Sir,” Fu answered quietly.
“Let us not mention that he is preceded by his father, SoYa, who is well known for his general useless ideas such as dreamwalking and the literacy outreach,” Zemus ground the words between his teeth, “And overall instability with–”
“With all due respect, Sir,” Fu interrupted, feeling a flush of anger rising despite his best attempts to quench it, “I am not my father, and anyone who believes I am similar to him is greatly mistaken.”
“Humph,” Zemus gave a grunt. “My point proven.”
“FuSoYa,” mediated the first Master. “Perhaps we should have a statement about–”
“There will be no statement,” another voice echoed through the room, commanding sudden silence.
It was a strong voice, a voice that filled Fu with fear, despite all of his mind mage training. The voice came from one of the shadows perched on the presiding pedestal. Though it was impossible to tell, Fu could almost make out a pair of dark, glittering eyes watching his every move.
“This appointment has already been determined,” the voice spoke again. “Take your seat, Zemus.”
The Master’s face colored slightly, the first look of discomfort Fu ever saw from Zemus. Then, without argument, he sat down and pretended to busy himself arranging the papers that spoke of all the boy’s infractions.
“Let it be recorded that the appointment of FuSoYa to the position of Journeymaster was commanded and confirmed by Lord TsuMeTai,” the first Master said. Then, with a motion of his pen, it was done.