The Staff of Sirroff

1

Izzak raised his hand attentively and waited for Mage Rollins to call upon him. The dank catacomb was filled with the fervor of young minds eager to prove themselves worthy of the title Apprentice. Candlelight illuminated the podium from which Mage Rollins lectured, only beaten back by the dim fluorescent lights that enveloped the rest of the classroom.

Rollins was a medium sized man with the beginnings of a pot belly. His Mages beard was short and neatly kept. It wasn't a popular style amongst the order, but it wasn't unusual either. His well trimmed suit of soft gray polyester blended well with the lab coat he wore atop of it. "Apprentice Rathagstad, illuminate us."

A deep breath, "Mage Rollins, In the case of the Fire Warlock from the Zenthian tribe, an earthquake that may or may not have been summoned by the opposition erupted within minutes after the battle began and the Warlock was swallowed by it."

"Very good, but the text did give you the Warlock's name, Fin Fin t'Ja. As the Zenthian war went on..." The bell rang, softly, stopping the lecture. The candles snuffed themselves out and the lights came up. "Tomorrow we finish the Zenthian war and begin mid 16th century policies towards the trafficking of counterfeit magical items, Izzak, you stay."

It happened again; Izzak felt the need to open his mouth and try to answer the question and forgot a crucial detail. In this classroom, that was not allowed.

"It is not allowed because we must be sure that the students we teach have the magik and are not simply geniuses masquerading as Mages." Mage Rollins said with a small note of pity. The substitute, the trap, the Psionic that he was, Mage Rollins was sent in to see if anyone was lying about the magic they possess. Izzak, although very talented, was simply not gifted with the Science.

Izzak looked at the floor. He had anticipated this. He was not gifted. Smart? Yes. Very smart. This left him with only one path. Politics. Despite his love of the subject, the advanced studies of science were forbidden to him. When he entered the school he had hoped that his mind was enhanced by a talent of magik and that his hobby was a calling. It simply wasn't true; He could read it in his teacher's eyes. Rollins gently clapped a friendly hand on Izzak's shoulder.

"You've been here a year. Far longer than other gift less initiates. I have to report this. I'm sorry." He looked it. Remorse pooled in those somber brown eyes. He was the only friend an unproved initiate could have.

"I...understand", Izzak was forced to say. He picked up his bag, shoving his school books in, and walked out the door. The day was traitorously beautiful. Sun shined brightly, but a cool breeze was ever present. Izzak longed to raise a hand to the skies and turn them gray. Thunder would vibrate the

ground, lightning would shoot to anything foolish enough to not have taken cover, and his rage would be felt by all. Then again if he could do that, none of his problems would have been there in the first place.

He trudged up the cool stone steps to his room. He shared it with six other initiates when he had moved in 11 months ago. Now he had it to himself. Once an Initiate is proven, his rank rises to Apprentice and is relocated to the appropriate chambers. He slammed his bag on a low wood table, already scattered with research, and himself onto his bed.

Izzak lay on the bed and tried to cry. He purposely brought to the forefront of his mind everything bad that had happened to him. It didn't work. The tears would not come. Sighing he reached under his bed and grabbed the book.

It was leather-bound and magically sealed. Izzak had broken the spell months before, once he realized it wasn't magical, it was just constructed to look that way. He opened the cover. The author used only one name. He must have thought himself a star in the science world, but if that were the case his findings wouldn't be restricted. This science mage had been proven and still removed from the school because his musings were determined "dangerous". His name; Gallowglass.