Tak

The Conjuration - Part 1

     Molos Gomm was away from Castle Nagra for over four months, during which Tak and Philip avoided each other as much as possible.

     Tak spent most of his time in the library, studying furiously in his desire to match Philip in spellcasting ability but, although he managed to perfect the few minor spells his master had taught him, he failed to learn any more. Learning a new spell for oneself, even when one has another wizard's spellbook to study, is notoriously difficult, and as a general rule only experienced wizards can do it. Apprentice wizards have to be walked through a new spell by their masters. Philip could probably have helped him, but Tak was damned if he was going to go to him. He have a sigh of resignation and went back to the study of general principles.

     Philip made no further attempt to bring a bedmate back to the castle, but sometimes he would ride out on horseback and return two or three days later, probably having spent some time with the bawdy girls of Volk, the nearest large town.

     Having the huge four poster bed to himself was a luxury Tak made the most of while he had it, knowing it would come to an end when his master returned. He could deny Philip, but not Molos Gomm. He knew he would be turned out of the castle if he failed to provide the service he had been brought to perform and he couldn't now bear the thought of that. He hated the thought of serving the wrinkled wizard's needs, but he was willing to endure it if it meant staying and continuing his studies. He was addicted to wizardry, to the feel of the power flowing like liquid fire through his body, and he would do anything at all to service that need. Plus, of course, the old man still had the deaths of his family to answer to, although Tak had decided to leave that until the wizard had nothing left to teach him. His mind shied firmly away from the question of whether he could actually bring himself to take his life. He would deal with that problem when the time came.

     As the weeks went by and Philip grew increasingly irrational and dangerous, Tak found himself wishing harder and harder for the old man's return. There was a murderous look in the older apprentice's eyes now whenever they chanced to meet in the corridor. The memory of how the younger apprentice had denied him his bedmate and then humiliated him in front of Trobo burned ever hotter in his mind until Tak began to actually fear for his life.

     Philip eventually began to reach the point where he wouldn't care what Molos Gomm thought. He was approaching the state where he might simply creep up behind the boy and bludgeon him to death with something heavy. Tak began to feel murderous eyes on him wherever he went, making him increasingly nervous and jumpy. He began locking the door to Molos Gomm's bedchamber at night and spent his every waking hour glancing fearfully over his shoulder. He began to think seriously that the only way to secure his safety would be to 'take care' (he couldn't bear to even think the word kill) of Philip before he was taken care of himself. It would be simple self defence after all...

     When Molos Gomm finally returned, therefore, Tak felt a great sense of relief that his life was safe once more, and almost didn't mind that his body would once again no longer be his own. The first he knew of it was the screeching of a giant eagle out in the courtyard, and when he rushed to the window he saw the old wizard dismounting from the great bird, Trobo walking out to greet him and unsaddle his mount. Knowing he would expect his apprentices to be there to greet him as well, Tak left the room and hurried down the stairs, nearly bumping into Philip in the great hall. They stared daggers at each other, then walked side by side out into the cold air.