Tak

The Conjuration - Part 4

     By the time Gal-Gowan paid his next visit to Castle Nagra, Tak was almost Philip's equal in the magical arts. Both had learned and progressed, but while the elder apprentice's advance had been only minor, Tak's had been meteoric, surprising Molos Gomm and firing Philip's hatred and jealousy to such an extent that Tak spent every waking moment fearing an attempt on his life.

     Tak personally saw no reason (in principle) why a wizard couldn't have two apprentices, working side by side. He would have been happy to share the mastery of Castle Nagra with a colleague who treated him with courtesy and respect. Philip, though, had gotten used to thinking of himself as Molos Gomm's sole heir, and as every day brought closer the day when the younger man would surpass him the fear grew that he would be usurped, that he would be turned out and sent on his way. Or else that, if he was allowed to remain, that he would be doomed to spend the rest of his life in Tak's shadow.

     His terrible fear was rooted in mounting insecurity, Tak knew. The mastery of Castle Nagra would be a position of power and authority, as well as a safe and comfortable haven in a hard and dangerous world. If he was prevented from taking his rightful place, then where would he go? What would he do? What other life could there be for him? Tak knew, from fragments of overheard conversations, that Philip had been looked after all his life. First by his parents, then by Molos Gomm and Trobo. He clearly wouldn't be able to survive on his own. It was inevitable that he would try to kill Tak. In his mind, it was simple self defence.

     He was wise enough to know caution, though. To know that Tak's end had to be arranged in such a way that no suspicion could fall on him, in case Molos Gomm killed him in a fit of rage. Also, Tak himself was growing skilled enough in the magical arts to be a dangerous opponent in his own right. That gave Tak some comfort. He was relatively safe so long as he was in the castle with either Molos Gomm or Trobo not too far away, but he was in an agony of fear every time he was on his own, where a piece of castle masonry might fall on his head or a half prepared potion might blow up in his face.

     This was the atmosphere that prevailed when Molos Gomm received the Farspoken message from his master, the mysterious entity that Tak had yet to meet and whose nature he had yet to learn. The message told the grey wizard to expect a visit from Gal-Gowan, his master's apprentice. A man far inferior to Molos Gomm in the magical arts but whom he had to treat as his superior, to his great anger. Molos Gomm didn't dare object, though, and so he just seethed inwardly every time he had to work with the younger man and took out his anger on his own apprentices.

     Philip and Tak both quailed with fear when they learned he was coming, therefore. "What does he want this time?" Philip asked him.

     "He wants a powerful spell cast," Molos Gomm replied. "A spell so powerful that it's dangerous to the caster. He's delegated to us, therefore. Let us take the risk. What are subordinates for, after all, but to do all the dirty, dangerous jobs?" There was bitterness in his voice that he didn't try to hide. Molos Gomm was getting old, and spells that he used to be able to cast with ease were getting steadily more difficult for him. There was just as much fear as anger in Molos Gomm's voice, therefore.

     The next few days, as they waited for Gal Gowan's arrival, were even more tense than usual, therefore. Tak performed his duties with extra special care, not wanting to give his master any excuse to be angry with him. When Trobo came to the storeroom to summon him, therefore, he felt a sharp thrill of fear, but the fear turned to surprise when the houseman told him to report to the south tower.

     Along with the basements, the old wizard's inner sanctum containing his most important laboratories and storeroomooms, the south tower was one of the two places that he had always been forbidden to enter. Tak knew that even Philip had only been in the south tower a couple of times, when the old wizard had been engaged in a particularly difficult ritual and needed some help. Did this mean that Tak had progressed to the point where he could be of genuine use to his master in his experiments? If so, Philip would be furious and it might well trigger a murderous rage, the long awaited second attempt on his life. He would have to be on his guard. Keep some of his newly learned defensive spells at the forefront of his mind at all times.