The Youngest Mage [Completed]

(5) The Elden

The Elden didn't finish their deliberations until almost midnight on the thirteenth day after Dalbreath brought his proposal to his father. The Elden made their deliberations at City Hall, which was an ancient building at the center of Rhuhalil. This granite building was over five thousand years old. It was circular, and nobody knew how it was constructed, but there it was, as old as the Winter Tree some said.
It was basically a tower seven stories high, with rectangular windows on every floor except the seventh, where the windows were round. The main door was a round top door with clad exterior. The door had a deep green patina to it. The roof was a beautiful dome made of black granite, the oldest granite on the planet, which came from the Black Isle of Eslor over two thousand miles away.

It was the oldest building in all of Rhet that was still standing, and had served so many purposes over the centuries that nobody knew its original purpose. It was the City Hall in Dalbreath's time, which was also the meeting place of the Council of the Elden.
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Lianonn Efaltel had to leave his shop early in order to travel the ten miles to the center of Rhuhalil in order to see the Council. He had a mind to scold his son for being so brash as to think that he could ever be a Mage. Of course it wasn't unheard of for a child to make such a strange request, but he had been saying to himself all day that his son had been brash.

It took an hour to reach City Hall by coach. When he got to the hall he gave the driver fifty cresaith and told him to wait. He went in and inside there was someone waiting for him to take him up to the Council of the Elden, who were on the third floor. Lianonn was surprised to see the whole council there, but even more surprised at how long it had taken them to come to a decision regarding his son's request.

The council was set in a U formation, with the Grand Elden seated way back in the middle of the U. Lianonn knew the Grand Elden well, for he was the author of many books.

"Hello Lianonn," said the Grand Elden, who was a good looking man for his extreme old age.

"Greetings Cawaldr Beonn," said Mr. Efaltel, who was a good looking man for being well over three thousand years old. It was unwise to ask the Grand Elden how his family was, for the telling of that could take all evening. So he stuck with something simple. "How is you wife, great sir?"

Cawaldr Beonn smiled briefly, for it was late in the day and he wanted to keep it simple too. "She's fine Lianonn; we've reached a decision in your son's case."

"And?" he asked hopefully.

"He'll have to be tested. Take him to see the Mage Astitaal next week. My secretary will give you the date and address. You don't have to make an appointment. He always knows when people are coming. If he passes the test he will go on to Mage School. We wish your son well, and may he do well if his destiny is to be a Mage. It's an unusual request in one so young, but not unheard of Lianonn. Chances are your son will be a printer like you, but it would be a tragedy if we later found out that the best time for him to become a Mage would have been at the ripe age of five."

"I understand," said Lianonn, "but I have just one question?"

"What is it, Lianonn?" asked the Grand Elden.

"Did those other boys go on to become Mages?"

"Granted they were older than Dalbreath, but yes, all except one, and he went on to become a doctor of theology."

Mr. Efaltel's spirits dropped noticeably. "Thank yo great sir, thank you all," he said distantly, and then he left the way he had come.