"I still can't get over seeing the two of you show up here, of all places!" Aeronwyn said warmly.
"Your surprise was nothing compared to ours when Lord Barin said he had met you!" Eiriol looked at Gille who nodded his agreement. "When you disappeared we were sure we would never hear about you again!"
"We were all led to believe that you were trying to escape into Grale and that Lady Melton had sent Bron to bring you back. When neither returned, she encouraged the idea you had both died in the mountain passes. Thieves was the most popular rumour, with giant bears and even the Geamhradh being blamed. In time, it all died down into a unsolvable mystery." Gille said in between spoons of stew.
Eiriol slapped his arm. "Don't talk while stuffing your face, Gille." She made an exaggerated sigh. "Love him but can't stand his table manners!" Everyone laughed and Gille flushed with red, but didn't stop eating.
"Hungry," was all he said.
"Nice to see you two together. There is a story there, I'll bet," said Aeronwyn.
"Another time," Eiriol said. "I want to talk about this Mages Guild. And you, Cadeyrn...where do you fit in. I knew you disappeared too, but Healers do go missing from time to time, what with the world the way it is. And, Moiril, is it? I thought you were crushing on Aeronwyn but you two seem perfectly suited!"
"Another long story," said Cadeyrn. Then, casually, he lifted his hands and floated a small mage light. Gille stopped eating and stared. Eiriol's eyes went wide. She said, "May I?" and Cadeyrn nodded. Eiriol reached out for it and held it in her hands. Then she passed it on to Gille, who rolled it around in his like a new toy.
"It's like pure light! This is magic, then?" Eiriol asked.
"Actually," said Aeronwyn, "this is both magic and a test." Turning to Cadeyrn, Aeronwyn said, "I am beginning to think that whatever it is that makes a good healer must be related to the gift somehow. I would love to test that theory."
"A test?" Gille asked dully. Eiriol looked at him, then at her own hands in shock.
"What does this mean?" she whispered.
"It means," Cadeyrn grinned, "that if the two of you wanted you could learn to craft with magic too. Only those with the gift can pick up the balls of light. Here, let me demonstrate. Biort, would you mind?" Jerrill and Biort had watched the interplay silently. Like Keri, who was sitting beside Aeronwyn, they knew that Aeronwyn, Cadeyrn and Bron would want to catch up with their old friends but Aeronwyn had insisted everyone attend.
Biort reached out for the mage light. It was quickly apparent that no matter what she did it simply would not let her hold it. The sight was almost comical but no one laughed at the War Leader of the Sessailaine! Finally, Jerrill reached out and snuffed it out. Gille and Eiriol looked at each other, then with some unspoken agreement, Gille put down his spoon and his face became serious.
"That is why we are here. Not to discover that we could become mages. That was serendipitous. We are here because we fear there may be another magic at work in the world, one neither kind nor benevolent. We came to ask you for advice and, perhaps, for help if you can give it." Gille looked at Aeronwyn. She could see he was deadly serious.
"I am listening. Why do you suspect mage craft and where?" she asked.
"More like sorcery than anything you have shown us. Can you manipulate another's mind? Make them do what they would normally not do? Is that possible?" Eiriol asked.
Aeronwyn considered their question carefully. Then, after a long silence, she looked around the table. "What do you think? Can the patterns we use for healing be used so?" One by one, starting with Cadeyrn, they shook their heads.
Turning to the two Healers, Aeronwyn shook her head. "I agree. Nothing in the way mage craft works suggests that such a thing is possible. Still, we know so little yet. So much is lost. Tell me everything."
It took some time, but Gille and Eiriol walked through the entire sequence of events as they understood them, from the king's refusal of the Chief Examiner to the sudden goings on at the Hall ending in the supposed apology to the king. "Now the kingdom gears for war and the only one the king will even hear is the Chief Examiner. His behavior is such that the Examiners themselves are publically questioning his fitness to reign and some have even dared question their own order's role. Those few tend to disappear and never be heard from again."
Keri. who had been silent, spoke up. "It is the Morlac." Every head turned and stared at Keri. She simply nodded. "It is her. She has awoken. This is her style, her doing."
Aeronwyn, astonished, asked, "How do you know, Keri?" Keri looked at her with a hint of tears in her eyes and shrugged.
"The Goddess!" Aeronwyn realized. "Keri, thank the Gods Althene chose you."
"What is the Morlac?" Eiriol asked.
"Not a what. A who. She is some kind of evil being that destroyed the first world and forced my mother to use a Great Spell given to her by the Old Gods to rid the world of magic. The Book of Souls (another long story) warned us that she was coming. We just didn't know how or where. A being like that would have powers and mage craft that we don't understand." Aeronwyn explained. "I don't know how she can manipulate minds, but from what you described it seems she started with the Chief Examiner and now has the King under her spell. Unfortunately, we have no idea how to stop her."
Cadeyrn looked thoughtful for a long time and waited until the discussion wound down. "We don't know enough yet," he said. "The Examiners may have more information in the Archives but that is under her control for now. Eiriol and Gille, I have a suggestion, if you will take advice from an old friend?"
"Anything!" Eiriol said.
"Become full mages," Cadeyrn leaned forward as he spoke, excitement and passion in his voice. "We can set up a personalized learning program for you two, accelerating your understanding of the craft. Once you are up to speed, we send you back to the kingdom, not as 'mages' but as you are, Healers. Of course, you would still be fully trained mages and you would have to agree to our rules but you will find them reasonable. What do you think?"
"Mages? Us?" Gille said.
"Spies! You want us to be spies!" Eiriol smiled.
"I agree with Cadeyrn. The best way to insure you have whatever defenses we mages have against the Morlac is for you to be mages. And wait until you see how healing works with the craft! It will amaze you. Are you interested?" Aeronwyn asked.
Eiriol looked at Gille. "My love, you always seem to know what is right. What do you say?"
He smiled at her. "Clearly, you think this is a good idea?" She nodded. "I thought so. Then let us become the two newest members of this Guild and see if we can help stop this Morlac from ruining our home."
