THE KEEPERS RISE

Chapter 8 - Unsettling Differences - Part 3

*Remember to click the play button to listen to the soundtrack as you read!*

When the Keepers teleported to the Rhoqareh training grounds, they found it less empty than when they'd left it. In the opposite corner of the field, two tarrephaene were arguing with each other, so loudly that Velda could hear the syllables clearly. However, she didn't recognize the language, and after hearing a few hard 'q's, deduced that they were speaking Tarrephaene.

Will'ym called across the field cheerfully while the Keepers behind him spread out. "Konte Lin, over here!"

One of the tarrephaene glanced over her shoulder and saw the Keepers watching her. Lin's dark hair was tied back in a messy bun, matching her black cloak, and she was much older than she had appeared from the side. She stood with the authority of royalty as she surveyed the group gathered.

Then, she saw Will'ym's waving hand. She broke into a grin, and the other tarrephaene glanced their way, following her gaze with a scowl on his face. He was much slimmer than Lin and his hair was long and nearly white, glinting with a metallic sheen. He wore white, with silver accents on his sleeves. They looked to be polar opposites, except that they both sported two crossed sashes. Lin's were green, and her arguing mate's sashes were silver.

Lin walked to meet the Keepers, and the man followed her at a thoughtful distance. As they approached, Velda was struck by how unbelievably tall they both were compared to her diminutive human height, and even most of the other Keepers' humanoid forms. Lin was rather short for a tarrephaene, as Velda had seen many of them in the spaceport, but Lin was still a little taller than Will'ym, and the unnamed man was a full head taller than Lin!

Lin stopped in front of Will'ym first, putting her hands on her hips to examine him. Her Magistone, a yellow diamond on a ring, flashed with magic as her eyes lit up. "Your mind has gotten out of shape," she declared finally.

Will'ym's cheeks reddened a little. "I've been busy, Konte Lin."

What was that, Cha? Velda pondered, staring at Lin and her stone curiously.

Well, she definitely did something, Cha said. I think.

The man still hovering behind Lin sniffed in disgust. "He's fine, Lin. His physical strength will be far more important in the long run." Will'ym looked at the unfamiliar man with searching eyes but didn't respond.

Lin looked like she was about to get back in the man's face, but she stopped herself and instead took a look at the rest of the Keepers around the field. Most of them had already left to train, but Velda was still watching the exchange curiously. Nervously, she asked Will'ym, "Who are they?"

He beamed. "Konte Lin has been instructing me in magic on and off for a long time. She's strong with life summoning, just like Lenora."

"And I am Tah'rin," the man interjected. "I don't believe we've met, Prince Will'ym."

Will'ym sighed and took a moment to remember his manners. "A pleasure, Tah'rin. Are you two going to be instructing us?"

"Yes. And that's Konte Tah'rin to you." Will'ym winced and nodded, glancing nervously at Tah'rin's crossed sashes. "Lin and I will be joining you in your training from now on. The Council deemed our talents useful to pass on to you. I'm honestly surprised they didn't find me earlier."

"What will you be teaching us?"

"Swordplay. The most important skill of them all."

Lin narrowed her eyes at Tah'rin. "You're asking for it."

Tah'rin ignored her. "Get to work. Lin and I will make a few rounds and whip you kids into shape." Lin stormed off in one direction, and Tah'rin walked calmly in another, heading for Ivy and Ozul.

As soon as the two tarrephaene were out of earshot, Will'ym breathed a sigh of relief. "I remember Tah'rin now," he said to Velda. "Konte Lin mentioned him a few times."

"Let's hope he knows what he's doing," Velda muttered.

"He does."

Will'ym took his sword out, ready to begin, but Velda was still studying Lin and Tah'rin curiously. "What does Konte mean?"

Will'ym raised an eyebrow. "You haven't heard it before?"

"No. Is it like calling someone Teacher?"

Will'ym laughed and shook his head. "Much more than that. The reason we use the tarrephaene word, even in Common, is that the word isn't easily translatable." He held out his hands as two ends of a line. "Let's say Teachers are on this side," he said, raising his right hand. "Professors might be around here." He gestured to the midpoint of his two hands. "Masters are here," he finished, lifting his left hand.

"And Konte?"

Will'ym stretched his left arm out as far as it would go, pointing away from them, towards the other Keepers. "Out there." Velda's eyes widened.

"That is quite the title," Cha said quietly.

Will'ym continued. "One can become a Konte in many things, but it takes very specific training and a lot of luck and talent. They're all given their titles by the Council directly."

Velda glanced back at Lin. "What was Konte Lin taught in?"

"A subtype of arcana called seeing. You saw it earlier when she did it to me. It allows you to detect and analyze things telepathically, and it's typically a green magic skill, which is why her sashes are green. Konte Lin was passionate enough to learn it using life summoning magic from her mostly yellow stone, though."

"What about Konte Tah'rin?"

Will'ym followed Velda's gaze. Tah'rin was watching Ozul and Ivy spar with his eyes narrowed in concentration. "Some area of swordplay, I'm sure, but I've never seen silver sashes on a Konte before."

The conversation trickled off, and Will'ym and Velda began to spar, when suddenly both their heads jerked upward at a cry from across the field. Tah'rin had his hand over Ozul's on the Keeper's sword and had nearly locked his elbow out. Ozul was trembling slightly from the speed of Tah'rin's movement. Hesykhia, his vaya, had appeared beside him in protest but didn't appear to say anything. "Keep your arm straight," Tah'rin intoned, unwavering. "You must always be ready."

Ozul swallowed hard. Tah'rin suddenly let go, and Ozul nearly dropped his sword before holding it up again at Ivy. His arm was considerably straighter, but Tah'rin swooped in again, adjusting Ozul's grip and arm bend. "That is a perfect ready position," he said finally. "Memorize it." Ozul nodded feverishly, and Konte Tah'rin moved on to another corner of the field.

"Are you all right?" Hesykhia asked anxiously.

"Just surprised," Ozul stammered, lying through his teeth.

Will'ym and Velda exchanged a nervous glance, then got back to work, trying desperately to ignore Tah'rin's slow approach towards them. However, Velda lost track of him in her peripherals, and she eventually assumed he had left for the day. When she saw Lin heading back towards the teleportation bay, she was sure she'd simply missed Tah'rin doing the same thing.