Aaron M. Neal

Theo’s heart pounded as he strode towards the High Scholar’s Study.  Why did they send for him?  There must be a correlation with Hector’s appointment as the new consul, but what did that have to do with a simple scribe?  The election results weren’t supposed to be announced until next month, so news at all would be a surprise to anyone in Aldia.  Could the war have caused the Body to make an accelerated decision?

The crowds in the quad had grown since lunch.  Professor Burnhol appeared to be right, all classes and work must have been halted for the day.  Campus staff had already brought out wine casks and were setting up tents for shade.  Theo wouldn’t be surprised if the University held a feast later that night.

He ignored the cheers as he walked through the masses, attempting to avoid anybody else trying to drag him in.  Grateful as he was that Hector won, he was never one for crowds.  More importantly, he had to know why he was summoned to the Study.

Arriving at the entrance of the Study, Theo ran up the stone staircase towards a pair of wooden doors.  Once through, he entered the Study’s main lobby.  Large Airacite chandeliers hung in the space, casting their cool light down below.  Near the back, a reception desk wrapped around in a quarter circle, enclosing one corner of the room.  Three clerks worked diligently, all going through stacks of paperwork.  Strange to see actual work happening here.

One of them, a woman around his own age, looked up to greet him.   “How may I assist?” she asked as she continued her work.

“I was instructed to meet with the High Scholars this afternoon.  My name is Theo Telus.”

The woman stopped her work and looked up sharply.  “Today?  You have heard the news, right?  What is the purpose of this meeting?”

“To be honest, I’m unsure myself.”

The woman gave him a questioning look, then exited into a back room.  After a moment she came back with a scheduling book.

“My apologies, Mr. Telus.  Busy day,” she said, opening the schedule.  “It appears you are to meet with them this afternoon.  Though, it may take a while to arrange the meeting.”  She gestured towards the lobby seating.  “If you don’t mind waiting, I’ll notify you once they are ready.”

There was no point in leaving to do something else, so he sat down on one of the chairs.  Looking up towards the high ceilings, he contemplated the changes that might come to Madai.  The winner of this election had the power to shift the political balance of the Triumvirate.  Voris Alvoren, the previous consul, had grown complacent and acted neutral during his third term as consul.  This caused a stalemate between the other two consuls, Alexis Omestra and Darius Cain.  Lady Omestra was known for her cool-headed and thoughtful approach to leadership, whereas Sir Cain, a seasoned duelist, acted in a more reactionary manner; quick to respond to the emotions of the populace.  The two leaders hardly agreed on any matter, and with Voris acting neutral, no major change had occurred in Madai in the past decade.

Currently, the two had opposing views on the Kyrenian War.  Lady Omestra thought it was Madai’s obligation to back Dain in the war.  Despite this duty, she refused the notion of sending troops to fight.  Instead, she proposed sending financial aid, but Darius thought it was best to remain completely neutral.  While he had the utmost confidence in the strength of Madai, he had no interest fighting in a war Madai had little stake in.  If they played favorites in the conflict, it might draw them into battle.  To him, Madai should simply take care of themselves and let the conflict play out.

The truth was nobody could agree on what to do.  The outbreak of war had changed everyone’s mindset in Southern Thera.  Before, war was a topic few discussed.  Armies were nothing more than a political status.  Occasionally, one would hear stories of militaries used to put down bandits or a rising rebellion, but now that two countries were brutally engaged in combat, others wondered if the same could happen in their lands.  The world was on edge.  Could the next argument between nations ignite yet another war?

Theo was not sure what to think about this topic.  He had desensitized himself so much regarding the war that he didn’t hold a strong opinion either way about what Madai did.  Rather, he focused on documenting the history impartially as it unfolded. 

The rest of the university did not share Theo’s impartialness, however.  To say that few in Aldia thought highly of Darius would be an understatement.  Many at the University hoped that this new consul, Hector Arturis, would side with Lady Omestra.  From what Theo had read, Hector was a respectable man, one who appeared truly passionate about the nation, but honestly, nobody knew exactly what Hector would do regarding the war.

Not much was known about the man.  He had grown up in Deopol, and shortly after his twentieth name day, he began to travel across Madai.  During this journey he got to know the Maduin people from every corner of the nation and quickly developed a deep love for the country.  Not just the nationalistic pride that most had, but an honest passion for the people of Madai.  He bonded with people on a personable level that few consuls ever had.  These connections formed a level of trust that convinced many Maduins that this man had their best interest at heart, and even though he was never outspoken about his political beliefs, people could witness his genuine love for the country.  For most it appeared that was enough.

His competition on the other hand, Balsen Remora, was extremely vocal about his affiliations.  Sharing many beliefs with Darius, Balsen gathered a strong following in southeastern Madai along the border of Baelom.  Everyone in Aldia must be thankful that man did not win the election.  His defeat alone was probably worth the celebration.  Balsen was an arrogant man, far more prideful than Darius.  Focusing solely on his native region, he showcased little respect for the rest of Madai.  He carried a reputation for degrading anything that didn’t fit his agenda.  When the university invited him to Aldia, he declined with a public statement saying, “What a waste of precious Maduin potential.  That school should be producing Airacite weapons.  Perhaps then I would bother traveling to such a remote city.” 

Even Theo was shocked when he heard news of that statement.

Closing his eyes, Theo let his mind drift from topic to topic and found himself again thinking about the war.  It was hard to focus on anything else these days.  Frustrated, he tried to think past the war.  What would he work on afterward?  Hopefully, something that dealt with Airacite. 

Airacite turned his thoughts toward the North, what would they think about the war?  Surely the conflict would put those nations on edge as well.  To his knowledge they haven’t seen a war since the invention of Airacite, which ignited the expansion of Celeste.  How would they react the next time they crossed the mountains?

“Sir.”

What if they never return?  Nobody knew why they closed the ferries, but everyone assumed that eventually one day they would reopen.  Too much of the South’s economy relied on Airacite, but only the North knew how to create it.

“Sir.”

The South was forced to rely on their current supplies and hoped that the ferries would reopen soon.  The only other solutions would be to discover the crafting process or to cross the mountains themselves.  If the North discovered a way over, surely someone in the South could too.  Which one would come first?

“Sir!”

Theo jerked his head upwards. 

The receptionist had returned and gestured towards him.  “If you would, please follow me, the High Scholars are waiting.”

He sprung up and hurried over towards the desk.  “My apologies,” he said, but the woman only stared at him impatiently.

“Come with me,” she said curtly.

Theo followed her through a door centered in the back of the room.  They walked down a wide corridor with multiple offices on either side, each packed with several clerks hard at work.  There was as much activity going on within the Study as there was outside on the quad, except these people were busy with work, not celebration.

They eventually arrived at another pair of doors at the end of the main corridor.  The receptionist looked back at him as she opened one of the doors.  “This meeting must be important if all the High Scholars want to see you today of all days.  Good luck,” she said with a sympathetic smile, finally expressing something other than impatience. 

I might need the luck of Iris herself depending on what they ask of me.

Theo thanked her and entered through the door into another cramped passage, this one with a low ceiling.  He barely noticed the clerk close the door behind him, as he continued through towards a framed archway at the end of the hallway.  Once through the opening, he stepped out into a large circular space, the Chamber of Scholars.

Even though this wasn’t his first time Theo had been called to the Chamber, his eyes immediately glanced upward towards the massive dome that spanned above.  Vivid murals depicting stories of the unification of Madai, filled the spaces between the structural ribs of the ceiling.  Gold and ruby decorated columns framed large oval windows with thin stone mullions; rays of sunlight casting sharp shadows down on the floor.

Around the perimeter of the room sat the High Scholars.  Thirty in total, sitting at matching desks.  A stone platform raised the desks a foot or so above the floor.  The front face of each desk was carved with the Maduin emblem of the Triumvirate.  The Scholars sat in high back chairs.  All these stations faced towards the center of the room — towards the speaker.

Nervously, Theo approached the central platform, each footstep echoed off the marble floor and around the chamber. He was surrounded by thirty of the world’s greatest minds.  Many of the High Scholars were native Maduins, but about a third were men and women who migrated across Thera, solely to study at the university.  This diversity helped bring new ideas to the campus.  High Scholar Sara, a plump old woman, brought with her a wealth of knowledge regarding Breckan culture, and High Scholar Elwood, a grizzled old man, grew up in the streets of Byron, one of the oldest cities in Thera.  Theo caught a glimpse of one of the younger High Scholars, Roland Ascario.  The man’s bright silver hair marked him as someone who had traveled all the way from Asrea in Northern Thera.  Just being in the presence of people such as these got Theo’s heart racing.

“Welcome, Theo.  It’s been a while since you were here last.”  Theo turned towards the voice. 

High Scholar Luke, a tall thin man well past his sixtieth year, gave him a warm smile.  A thin white beard did little to hide the loose wrinkles covering the man’s face, and his eyes didn’t seem as bright as they once were, a sign of his penance from a life of casting.  He adjusted himself slowly in his chair, leaning forward to better inspect Theo.  Though the man’s body was weakening, his soul and presence were as strong as ever.  “If I recall correctly, you were here approximately one year and two months ago.”

Theo simply nodded in agreement.  It had been exactly that long since he was invited for his final interview.  Every student was required to undergo the last exam as some called it, before they could graduate.  It was during that visit when the High Scholars offered him the position at the library.  High Scholar Luke had been instrumental in getting Theo that opportunity.  He was the head of the History department at the university, and as such they had worked together often in Theo’s final two years as a student.

“During that meeting, we acknowledged the skills you possess to become a vital asset to our University by offering a full-time position to you.  Not only have you succeeded in this new position, but in less than a year, you earned the responsibility to lead the documentation of the Kyrenian War, a monumental task to say the least.  And if I may add, it is my opinion that you have been doing a tremendous job tackling this new challenge.”

Theo was taken aback.  After being assigned to cover the war, he hadn’t heard from any of the history staff.  It was reassuring to finally hear that his work was being appreciated, and by High Scholar Luke.  He fought back a grin as he replied, “Thank you, your words are too kind.”

“But kind words are not the reason we summoned you, Theo Telus.”  He turned back around. 

High Scholar Morden sat upright with his arms folded on the desk, always a man to get straight to the point.  He had a reputation around campus as being curt, but Theo had the utmost respect for the scholar.  His short dark brown hair and olive complexion gave him away as a native Maduin, and in truth he was born and raised in the capital.  Morden spent much of his early career in the city as an ambassador to Consul Voris.  But once Voris backed out of his position to remain neutral, Morden left the city and relocated to Aldia as a professor of politics, quickly rising to the position of High Scholar.

“As you know, the Body of Madai has chosen our next member of the Triumvirate, Hector Arturis.  As you were not yet a student during the previous election, you may not be aware that it is customary for the University to send a gift to the new consul.  This gift, more of a gesture of good will, is delivered to Madeen by a chosen representative of the University, usually one of the High Scholars.”

They couldn’t possibly be suggesting . . .

“This year we would like you to represent us in Madeen,” High Scholar Luke said, finishing his thought.  As he turned around to face his former professor, he saw the other scholars nodding in agreement. 

Theo’s mind raced as he tried to process the request.  He had never heard of this tradition.  Though, why would they bother making it well known if it only happened every ten years?  More importantly, why was he chosen over anyone else on campus?  Even disregarding the High Scholars, surely, there must be more qualified candidates.

“Why me?” he blurted out without realizing it.  Looking around the chamber, some of the scholars were taken aback.  Carefully thinking through his words this time, he continued.  “My apologies.  I mean . . . I am deeply honored, but if this task is typically carried out by a High Scholar, why present this opportunity to me?  I am merely a scribe at the library.”

High Scholar Roland responded, “There are many reasons why we reached this decision, but ultimately it came down to the potential we see in you.  You have the skillset and tenacity to become one of Aldia’s greatest minds, but your studies are lacking in one key area: firsthand knowledge of the world.  A trip to Madeen to meet one of the nation’s leaders will be a worthwhile experience for you.  Take it from me, you can spend your whole life researching the world, but unless you witness it yourself, you will never truly understand it.”

The other scholars murmured words in agreement. 

Morden added his thoughts as well.  “There is also the matter of the war.  During your travels, you will continue to document the conflict, utilizing what knowledge you can gather from the traders in Madeen.  Gaining a new perspective from the people and traveling through the city will broaden your view of the war.”

A hundred different emotions rushed through Theo: confusion, pride, hesitation, and pure honest excitement from the prospect of finally seeing Madeen with his own eyes.  He needed to take a moment to compose himself before he accidentally offended the Scholars again.  Already in his mind, he had accepted this request.  How could he refuse such an offer?  After all, it was a dream of his to travel the world.  There was only one question left to ask.  “When do I leave?”

Luke chuckled, “Never one known for much hesitation.  We assumed you would agree and have already been preparing for your trip.”

“So, I’ll leave immediately?”

“No, we had to wait for the official election results before making the final preparations,” Morden said quickly.  “You will meet us at the city’s south gate at the eighth hour in one week.  That should ensure you arrive before Hector officially takes office at the end of the month.  Your appointment with him will occur before, and you will remain in the city afterward to witness his inauguration as consul.  That should allow for a few days to gather information in the city during your spare time.  All in all, we are expecting you to be gone for about a month, and in your absence, Abram will continue to document reports as they arrive.  Any questions?”

“No, sir.”

“Then, you are free to leave and start your preparations.  See you in a week.”

“Thank you, High Scholar Morden, and thank you to everyone else.  It is an honor to be gifted such an opportunity.”  He bowed and turned to exit the chamber.  As soon as he entered the passage, Theo finally let himself grin.  Never in his wildest dreams had he expected to be given the responsibility typically held by a High Scholar.  “Potential to become one of the greatest minds in Aldia.”  Did Roland really say that?  He would have to be careful not to let those words get to his head.  After all, he was still just a scribe at the library.

Theo barely noticed any of the clerks as he made his way out of the building.  Already, he began to plan what to bring with him.  He had never traveled this long before.  How much is too much to bring?  Perhaps Abram would have some suggestions.  Abram!  That’s right, I must tell him!

Theo exited the main doors of the study and emerged back out into the quad.  Trotting down the stairs, he strode back towards the library.  Crowds still celebrated, gathering underneath tents and enjoying the wine.  Maybe later he would consider joining them.  After all, this was a fine day to celebrate.

*           *           *

Finished packing his travel pack, Theo sat down on the edge of his bed with a heavy sigh.  He was almost done preparing for his departure.  Today was the day he was to meet the High Scholars at the south gate.  Looking around the room, it was hard to believe that he had been living in this apartment for as long as he had.  Five long years stuck in these two small rooms he called home.  Honestly though, campus felt more like home than this place.

It was a cheap second floor apartment in Oldtown, the historical district of the city.  This part of Aldia predated the founding of the university and was the only district that retained the city’s original character.  Some of these structures were nearly eight hundred years old and were some of the oldest things he had ever seen.  The buildings were no more than a few stories tall, constructed with wood beams and plaster.  Obvious signs of repairs and renovations could be spotted throughout the buildings.  The upper floors, formally large living spaces, were now subdivided into small one- or two-room dwellings.  Theo felt fortunate enough that his apartment had a private bath, opposed to the community baths in other complexes.  But other than that privilege, there wasn’t much to his home — just a bedroom with a bed, a small work desk, and a few shelves.  To him, the place was only good for storing his belongings and sleeping.

Theo pulled out his silver timepiece and realized he had no time for rest, he was supposed to be at the south gate in a half hour.  With another sigh, Theo slipped the timepiece back into his pocket and crossed the room.  One item remained to be packed.  A rather plain red leather-bound book lay on the desk.  Picking it up, he unwound a thin cord that held the book shut and opened the cover.  He grinned as he thumbed through the pages.  All were blank.

Theo had purchased the journal a few days ago specifically for this trip.  Just thinking about what he would be documenting in those pages gave him goosebumps.  Closing the book, he tucked it away into a cloth satchel.  That satchel would be attached to him for the full duration of the journey in case he ever needed to take notes.  He grabbed his other travel bag and slung it across his back.  With a final check, Theo left his apartment, stepped downstairs, and exited onto the street.

The early sun barely crept over the rooftops, leaving the street in shadow.  Hardly anyone was out walking yet.  The local shops were just beginning to prepare for the day.  The sound of a blacksmith’s hammer echoed off the tightly spaced buildings, and scents from the baker two buildings down filled his nostrils.

Even though Theo disliked his apartment, he could always appreciate walking through Oldtown.  Each structure was painted in a bright color to distinguish itself from its neighbors.  Cloth canopies jutted from the lower levels, each as colorful as the buildings they were attached to.  Although the roofs in the district were originally thatched, most had since been reclad with clay tile to better tie-in with the newer parts of the city.

As Theo continued towards the south gate, the streets transitioned from the colorful walls of Oldtown to the stark white of the newer buildings.  Dirt roads made way to paved stone streets.  Streets once dim, were now lined with oil lamps still burning from the night before.  Soon, he reached the main road that led towards the city gate.  Merchant carts and other travelers on horseback scattered the street now that the city was waking.  After rounding a bend in the road, the gate itself came into view.  Built into the stone city wall, the gate did not appear to be much of a gate, but more like a pair of large wooden doors that were always left open.  The wall itself wasn’t that tall, maybe twenty feet in height at most.  In reality, the wall only alluded to the idea of protection.  If the city were ever attacked, the fortifications around it would easily fall, as was the case with most places in Thera.  Only large cities had real fortifications of any worth, as it was not until the current war that there was a need for them.

Theo could see High Scholars Luke, Morden, and Roland whose silver hair shone in the morning light.  They were talking with a man seated upon a horse-drawn wagon.  Behind the man’s seat, wooden crates filled the main bed of the cart.  They cut their conversation short as soon as Theo approached.

Luke greeted him.  “I hope you are adequately prepared?” 

“Yes, sir!”

“Good, good, we wouldn’t expect anything less.  I’ll let Morden explain things from here.”

Morden eyed Luke, then turned his gaze back toward Theo.  “Very well.  Theo, this is Armoth, a local trader who works closely with the iron mines in the mountains,” he gestured to the man on the wagon.  Theo looked up at the grizzled merchant.  His face was hard and weathered and he reached down to shake Theo’s hand.  The man’s hand was rough with callouses.  If Theo didn’t know better, he would have assumed this man worked the mines himself.

“We have paid Armoth to allow you to ride on his wagon as he delivers this supply of iron over to Delmyra.  From there you will part ways and pay for passage upriver to the capital.  There should be plenty of merchants heading upstream for the inauguration so finding a ship won’t be hard.  When you reach Madeen, you’ll find that we have arranged lodging for you at The Honorable Merchant, an inn in the business district that we have used in the past.  The staff there should have arranged your meeting with the consul, so expect to hear from them about the exact date and time of your appointment.”

Morden reached down to his side to grab a pouch and handed it to Theo.  “Here, this should be more than enough for you on your travels for passage and lodging.”

Theo took the bag and peaked inside to see a considerable amount of silver stems and a few gold blooms.  All this just for the trip?  He closed the pouch and tied it to his belt next to his personal money bag.

“Now onto the real purpose of this trip.  Roland?”  Morden gestured towards the other scholar. 

Roland reached inside his own pack and revealed a large book.  “This is the gift you will present to Hector,” he said, handing it to Theo.

“This book comes from my homeland of Northern Thera.  With passage in and out of the North halted, I believe some knowledge of the North will be of aid to Hector.  Perhaps one day the ferries might finally return from Celeste.  This volume is an anthology of my people’s culture and history, created by the greatest minds found in the northern nations.  I myself have written a few passages in those pages.”  Pride filled Roland’s voice as he spoke.

“Inside the first page, you will find a letter,” Morden added, “That is the speech we have written for you when you meet with Hector.  You don’t have to recite it to him verbatim, but we expect you to honor the content we wish to present to our new consul.”

Theo opened the book to verify the letter, before closing it and tucking it away next to the journal in his satchel.

“With that, I believe you are ready to depart.  We wish you the best of luck.  Represent us well, Theo.”  Morden reached out and firmly shook his hand.

Luke rested a hand on his shoulder and stared at him, foggy eyes meeting his.  “I urge you to make the most out of this trip, Theo.  Absorb every ounce of knowledge you can from the people you meet and the places you see.  The world is vast and vivid.  It cannot be portrayed in words alone.  Go out and see history unfold for yourself my friend, firsthand.”

Theo smiled and nodded.  “Thank you.  And thank you all for making this possible.  I will represent the university to the best of my abilities.”

He turned and threw his bag onto the wagon next to Armoth.  The trader helped him up onto the rider’s bench, and soon they were moving.  Once situated he turned to look back towards the High Scholars, who gave him one final wave before turning back towards campus.  Theo looked back at the city as they traveled down the road.  The city, his home, began to shrink in view, eventually blending into the backdrop of trees and mountains.

“This your first time leaving or something?” 

The trader’s deep voice startled him.  He quickly turned back around on the bench.  Armoth never took his eyes off the road ahead.

Theo was unsure what to think of the man, but he thought it would be better if he tried to get to know him, as they would be spending a considerable amount of time together.  With one last look back he responded, “No, but this will be the farthest I’ve traveled.  Have you ever been to Madeen?”

“No.”  The man’s response was quick.  “I deliver my iron down to Delmyra.  That’s far enough for me.”

“Oh . . .”

Maybe he would take getting to know Armoth slowly.  That was fine by him.  Traveling in silence for a while sounded nice for the moment.  He reached into his satchel and pulled out Roland’s book.  Its title, Northern Thera: The Complete Works, was written out in large print across the cover.  Complete was a good description for it as the book was quite hefty, almost two thousand pages long.  Surely, Hector won’t mind if I use this as reading material for the journey.  He opened the first page, tucked away the prepared speech, and started reading.  The creaks and turns of the cart soon drifted away as he delved into stories from the North.