Kanick woke to the insistent and unpleasant clack, clack, clack of the time candle. The bed was comfortable, and the rest had been sorely needed he realised as his dark thoughts from the night before had seemingly been vanquished... or at least now resided in some other part of his mind. He was still worried about Bera's condition, remembering Xixi's words He might lose his life, but no one had roused him in the night to tell him that his apprentice had died, which he took as a good sign.

Still, as he pulled on his robes and gloves in preparation for his breakfast with the Lord of Dorran he thought about how he would much rather be visiting Bera in the infirmary. He decided to visit immediately after breakfast, and he hoped to track down Xixi to get a better idea of the prognosis.

Breakfast was served in the upper hall, on the second floor. Rich tapestries, depicting the Red Star of Aaton, the five pointed crown silhouette of the Union and the bloodied spear of Dorran, hung from the ceiling between high windows, letting in the bright light of the morning. The room itself was dominated by a finely crafted long table piled high with bowls and plates of food.

There was an old fat man sat at the head of the table who leapt up eagerly when Kanick entered. "Ah, Master Kanick, please take a seat!" He pulled out a highbacked chair next to him and motioned for the mage to sit. The others at the table were all looking around eagerly. Kanick sat at the lord's left hand and began to fill his plate with fruit and fresh baked bread.

"This, men," the assembled retainers were all men, "is Master Kanick of the Order of Mages," Lord Dorran introduced him with a grin. "A very distinguished guest. We're honoured to have you here, Master."

Everyone was looking expectantly. "Thank you, my lord, the honour is mine."

The lord gave a deep and booming laugh. "Oh no, Master Mage," he then addressed the table. "Since he is too modest, it falls to me to tell you all that Master Kanick here is responsible for ending the Palregon War!"

Kanick wished he knew a rune that could sink him through the floor. Instead he reminded himself to be courteous. "That is correct, my lord," he said, reaching for a chalice and the jug of wine.

"We are proud, in this city," Lord Dorran continued, "of having stood with our lawful King against that pretender, unlike those bastards in Nerrath. The Laws of Founding are clear, are they not, Master Kanick, that no Mage may sit the throne?"

"They are, my lord," Kanick said wearily. He didn't think the lord was one of them, but usually that law was quoted at Mages by those who hated the order, despite the Arch-Mage of the day having a heavy hand in drafting some of those laws. "Though it is also a longstanding rule to not interfere in the affairs of the government."

Dorran ignored him and continued talking.

"I was there in Sentinel Wood," he began. Some of the other attendees began eating their breakfast, making only the barest attempts to pretend to be listening. Listening to the Lord speak it was as though he was recounting a great battle, rather than the worst single magical disaster to have befallen the Union.

For Kanick's part, he could barely remember it. He had walked with Regius through the forest, carrying the plates and trying to keep the instructions in his head. He knew the spell's power, and he knew the chances of his survival were minimal. He saw the shadow of Palregon's host coming on the old road and joined the two tablets together. Any memories after that were strange and fragmented; a burning sky, screams and cheers. He had spent that year living his life in fragments, barely there.

By the time he was fully himself, Kanick had somehow absorbed an awareness of the situation. Palregon was gone, his main host dead and his other armies scattered. He knew his hands had been seriously injured in the spell and that Regius was gone. Behind the jubilation at the end of the war, the Union and the Order were quietly counting the dead from the blast. No one ever got a definitive number, but hundreds of thousands seemed plausible.

"It's just a shame Master Kanick here finished off Palregon before any of us could get stuck in!" Lord Dorran boasted, and Kanick knew it for the hollow fiction it was. Had Regius and he not been there to use the plates the army assembled by the Union would have been annihilated like all the others before it.

"Well, it was really my friend Regius that defeated Palregon, I merely swung the sword," replied Kanick hoping to draw a line under the topic. "Besides, many of his demons are still at large. My apprentice was nearly killed on the road."

Suddenly the Lord's face looked serious. "Yes, we have had a troop from Aaton pass through, you may have seen them. I doubt they'll do anything, though," Dorran slammed his fist on the table, startling everyone out of their daydreams. "Damnit, I've a mind to ride in there myse-" he finished the syallable with a gaseous burp. "Xixi counsels against it, mind."

"She is very wise, Lord," Kanick replied mildly. "But that reminds me, I have need of your Mages counsel also." Kanick made to stand.

"Of course, Master Kanick, but please, do not be a stranger in these halls."

"Thank you, my lord," Kanick stood, bowed and removed himself from the breakfast.

On the way down the stairs he almost collided with Xixi coming the other way. "Master Kanick!" She exclaimed, just as he apologised for almost knocking her over. "I came to find you, your apprentice is awake and asks after you."

"Thank you, your excellency... is that correct?" The order made a habit of drumming etiquette into all its students, though for him those lessons were long passed.

Xixi rolled her eyes, "Xixi is fine," she replied.

"Your healing abilities are impressive," Kanick offered by way of complement. "Without you..."

"Yes, had Dorran's court mage been a lesser healer your apprentice would certainly have died. But I thank you for the complement." They crossed back into the main hall. "I completed my apprenticeship with Master Kunan at the Eastern Temple."

"I've heard of him, truly gifted they say," Regius had gone to Zhura, before his exile, to learn from the great healer himself. They had both tried to make recompense in their own ways, Kanick supposed. Xixi nodded, leading the way down to the infirmary. "Why didn't you stay?"

Xixi shrugged. "I had spent my life in the order, and then again another four years as an apprentice. I could have gone on to be a healer anywhere in the Order but just being one thing didn't appeal to me. So, I moved to Aaton and was then offered the position as court mage to Lord Dorran."

Kanick thought the woman was taking a position way below her station, but then she was young, he told himself, and he wouldn't be surprised to see her as Court Mage to the King of Aaton one day.

"I will give you some time alone with your apprentice," Xixi said at the door to the infirmary. "If you need me I will be in my solar."

Kanick thanked her and entered the infirmary.

Bera was sat, propped up by pillows, reading a book. "Creatures of Power," Kanick read the spine as the apprentice closed the book. "Gods, that's old!"

"Xixi offered it to me, she saw that we had no books, and thought some of the demonology chapters might be of interest."

"Hm, perhaps," said Kanick, "but I'm afraid it's out of date. The demon that attacked up was no native spirit but rather a conjuring of Palregon's."

Bera smiled, weakly. "She said you would say that."

Kanick grinned back. "How are you feeling?"

"Good," Bera paused. "I can't feel the arm, but Xixi says that's because of one her spells." His eyes drooped and he yawned.

"You should rest," Kanick told him, looking down at Bera, pale and sweating in the bed. A spear tip of guilt jabbed him in the guts.

"Wait!" Bera said, sitting higher in the bed. "I wanted to know... that spell you used..."

"I'll teach you the marks," Kanick said, in what he hoped was a comforting tone. "I'm sorry to say I haven't been much of a mentor to you, Bera, but I promise that, as soon as you are well enough, we will begin your apprenticeship in earnest."

Bera nodded, "Thank you, Master." Bera leaned back against the pillows and closed his eyes, the book resting on his chest.

I owe it to you, Kanick thought silently.

As she promised, Kanick found Xixi in her Solar, the room at the end of the corridor in her quarters. It was a large, circular room, sunlight streaming in through high windows. Every available surface of wall was lined with tall bookshelves. A tall ladder on a rail lay against the bookshelf directly behind a huge desk, behind which Xixi sat.

"Thank you, for seeing to my apprentice," Kanick began, "and for the book." He looked down at the floor. "It reminded me of my duty," he admitted with shame.

Xixi smiled a half smile, a dimple appearing on her left cheek.

"I spoke to him about his apprenticeship during my examination this morning." She got up and sat on the front of the desk. "He seems happy, something about a recommendation from the Arch-Mage himself, and I asked him about his studies; he mentioned that you have no books!"

"Well, we were travelling light..."

"Kunan and I travelled to Polthoc once, when the Red Death broke out. Our ship was loaded with medical supplies, and then after that our cart was just as full. Even still, we had texts I was expected to study. Was it any different for you?"

"No," Kanick admitted, remembering his own apprenticeship. Even in the harsh Kana desert, on the hunt for a Revenant, Kanick had been forced to carry around, and study, a selection of spell books hand curated by Al-Sayyal.

"Anyway, I told Bera that just because he has a famous master doesn't mean he should accept a substandard education..." Now Xixi looked sheepish, even the muscles on her face looked awkward and Kanick thought it must be a seldom held expression. "He had no idea what I was talking about."

"He never asked, I've never mentioned it," Kanick replied, coolly. "I'm not as famous as you think. Few connect the Kanick from the story to the Kanick you see before you."

"Well, you have my apologies, if I overstepped."

Now it was Kanick's turn to wave her words away. Her interference had helped Kanick remember that Bera was his student, rather than a burden or, at best, travelling companion. He found himself feeling oddly grateful to her.

"Not at all." Kanick changed the subject. "I was wondering, however, when you think he might be ready to travel again?"

Xixi let out a breath of air. "Hmm," she started, thoughtfully. "Bera himself would be in the best position to say, though knowing young Battlemages-in-training he would probably say 'now.'" She shuffled on the desk. "I would prescribe bedrest for another few days, and then nothing too strenuous for a week afterwards." She shrugged her shoulders, "But he is young. No magic can compete with that, I think."

"I agree with that!" Kanick smiled and then frowned as he remembered their mission. They still had a month of hard riding before they reached Woodbend and the lay of the land was looking less and less safe.

"Troubled?" Xixi asked.

"I'm thinking of our mission from the Order," she raised an eyebrow quizzically. "We are bound for Woodbend to investigate the death of Regius Elath, a spellmake-"

She laughed derisively. "I know who Regius Elath is!"

"Well," Kanick said, regaining his thread, "he died in a fire, and I have been sent to investigate. The Arch-Mage is worried about the Son's of the Prince, or a similar group. I was dismissive, thinking of them as old mages and fading spells; remnants." Wincing at his own hubris, Kanick continued. "But with our attack on the road, and the Arch-Mages suspicions... I now wonder how safe the roads are?"

"The Sons are growing bolder." Xixi replied after a moment of thought. She moved back to the other side of her desk and produced a map, unrolling it across the surface of the desk. She held the corners in place using the detritus of what was to hand; an inkwell, a purse, a dagger and an engraved ring carrying a purple amethyst that she wrenched from a finger.

Kanick recognised the map as depicting the Kingdom of Aatonia. The Annine hills ran along the eastern edge, with the Hill Road snaking through. Woodbend lay at the North Western edge near the coast. Aaton, the Kingdom's capital, marked with a stylised drawing of a walled city, lay further south at the coast. The land was crisscrossed with spindly tracks and dotted by small towns and settlements. Kanick saw that some of them had red dots next to them.

"These," Xixi said, tapping one village about fifty leagues from Aaton, "are all villages where the Sons have been seen, or have attacked in the last year." She pulled out another piece paper with tallies and years. "I've been recording for three years, take a look."

Kanick leaned over the desk to examine the table she had drawn. "It's a fivefold increase in the past year!" He looked up at Xixi. "Has the High-King been told?" Kanick asked, referring to the head of the Union.

Xixi shook her head, "No," she replied. "King Edgus of Aaton is... difficult." Now it was Kanick's turn to raise an eyebrow. "He is new to the throne and the rumour is that he is mistrustful of the High-King. Apparently, he feels that High-King Delegon misled his father and allowed Aaton to bear brunt of the war..."

"And the Scar," Kanick finished for her with a sigh.

"And the Scar," she repeated with a shrug. "Anyway, he fears further integration with the Union if the High-King hears of the dire situation. The Chief of Nerrath is now appointed by the High-King, and Edgus fears that outcome."

"When did that happen?" Kanick asked, slightly shocked. The governance of the Union was a mystery to him, though he knew the principle that the Kingdoms maintained their own rulers, by their ancient traditions, who then sat upon a council with the High-King. Beyond that it was a mystery to him.

"About twenty years ago." Xixi looked at him, eyes widened with disbelief. "Delegon had the Clans elect his candidate. When that Chief died, he simply appointed the next. After the war, Nerrath was not to be trusted."

"Well, I assumed there would be extra garrisons or something like that, but... I never would have thought the High-King would just take direct rule of the Kingdom."

"This is why I had to leave the order!" Xixi declared, an edge of frustration creeping into her voice. "You don't pay attention to what is happening! Then, before you know what's happening, the King's magically gifted brother - who you trained and then let go - has created an army of monsters and is burning down half the country!" She raised her voice higher, "Only after a quarter of your order has joined him, and he's actually threatening to take the throne do you do anything about it!"

Kanick backed off his hands raised. "I'm sure the Arch-Mage is aware! I've... erm... preoccupied myself for the past twenty years. Teaching, mostly. I don't get out of the temple much." He could hear his own defensive tone. "Sooner or later, the High-King will hear of the Sons, you know this?"

"Of course, I know it!" Xixi hissed. Her voice softened by a shade of a degree. "But that's Kings for you, they do things and they just keep doing them because they don't know what else to do, which is why, when the problem is discovered, the High-King will appoint a new King in Aaton too."

"And the Order? Aaton has the West Temple," he pointed out.

There was real scorn in Xixi's laugh, "Ha! They have their own reasons for keeping The Sons a secret! Are you really that naïve?"

Kanick bristled inwardly but kept his thoughts to himself. He had really let affairs get away from him. Instead, he turned back to the map.

"So, the roads and towns are also not safe?" He studied the Scar more closely. There were far fewer dots than he expected. "Looks like the Scar might be safer," he said sceptically.

"We have less data there. I suspect that's where the Sons have based themselves, but no one, not even Lord Dorran, is actually going to ride out there and check." Kanick thought he saw her eyes roll. "But I wouldn't recommend riding through Aatonia without escort, especially not without shelter."

"Hmm, no attacks on the West Road," he noted.

"Not yet," Xixi conceded. "I suspect it's too well travelled. Except the Scar, but no one stops near there," she added with a glance at Kanick.

"Then the best way is by boat, I think. Half a week to Aaton, if the weather holds, then another week aboard a ship," he mused almost to himself. "I must think on this."

"Think away," Xixi replied but then added, "But I agree, that is the best route for you, however."