The Melaki Chronicle Read Online Free PDF

hill overlooking the arena. “But I want this finished.
When I am done, I want to leave here and never return. Did not headmistress say
if I failed to finish all the wards, my end was sacrifice?”
    Daska frowned, but he nodded. A wizard of any ward had the
right to travel where he pleased unless in the direct employ of the Imperium.
Melaki could have walked away as soon as he acquired his robe, but he needed
finality to his time here at the Rukha.
    At the peak of the hill, the Elets, Renta's assistant
Sam-Adad, and several of the Scribe Instructors formed a large circle. Melaki
was in the center.
    Daska smiled with pride at his student. “Wizard Melaki, you
are commanded to summon a creature.”
    A breeze blew the humid air through Melaki's hair. The
feeling was soothing and for a second he relaxed in the feel of the air on his
face. The ocean breeze was salty though he knew he could not see the beach from
here. He wanted to lay down on the sand and rest. He wanted to let the breeze
blow over him. He looked skyward at the roiling waters high in the sky - so
high that the undulations of the water barrier appeared like a silken cloth in
the breeze. But suddenly, something ominous clouded his thoughts. Something
about the water barrier.
    Looking down, he noted with alarm that the Elets were still
waiting. He did not know how much time had passed. Quickly, he formed a pattern
for a snake. Snakes were popular amongst the fifth ward pupils. With an effort
at duplication, he formed several patterns. He raised his hands to the sky in
an effort to maintain the patterns as individual and separate formations. His
arms quaked and his knees wobbled. It would have to be enough. With a shout, he
brought down his hands and stumbled to the ground.
    Before him, the dirt of the hill was stirring with an anger.
In an explosion of dust, asps sprung forth all around him facing outward. The
cacophony of hissing was met by alarmed shouts as the observers all began
casting spells to counter the asps. There must have been at least two dozen
spitting snakes. Within seconds, they were gone.
    Alarm was replaced with exclamations and praise. Abisin was
shaking his head but he was smiling in admiration.
    Melaki did not have time to enjoy the success. His vision
swam in a familiar way. He began to get a flat taste in his mouth. His ears
began ringing. A vision was coming.
    Not now!
    Panic overwhelmed him and he felt the blood drain from his
skin. He was so close - only two tests remained. He tried to stop the vision,
but it kept coming. A vision could take as little as a few seconds or last as
long as several hours. He could not afford to have a vision at this moment. But
it was coming and fast.
    In desperation, he turned to Elet Abisin. He spoke as fast
as he could. "I will finish the last two tests in one."
    It was not form for the initiate to make demands. Traditions
were held and change frowned upon. But was he not a wizard now?
    He did not have time to listen to the rejections. He did not
have time to argue or convince. The vision was almost upon him and he could
tell it was going to be bad. His knees were buckling and his body shook with
the effort of standing. A sob broke from his mouth as he turned to Abisin.
Quickly, he spun a knot and hovered it over the Elet's head.
    The Elet knew he was a target. He drew in breath but Melaki
shot his finger out to point at Abisin. “Trust me!”
    Using his other hand, he sketched a pattern. A wind rose,
calm at first. Melaki poured everything he had into it except enough to
maintain the pattern over Abisin's head. This had to work. His strength drained
from him with a speed that meant he had only seconds and no more. He pulled
heavily on the weather pattern and fell with the motion to his knees. The
vision was upon him.
    The wind grew to a roar, or so Melaki thought. It was hollow
and distant in his ears. Did he still control it? Would he pass this test? He
remembered Abisin. He yelled as loud as he could,