The Rondari Commonwealth: Record of Thaddeus Edurwood

  Chapter 1: The Interview

  The gods had forsaken him.

  They had devastated his family, then abandoned him.

  No, Thaddeus thought, staring into the hearth. His jaw clenched as he glared at the chaotic dance the flames were performing.

  No.

  They hadn’t forsaken him. That would have been better. A relief, even. Instead, they had taunted him without mercy – his very existence a constant reminder.

  A reminder of a dead brother. A dead son.

  They had taken his brother in such a horrifying way, it often haunted his dreams. Then, they saw fit to bestow upon him the very thing that had taken his brother’s life.

  “Fuck you,” he said, swiping his hand over the flames, watching as they disappeared from existence.

  It was while he was observing the smoking coals in the hearth that he heard someone enter.

  “Thaddeus. It’s time.”

  “Yes, Father,” he said in a soft tone, his gaze lingering on the coals for a moment longer.

  Taking a deep breath, he tore his eyes from the hearth and turned. There was a small smile on his father’s lips, but he couldn’t help noticing the look in his eyes. It was a look Thaddeus knew all too well. He saw it on his mother and eldest sister, even on himself when looking at his reflection.

  It was a haunted look. A look of pain and anguish.

  “Are you ready?”

  “Yes, Father,” he said as they both made their way to the large doors on the other side of the waiting room. Thaddeus hesitated as his hand grasped the ornate brass handle. What he was about to do…

  He was going to need to use the gift the gods had given him. The gift he hated so much. The gift that had killed his brother. He was filled with a familiar sense of disgust at the thought.

  “You can do it, Ted. I have faith in you. Your mother and sisters have faith in you,” his father said, putting a firm, reassuring hand on his shoulder. “You must also have faith in yourself.”

  Thaddeus remained silent for a moment, shaking his head.

  “How am I meant to have faith in myself when I can’t even bring myself to have faith in the gods?”

  With that, he pushed open the doors and entered, leaving his father behind. Making his way further into the large room, he heard the doors shut behind him. His head held low with a mix of various emotions swirling through his mind, he came to a stop at the center.

  “Welcome, prospect. Identify yourself,” a stern yet somehow welcoming voice sounded from above him.

  “Thaddeus Edurwood,” he replied.

  Looking up, he saw five people dressed in robes as red as blood sitting on a raised platform, the only difference being subtle embroidery indicating their rank. Two commanders and three captains - all their eyes looking down upon him.

  He didn’t know any of them on a personal level, but he knew of and recognized two of them. The man in the middle, the one who had asked his identity, was Commander Lennox. He was an older man, around the age Thaddeus’ grandparents would be if they were still alive – somewhere in his mid-sixties.

  Commander Lennox was a legend in the Commonwealth for his time in the Crown Army, and he has been the director of this academy since his retirement almost twenty years ago.

  The other person he recognized was the only woman, and the youngest of the five. Sitting to the Commander’s left was Captain Lara Sobeki, a pretty brunette woman in her mid-twenties. She wasn’t as legendary as the Commander across the Commonwealth, but her fame was rising. She was widely known for her prowess on the battlefield, especially here in the Northern Territory.

  Even though she had finished her mandatory service, she opted to continue fighting the enemies of the Commonwealth. The only reason she was here at the academy was because of an injury that pulled her from the front lines for the time being. News of her being a temporary instructor had spread throughout the Northern Territory so fast, Thaddeus would be surprised if even the most remote holdings didn’t know about it.

  Even though he didn’t know the other three, he couldn’t help feeling intimidated looking between them. Commander Lennox looked at him for what felt like a moment too long. It was as if he had been expecting Thaddeus to elaborate on who he was. When he didn’t, the man raised an eyebrow, but didn’t comment on it.

  “Thaddeus Edurwood,” the man said after another moment. “You are a boy of fourteen years, of noble birth. As such, you are obligated to attend the Provincial Academy in preparation for your service to the Commonwealth.”

  Obviously, Thaddeus thought. Why else would he be here? Instead of saying that out loud, though, he just offered a nod of understanding to the man.

  “The purpose of this meeting is to determine what course of study you will be placed into. However, your father informed us that you wished to be tested for the Lunar Development Course,” he said, a look of intrigue on his face.

  “Yes, Commander.”

  “Maybe you are unaware, Mr. Edurwood, but it is quite rare for a first-year trainee to be accepted into that program,” Captain Sobeki said.

  “I understand, Ser.”

  “Do you?” she asked with a raised brow. “There is a reason for this, Mr. Edurwood. To be accepted into Lunar Development, you must show great combat potential, both physical and magical. First and second-year trainees often don’t have the proper skill to be considered.”

  “Yes, Ser. My father informed me as much.”

  “And yet you would still be tested?” a man on the far left said with an almost mocking voice. “There is a difference, Mr. Edurwood, between confidence and arrogance.”

  “I agree, Ser,” Thaddeus said with a small nod. The same man grumbled, but refrained from saying anything else.

  “Very well, Mr. Edurwood. If you are able to impress us, we will request your entry into the Lunar Development Course. If not, you will be placed into one of the standard courses.”

  Thaddeus nodded, but remained silent, awaiting instructions.

  “Your swordsmanship has already been tested. While not incredible, we were told that your level of skill is well above the average for your age,” Commander Lennox said, a smile on his face.

  “With that said, you must truly impress us with your magical abilities if we are to advocate for your placement in Lunar Development. What branch of magic do you use?”

  “My father didn’t say anything, Ser?” he asked, feeling a bit surprised.

  “No. Your father was rather tight lipped about it,” Captain Sobeki said with some annoyance lacing her tone.

  Thaddeus had to hide a smirk. His father was a very private person, after all.

  “I can use some air magic, as well as a bit of water magic,” he began.

  “Two magics at just fourteen years?” one of them said, almost in disbelief.

  “While rather uncommon, it isn’t unheard of,” Commander Lennox said, looking to Thaddeus in curiosity. “I believe we have two current trainees who began their training already able to use two magics.”

  “While I can use them to some extent, I doubt I would be able to impress you with either of them.”

  “Then what is the point of this? If you cannot demonstrate a high enough proficiency, then we are wasting our time,” the man on the far left said, earning a glare from Captain Sobeki.

  “I will also be demonstrating my prime magic-” Thaddeus began, but was interrupted by laughter. Everyone looked to the man on the far left.

  “You expect us to believe you, a boy of fourteen years, has the ability to use prime magic?” the man laughed again.

  “This is ridiculous. I say again, this is a waste of time,” he said with a sneer.

  “Enough, Captain Coren,” Captain Sobeki said, once again glaring at the man. The now named Coren glared back, but kept his mouth shut.

  “Mr. Edurwood?” she asked, her tone becoming a bit softer.

  “My father told me that…” he hesitated, a grimace overtaking his features. Thinking of or using his prime magic always made him feel disgust. “He told me that my fire magic is prime.”

  Silence followed, not even Coren said anything as the five proctors stared at him.

  “If the Duke of Edurwood says so, then I’m inclined to believe it,” Commander Lennox said, now looking at Thaddeus with unhidden intrigue.

  Captain Sobeki gave a small nod of agreement, looking to Thaddues in question.

  “Are you saying, Mr. Edurwood, that not only are you able to use air and water magic, but fire as well?”

  “Yes, Ser,” he said, a tinge of embarrassment clear in his voice.

  “Liar,” seethed Coren.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  “Captain Coren!”

  “Commander Lennox, this is completely ridiculous!” Coren shouted. “You’re actually going to entertain this boy? There have only been a handful of tri-magic wielders his age in all of recorded history. Son of a great family or not, I don’t believe it. And to claim he wields prime magic…” he said, shaking his head.

  Up to this point Thaddeus already had a poor opinion of Coren. Now, he decided he really didn’t like this supposed instructor.

  The five at the table were quiet for a few moments, until Captain Sobeki turned to Coren, her glare as cold as the Northern wind itself.

  “Why would he lie?” she asked. “He knows he will need to demonstrate his abilities to us, so why lie?”

  Before Coren could say anything, Commander Lennox intervened.

  “Mr. Edurwood, in the interest of preventing further argument, would you be so kind as to show us?” he asked, his face now holding a serious look.

  Thaddeus nodded and took a few steps forward. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew two rounded stones, one almost white, and the other the color of a storm cloud ready to burst.

  Squeezing the two stones, he raised his other hand, lining it up with a cup in front of Coren. Then, with a distinct Whoosh, a burst of air hit the cup, knocking it over and spilling its contents. Certainly nothing impressive, if Coren’s outraged expression were anything to go by, but a demonstration of air magic, nonetheless.

  A moment later, he focused on the spilled water. Clenching his outstretched hand, the water began creeping back into the cup. Manipulating the water, Thaddeus was able to tip the cup back to a standing position, all the water back within as if nothing had ever happened. While still not particularly impressive, this demonstration of water magic required quite a bit more skill and concentration.

  Looking toward the five proctors, he saw all of them, except for Coren, had a look of surprise on their faces. But, Thaddeus knew surprise didn’t necessarily correlate to being impressed.

  “While your display of air magic was very basic, your water magic is quite something for someone your age. A significant feat for even fourth-year trainees, to be sure,” one of the men to Commander Lennox’ right said. “And while I may be impressed, I don’t believe it warrants being considered for the Lunar Development Course.”

  “I agree,” the man farthest right said, steepling his fingers together on the platform. “Like Captain Arin said, it is quite the achievement for someone your age. Manipulating water with such precision isn’t easy by any means. However, I don’t believe it’s enough,” he said with a small smile of apology.

  “Aye, Ser. I didn’t expect it to be.”

  “Mr. Edurwood,” Captain Sobeki interjected, a curious look on her face. “How long have you been able to use these magics?”

  “I was ten years old when I first used water magic,” Thaddeus answered. He knew it was nothing impressive, and he could see it on their expressions. It wasn’t early or late for a Wybrani, one of the chosen, to discover their magic – it was the most common age.

  “When I was twelve, I was trying to help one of my sisters figure out what her dominant magic would be. She can use air magic, and I found I was able to as well.”

  He had a small smile on his face, remembering how happy Emilia had been when she’d finally connected with her magic.

  “And your fire magic?” the woman asked.

  Thaddeus was quiet for a few moments, not sure what to say. Rather, he wasn’t sure he wanted to talk about how he came to know he could use fire magic. Unable to meet any of their eyes, he looked to the floor before taking a shallow breath.

  “I…” he hesitated, clenching his fists and taking another breath. “There was an accident…”

  He clamped his eyes shut. He didn’t want to think about it. He really didn’t want to think about this right now. It had been over two years at this point, but the pain was still so raw, as if it were only yesterday.

  As hard as he usually tried to keep himself composed, he knew all five of the proctors sat above him knew something was wrong. Thankfully, they didn’t ask him to continue his explanation. He’d be surprised if any of them didn’t know of the accident he was talking about.

  After what felt like a long silence, the woman asked in a gentle tone, “Can you show us?”

  Opening his eyes, he let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding in.

  “Of course,” he said in almost a whisper.

  The interview room, Thaddeus had noted upon his entry, was lined with torches. He would use these to demonstrate his fire magic. Putting the two stones back in his pocket, he took a deep breath, trying to hide the grimace on his face.

  With a smooth and deliberate wave of his hand, every torch in the room went out, leaving them in almost complete darkness. The proctor’s stunned expressions were only visible by the small amount of light coming through a window in the tall ceiling.

  He waited a few breaths before once again waving his hand, the flames returning to every torch at the same time.

  The proctors sat in silence for what felt like minutes before Coren spoke up.

  “A mere parlor trick. I told you this was-“

  “Coren,” Captain Sobeki ground out, not even trying to hide her annoyance. “Are you telling me that you, a tenth-grade Wybrani, can’t see how impressive that was? Or do you simply refuse to accept it?”

  Captain Sobeki and Coren glared at each other again. Thaddeus thought it was likely the two often butted heads. If this was how they were acting during a trainee’s placement interview, he wondered just how bad they were behind closed doors.

  “While it may seem a simple feat, it is far, far from it. The amount of control it takes to manipulate multiple targets is exponential. Mr. Edurwood just extinguished no less than a dozen individual flames in an instant, without the use of a foci,” the man on the far right said.

  “I hadn’t noticed he lacked a foci,” Captain Arin said, his eyebrows raising.

  “He then proceeded to relight them all in the next moment, again, without a foci. That amount of control is…”

  “Far beyond what many Wybrani will ever achieve in their lifetime,” Commander Lennox said, his expression now one of poorly concealed excitement.

  There was once again a silence as the proctors all glanced between themselves. Then, Captain Sobeki stood with a smile.

  “Mr. Edurwood, I believe you have our recommendation for the Lunar Development Course,” she said with a small bow.

  “Congratulations, Thaddeus Edurwood. Welcome to the Highfrost Provincial Academy.”

  …

  …

  …

  ……Huh?

  He wondered if they had really been that dazzled by his little light show. The use of his fire magic, his curse, once again bringing on a feeling of disgust. However, that feeling was being overwhelmed by a sense of confusion.

  Thaddeus stood below the five proctors, his eyes darting between Captain Sobeki and Commander Lennox.

  Why were they congratulating him?

  Why had they welcomed him into the academy already? Why had they said he had their recommendation?

  Surely, they needed to see more than what he’d shown them. To test him further before recommending him for a course as esteemed and demanding as Lunar Development.

  What he’d done with the torches, while more dramatic than his display with the cup and water, required far less effort. Far less focus and power. Maybe even as little as his demonstration of air magic – which is to say, almost none.

  It had just been a way to gain their attention – to spark their interest. It wasn’t meant to win them over. How could his first demonstration be enough?

  Beyond that, he hadn’t even been standing in front of them for ten minutes. They couldn’t be done asking questions, could they? His father had told him these interviews sometimes took hours, not minutes.

  “Excuse me, Sers,” he began, the confusion evident in his tone. “I feel I may have missed something. Why are you congratulating me? Don’t we need to finish the interview?”

  All the proctors stared at him for a moment, with the exception of Coren who opted instead for an annoyed glare.

  “Mr. Edurwood,” Captain Sobeki began as she retook her seat. “You wished to be placed in the Lunar Development Course, yes?”

  “Yes, Ser. That was what I’d hoped for.”

  She didn’t say anything for a few seconds as she just stared at him, her eyes critical, yet soft.

  “With what you showed us you are capable of, you are qualified to enter the academy under that course. Even as a first year.”

  “More than qualified,” the man on the far right said, a calculating glint in his eye.

  “Forgive me, Sers. I don’t understand,” Thaddeus said, shaking his head. “We didn’t even really begin the interview.”

  Hadn’t they impressed upon him how difficult it was to get into Lunar Development? How skilled a trainee needed to be just for consideration?

  Again, he found himself thinking his demonstration wasn’t enough. That he should be showing them more than, as Coren had put it, a parlor trick.

  Captain Sobeki let out a small chuckle before saying, “Mr. Edurwood. In your case, your demonstration was the interview.”

  They must have noticed how lost he felt, as Commander Lennox elaborated.

  “The interview process is merely a way to determine what course a prospective trainee would be taught under during their time at the academy.”

  “There are many courses at the academy. Because of this, it often takes time to determine where prospective trainees should be placed,” Captain Arin said. “This interview is our way to ask the questions necessary to decide what path a trainee would do well in.”

  “With your outstanding control of magic, alongside your above average swordsmanship, you could thrive in any of the combat focused courses,” Commander Lennox stated.

  “Given your upbringing as a child of a great house, you’ve been taught since a young age of strategy, logistics, and much more. As such, you would likely do well in any of the more support-oriented courses as well,” Captain Arin said.

  “But, the course you would excel in the most is Lunar Development. Considering that is the course you were interested in, there isn’t reason to continue the interview at this point.”

  “Just like that?” Thaddeus said, shaking his head.

  “Not quite,” Captain Sobeki said. “You’re only getting our recommendation. You’ll have to prove to the head of Lunar Development that you belong in their course.”

  “Still…” Thaddeus said, shaking his head.

  “Mr. Edurwood, I don’t believe you truly understand just how impressive your control of fire magic is,” she began with a look of amusement. “The Commander is correct. The level of control you have, many Wybrani will never achieve. Your fire magic is something special, Thaddeus Edurwood. Develop it. Hone it, and you may be surprised where it takes you.”

  Thaddeus could only nod as he turned his head to the side. With any luck, none of them had seen the scowl he knew was now marring his features. He could only hope they thought he was embarrassed by the praise.

  But he was still confused. Were they really that impressed, or were they just being nice because of who his father was?

  He didn’t think much of his abilities, especially his fire magic. However, even he had to grudgingly admit using fire magic felt natural for him, almost as innate as breathing.

  Looking back to the proctors, he saw a look on the Captain Sobeki’s face, causing him to cringe. She must have seen his expression.

  Clearing her throat, she said, “Mr. Edurwood, if you wish to discuss this further, we can do so at a later time. For now, please head to the waiting room. We must speak to your father about your attendance here at the Highfrost Provincial Academy.”

  Thaddeus wanted to argue. He wanted to ask more questions, not able to wrap his head around this turn of events. But he understood a dismissal when he heard one. Looking to the proctors seated above him, he swallowed his protests. Giving a respectful bow, he turned and left the interview room.

  Entering the waiting room, he saw his father stand with a half surprised, half confused expression.

  “Thaddeus?”

  “They wish to speak with you, Father,” he said, his tone odd even to his own ears.

  “What happened?”

  Thaddeus let out a small snort of annoyance and shook his head. “I’m not entirely sure. All I know is that I’ve been accepted.”

  “Ted, what happened?” his father asked in a gentler tone, concern clear in his voice.

  Thaddeus took a seat in one of the plush chairs by the still smoking hearth and let out a sigh.

  “You told them I was interested in the Lunar Development Course, so they basically had me go straight into a demonstration,” he said. In hindsight, they had probably just wanted to get it over with so they could continue the interview as normal.

  “I showed them my air and water magic. Then, when I showed them my fire magic, they ended the interview and said I was accepted, and they would recommend me for the course.”

  “Ah, I was worried for a moment, but that makes sense, I suppose,” his father said with a nod as he relaxed.

  “How does that make sense,” Thaddeus asked, annoyed. “I was hoping for Lunar Development, but I never thought I’d actually get a recommendation this soon. Maybe in my third year if I was lucky. But I’m fourteen, Father, with no real magical training.”

  His father smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. “I told you before, Ted. You’re fire magic is extraordinary.”

  “You were just being nice. You’re my father.”

  His father laughed at that. A full laugh, which was a surprise. While his father wasn’t the most serious noble out there, he didn’t laugh very often. Especially after…

  Thaddeus shook his head, trying to remove the memory before it could take hold.

  “Ted. I’m being nice when I compliment your marksmanship,” he said with another laugh.

  Thaddeus turned a bit red and ducked his head in embarrassment. While he wasn’t a terrible archer, he was by no means a great marksman. In fact, Emilia, who was two years younger than him, was far more accurate.

  Even still, his father never failed to compliment and encourage him after practice at the range.

  “Your fire magic, though, is something truly incredible.”

  With one more pat to the shoulder, his father left the room to speak with the proctors, leaving Thaddeus on his own.

  Was he really that good with his fire magic?

  The proctors seemed to think so. With one exception, of course.

  As he sat there thinking on it, he once again stared into the smoking coals in the hearth, wondering how the gods could be so cruel.

  With a wave of his hand, the hearth came back to life, the light of the flames flickering over his face.

  Gritting his teeth and closing his eyes, he cursed the gods for what must have been the thousandth time since his brother’s death. Not only had they given him the same gift that had taken Elias. Not only had they made it a prime magic, but they had apparently made him a prodigy at it.

  “Fuck you.”