rince Topyrus, Master in Training

    "Yeah? Show me, Topyrus." Frankin stood in the center of the room, arms crossed. He waited with that smirky "knows more" expression for Topyrus to throw the spell backward again. When Topyrus felt the thought hit, he lost focus and was sure Frankin would be right. The others from chemics class began drifting out. The few waiting to see the battle scattered when Master Telfrombry was spotted heading their way. The boys were absorbed in their stare-down when Telfrombry found them. Reluctantly, Topyrus turned. The glint of victory in Frankin's dark eyes burned through his composure.

    Telfrombry needed no golden ornaments, flowing robes or fussy attendants to proclaim his sovereignty of the keep. The Challenge forgotten, Frankin's eyes widened as finding himself in the company of the legendary white-haired master.

    Dropping his arms, the lanky boy started for the door. "Remember to bring it," he said as he bolted past Topyrus to bow respectfully before Telfrombry. "Master," he breathed almost too softly to hear.

Telfrombry narrowed his steely gaze on the boy, his eyebrows, great white wings soaring above the sharp inspection. Frankin stood motionless, hypnotized prey, locked in a long airless moment while the master studied his aura. Finally, Telfrombry spoke in a low warning tone. "Dismissed."
    Frankin gulped and ducked around and out the door. Once Frankin was clear of the door, Telfrombry asked, "Remember what?"

    Topyrus frowned, crunching his face, a look much like his grandfather had just used. "We're working in the fort. It's kinda dark, so I said to do a light spell. But Frankin says to get a lightmaker."

    Telfrombry waited for a moment. When it was apparent that Topyrus has reached the end, he asked, "Do you have a problem with bringing a lightmaker?"

    "No. It's just a bunch of chemicals though. I say we should use the power. But Frankin thinks he's going to tell us what to do."

    "Frankin can't tell you what to do?"

    "It's my fort and my family's keep! They should do what I say!"

    "Why are you expected to bring the lightmaker?"

    "I'm the only one who learned to make it. They haven't learned to throw glow spells either!"

    "And you've perfected your glow spell?"

    "Well," pausing. "If I don't practice, how can I?"

    Telfrombry motioned to a chair at a table. "Sit down, Topyrus." Sitting across from the smallish boy, he asked, "Do you remember the history lesson from yesterday?"

    Topyrus blinked, calculating through the hours since the last lesson with his royal tutor. After a time he said slowly, "It was about Rylou Leyi-Sarjon, who ruled Demia in the par Raphot time."

    "Yes, your great, great, granduncle." His grandfather nodded. A barely perceptible smile gave a shade of approval. Topyrus spotted it immediately.

    "And, what was Ramlin Rylou Leyi-Sarjon known for most?" asked Telfrombry while stroking his white goatee.

    Topyrus pursed his lips a moment. "Diplomacy?" he asked, dredging the memory from so many hours before.

    "Yes! In fact the Ramlins of Demia are known for their skill in diplomacy."

    Topyrus seemed to consider this while thoughtfully twirling his braid of find white hair. The path of thoughts that were trying to unravel what he had learned yesterday (to define the concept of diplomacy) were suddenly scattered. A foreign voice in his head reminding about the time he was to meet Frankin with the light maker broke his concentration.

    Shut up Frankin! he thought back to his friend. But the swirl of colors showing his thoughts and, not to mention, the blank expression that had occurred when Frankin burst in, told Telfrombry the boy had forgotten what diplomacy was.

    "You'll recall that through using his skills of diplomacy, Ramlin Rylou was able to bring the people of Demia together to work with him, to create a country of beauty and peace."

    Topyrus twirled his braid, gray eyes round.

    Behind the master, the hands on the clock on the shelf began to shift ahead, stopping five minutes before the next class hour.

    "By being sensitive to what the others need and want, you can make agreements for the way you want things to be. You must know how to negotiate. Your diplomatic skills should be as well mastered as your glow spells."

    Topyrus winced at the memory of his last glow spell attempt.

    Leaning forward, his eyes steady on the master's face, Topyrus asked, "Grandpa, do you truly believe that I will need to know all these royal lessons? I plan to be a master and a warrior. Mama was disinherited. Since she chose Papa over her throne, I have no claim. And I want none. As a Color Master, Demia would never consider me.

    Telfrombry leaned back. "True, but you are the son of royalty. Your mother is obligated to train you as a prince of Demia. And, we never know the future in politics. You may need all of your training, no matter which career you have."

    "But I still don't see why I have to learn diplomacy. I have the power to create anything I want."

    "And still you must be trained to use that power. You will learn, there are times when diplomacy is as powerful any of the master skills."

    Topyrus shook his head. He could not learn diplomacy today it seemed. The hour chimed.

    The master turned to the clock. "It seems like we just started." Shrugging, Topyrus jumped from his chair. Remembering his manners, he straightened and nodded respectfully.

    "Until tomorrow, Sir." Turning sharply he strode regally from the classroom.

    Telfrombry, shook his head as his grandson escaped another lesson.

    Telfrombry's keep spread under the towering primal forest near the jagged volcanic coast. The Master's keep encircled the channel that broke through a rupture in the therasphere.

    The Master had made his home beneath the shimmering incandescence. Here he brought his wife, the Melian Rashia, and raised his sons, Llymus and Zardon. Llymus had moved on to continue his studies in the color mastery. Zardon had chosen a life as a mercenary warrior. After rescuing Demia from destruction and claiming the Demian heir, Princess Rema, as payment Zardon brought his princess home to Telfrombry's keep. Here Rema could study the color mastery as she had dreamed.

    Even as Topyrus lie in his bassinet. it was obvious to the masters in his family that he could see the spikes of colorful thera energy attracted to all living things. The interaction of thera energy with living energy caused an aura of colors that a trained reader could use to sense feelings and even thoughts. Before he could walk, Topyrus would mimic the apprentices as they practiced their skills.

    Telfrombry had attained the level of White in the Mastery of Color. He alone in the known world held the highest position of knowledge of the Colors. Raised in the glow of the power channel, possessing the lineage of the Meliani, and a white Master, his gifts apparent at birth, Topyrus it was assumed, would some day surpass his grandfather's abilities.

#

    Some part of every day the rain fell on Telfrombry's keep. During the winter, the forest held a deeper shadow under the dark rain swollen sky. Dressed for the cold in heavy zocca woolens and leather, Topyrus puffed little fog breaths as he trotted down the trail. He pictured himself the cagey hunter as he stalked through the forest, careful to move soundlessly. He noticed the sign of the small rodent, backnoo, the large cat-link humack, and the giant watcher, who guarded the keep borders for Telfrombry.

    The fort the boys had claimed sat at the edge of a hill side carved by a long ago flood. Topyrus and his friends, apprentices or, like Frankin, the sons of his father's officers, had recently declared the cave, formed under the roots and fallen trees, their headquarters.

    He heard Frankin's thoughts before he saw his best friend.

    "Topyrus, it's time!"

    Shut up Frankin! I'm here, he thought back.

    Frankin emerged from the shadows outside the cave. He stood taller and lankier than Topyrus, his dark chestnut hair cropped and tousled. His large dark eyes, creamy complexion with a soft blush, gave Frankin an advantage at the keep he fully exploited. Eyes sharp with mischief, he nodded a warrior-like greeting.

    "What did the master say?"

    "About what?" asked Topyrus.

    "Me. Was he angry?" Few things worried Frankin more than the White Master's regard.

    "No, he just checked your colors. They were fine, a little too dense," Topyrus teased.

    Tilting his head, Franking rolled his eyes at the jab. "I've been looking at the entrance. If we did away some of that section there," he said, pointing, "we'll be able to defend the right flank better."

    "I thought we were going to dig the storage room. That's why you wanted the lightmaker," Topyrus answered, going into the cave.

    The cave ceiling brushed at the top of Topyrus' head. Since the boys had claimed it, its previous tenant had vacated. They walked twenty paces or so to the back. A depression in the side close to the back wall would be the stores area, when it was dug out.

    "Here." Topyrus pulled out the small vial of chemicals, rubbing it between his hands, heating it up. It began to shimmer, then glow. He held it out to Frankin.

    "I think we need to do the sentry post first. That's a better tactical plan," Frankin said.

    "This will only take a minute."

    "No, that's not good strategy," Frankin argued.

    "It was, yesterday. Why do you get to change the plan?"

    "Cause I'm better at strategy."

    "The lightmaker and the storage room were your strategy yesterday. So keep to the plan. I'm not digging this with my hands. I'm going to blast it out."

    "Not a blast spell!" Frankin cried.

    "What did you expect? We don't have any tools. Your strategy was for the lightmaker, not shovels and buckets."

    "If you try it, you'll probably put more dirt there than you blast off."

    "I can do it better than you can do a glow spell."

    "Maybe I can't do a glow spell yet, but at least I don't do it backward."

    "Just hold the lightmaker up," Topyrus ordered.

    "No, let's do the sentry first."

    "Frankin, just hold the light so I can see where the blast is going to go."

    Frankin hurled the glowing vile against the cave wall. The chemical mix flashed on impact, then sparkled as it slid down.

    "Great." Topyrus turned askance.

    "You couldn't do it anyway," Frankin taunted

    "Yeah? Watch!" Topyrus launched a blast spell against the entrance that Frankin had wanted to clear.

    The concussion knocked the boys to the floor. Dusty light streamed in through the hole. Then, the floor began to rumble and shake. Before they could get to their feet, the light and the entrance disappeared.

    Topyrus could hear the last of the rocks sliding down with a clickity clack, then silence in total darkness. Coughing on the dirt filled air he struggled to his hands and knees.

    "Frankin!"

    Silence. Topyrus felt around finding a steep slope of rock and loose dirt. It was too quiet. He sent a mental shout, Frankin!

    Silence.

    Stretching his awareness Topyrus felt to the outside of the cave. He found no trace of Frankin.

    A flash of thought, a picture of Frankin under the slide knocked the breath from him. Blindly, Topyrus began to dig. The action seemed to help loosen panic's grip. Settling himself, somewhat, he focused on grounding his energy. He searched the dirt pile for Frankin's aura. Alone, in total darkness with his eyes closed, he could see the trace sparks.

    He dug there. After an eternity of dirt and rocks he reached his friend. The colors of Frankin's aura flashed weakly. He gasped as Topyrus freed the dirt from his face. Coughing and choking, he began to moan.

    "Frankin!" Topyrus cried.

    "Topyrus, you dirt head," Frankin moaned.

    "You're hurt."

    "It's dark. Or, am I blind?" Frankin asked.

    "No, it's dark."

    Frankin tried moving. "Need a light," he said.

    "You broke the lightmaker. I'll do a glow spell!"

    "No, not a glow spell," Frankin said with a weak cry.

    "Shut up," Topyrus said. He thought out the spell without worrying about it frontward or backwards. The cave lit up in a bright white light. "I did it!"

    "How are we going to get out of here?" Frankin asked.

    Looking around, Toprus could see his blast spell would definitely cause more problems this time. He continued to dig Frankin out of the dirt.

    "Are you all right?"

    "No, I think everything's squashed." Frankin answered and coughed.

    "We have to get help. How long till they miss us?" Topyrus wondered aloud.

    "A while." Frankin coughed.

    "We may need some air." Topyrus said slowly. He had finished digging Frankin out and started to dig at the steep wall blocking the entrance.

    "Go higher. It might be narrower there."

    Topyrus dug his feet in to crawl up the slide. At the top he began to push dirt back down.

    "Hey!" Frankin cried out when the dirt began to bury him again. Topyrus stopped. The white light made harsh shadows in the tiny earth room. He slid back down and crouched beside Frankin.

    "I have to turn off the glow spell. It uses air. I think we need to save some."

    Frankin nodded. Tears streaked the dirt out the corners of his eyes. The cave went dark.

    "We need help," Topyrus said softly. "We need to call for help," he added.

    Frankin's painfilled aura flickered in answer.

    "Frankin, you're better at thought talk than I am. I can't reach the keep from here by myself. You have to help me."

    "Who?" Frankin asked through gritted teeth.

    "Grandpa."

    "Ohhh, not the Master!" he gasped.

    "Yes, he's the only one who will know for sure what the message means."

    In the darkness, fresh tears coursed out Frankin's eyes. Topyrus could see the ragged outline of his aura. They needed to call fast, while Frankin still had enough energy.

    "Frankin, help me! I swear by my family's honor this is my fault," Topyrus thought of ways to overcome Frankin's fear of the White Master. "Grandpa will know. He won't blame you."

    "I'm cold."

    "Frankin, did you hear? I'll tell Grandpa it's my fault. You have to help send him a message."

    Finally, Topyrus felt the thought of agreement. Together they created a picture of the master at the keep. When they felt the master acknowledge them they sent a picture of them trapped in the cave. Long moments passed in the bright colors in their minds, surrounded by the earth and darkness.

    "He heard us," Frankin whispered.

    Topyrus strained to hear as Frankin could, but nothing confirmed to him that his grandfather had gotten the message. Frankin lost consciousness, his aura barely detectable.

    Alone with his thoughts, Topyrus reconsidered crawling to the top of the slide and digging again. As he started up a glow materialized, became stronger, and shaped into Telfrombry.

    "Grandpa! Help Frankin, he's hurt!"

    A radiant glow surrounded the Master, filling the darkness with a soft golden light. Telfrombry knelt to lift Frankin. Taking the limp boy in his arms he looked up. "Be calm, Topyrus. I will return for you," he said.

    Telfrombry and Frankin winked out, leaving Topyrus alone in the darkness. Sliding back down to lean against the blockage, Topyrus settled in to await his grandfather's return. His thoughts fretted around his coming explanations. If ever he needed to know how to negotiate, he would now. Topyrus pictured his distant uncle who believed he could create a nation by tireless negotiation with hundreds of disparate landholders. Ramlin Rylou Leyi-Sarjon had achieved his dream without even believing in the power, much less using it.

    "Well," Topyrus said to the darkness. "If I'd known more spells, I'd been able to get us out of here with the power. Like materializing. I wonder how Grandpa does that?" The thought of Frankin crushed by the blast spell dampened Topyrus' mood. Somehow, he would make it up to Frankin. Frankin wanted to learn the glow spell. Topyrus brightened. He could teach it. By the time Telfrombry came for him, the thought had lead to a plan.

#

    "Now what is he saying?"

    Topyrus sat in class trying to listen and at the same time report in thought talk to Frankin, recuperating from his injuries, still bed-bound.

    Shut up Frankin! He thought back. A small glow ball materialized buzzing angrily round his head. Topyrus swatted it away. Frankin, I'm sorry I taught you that glow spell. I can't tell you what he's saying if you keep bugging me!

    "Now what did he say?"

    Shut up Frankin!

Copyright 2001 Suzanne Driggs
Illustrations: Susannah Bandish