Alastair Archibald - A mage in the making

Even the bullies of Grimm's year were pent by this constant discipline, as, where the Magemasters had once overlooked various infringements including the sporting of fight injuries, now they pounced on the least infraction with ruthless severity. Should any boy enter the class bearing inexplicable bruises, the Magemasters used Divination spells to ascertain the reason for this, and they were liberal with their punishments.

Shumal and Ruvin now left Grimm alone, preferring to pick on Students in lower years.

At one point, Argand caught Shumal tormenting a first-year Student and beat the bully without mercy, but he was careful to leave no marks that would be visible to the Magemasters. After pointing out to the prostrate Shumal that, next time, he would be given a black eye and a broken nose despite the risk of punishment, even Shumal took a sabbatical from his unpleasant activities. If the Magemasters had performed a Divination on him in such circumstances and discovered his bullying of smaller boys, he would surely be dismissed from the House, and he seemed aware of this fact. Some of the boys told Grimm that Shumal's father was a more brutal bully than his son, although the charity lad could not bring himself to pity his enemy. Nonetheless, even Shumal's wings seemed to have been clipped.

"Now, Afelnor, you will demonstrate to the class the correct form of the secondary type of Joining spell for a round, inanimate object in no more than five fragments," Kargan drawled to the twelve-year-old Grimm, who was now almost as tall as the Magemaster.

Grimm composed himself and stood before the class. He knew the exercise well, but he worried that he might have difficulties with the higher notes. For some weeks, he had had to struggle to reach notes that he had sung on previous occasions without the least trouble. He felt sure that this was some passing minor malady, and he began to sing.

"Churaah, aharantai, khohauugh nimaimetooreh… " Grimm broke off in confusion, as his voice descended to a ludicrous bass, rose to an off-key croak and then sank again on the last three syllables. A peal of laughter burst from the class, and, for once, Kargan did not admonish them.

"Perdition on it!" Kargan sighed, adding: "I should have had you bloody castrated last year!"

Grimm felt by no means certain that Kargan's words were given in jest.

The Magemaster drew another deep sigh. "I expected that voice to last you at least for another year. Oh, well; once the instrument is broken, it cannot be mended again. You will just have to learn to cope with the new one, which I hope serves you as well. Gaheela! May I prevail upon you to lead the class in this chant for a little while? I need a private word with our newly disharmonious friend, Afelnor."

Numb with shock, Grimm allowed Kargan to lead him into the corridor, while Madar ran through the same spell-chant with the other Students, his voice ringing out in its customary, clear treble.

Closing the classroom door behind him, the Magemaster laid an almost paternal hand on Grimm's shoulder, as the boy fought to control hot tears. For once, the Magemaster's usual boisterous manner was absent, and he seemed almost like a normal human being.

"It was a fine instrument, boy," Kargan said, leaning close to Grimm's ear, "one of the finest I have ever heard, but it would be a great shame were you to reach my age with the same voice. Imagine if I were to stand before you, stern and forbidding, and then declaim in a dulcet soprano!"

Grimm laughed in a hoarse, scratchy tone. Then he became serious again. "Lord Mage, will this affect my chances of progressing further? What if I can never sing again?"

Kargan shook his head. "All men, including the greatest of Acclaimed mages, have been through this, Afelnor. It is part of becoming a man, and even the mightiest mage has had to cope with the change in voice sooner or later.

"In your case, it is sooner, so you will have plenty of time to gain the measure of your new voice before you are shown how to cast spells. For some of the others, it will be far more difficult; indeed, we do not consider advancing a boy to the level of spell-casting until he has attained his adult voice and learned to control it.

"For now, you must practice, practice and practice again with your new voice until it fits you. Most boys are admonished for singing in the halls, but I will allow a special dispensation for you to sing at any time out of class, of which I shall inform the other Magemasters. You will not be punished, except for singing at inappropriate times and places, such as during a study period or an Observance."

Grimm nodded, not trusting his vocal chords with a spoken response, as a peal of laughter arose from the class.

Kargan said: "We will go back into class now, for it sounds as if a herd of wild boar has been let loose in there. I suppose it is time for some semblance of order to be imposed once more. Promise you will not give up working with your man's voice, Afelnor. You will be a man soon; do not regret it."

Still not trusting himself to speak, Grimm nodded again to the Magemaster and followed him back into the classroom, his head bowed.

Kargan seemed to grow in stature, and the familiar, manic grimace came over his face as he flung the door open in his normal, energetic way.

"Right!" he yelled. "That's enough of that! We will revisit the charm of Mage Light in its third form. Trune, you loathsome toad, be so good as to demonstrate the chant, if you can bear to drag yourself from your slothful reverie…"

The relentless tutoring went on as if nothing had happened.

During the evening meal, Madar and Argand joined Grimm in the refectory.

"What did old Kargan say to you outside the class, Grimm?" Madar asked, his eyes wide and earnest.

Feeling a little less self-conscious talking to his friends, Grimm spoke in a hoarse croak: "He told me to practice until I can sing again. It's not very encouraging, though, Madar. It feels as if I had a pineapple stuck in my throat. I sound like a bloody donkey."

Madar gave a soothing, understanding nod, and Argand said, "Well; I must be more mature than you, because my voice hasn't broken yet, and I already manage to sound like a donkey."

They all laughed, and Madar added, "You're flattering yourself, Argand. I'd shoot a donkey that made the racket you do."

A feeble sally, but they all laughed anew, and Grimm's laughter was as loud as that of his friends; he recognised that the sounds of his mirth bore a distinct resemblance to the braying of an ass.

Madar said "My father always moans about the loss of the fine voice he says he had as a boy, but he is first baritone in our local choir. He would easily be able sing our chants, and, so will you, once you have mastered your new voice.

"I guess the main thing is that your ear hasn't changed, so you'll be harder on yourself than any Magemaster could be. In no time, I bet you'll be leading the class in singing again. Even though you sound awful now." Grimm lightly punched Madar in the arm, and the redhead pretended to tremble with fear at the assault.

Argand mused for a moment, and said, "I think I can see why they won't let us try to cast anything. I bet they wait 'til your voice's broken; the chance of a miscast is too great otherwise. What if your voice broke in the middle of a Fire spell?" He shook his head. "The consequences don't bear thinking about. You could burn down the whole Scholasticate!" He grinned. "It might not be such a bad idea, after all!"

They all laughed again, and Grimm felt better than he had at the start of the meal.

Later, in his cell, he started to work his voice again, at first quietly, then louder, as some measure of confidence returned. It still sounded awful, but he was getting the feel of it now. He carried on with ever-increasing volume until the older boy in the next cell demanded that Grimm shut up so he could sleep.