Knights Magi (Book 4) by Terry Mancour Read Free Book Online Page B

.”
    “But it feels like it is just coming out of nowhere!”
    “ ‘Magic is the arcane art of intertwining of thought and reality, perception and matter, order and chaos into beauty, truth, wisdom and light,’ quoted Rondal from some important book Tyndal probably should be able to recall.  “Magic is essentially powered thought.  And it’s hard to put a thought into a measuring cup.”
    “That’s exactly the kind of bullshit I’m talking about,” sighed Tyndal wearily.  “Why would I need to know that?”
    “Because it helps to know how it works if you’re trying to do a really complicated spell,” Rondal reasoned.  “Look, I’m sure Mistress Selvedine suggested a book or two—”
    “Actually,” Tyndal said, unfurling the parchment she had sent him along with, “I have over thirty here.  Apparently our master did not include some elementary texts on the subject in the six months he was teaching me about curing warts on cow udders and other useful crap.”
    “Ouch!” Rondal said, wincing.  “ Thirty books?”
    “Thirty- two , actually,” groaned Tyndal.  “And all in one subject!  I haven’t read that many books in my life!”
    “And she wants them read . . . ?”
    “Before I leave,” groaned the boy again.  “Sometime when I’m an old man.”
    “Oh, c’mon, Tyn,” Rondal said, trying to rally his fellow apprentice as he took a look at the list.  “It isn’t that bad.  The first six are pretty short scrolls, and then – oh.  I mean . . . oh .  Never mind.  Yeah, it is pretty bad.  These two are only in High Perwynese.”
    “See what I mean?” Tyndal declared in frustration.  “It might as well be in gurvani pictographs!  It’s like they’re determined to fail me!”
    “We’re already High Magi,” Rondal said dismissively. “Brave warriors of the Penumbra, and all that.  And we have irionite.  They can’t take that away from you.  Only Master Min can.”
    “I know, I know,” he sighed.  “That’s part of the problem.  You know what kind of stock he places in formal academics.  When he got you as an apprentice I’m sure he wept tears of joy.  When he finds out just how bloody awful I am . . .”
    “Relax.  Look, if you read . . . these five here . . . then that will cover most of the basics,” suggested Rondal.  “I mean, these others are useful, but when it comes to understanding lesser elemental theory, these are the five that will cover almost everything you need to know.”
    “And the other . . . twenty-seven?” he asked, after figuring out the remainder in his head.  “Why those?”
    “Because they each cover a specific element or class of elements in lesser elemental theory that these first five don’t.  Not in any depth, at least.  But they can be useful, especially . . . this one, this one and – oh, yeah, that one is brilliant,” he said, reverently, as he finished reading the list.
    “You’ve read all of these?” Tyndal asked, incredulously.
    “No, just . . . well, nine of them.  But I’ve read the summaries of the others.  Useful reference texts for the professional alchemist or enchanter, no doubt, but they don’t really cover basic theory as well as these others.”
    “Where did you find the bloody time?” Tyndal said, irritated.  “It takes me weeks to get through a book.  You finish one in a day!”
    “It’s just practice,” Rondal said, a little defensively.  “You’ve been reading for only two years or so.  I’ve been reading for eight.  You get faster, the more you do it.”
    “All those words make my head hurt!”
    Rondal shrugged.  “Just think how hard it would be if you had to find a living authority on each of those subjects,” he reminded him.  “Those books are invaluable.  And once you’ve read them, you’ll know them.  Lesser elemental theory is the essential building block to alchemy,” he reminded, “not to mention enchantment.”
    Tyndal groaned a third time, even more