The Student Read online

  The Student

  ~

  By Darin Niemann

  Prelude

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Afterword

  Prelude

  As you may know, people have difficulty recalling their past. For me, it is clear. Remembering is somewhat like a book with each page being a day and as I read each page that day comes to life in my mind. I will admit that, even for myself, there are occasional blank spots.

  I do not recall anything before my time in Relvan, so that is where I will begin my tale. I do not recall my parents or what happened to them. I don’t even know my exact birthday.

  Nevertheless, I will do my best to write down all that I have done and all that I have seen. I will write my wishes, hopes, and dreams, as well as my failures, sorrows, and regrets. I will write everything I am and all that I was. I am Kayne and this is my story.

  Chapter 1

  It was noon and I was hungry. Hungry enough to be starving. I hadn’t eaten in nearly three days and I was weak. Very weak. Usually the nearby inn would give it’s leftovers to the street urchins and other unfortunates. This week, though, the inn’s scraps had been taken and hoarded by the older kids. To get food elsewhere, some begged for it while others tried to steal it. Those that were caught stealing were beaten badly, some even to death. I had seen it happen. Even if I wanted to risk it, I was too weak from hunger to steal from the baker. He would catch me before I could run away. The only option left to me was to beg.

  I hated begging. Most of the passersby laughed or spat on you. Some would even shove or kick you out of the way. But, rarely, there was that one person who would take pity on you and give you some coin or food. As I said, I hated begging, but I did it when I had to.

  I made my way through the dank, dirty alleys of Relvan to the main road. I could see others making their way to the road also, having the same idea as I. Not wanting to share any food that came my way, I left the other kids and headed to a different area farther down the main road.

  As I exited the alley, the sun shone brightly, stinging my eyes. The buildings in Relvan were cramped with the their roofs connecting at times, making the alleyways dark, even during the day. I stopped at the edge of the road to let my eyes adjust. The streets were packed with people pressing in, eager for market day.

  On market day most of the shop owners in Relvan set up a stall next to the main road and advertised their goods or services. People busied about everywhere, many of which were looking at goods, hawking their wares, or simply passing by. I sat down on the edge of the street and held up my hands in the shape of a bowl. Most people ignored me or didn’t see me. A few gave me looks of disgust and moved on in a hurry.

  I sat there for quite some time with no luck before I thought of moving on. Just then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a group of the older kids, the mean ones who beat the youngest of us and would take all the food. I tried to get up and back into the alley before they could see me, but not eating for three days had made me slow. One of them spotted me and pointed me out to their leader. They hollered and sprinted after me. There were four of them altogether. If they caught me, I was dead.

  Hauling myself up, I rushed towards the alleyway. I was almost to the end of the alley when they caught up. A sharp, abrupt pain spread throughout my leg as it was kicked from under me. I tried to get up, but fell back down as I was kicked hard in the chest. My right arm went numb when another blow landed. I knew I was going to die but I fought anyway. I began to scream as loud as I could and flailed with my skinny arms and legs. My struggling did nothing but annoy the older kids even more. I took another blow to the jaw that would likely have broken it, if the fist had any weight behind it. My vision blurred and I was running out of energy. I was about to give in when I heard someone shouting from the main road.

  “Stop that, you hear! Guards! Guards!”

  The older kids took one look towards the main road and then all fled deeper into the safety of the dark alleys.

  The man who called out was now running towards me. He was tall and broad in a sturdy way. My first thought at seeing him was to flee. I tried to crawl deeper into the alley, quickly realizing I couldn’t make it in time. He was almost to me when I looked up at him. Towering above me, he seemed to study me as my vision began to fade. I shied away from him, lifting my arm in a hopeless attempt to hide.

  Moments went by and nothing happened, so I peeked over my raised arm and saw him still standing over me. On his face was a look I knew all too well. A look of pity.

  “Don’t worry,” he said, “I won’t hurt you.”

  At that moment, my weary body gave out and my vision faded to blackness.

  ~

  I awoke to the crackling of a fire. Suddenly, I felt the pain. It seemed to be everywhere except my right arm. It was only then that I recalled what happened and froze. I opened my eyes ever so slightly to take a peek at my surroundings. The warm light from the fireplace revealed the room to me. It was an average sized room furnished with a small bed, a desk, and a chair. The beating I took definitely hurt, but I would live for now. There was a man sitting in the chair, presently hunched over the desk. Looking closer, I recognized him as the stout man from the alley. Although he hadn’t hurt me, I still didn’t fully trust him. Such was life as a street rat. You only trusted yourself. I lay still, watching the man in the chair for quite some time. He was reading some sort of book, and seemed to be lost in it.

  "I see you're awake now," the man spoke.

  His voice was deep but yet had a soothing feel to it.

  "Don't worry. We are currently in my room at the Golden Swan. You are safe here."

  The moment I heard the name of the inn, my curiosity kicked in. I knew better than to pry, but I couldn't help myself.

  "Are you a noble?" I asked aloud.

  He didn't look much like a noble, but who else could afford to stay here? He could be a wealthy merchant but that didn't seem to fit either. The man's shoulders started to shake and he let out a laugh.

  "Hah! Me? A noble? No, boy, I am not a noble. You're probably wondering how I am able to stay at a place like this, am I right?"

  I gave a slight nod.

  "Well I do know a few nobles, but I certainly am not one myself. My business is that of the king.”

  "The King?" I asked.

  "I am Enelo, the personal physician to King Marius; simply put, I am a healer. He has a dreadful illness that is slowly draining him of life. The only known cure requires the leaves of the Icou plant, which happens to grow only in the Caer Woods, east of Relvan."

  As he spoke I could see the sadness and frustration in his eyes.

  "I have been searching the forest for a full week now without any sign of the blasted thing. The plant is extremely rare, but without it the king won't last the winter.”

  He looked up from his book at me,

  "I was coming back from the forest for a midday meal when I saw the scuffle in the alley."

  I looked away, ashamed. The small movement made me wince in pain.

  "You were lucky, boy, any longer and those ruffians would have killed you. As it is, you came away with a few broken ribs and good amount of bruises."

  I thought about the alley and wondered what would have happened if he hadn’t been there. I sighed, feeling tire
d again, and the man noticed.

  "You should get some rest. The only thing that will help you now is time. You can stay here until you are well enough."

  Fading fast, my last thoughts before sleep were of this stranger and how he had helped me.

  ~

  The next time I woke, the man was gone and the fire was out. This was my chance to leave. I tried to sit up, but a fierce wave of dizziness swept over me, forcing me to lay back down and wait for my head to stop pounding. The movement was painful enough that I could feel it in my ribs, but the bruises were feeling slightly better.

  Then I felt the hunger. I was ravenous. Amidst all the chaos and commotion, I had forgotten that it had been days since I last ate. As soon as the thought crossed my mind, the door opened and in walked the healer. This time he carried a bowl of something that smelled wonderful and a fresh loaf of bread. I stared longingly as my stomach growled loudly.

  The man grinned, "I take it that you're hungry? Here. Eat this. Slowly now, you don't want it coming back up."

  He set the tray on the stand near the bed. I snatched up the bread and dunked it in the soup. That first bite tasted heavenly. Nothing I had ever eaten tasted as good as this. While I ate, the man talked.

  "With some good food and rest, you should be up and about within a week."

  I glanced at him as I ate, taking care not to rush. He seemed to hesitate before speaking again.

  "I can tell by watching that you are smart and cautious, yet know that to hesitate could mean death. You wouldn't have survived this long on your own without those traits. I have thought this through while you were resting and I wish to make you an offer, boy."

  Still eating, I was focused on what the man was saying, but still looking for a way out of this mess. Why would he want to offer me anything? I was nothing but a street rat, invisible to most and a nuisance to the rest.

  "To have all of those qualities in one so young is quite rare. Do you know, boy, how a person could make excellent use of such traits?"

  I was puzzled. Nothing came to mind as I pondered the question.

  The man looked me in the eye and said, "As a healer. The best healers in the world are the ones who know their trade, and are cautious yet know that to hesitate could mean the death of their patient. It seems simple, but finding a person who understands that--let alone one that already does it instinctively--is extremely rare. My offer is this: be my apprentice. Once I find the Icou plant, you will travel with me to Erelith. You will have a place to stay, food to eat and clothes to wear. Under these terms, though, I am your master. You will have to work hard and study under my guidance. No more will you have to scavenge for scraps or beg for bits in the streets."

  The healer paused to drink from a cup on the table. He looked back at me and smiled.

  "You have much to think about, but there is plenty of time to decide. When I leave for Erelith, you are welcome to accompany me. Now rest, your body is still in need of much sleep."

  He was right. I was dozing off again, belly as full as it had ever been. My last thoughts, as I drifted asleep, were of having food such as this every day.

  Chapter 2

  A week passed by as I lay in bed recuperating from my injuries. To be truthful, it was the worst beating I had ever received. I was alive though. I realized if I didn’t leave this town that I might not stay that way. I was rather young, but even I could realize that the offer Enelo had made was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Still confused as to why he would want to help me I thought it over throughout the week as there really hadn’t been much else to do.

  I looked over when I heard the door to my room open and a weary-looking Enelo stepped into the room. He was sweaty, dirty and exhausted as he sat down in the desk chair. He had been out looking for that Icou plant again, seemingly to no success. Saying nothing, he sighed heavily and sat back in his chair and closed his eyes. I watched him for a few moments before I heard the steady breathing of sleep.

  Seeing him in such a state, compared to the first time I saw him, was a bit surprising. Where earlier this week he had been confident, strong, and focused, he now seemed frustrated, worn, and lost. This man had given his food, his bed, and—most importantly—his time to help me. A scrawny worthless street rat.

  I started to feel sorry for him, but then I realized that there might be something I could do. It had only been a week but I felt like I could stand and walk on my own now. Slowly, I stood up from the bed. There was still pain, but nothing I couldn’t handle.

  Not wanting to disturb Enelo, I cautiously approached the desk where his book lay. It was still open to the Icou plant. I took a closer look at the drawing and studied it. I couldn’t read, but I had a good memory and I quickly memorized the sketch. I had seen its like before when I had ventured into the woods.

  Decision made, I crept out into the hall, careful not to draw attention to myself. Enelo’s room was on the second floor of the inn, so I made my way down the stairs into the common room. There were a few patrons here and there, but for the most part, there were not that many in Relvan that could afford a place such as this.

  Once I was on the streets, I felt much more at ease, even with the threat of the other street rats. I made my way to the east gate, though it wasn’t so much a gate as an break in the wall. There were two guards standing watch, but neither paid attention to the people coming and going--especially not a simple street rat.

  It was starting to get dark, but I knew which area of the forest to look in. I couldn’t remember the exact location, but I remembered a huge oak tree that had a giant hole in one side. Somewhere near that tree, I recalled a plant that looked nearly identical to the book’s sketch. It didn’t take me long to reach the clearing where the giant oak tree resided and I quickly began searching nearby. The plant was not as easy to find as I thought it would be.

  The place was overgrown with other plants, branches and foliage. I could see why Enelo was having a hard time. If he had no idea in which area of the immense forest to search, it could have taken him months. That was time the king didn’t have.

  Searching required me to bend over or kneel and twist my upper body around, which put pressure on my ribs. It was difficult, but I mentally forced the pain away and tried my best to ignore it. I was running out of time as the daylight was fading fast, but I didn’t give up. I knew it was here.

  I paused and began to think. Images of the area flashed in my mind as I tried hard to find the plant or even just a hint as to where it was hidden. The tree with the hole, the large moss covered rock, the bare tree branches, the slight rise in a mound of dirt. All of these places and more rushed through my head until one stood out. The fallen log. That was where I had seen it. I rushed to it, almost tripping. I had to hurry or soon I wouldn’t be able to see it, as the sunlight was nearly gone. There, nestled alongside the log--on the far side of where I had been searching--was the plant. I compared every detail I could from the sketch in my mind to the plant in front of me. It was a near perfect match. I grabbed as close to the ground as I could and pulled it out, careful not to crush it.

  I made my way back to the gate and snuck in, which wasn’t hard since the guards had evidently fetched some ale and were half asleep by the time I arrived. It was full dark now, with only a few lamps from houses and inns to brighten the night. I was thankful that Relvan was of a modest size as I soon strolled into the Golden Noble. A few of the evening patrons glanced at the oddity I presented. I hurriedly meandered through common room and made it up the stairs.

  Quietly, I opened the door to Enelo’s room. He was still dozing in his chair when I crept inside and silently closed the door. I gently set the plant on the desk, careful not to get any dirt on the book. I sighed heavily. I had done it, but I was worn out and sore. Ignoring the pain did not make it go away, it had merely let me focus on the task at hand. Now that I was done, I could no longer overlook my injuries. Exhausted, I fell into bed and immediately slept.

  ~

  When I wo
ke, the sun was streaming through the window. I felt much better than the night before. Looking around, I saw Enelo at his desk mixing something in a bowl. The medicine, I assumed. He had a curious look on his face as he turned towards me. All he asked was one word,

  “How?”

  I sat up in bed as I told him what had happened the night before. I told him how I used my memories of the area to find the plant.

  “Impressive.” He said, slowly shaking his head.

  “That is quite some memory you have there, boy.” He started working again.

  “Thanks to you, I now have the medicine the king needs. It should be ready today and I will leave for Erelith on the morrow.”

  He paused once more as he turned back and looked at me.

  “I ask you again, boy, to come with me to the city. There is no future for you here. If you wish it, and work for it, I know you could rival even the most practiced of healers. It will take much time and effort, but I recognize potential when I see it. Will you come?”

  I had thought about it and had already come to a decision, allowing me to speak confidently.

  “I will.”

  He grinned in reply. “Great!”

  A thoughtful look crossed his face. “I never asked your name. I cannot just call you ‘boy’ forever, now can I?”

  I looked away, and spoke softly, “I don’t remember having a name.”

  There was a short, awkward silence before Enelo spoke again.

  “Well then, how about I give you one?”

  I looked over and he had a smile on his face.

  “How do you like the name Kayne?”

  Kayne. It was a good strong name, and I liked it. I nodded in agreement.

  “Then it is settled! You are now Kayne, my fledgling apprentice, and we shall leave at first light tomorrow for Erelith. Eat and rest, for we have a long journey ahead of us and this might be the last chance to sleep in a bed until we reach the city.”