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Apprentice to Magic
by za'el Tuesday, May 12 2015, 12:27am
international / prose / post

.

in times before the mist lifted from memory
the feats and skills of a great Magus
spread throughout this and many other lands

our village healer and shaman pays homage
only to this great Magus, who is said
to have raised the dead and caused the blind
to see. he is reputed to have power
over the elements and has sent many
a raging storm and tempest
to subdue an enemy.

he is able to quiet the howling
wind and tumultuous seas
at a command,
awesome indeed is his power.

i was a boy at the time and
under the tutelage of the village shaman
but i sought the knowledge and skill
of the greatest shaman and Magus of all
so i thanked my revered teacher for all
he had taught me and set off
to find the greatest of them all.

… … …

“now, boy what brings u here
to pester and entreat me?”

“i seek power over the elements and the ability
to raise the dead and cause the blind to see.”

“i have no power to teach u or tricks to impart that
deceive only fools.”

“but …!”

“be silent child;
i see there is no dissuading u
or dampening ur persistence
so if u are able to learn, i shall teach the most valued
secrets, which if mastered enable every influence over
man and the world, however, there is one condition;
if u accept this offer, u will leave
after receiving this most high knowledge
and follow ur way.”

“i accept sir, as indeed if this secret enables every power
i gladly accept ur condition.”

and so the Magus produced a small silk bag and emptied
its contents on the shiny earth floor of his hut.

“now boy, what do u see laid before u?”

“small ivory keys sir, with strange engraved sigils.”

“how many do u see?”

“what is, ‘how many,’ sir?”

“i see that i must teach u the power of number and
form and the meaning of signs and symbols”

… … …

in time the boy learned the power inherent in numbers
and signs but was shown no specific application or how to apply
this knowledge to great effect.

“how many keys do u see now, boy,
and what are the symbols on those keys?”

“26, sir, and the symbols are:
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ.”

“begone and marvel, i have imparted the greatest magic of all.”

“but …!”

http://cleaves.zapto.org/news/attachments/aug2008/garlandofletters.pdf