Read The Apprentices (The Crimson Guard Trilogy Book 1) for Free Online Page A

leader on his tail your friend tried to enter the flames.”  The old man sighed.  “Well your friend and the slaver ended up in the fire.  All I know after that is that the slaver died a hideous death and that mage friend of yours entered the library unharmed.”  The man stopped talking and gathered his belongings.  “I am off.  Good luck in your adventure, young thief,” and he was off.  “Oh, one other thing, your friend is the only man that I have ever heard of entering the fire without being burned alive.”
    “For the record, old man, I am a rogue!”  Jes yelled after him. Not a common thief Jes thought. 
    Great , thought Jes, how am I supposed to pass through the flames? I hate fire .  That is when a thought hit him; all these places should have a subterranean entrance.  Maybe the flames do not travel down, and thus Jes went searching for a way into the Library, but first he headed back to the Flying Horse for a drink.

 
    5
     
    I awoke early in the afternoon. The silence was almost unbearable, but I was anxious to start my training so I left my room in search of another human being.  It did not take long to find one of the guards patrolling the rows between the books. 
    “Have you any idea where the Keeper is?”  I asked.  I still found it absurd that they even had guards.
    “He is in the larger study, through those doors over there.”  He pointed to a set of small doors and then went along his way.
    “Thanks, ” I said as I pushed through the oak doors.
    The Keeper sat in a high backed chair with no armrests.  A large book was sitting in front of him and he seemed to be reading it.  I did not know if he knew that I was there or not, so I decided to risk a glance over his shoulder.   As I approached, he turned and stood clapping his hands together.
    “Excellent you have come.  When do you wish to start your training?” He seemed far too glad to see me.
    “Well, sir, I would like to begin now if it was alright,” I said.
    “Of course, go and speak to the Librarian and he will give you a few books to study.” 
    “Ok, uh, what were you reading?  If you don’t mind my asking,” I replied.
    I did not expect him to answer, but he did.  “It is a book about warding off spells and enchantments.  I am looking for a way to free us of the fire.”
    “You are trapped here?”  I asked
    “Yes, we are trapped here.  Like the outside world we cannot enter the fire without dire consequences.”  He looked down with sadness in his eyes.   
    “Well, have you found anything that can help you escape?”  I asked, thinking why escape, it is safe here .
    “Yes, I actually have.  Here, sit and I will tell you. Your teachings can wait a little.”   I was actually kind of surprised that he was going to tell me anything.
    “The magic that surrounds this place was once thought to kill only those with evil in their hearts, but a while ago we tested that theory.  My wife was as pure hearted as they come, she hated no one and loved all.  She tried to leave because we had just given birth to Juleen and we wanted her to have a life, and what we have here is terrible.  Yes, we never have to worry about the dangers that I have watched breeding in the outside world.  A world which needs cleansing.  It is still a terribly lonely existence trapped here in the Library.”  His face became very solemn and tears formed in his eyes.  “She was consumed by that retched flame.  We realized that evil and goodness had nothing to do with this enchantment.  For years now I have searched for answers and I have finally found something.  For the spell to differentiate between good and evil, the caster would have had to be either pure evil or pure good.  The mage that created the spell with his blood was neither.” 
    “So then how did I survive?”  I interrupted him.
    “You lived because the power which you wielded when you killed the slavers was greater than what this place can