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touched
her index finger to her nose and nodded. “Now you are starting to understand.”
She stood from the table and waved her hand at the wall on her right. A large
map of Terramyr unrolled from the ceiling to the floor. “Come and look here.”
Dimwater pointed to a small island.
    Erik was
awestruck. The whole world of Terramyr was on a single map. He had never seen a
map this large before. He approached it eagerly. As he drew nearer his jaw
dropped open. There were waves on the ocean and seas, not just illustrated, but
actual, moving waves. The trees of the forests swayed with the wind. Clouds
rolled over the tops of mountains and valleys. Erik even saw a snowstorm on the
southern-most continent.
    “This is
incredible,” Erik exclaimed.
    Dimwater smiled.
“I created it myself,” she said. Then she touched the island she had pointed
out to Erik. “This is Kelboa. The island lies fifty miles to the west of here.
To reach it we will use a magical device, called a teleporter.”
    “We?” Erik asked. His crooked expression showed he wasn’t
following.
    “When a student
breaks into my tower, I take them on an assignment with me. This way the
student can work off his offense as my assistant, and learn firsthand what kind
of person I am. Of course, I could also give you Kuldiga Academy approved
punishment if you prefer.”
    “No, ma’am,”
Erik replied quickly. “But I’m afraid I won’t be much use to you, I can’t
perform magic.”
    “I didn’t say
that I wanted you to. I said you would assist me. That can be done in different
ways. Just do as I tell you.”
    “Yes, ma’am,”
Erik replied with a nod.
    “My assignment
is two-fold. First I am to go to Spiekery and persuade a local priest to desist
preaching and practicing his religion in the town.”
    “Why should we
do that? I thought we could practice any religion we wanted to in this
kingdom.”
    “Mostly that is
true, but this man has created a religion that demands human sacrifices.
Therefore I have been charged to put an end to it.”
    “You mean, they kill people?” Erik asked.
    Dimwater nodded.
“The priest swears that it is the only way to appease a demon that ravages the
city, but I have been given new evidence in the matter and the religion will
end today, one way or another.”
    “That’s awful,”
Erik said.
    “After that, we
must travel to Kuressar. I must speak with a local official there.”
    “What about?” Erik asked.
    Dimwater went
silent for a moment. The map went blank, rolled up like a scroll and
disappeared. “I must swear you to secrecy before I tell you any more.” She
pulled a needle from thin air and grabbed Erik’s hand. “You must not tell any
apprentice what I am about to tell you. In truth, I only tell you because you
will play an important role in the events to come.”
    “I won’t tell
any apprentice, but I can’t keep a secret from Master Lepkin.”
    “Master Lepkin
should have told you himself,” Dimwater replied. “Perhaps he felt you weren’t
ready to know what purpose he chose you for, but I believe events are moving
too quickly to put this off.”
    Erik furrowed
his brow. What is she talking about? Erik wondered. All he wanted was to
know more about Dimwater’s past with Orres and Lepkin.
    “You may speak
of this to Lepkin, but no one else. Do you so swear?”
    “I swear,” Erik
promised. Lady Dimwater pricked one of his fingers and the needle with his
blood began to glow. Erik wondered what could be so important, but nothing
could have prepared him for Dimwater’s next words.
    “Erik, the
kingdom is fracturing from within while new, deadly threats throw themselves
across our borders every day. The Masters of Kuldiga Academy are preparing for
war.”
    “What do you
mean we’re preparing for war?” Erik asked. “Who is our enemy?”
    “It isn’t as
simple as that,” Dimwater replied. “It’s not just a war between the kingdom and
some invading force, or some legendary foe. This is a