Rork was confused by that last statement, but continued nodding slowly, not wanting to make a big fuss.

“Well, howsabout we get you some training?” Came Mikey's suggestion as he stood up from his chair after several minutes of brooding silence.

“Sounds good, the sooner the better, I assume that is why you brought me along.” Fully rested, Rork was ripping, roaring, and ready to go, and above all else, he was eager to learn new things, especially secrets; he liked secrets.

“Well, first things first, head back to your room, and read all the books in there. That'll be your first lesson.” Mikey lazily pointed back to Rork's room, “Oh, and that's where you'll be spending most of your time when you're not accompanying me on my grand adventures. Nana will make sure you're taken care of. If you have any questions, Nana will take care of those too.” He grabbed a sturdy jacket off a peg as he continued, “Now, unfortunately, I must be off again, for I have a planned meeting with the folk down with the feufolk; I should be back before nightfall, though, wish me luck!” And with a wave of his want, the area in front of him opened into that shimmering circle again, and he stepped into it, despite the fire that was blazing in the portal. Rork could feel the heat from coming from the portal, and it just about matched his feelings at the time. Being sent to his room to study books, and not just that, but all the books, was a little different from what he had originally expected from this great wizard.

Half-way stomping to his room, he reached for the first book that stuck out to him and flipped open the cover. Tossing his shoes onto the ground, he lay on his bed, arms perched beneath him, reading until it started growing dark. He wasn't nearly as angry when he heard Nana come in asking what he wanted for dinner as when he first entered his room. The book was filled with so much information, things he had never heard of before, such as the fact that there were actually eight elements, not just six, and that one of them wasn't even tied to a day, amazing! Trying to take his eyes away from the book was like trying to drag his hand through the pudding that they served at the school on rare occasions, if they could call it pudding.

He managed to meet Nana's gaze long enough, though, to say, “I'll have some mashed potatoes and pork chop stew with lentils and herbs.” Expecting it to take at least a few more minutes he returned his gaze to his book, but was surprised when Nana held the plate in front of his face mere seconds after he looked away.

“Here ya are, dearie, let me know when ye be ready for dessert, and I'll gladly make some for ye.” She just smiled as she handed him his food, and then walked off to continue cleaning the place.

“Thank you!” Rork called out after her as her footsteps grew more and more faint. He wolfed down the stew in less than a minute, despite it being piping hot; it just tasted so good, even better than the Sorcerer's Cup; when he heard the portal opening in the main room. He quickly jumped out of bed, running all the way to the room just in time to see Mikey stepping out of the flaming portal, smoke coming off his jacket. His beard and crazy eyebrows looked a little singed at some of the ends, but other than that, he was completely unscathed.

“So, how are the feufolk?” Rork asked after a minute of being ignored by Mikey.

Mikey, who had already sat down in his chair by the unlit fireplace spoke after a few more moments of silence. “They've all turned.”

Turned? Rork had never heard that expression before, “Turned to what?”

“They are no longer working with us, just as the rest of everyone else is slowly selling themselves away,” came Mikey's brief answer. He started to explain more fully as Rork showed a face that showed that he was dumbfounded, “It started in the far off regions, like your school, and the more remote places of our lands, and then spread inwardly, slowly taking the people and their hearts, until it eventually ended up in the places of power, so much that even the elementals are no longer fully with us.” He shook his lowered head as he took off his hat and threw it onto the hook placed on the wall next to the fireplace.

“Well,” started Rork, trying to cheer up the saddened Mikey, “I'm already halfway through the first book, and it is so full of information, I never even knew!”

“But you haven't read all of them yet?” Came Mikey's query with a raised eyebrow.

Taken somewhat aback, Rork came back with a simple, “No, not yet.”

Mikey chuckled quietly in a way that told Rork that he wasn't laughing because he thought something was funny. “Just wait till you get to the second book, that's when things start getting really interesting.” Mikey slouched a little more in his chair, pulling his long hair over his eyes, massaging them. “Go ahead and continue with your studies for tonight, I have nothing more to teach you at the moment until you finish that which I have told you to do.”

Rork, somewhat let down by Mikey's aloofness wandered back to his room, and cracked open his book again. The time and words flew as he continued reading, learning things he'd never heard before about the magic and how it worked. There was entire section devoted to each element, and his element, life, was chock full of techniques and words to say that would bring him even more power over his element. He finally finished the book late that night, wondering how he had ever gotten along without understanding the material that written in there. Stripping out of his robes and donning his sleep attire, Rork slept, he slept peacefully, and didn't wake until his body had received the rest it needed.

Chapter 8

When Rork awoke the next morning, he found the sun coming brightly through the windows and his clothes already set out for him for the day. He rubbed his eyes and left the bed with a small hop. After donning his robes he was more than ready to start on the next book that was sure to be full of even more help and insight into the world of the magics. He went over to another bookshelf, hand poised to pick out the next one that caught his eye. Odd, he thought, they don't seem to be in any particular order. He arbitrarily grabbed an older book, whose binding was starting to peel off, and flipped it open, scanning the table of contents. What? They only list five elements in here, what's up with that? He started reading, and before long came across several other issues with the book that didn't agree with the book he had just read.

After putting up with half the book, it was already past midday, and Nana came in. “What'll ye be having today, dearie?” She asked with the same smile she had when he first saw her.

“I think just a ham sandwich would be good.” He said, nose still stuffed in his book.

Just like the last few times, Nana turned around and turned back a few seconds later, holding his lunch, ready to be eaten. She held it out to him, asking, “Is there anything else with which I might be of assistance?”

Not really sure of his reading, he decided to ask her. “Did you know that these two books I've been reading don't match up at all? This book says there's eight elements, and this one says there's only five and doesn't mention anything about the weekdays.”

“Sounds a bit fishy to me,” came her words.

“What am I supposed to learn from these books if they can't even match up the facts correctly?” asked an annoyed Rork.

“Maybe that's the question ye should be asking.” Came Nana's quiet words as she started leaving the room, “but you're a smart lad, I'm sure ye'll figure it out, dearie.” And with that, she closed the door, footsteps getting further and further away as she left for her other chores.

Rork, not sure what she was trying to get at just grabbed his sandwich and held it in his mouth as he flipped to the next page, not sure what to believe at this point.

Getting cramped on the bed after a few hours of swapping between lying on his stomach and lying on his back, Rork headed out to the main room, sitting in the big armchair by the fireplace. So entranced in his reading, he was so startled when Mikey showed up in yet another portal, that the book fell into the fire.

Panicked, Rork reached out to grab the book, only to be interrupted by Mikey, “Wait! Don't burn yourself. That book isn't worth it, there's plenty more where that one came from.”

Rork started, “But it's so old and-” but he didn't get the chance to continue before Mikey stopped his words in their tracks.

“That book is full of fallacies and lies. They might have tried to get the right information, but they ended up twisting it and putting it as they see fit, not letting the actual evidence steer their words. Just let that book burn, there are plenty more wrong books from where that one came.” He stayed transfixed on the burning book the entire time, eyes reflecting the fire that was before him.

Confused, Rork asked “Then why did you have me studying those books in there?”

Without blinking, Mikey came back with “To show you that you can't rely on everything being true, even if people are good intentioned, they twist things with their own view of the world and their past experiences. And while all together these books might contain the right information, there is too much filth in between the good parts that it makes it unworthy of your time to try to rummage through it and put together the truth.”

(Hiya!  I'm a ninja!  just kidding... though I think it would be awesome to be one.  Sorry I didn't write earlier in the day like I almost promised to, I made some very delicious sweet potato zucchini  pancakes with my wife this morning after a late awakening.  I stayed up just a little too late playing minecraft and watching minecraft videos last night >.<  Anyway, hope you all enjoyed the middle of your week, as I enjoyed mine.  I look forward to seeing you peeps reading more as well.  Enjoy! )