My powers are still weak and my strength yet weaker still. I venture out onto the land of Ireth Lassel more often now, to embrace its now deadly beauty and to remember the before time, when it was a place of magnificence, wherein the knowledge I gained here was priceless and wonderful to behold. And so great is this knowledge it seems, that it seeps from my mind the more I ponder it, like the thin rope of a grand dream one grasps but is slowly lost.

And it is here at the end of every day I am ever drawn to my pen, though my memories are still apart and shy in coming.

But the thin rope of this fading fantasy I still have a hold of, and it is perhaps through Delacim that will I recall much more of myself rather than my wise and powerful, but unfortunate friend.

Delacim had come from a wealthy Yalaini family that built their estate on one of the larger islands off the west coast of Knorr close to forty cycles before his birth. Not surprisingly his family dealt very closely with the Lyceum and Delacim was one of four siblings, two of which attended the school. He was the second oldest, his elder being a brother by the name of Gaerlan. Of his other two siblings, I knew only that the youngest was female for Delacim hardly ever spoke of them.

He was also a favored pupil of Asheron (if this was true of Gaerlan as well I know not, as we spoke very little early on) and among his higher students. However Delacim struggled in his studies of the School of the Right Hand seemingly as much as I did, and from this was our friendship born.

(conclusion of the previous entry)

In the Lyceum, it was a general rule that students were disallowed from associating with fellow pupils of different tiers, each one separated by about five years of study. I suppose this was done to discourage the higher students aiding the newer ones. Yet while Delacim was younger than myself, he had been attending the Lyceum twice as long and given his status with Asheron and the status of his family, we rarely were able to meet for long lengths of time.

Delacim possessed knowledge vastly beyond those of his age and talent, and I learned much from him, not only of planar magic, but of the creatures of Auberean and beyond. Strangely, now that I recall, he spoke to me on one occasion of a world he visited, saying in a curious tone, describing almost perfectly the usurpers of Ireth Lassel I see today:

"The peoples inhabiting the world appear physically not unlike ourselves. Though diminished in height they are determined in mind and strong in body. Magic is a little known thing to them. Although having only spent little time among them, their potential for such things, if they indeed understood it as we do, is plain to see. My instructor* informed me it is because of this shortcoming that we walk in secret amongst them, only learning, not teaching. In peace they are farmers and merchants, serving lords and kings, raising families and celebrating their holy days. In war they shake the earth with their armies, some mounted on beasts of speed and muscle the likes of which I have never seen, utilizing weapons and armor to a greater extent than the Yalaini, probably due to their non use of magic."

He spoke much more to me of these other worlders, but my memory here is fragmented beyond recollection, and I must wait for my strength to fully return before I leave these halls again during the cold season to discover what I have forgotten.

*(Historian's note: a note is written at the bottom of this entry wherein the exact name of this instructor Delacim did indeed mention but is not remembered)

When we did not speak of Delacim's numerous journies to other lands, he questioned me at a length about my service to the Imperial Army, and my exploits on lands that were other than Knorr, and at the end of every story he sat attentive and awed. And to me it seemed such a fascination, that someone such as he, powerful and unbending Delacim, most prized of Asheron's pupils, and though younger than myself his status and magical prowess superceded mine ten fold, should take such an interest in the cruder arts of material warfare. On one occasion, I mentioned that at times I still practiced my swordplay in the back of the courtyard when the stars are out, and with the night warden's leave of course.

"You must teach me!" Delacim said, spurting the words out even before I could finish my own.

"Truly?" I asked him after a short pause, arcing an eyebrow.

He wasted no time in replying, "To have knowledge of material warfare is to have knowledge of the great accomplishments of old, of riding to greatness and glory in far off lands, not on another world, but on our own Auberean, lush and beautiful, practicing no greater honor than the one that is tested when your enemy can look you in the eye and when he has no weapon with which to defend himself, you give him one."

I laughed. Not out of mockery, but only because I knew I could not say no to that.

But my mood swiftly changed, and I said to him in a manner most grave, "To train you in the use of the material weapons is to train you as a soldier. And to become a soldier one must have discipline and strength not only of the mind, but of the body."

Delacim nodded. I continued, "And realize that the blows you strike are only as powerful as the swing of your arm, not your years of magical aptitude, and that the only things that keep the wings of death from embracing you is the speed of your parry, or, as you will come to see, the feeble protection or your enchanted armor."

Delacim nodded again, though slowly.

"And lastly, when your training is complete, only remember to wield your skills with humility. That the power of the sword is unlike the force of magic, in that it is only recognized when it performs great deeds on fields where it is at every disadvantage, and that through any adversity, there is still victory."

"Do you understand Delacim?"

"Yes, friend Luushien."

"Do you still wish to learn?"

"More than anything."

At that, I smiled and we clasped arms. And though this memory does serve to remind me of the words my officers told me my first days in the Army, it remains vivid mostly due to what happened after I exited the courtyard to retire.

I walked to my room, unclasping the spell enhancing pyreal bracelet I had forgotten to remove after my lessons earlier in the day. Looking up after folding the bracelet into my sleeve, there, in front of my chamber among the blue torchlight, stood a figure, tall and menacing. His long red and black trimmed robe flowed around his feet as if alive, and his very eyes emanated with a raw power and knowledge that was almost overwhelming.

"Do not look so surprised, young Luushien, only my enemies need have such an expression."

Gaerlan.

For a few moments we exchanged only silence, his dark eyes and deceitful smile boring through me.

I straightened myself and wiped the emotion from my face. I promised myself that I would not be daunted by this proud snake of an Empyrean.

"Indeed Lord Gaerlan, but please excuse my surprise at your visit. It is seldom that I find figures of prestige such as yourself in places among the common and low, much less stalking about at such a late hour."

I purposely injected my final words with an air of poorly masked contempt. I would not bandy cheap conversation with him.

But his smile did not fade.

"So willful and arrogant you are, my young learner. They make you both stronger than your peers and yet weaker."

I kept my gaze locked onto his and inhaled to speak in return but he stopped me with a gesture of his hand.

"My reasons for 'stalking about' this night are two fold, Luushien."

He took several steps towards me, and the blue torchlight nearby seemed to dim until all from the figure of his silhouette I could see was nothing but blackness.

That is, until his eyes only emerged from the darkness, lit by a sinister red energy that pierced the defense of my determination and struck a string of fear in my heart.

"Know that anything that involves my brother Delacim, involves me. And I am well aware of the circles you consort with, Luushien. I know of your past and of your family. Wherever your mind wanders, my thoughts have explored. Whatever place on our blue world you can conceive of going, I have already been. For every one thing you imagine, I bring into being, I ---"

I cut a sharp glance into him and broke his words, "Your knowledge of things is well and good Lord Gaerlan, but you succeed only in delaying the rest I will sorely need for tomorrow. I know only-"

Gaerlan's anger now came forth, his figure now plainly seen and he swung his arm in front of himself as if it was a blade, slicing back into my dismissive words.

"You know nothing! Your pursuits and your knowledge are merely lessons for children in comparison to the things I am master of!"

He took in several quick breaths and seemed to regain himself again, stepping forward again with a calm stride until he stood just outside a breaths range. He stood almost five hands taller than me.

I did not move. I could not move. I would not move.

"But for all I have said Luushien, you are not a weakling. Your time here has awakened your potential. Though you do not see it, you will inspire those around you to greater feats of mind. And with time and teaching, your potential will grant you power and knowledge, and that same potential will grant you an army."

I know not if Gaerlan spoke truth, as he indeed appeared to see that which I did not. I was no mover of hearts or inspiration to my fellow Yalain. In my mind I was but still the eager learning child, plucked ripe from one of the noble families, still curious and still knowledge thirsty.