This continues the epic I wrote between 1991 and 1996.
It is here that this Lamaraz learned of herbs
for herbalism was not considered magic
The first day he was initiated into the school
given the gray cloak of the Probationer and
given his secret name
Ulangar
wherein could be divined his sacred life
He was shown around the school
which consisted of caves and tunnels inside
the magnificent mountain called Möxien
The rooms of the cave inhabited by crawling-things
were lit by burning herbs but the hallways
were black with an herb sludge smeared on the walls to
give it a dim iridescent glow that smelled of bilge
To battle this pungency the initiates tended bowls of incense
ingeniously selected to cancel the horrific scent
just as sound can destroy sound
On the second week at the school
this Lamaraz discovered that his teacher
entered a hidden cavern at night
to practice the condemned art of magic
Lamaraz studied him for one month
to discover his patterns his ploys
Norkain went once for three days into that cave
and failed to enter after for four days
So Lamaraz went on those vacant days
to learn the secret way of the magius
The chamber was covered wall to wall
ceiling to floor in wood
with rows and rows of shelves
Covering every imaginable space on these
were antiquated tomes not lost
to the political whim of the day
Therein he learned of the secrets of magic
that there were ten levels of magic
The lowest for the Neophyte is UDDU
The second is called NERGALIM
The third is named SARU
The fourth is called EPADUN
The fifth circle is attained as
a great point for it is the middle of magic
and it is called GIL
The sixth circle is named IRKINGU
The seventh circle is called ASHARRU
The eighth circle is named BALDIKHU
The ninth circle is called MUXXISHA
The tenth circle and the final circle
is not named for only three people known have
attained to this lofty position and never were seen again
This circle is the hardest to attain
for there are the ten the Bovaks
who control magic and all who use it
It is they who grant the increase of magical use
to those who gain another circle
and they give to one who attempts to enter
the Circle of Ten an impossible test
hinted at in ancient texts and molded scrolls
Lamaraz quickly learned how to effectively
harness the essence of his soul
thereby gaining to the Fifth circle
the circle named GIL
in no less than eight days
And in twenty more days
he had gained the rank of the Ninth
the circle of magic called MUXXISHA
On the twenty-third day of his studying
in the ways of the magius
Lamaraz had completed the last of the
words recorded by Melek the Purple
one of the three that had completed the
impossible test of the Bovaks
Lamaraz realized that it did not explain
how Melek defeated his quest
let alone what the enigma was
Lamaraz would have then thrown the book in anger
and burnt the place to the ground
a shrine to the knowledge of men
for all to admire in its blazing glory
except that at this moment Norkain chose to enter
that secret alcove and spoke
`Ulangar you have been forbidden to enter here
as the rules have been put before you
since the time of your entrance
```Do not disturb the quarters of others'''
Your punishment is that of such an error
that has been made by an Probationer
expulsion'
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