22. A Death

A firm knock on my door woke me from a sound sleep. I threw  on my robe and went to the door. When I opened it I could just recognize Friar Montague in the darkness of the shadowy hallway.

"Is it time for lauds?" I asked sleepily, gathering my thoughts. 

"Not yet, but soon." he said, "You might as well stay up and come on down to the chapel. I have some news. Friar Crispus died a few hours ago and the Blue Star Crystal has been returned."

"What? How?" I managed to say.

"It is our custom to have a few of the closest friends stay with a dying brother and I had been called as one of them when it became clear that Friar Crispus was failing. 

Young Friar Kew was also there. He had been rather close to Crispus in spite of their great difference in age and had often played chess and talked to the old monk by the hour.

"When Crispus' spirit had left his body, Friar Kew handed me the Blue Star. He had it in his pocket.

"Kew told me he thought HE could heal Crispus if he only had the crystal so he took it after the service for the villagers last Sunday and has been carrying it in his pocket ever since. He said he didn't think we adepts were trying hard enough to cure Crispus but he...

"Anyway--that's where the crystal was and that's who took it and why. I thought you would like to know. Lauds will be in about half an hour."

"Thank you, Friar Montague." I managed to say before he turned away and disappeared down the hallway into the very early morning darkness.

"Well,  I'll be..." I whispered to myself. 

A sorcerer's apprentice. 

Couldn't wait for the years necessary to develop the skills to use the crystal. 

Typical youth--and I thought of the eager mistakes of my own younger days.

You can't cure old age and the spirit inevitably must leave even a healthy body some day. No one lives forever.

I got ready and went to the chapel for lauds.

 

...