Chapter One: Tyll’s Retirement
Dεftεra Atεlio, Si’Yεni Fεngari
2nd day, 2nd week, Si’Yeni’s moon
Harday, the 32nd of Xrehnmon
Tyll sighed heavily as the portal collapsed. He trudged toward the temple, fully robed and masked, the Kephomeh’s summons in hand.
Vrema snuffled him in concern, pacing him. Tyll stroked her neck and murmured. “He’s going to make me retire. I know it.”
She heaved a smoky sigh but imaged Tyll surrounded by children and herself with a foal. There was longing associated with the thought of a foal.
Tyll tugged on her forelock. “Go find yourself a nice stallion, then, my dear. I have to go face S’Prysnal.”
She whinnied in delight. She imaged Varn.
Tyll laughed. “He’s a handsome one. Good choice!”
She accompanied him to the building, gave his face a quick goodbye nuzzle, galloped off and translated.
Tyll trudged inside now. He delayed the inevitable by entering the nave and enjoying the fall of night service.
When the rite ended, Tyll finally headed for Prysnal’s office. His steps tended to drag. He kept getting distracted and sidetracked. So many people to say hello to, so many things to look at, so many mastigi to feed. He ended up with fifty of the little lizards clinging to him.
Tyll stepped into the Kephi wing and gently shooed his passengers.
“The Kephomeh is waiting for you,” an acolyte said and politely ushered Tyll in the correct direction.
“I’m sure he is,” said Tyll glumly. He allowed the poor acolyte to usher him then paused to nod to a fellow. “S’Pajel, when did you get back?”
“Not long ago. I heard the news that you were recalled,” Pajel replied.
Tyll’s recall had been a secret, but Pajel was a top-ranked Kephi and found things out.
Tyll spread his hands. “And here I am. How did your last mission go?” asked Tyll, procrastinating.
“We both know what this is about,” Pajel said, brushing aside Tyll’s question. “Sun’s hells, the novices know what this is about. Look on the night side; you’ll have time with your children.”
“I just can’t abide the idea of sitting around doing nothing,” muttered Tyll.
Pajel laughed. “Have you not spent time with your family lately? Sitting around and doing nothing is far from the description of your home!”
Pajel and the acolyte combined forces to herd the recalcitrant Tyll to the Kephomeh’s office door.
“Okay, you have a point there,” said Tyll after a moment’s thought. He sighed and caved in. “Well, here we go.”
“And I want you to tell me all about this Valer when you get out,” Pajel said.
“Has everyone heard?” asked Tyll in surprise.
“You wound me,” Pajel said. “You think I wouldn’t find out? But yes, everyone knows.”
Tyll shook his head in bemusement and walked into Prysnal’s office. “You wanted to see me, sir?” he asked.
The Kephomeh had obviously been waiting for him. He had all the reports in front of him. He picked each one up rather pointedly before putting it down. That way Tyll could see each of them. All were about his retirement from different priests, some from the same sect, some from others. The ones from the Therrai were prominent.
Tyll studiously ignored the reports and focused his gaze on the head of his sect.
“S’Tyll, you have always been one of the best,” Prysnal said.
“I still am one of the best, sir.”
“Always did things in the best way. And this is no exception. Not one but two heart attacks!”
“Anything worth doing once is worth repeating?”
“Was it worth doing?” The Kephomeh waved a report about.
“It wasn’t very fun,” Tyll admitted. “But the dhelion healed my heart completely. I’m still fit for duty.”
“Not according to S’Liast. Nor according to S’Yaseen. Nor any number of Therrai and Kephi. I have over a dozen reports here saying that no, you are not still fit or duty. S’Tyll, you’re the oldest field operative we have. The oldest in the history of the sect. It’s time and past time for you to retire from active field duty. None of us wants to hear that you’ve died because your reflexes were too slow and your reactions blunted by age.”
“My reflexes have not slowed,” Tyll snapped. “I’ll challenge anyone you care to name to prove that!”
“That won’t be necessary. My mind’s already made up, S’Tyll. It is time for you to accept that we need you to train the next generation of Kephi and not risk yourself in the field.”