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“Tell me what you know of this Order, Vaelin,” the Aspect instructed, leading him on towards the main keep

Vaelin recited from his mother’s lessons: “The Sixth Order wields the sword of justice and sood” The Aspect sounded surprised “You are well taught But what is it that we do that the other Orders do not?”

Vaelin struggled for an answer until they passed into the keep and sao boys, both about twelve, fighting ooden swords, ash cracking together in a rapid exchange of thrust, parry and slash The boys fought within a circle of white chalk, every tie of the circle the instructor, a skeletal shaven headed man, would lash them with a cane They barely flinched from the blows, intent on their contest One boy over extended a lunge and took a blow to the head He reeled back, blood strea heavily across the circle to draw another blow froht,” Vaelin told the Aspect, the violence and the bloodhis heart hammer in his chest

“Yes” The Aspect halted and looked down at hi arrows and fire We stand against the charge of horse and lance We cut our way through the hedge of pike and spear to claihts, but what does it fight for?”

“For the Realm”

The Aspect crouched down until their faces were level “Yes, the Realm, but what is more than the Realm?”

“The Faith?”

“You sound uncertain, little Hawk Perhaps you are not as well taught as I believed”

Behind hied the fallen boy to his feet a oaf! Get back in there Fall again and I’ll et up”

“‘The Faith is the sum of our history and our spirit,’” Vaelin recited “‘When we pass into the Beyond our essence joins with the souls of the Departed to lend us their guidance in this life In return we give them honour and faith’”

The Aspect raised an eyebrow “You know the catechism well”

“Yes sir My mother tutored me often”

The Aspect’s face clouded “Yourback to the saain Nor your father, or any other member of your fa to the Order You understand?”

The boy with the cut on his head had fallen again and was being beaten by the ular even strokes, thescant emotion Vaelin had seen the same expression on his father’s face when he took the strap to one of his hounds

You belong to the Order To his surprise his heart had slowed, and he felt no quaver in his voice when he answered the Aspect, “I understand”

The master’s name was Sollis He had lean, weathered features and the eyes of a goat: grey, cold and staring He took one look at Vaelin and asked, “Do you knohat carrion is?”

“No sir”

Master Sollis stepped closer, loo over hie of the skull-facedhis cane at the boy on the floor of the keep had replaced his fear with a sier

“It’s dead meat boy,” Master Sollis told him “It’s the flesh left on the battlefield to be eaten by crows and gnawed by rats That’s what awaits you, boy Dead flesh”

Vaelin said nothing Sollis’s goat eyes tried to bore into hiry, not afraid