When he returned with his brother, Jonathon, Gordd asked them to join him in the dining room. They all sat waiting for what their father had to tell them. The look on his face troubled them, and they asked if anything was wrong with him. He told them he was fine.

"My boys, I guess it is the right time for me to tell you some things that are secrets about you. Boys, you may find this hard to believe but I am in reality 600 years old. Ned, your mother is somewhere along the lines of my great granddaughter, and John your father was actually a distant nephew of mine. I went to see them before they died and told them I would raise you boys."

"But, Dad, how are you six hundred years old, that’s not possible." John stated.

"Yes, it is, my sons. I am a wizard, the High Wizard of the Wizard’s University, to be exact. Six hundred years ago I placed a spell on myself which kept me at my current age for over five hundred and fifty years, for matters too complicated to explain. That is all I have to say. I just thought it was time you boys knew the truth."

"Do something wizard-like, Dad!" John proclaimed cheerfully.

"Yes, I wish to see some magic too, father." Ned seconded.

"Alright, I will show you how I can produce a flame in the palm of my hand." Gordd holds out his palm. Slowly, small red sparkles come up, followed by blue and yellow sparkles. They all began to form into one, molding into a sphere-shape. The small sphere began to illuminate into a bright light. It was a small ball of fire hovering just centimeters above his skin. "Satisfied?" The boys sat stunned, staring into the ball of fire. "Very well, I do wish for you not to tell anyone about myself. Is that understood?" The boys still staring into the flame, nod there heads. "Enough." With a flick of the wrist the ball of flame disappears.

"You may two may leave, if you wish." Jonathon got up and began to walk away.

"I need a drink, this is too much." He continued on his way, but Ned sat still perplexed by what had been revealed. He looks up at Gordd, as Gordd grins down on him. Then Gordd stodd up, walked over to Ned, and placed his hands on Ned’s shoulders.

"I was hoping you would stay. You see I needed to speak to you of important matters. Ned, something has come up. I will need you in the early morning to train extra hard for fighting."

"Dad, if this is about the Jared saving my life, I assure you I was about to make my move on the nimmer, but then Jared seemed to have stabbed him in the back." Ned looks around finding no sign of Jared. "By the way, where is Jared, anyway?"

"Jared had to leave on short notice. And no, it is not -"

He got cut off by Ned. "Leave on short notice? He said he wanted to stay for the Coming of Winds festivals, to hear Karen sing."

"Oh, well he said he had…forgotten he had something to do and ran out of town, back home. Anyhow, no, I am going to train you for matters far harsher than that of a nimmer. I want you to wake up at dawn tomorrow; go into the woods, don’t wander to far away though I want you back right away; and get the largest, sturdiest stick, branch, whatever it be. It must be a single, sturdy stick, almost as tall as you."

"But, d…gramps, what am I to do with a stick?"

"You will train with it. After you return with the stick, you will need to report to me for the training to start. If I tell you to go away when I’m sleeping, well then go away and just practice with your daggers on some trees near the woods, for no more than one hour. After that you come and make sure I wake up."

Ned didn’t know what to say. He tried getting some words out that would question Gordd to his taste, but he couldn’t make the words fit. "Uh…Very well then I guess I better get some sleep. G’nite."

"Goodnight, child," Gordd whispered. "And may it be a good one."

Ned arose from his seat and began walking away. "One question, though, why did you choose me and not John?"

Ned smiled a sad type of smile. He wished it didn’t have to be either of them, but knew now that it was written it had to be. "Because, Ned, I have chosen you." His heart sank, from repeating what Jared had told him earlier. You have chosen Ned yourself.