“Rezkin.” Master Jaiardun’s voice had become even more coarse and gravelly over the years. It sounded almost like he was chewing on rocks all the time. “You have learned all of the Rules such that you rarely break any, and since you passed your final Skills test last week, we have little more to teach you. You have done so well, in fact, that you completed your training at least three or four years ahead of our predications.” Master Jaiardun paused at the perplexed look on Rezkin’s face. “What is the source of your confusion?”

“Master, you said I know all the Rules, but I still do not know Rules 1 and 2,” Rezkin replied.

“Hmm, yes, you will learn those as well. They are your final lesson, which you will learn when you leave here,” replied Master Jaiardun.

“Leave, Master? Am I not to stay here?” Rezkin asked. This was the first he had heard that he would not be staying in the fortress where he had lived his entire life.

Master Jaiardun huffed, “What did you think we were doing here, Rezkin? You have learned the Rules and Skills. It is time for you to put them to use. You have a purpose, and that purpose is not here.”

“I have a purpose?” he asked with surprise.

Master Peider stepped forward and spoke in his usual quiet, sure voice. “We are men, Rezkin. All men need a purpose. Our purpose, and that of these strikers, has been to train you. Our purpose is now at an end. You must now go into the outworld.”

“So, what is my purpose?” Rezkin asked. Curiosity was one characteristic of Rezkin’s natural personality the masters had actually encouraged. He was never punished for asking questions … unless they were something he was already supposed to know.

“That, Rezkin, will become clear when you learn Rules 1 and 2,” replied Master Peider.

Rezkin knew that men played different roles in the outer society. He had been trained to understand the workings of many of them. First, there were the average commoners. He was familiar with many of their Skills, but he otherwise did not know much about these people. His masters had always said they held little importance to him. Then, there were the thieves. The minor thieves held about as much importance as the average commoners, but the thieves’ guilds had been a major point of discussion. Rezkin certainly had the necessary skills for a thief, but to act as such would render much of his knowledge wasted.

Rezkin thought of his other Skills and compared them with what he knew about society. He could become a soldier or guard, but most soldiers and guards would never need the majority of his Skills. None of the strikers in his own fortress were masters of all of the Skills, which had been confusing to him since they were obviously grown men. How had they grown without knowing all the Skills and Rules?