Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 10:49:43 EDT
From: Faradhi269@aol.com
Subject: neriam-4

*This story is a work of fiction.  I thought I'd tell you of some of my
favorite stories: tales of a real dark knight in the boy-bands section,
strength for you in the highschool section, in the arms on an angel in the
highschool section and the first and the last in the sf-fantasy section.
These are all great stories, and I recommend them highly.  This story is
copyrighted, and although I don't care if you quote it or not, if you will
do so extensively, please give credit where credit is due.  I try to do so.
Questions, comments, ideas?  E-mail Faradhi269@aol.com*

	Mordeth quieted after a few moments.  "I'm sorry, Neriam.  I don't
know why I find it so upsetting.  I mean, it's not an uncommon occurrence
for this place, I only wish I'd had some choice in the matter."
	"I know," Neriam consoled.  "Really.  And I'm so honored you shared
this with me."
	"I was so weak, though!  I cannot believe I cried."
	"Mordeth, you are not weak," the boy said forcefully.  "That was
the strongest thing I think I've ever seen from you.  You have nothing to
be ashamed of."  He hugged his friend tightly once more before letting go.
"Besides," he added wistfully, "at least you remember something."
	"Yes, well, knowing isn't all that it seems to be."
	"Don't give me that!"  Neriam sighed.  "I wish I knew my parents."
	"You don't remember anything," Mordeth pressed.
	"Sometimes, in my dreams, I see a face, but-"
	"What does it look like," he interrupted.
	Neriam thought for a few moments.  "I see a young face, not a great
deal older than you; perhaps twenty three or so.  He has the bluest eyes I
have ever seen, and his hair is silvery, I guess.  He's smiling at me, and
it seems like he's glowing, but I guess it was just the moon that night."
The boy shrugged.  "That's all I can remember."
	Mordeth stiffened at the story, but tried not to let his surprise
show.  "So who do you think he is?"
	"I don't know.  I wish I did."
	A long silence broke out, awkward in its intensity.  But soon
enough, the two friends, emboldened by their success with each other,
probed deeper until each knew the other nearly as well as himself.  Neriam
felt a great bond formed between them, and his admiration for Mordeth grew
beyond his physical prowess.
	Lacking any other ideas, the two of them decided to spar for a
while, and their smiles as they traded blows and blocks displayed their
enjoyment.  They laughed as they played, each one reversing holds and being
held.  Adane, outside the door, smiled at the sound of flesh striking flesh
and their laughter.  When it grew quiet, several hours later, he checked in
on them.  They had a simple game of stones, smuggled from somewhere, out on
the floor before them and were playing.  He decided not to make an issue of
the contraband, pleased to see them getting on well, and summoned a Novice
for the final meal.
	He delivered this last meal with a smile saying, "This is the last
one.  You two will be allowed to room together from now on.  I like to
build this bond between you.  But you will both be expected to rise on time
tomorrow morning.  Neriam, you are in charge of the kitchen, so be ready.
Good night, children."
	"Good night, sir," they both responded in tandem.
	Inhaling their food with their normal efficiency, the two boys
quickly reverted to their game, wondering if the old man saw and wondering
how much trouble they would face.
	"Well," Mordeth concluded, "if he saw, he didn't say anything.  We
may as well face what happens anyway, no?"  He laughed.  "I doubt whatever
we have to do will be worse than mucking out the stables."
	Neriam laughed.  "I guess not," he agreed.  "But if I need to be up
that early, I should probably sleep after I beat you soundly!"
	Mordeth snorted.  "Beat me?  Since when do you know the strategies
of this game?"
	Neriam grinned.  "Since I began playing you.  I don't need any
strategies!"
	Spluttering in indignation, Mordeth moved his piece.  Neriam
grinned triumphantly and hopped another stone across the board.  "I win."
	"Damn!"
	"Good night, Mordeth.  You'll be in this room tonight?"
	He nodded.  "Sleep well."
	Both of them got into cots next to each other and blew out the
light before falling quickly asleep.

	Several hours before dawn, Neriam felt what seemed to be a
presence, a sense of warmth around him and a voice that spoke.  "Wake,
child.  Wake."
	He slowly opened his eyes.  "Not again," he mouthed as he drew
aside his blanket and slid on his thin shirt and sandals.  He made his cot
and went down to the kitchen.  He prepared the dishes and lit the fires,
feeling comfort in the ritual of the kitchen.  As the other Students came
down to the kitchen, he wordlessly motioned them into place, and they
quickly went.  Neriam almost stopped in surprise.  They NEVER agreed so
easily, for some reason.  Mordeth came downstairs, and the two hugged
again, Mordeth surreptitiously feeling his forehead for any signs of fever,
and finding none.  He followed Neriam's imperious finger toward the
vegetables and breakfast was finished without any incidents.
	As they broke their fast, the Novices cleared the dishes and Master
Adane approached the two of them.  "I will be dealing with your training
personally from now on.  You will both attend your regular classes except
for weapons and hand-to-hand combat."
	The two boys looked at each other.  "Ah, Master," Mordeth started,
"is there a reason that-"
	"Are you forgetting everything after only one day off?  Perhaps I
shouldn't have been so kind to you yesterday, eh?"
	"N-no Master!"
	"Good.  Then you are dismissed."
	The two boys hurried off to their first class of the day: religion.
They entered the temple and sat in five rows of four.  They all sat in a
sieza position while their instructor, Eldallan, the Blade of Araman, and
the only cleric of Araman nearby, waited in front of the class.  A young
man, around the age of many of the Enlightened was dressed in flowing robes
of steel gray.  His dark eyes held amusement, and despite his youth, he
held many scars on his arms and face.  He looked down at the boys sitting
before him.  "Welcome, class.  You are ready to begin?  Excellent.  Now,
who can tell me the names of all the deities?"
	One of the Students, a red-haired child named Darmok raised his
hand.  "Amarah, Araman, Borator, Celerimbor, Dorieth, Ghim, Kardoch, Laman,
Nostro, Sacardi, Triordine and Yarborough."
	"Not bad.  Not bad at all.  You missed one, though.  One of the
greater powers.  Anyone know who?"
	Neriam raised his hand.
	"Yes?"
	"Magius."
	"Correct.  The Lord of Magic.  For purposes of balance, the gods
number thirteen, and vary in power and nature.  The Dark Gods are somewhat
fewer in number, but generally are larger in power, as are the neutral
deities.  The reasons for this lie beyond mortal comprehension, for the
gods ally themselves in many ways and given any different situation, they
may alter their alliances.  Now, I know that this monastery frowns on
magic, but magic is still an important part of the world.  I myself have
some magic, due to my training in the church of Araman."  The students
muttered quietly.
	"I will show you what I mean."  He held out his hands, moving them
in a subtle pattern and speaking sonorously.  Before their very eyes, a
large glowing ball of light rose to rest above his head.
	"This magic comes only after much practice and years of study.  And
more importantly, it comes as a gift from Araman himself.  He loans us his
power when we do magic, and it is our faith in him that grants us this
power."  He waved his hand, and the light disappeared.  "Now, I have always
tested my students to see who has ability.  If you have some, you have the
option of joining the priesthood and learning its skills and magic, or to
remain here.  To be honest with you, I have found none who have the ability
to do this yet.  And, also, not many priests develop the skills for the
greater magic.  Few are those who can go beyond the simplest of orisons.
But let us begin."
	He went to each student, instructing them to move their hands in a
certain way, praying to Araman in certain words, keeping the words in time
with the gestures.  Nothing happened, as he expected.  Until he arrived at
Mordeth, that is.  When Mordeth spoke the words, "Araman dos griabnos
priordinie," his body suffused with an aura of light.  The students around
him stared and some applauded.  Eldallan looked stunned.  "The-the spell
wasn't supposed to do that," he exclaimed in dismay.  "I don't know what
this means.  Mordeth, you and I will have to talk once I have meditated on
this."
	Mordeth bowed his head to his teacher, wondering what this meant.
Eldallan took a few moments to compose himself and restore order to the
class as the Students were looking askance at them both.  Taking a deep
breach, he moved his hands out to Neriam, sitting next to Mordeth who,
thankfully, had ceased glowing.
	Neriam frowned and moved his hands as Eldallan instructed, speaking
the same words, "Araman dos griabnos priordinie."  For a moment, nothing
happened and Eldallan shrugged his shoulders, moving toward the next
Student.  Mordeth felt a sudden fear when he saw his friend's eyes widen.
	Neriam screamed in pain and threw his face toward the ceiling, his
body clenching spasmodically as blue-white light burst once more from his
eyes and this time from his mouth as well.  His entire body was diffused
with a silvery radiance and started to lift off the ground.  Eldallan
jumped back and hastily prayed to Araman for a spell to remove the magic
that had somehow gone wild in the boy.  Nothing happened, and Eldallan
became frantic, not sure what to do.
	Mordeth jumped up immediately upon seeing the light and reached out
to his friend, whipping his hand back towards his body protectively upon
finding the silvery aura burned.  As Neriam rose higher off the floor,
Mordeth steeled himself and flung himself on his friend, driving him to the
floor as he clenched his teeth against the great burning pain in his chest
and arms.  Yet as he hugged Neriam's form to himself, the light faded and
Neriam lost consciousness, though his thin body still convulsed.  Mordeth
slowly rolled off his friend, trying not to let his burnt flesh touch the
ground.
	The fearful Students were ushered out, although Mordeth, focused so
intently in his own pain, did not notice.  Nor did he notice when High
Master Teramon and Master Adane as well as several of the other Masters:
Onoma-the primary disciplinarian, Barduk-the record-keeper and Fundinal-the
Master of Novices ran into the temple.
	"This is what comes of even AGREEING to the use of magic," Master
Onoma snapped at Barduk as they tried to move Mordeth without aggravating
his wounds.
	"Now, now, Onoma," Master Teramon rebuked.  "Eldallan here is doing
his job, and the magic comes from our Lord Araman.  It is not our place to
refute the Lord of Battles.  I only wonder what has happened here."
	"Well, don't ask me," Eldallan huffed.  Master Adane was holding
him off to one side, despite his attempts to examine Mordeth.  "If you
would only let me near them, I might be able to figure it out."
	"You've done enough," Onoma countered.
	"Gentlemen, please," Teramon said wearily, "let us leave this
discussion for another time and take care of the children.  Since magic
seems to be a problem here, we will do things the way we normally do.
Adane, what shall we do with these two, do you think," he asked, summoning
the weapon master to his side.
	"Well, sir," Adane began, "I think we should speak in private.  Let
us give the two of them a private room again, although I recommend making
it permanent.  Not as special treatment, but if this will continue to
happen to them, we may as well have a room where they can be treated
without disturbing the rest of the children."
	"That sounds reasonable.  But you know something.  I can see it in
your eyes."
	"Yes, sir.  But that is what we must speak of privately."
	"Very well.  Onoma, Barduk, Fundinal.  You three help Adane move
the boys to, Dromon's room.  That has not been reassigned yet."
	The four men bowed and lifted the two boys gently by the ankles and
shoulders, taking them to the other side of the compound quickly.
"Eldallan, run ahead and prepare the room with two cots, chamber pots and
whatever herbs and poultices will be needed to treat Mordeth's burns.  And
don't worry," he added, seeing the look on the cleric's face.  "I don't
blame you in the slightest.  Things just happen to these two, it seems."
His face hardened.  "But I intend to find out why," he grated as he
followed the priest out the door.

	The two boys were laid in their cots while the healer treated
Mordeth's wounds, placing a cooling mixture of several leaves and berries
onto a strip of clean cloth and gently placing it over the burn.  Once
done, they Masters left the two boys to heal and Adane followed Teramon to
his office.
	"All right, Adane.  What is it that you know?"
	"Master, I have only some speculation."
	"What is it?"
	"Well, sir, when we brought Neriam in only two days ago, you know
he was exhausted from his ordeal, but there was more.  When Mordeth and I
looked in on him, he was screaming in pain and the same light was shooting
forth from him, although it was somewhat different, as that light did not
seem to hurt Mordeth.  Whatever it is, I feel the boy may be beset by some
magical affliction."  The old man's mouth frowned in distaste.
	"That is a problem.  He is not yet old enough to have learned the
defenses against magic that the Enlightened and Initiates learn.  I will
send Eldallan for his superiors.  Perhaps they will be able to help Neriam.
If not, we may not be able to keep him here.  If magic will be the only
thing to help him," he also frowned, "then he must be helped.  But the
rules of our order forbid it to be constant within our grounds.  I will not
allow any magic, even that from Araman's clergy, to be used as a crutch.
We may have to send the boy away."
	"I pray that will be unnecessary," Master Adane offered.
	"As do I, Adane.  As do I.  You are dismissed," he added with a
sigh.
	Adane bowed and returned to check in on the boys.

	While Adane and Teramon talked, Eldallan closed his eyes and prayed
to Araman for aid in healing the wounds of Mordeth, for he was certain
those could be healed by his gifts.  As the powerful magic flowed through
him, he felt an amazing surge of power nearby and looked to Neriam's prone
form momentarily.  To his eyes, the boy shone like the sun itself, and he
had to turn away.  Concentrating once more on Mordeth, he summoned his
healing energy and gently healed the damaged tissue beneath the bandages.
Exhausted from his efforts, he prayed once more to Araman to protect the
two boys and made his furtive retreat.

	Adane returned to find both Neriam sleeping peacefully and Mordeth
watching over him.  Mordeth no longer looked in pain, although his face was
full of concern for his friend.  "Master," he whispered, "why is this
always happening to him?  What is going on?"
	"I do not know Mordeth.  I truly wish that I did."
	"I hate this!  I cannot do anything to help him.  I do not accept
that.  There must be something!"  His eyes held a hint of desperation.
	Adane nodded.  "Stay with him.  You calmed him before."  He smiled
somewhat sadly.  "You two are closer than ever.  I don't pretend to know
exactly why, but your presence is a comfort to him.  Considering how often
you get into trouble, though, I'm rather surprised he would feel that way,"
he finished with a wink.
	Mordeth grinned, but quickly returned to his vigil over his
friend. Neriam groaned in his sleep and he flinched, not sure what to do.
	Adane realized he had been forgotten and silently withdrew, certain
more than ever that he must teach them both all he could.  Before it was
too late.
	Neriam continued to cry out in his sleep.  Pain or loss, Mordeth
couldn't determine which.  Master Adane's words stuck in his head, and he
went to Neriam's cot and sat next to his friend, stroking his forehead
gently.  Neriam flinched at that first contact, but settled into it,
drawing himself unconsciously closer to Mordeth.  After some time, he grew
peaceful again, whispering with only the slightest of breaths.  Mordeth
leaned down to hear Neriam breathe, "please don't leave me" before falling
silent, sleeping deeply.
	Mordeth sat up and rested his friend's head in his lap, pulling his
hand through his friend's silky blond hair.  "I will protect you, Neriam.
I promise," he swore.  He sat that way for about three hours before Neriam
awoke full of energy and questions.
	"What happened, Mordeth? Where are we?  What's going on," he fired
off before his friend even had a chance to answer.
	"Calm down, Neriam," Mordeth laughed, thrilled to see his friend
feeling normal again.  "Let me explain."  He relayed the incident from the
temple and what has happened since to the extent of his knowledge, but
leaving out the exact details of Neriam's incident saying only that, "you
had something of an averse reaction to his magic.  You'll be all right."
	"You're certain of that?"
	"Absolutely.  Trust me."
	The boy nodded and bounded up out of bed.  "So, now that that's
done..."  his eyes finally noticed the bandages around his friend's chest
and arms.  "What happened?"
	Mordeth looked uncomfortable.  "Well," he began as he started
removing the bandages, "your, uh, reaction flared out and got me for a
second.  But see," he soothed, pulling the last of the bandages off, "it
was nothing at all."  Beneath the bandages, the skin was healed completely,
although slightly pink and glistening.  Neriam stared.  "You are all
right?"
	The older boy punched Neriam lightly on the shoulder.  "Bah.  As if
you could hurt me!"
	The two boys quickly began sparring with each other until Mordeth
placed Neriam into a simple side headlock.  Neriam squirmed and squealed.
"What's wrong?  I know I'm not squeezing too hard!"  He released his
friend.
	"You need a bath," Neriam answered, wrinkling his nose.
	Mordeth pointedly sniffed.  "So do you.  Let's go."  He moved
across the room to open the outer door on the way to the bathhouse.
	Neriam moaned.  "I don't want to take a bath in this weather!"
	Mordeth stopped and looked, grinning, at his friend.  "It can't be
that bad, and if we're going to share this room tonight, it needs to get
done."
	Neriam leaned back against one of the walls.  "After you.  YOU can
tell me it wasn't so bad.  Ha-AAAH!!"  He screamed as the wall behind him
gave in.  Mordeth rushed to see his friend and laughed.  Neriam lay
sprawled down a large basin-a good five feet wide and three feet deep-with
a small hole in the center.  It was made of stone and circular in shape.
Neriam groaned.  "Why does this always happen to me?"
	Mordeth laughed.  "Well, it looks like we found a new bathhouse.  I
didn't know we'd have one of our own!"
	Neriam sat up and rubbed his head.  "Great.  Now all we need to do
is lug all the water from the kitchens," he added morosely.
	"Will you stop complaining?  Look!"
	Mordeth pulled a lever next to the doorway and a panel in the side
of the bath slid aside to drench Neriam with lukewarm water.  "See.  We'll
only need to heat a couple of buckets and the water will be great!"
	"You're right," Neriam agreed with a smile.  "And since I'm already
wet, you can go get the hot water!"
	Mordeth gaped at him.
	"Well, you're the one who got me wet in the first place, so get
moving before one of the Masters sees us and we won't be able to relax," he
ordered, removing his clothes.
	That galvanized Mordeth into action.  He ran across the yard to the
kitchen where he grabbed two fairly large wooden buckets and dipped them
into the large cauldron in which water was always kept to a near-boil
unless near mealtimes, when it boiled hugely.  They weighed a ton, it
seemed, but he grabbed one in each hand and held them away from his body as
he half-ran, half-jogged back to his new room.  By this time, the large tub
was around half-full, and he emptied both buckets of water into it.  "Hey,"
Neriam yelped as the amazingly hot water got too close to him.  He swirled
the water around and said, "You need to get another couple of buckets.
Four should do it," he smirked, still wringing out his wet clothing into
the tub.
	Mordeth scowled at his friend and rushed back to fill the buckets
twice more.  It was almost dark and his arms were throbbing with the
exertion by the final trip.  He sighed in relief after emptying the water
into the large tub.  Neriam sighed as the water reached a lovely
temperature, the steam filling the small room as Mordeth shut the door.  He
pulled out a brown cake of soap he had swiped along the way and tossed it
to his friend as he removed his clothes and slid into the water.  "I could
get used to this," he sighed.  "I'm sticking with you from now on.  I go
from being in the most trouble I've ever been in to sharing my own room
WITH BATH with my best friend.  For all the strange things that happen to
you, you're good luck."
	Neriam grinned and splashed his friend.  A waterfight ensued before
the two just relaxed into the water, letting it wash away all the bad
feelings, the soreness and the sadness.  When they had both washed, Mordeth
dropped down and pulled the plug from the drain in the center of the tub.
They arose, dried and went to bed.


	Neriam awoke to the sound of his silent voice again that morning.
"Deep inside, child.  Wake!"  He roused Mordeth, and the two began their
chores.  After they finished working on breakfast, Master Adane approached
them immediately.  "You two are coming with me.  Now.  I'm keeping you
under my supervision from this moment forward.  Come."
	The two boys looked perplexed but followed quietly until Adane led
them to the weapon-practice range.  "Now," he began, "you are both already
familiar with the staff and nunchauku, so we will begin work with the
kamas."
	"B-but Master," interjected a frightened Neriam, "kamas are for
Initiates, not Students!"
	The old man gave the boy a very evil glare and handed out a pair of
the hooked weapons.  Neriam held the sickle-like object uncertainly,
although Mordeth seemed to weigh them comfortably in his hands.  "These are
wooden so that you don't cut yourselves or each other practicing.  I expect
you to be able to use the metal ones at the end of one week."  The pair
dropped their mouths.  "Now," he said, grabbing a pair with stone handles
and steel blades, "let's begin."  He started showing the pair of them
simple blocks and attacks, most of them being slash attacks as thrusting
with a kama is very difficult.  As the two boys became more familiar with
the weapons, he taught them more difficult and more complex combinations
and maneuvers.
	Five hours later, when they broke for midday meal, both boys were
drenched in sweat and three practice kama had been broken.  Neriam was
covered in several wicked bruises and scrapes, but Mordeth sported not a
one.  After a brief lunch, the two boys returned to find Master Adane
standing, waiting.  "Welcome back, boys.  Now that we've warmed up, it's
time for calisthenics, and then we will work on our unarmed combat."  The
boys were well-trained enough not to react to that in a negative manner,
although they looked at each other in trepidation.  "Now," barked the
Master, "I want one hundred body lifts, then four hundred stomach curls,"
he instructed, causing both boys to drop to the ground.  They held their
bodies stiff and performed their push-ups rapidly.  Neriam was breathing
VERY hard, although Mordeth didn't seem to have broken a sweat.  After
finishing those, they turned around and Adane stood on their feet for a
support as they lifted their head to their knees, twisting to both sides
before lowering again.  Four hundred sit-ups later, they collapsed to the
ground panting as Adane lifted their ankles to his shoulders and pressed
them apart and down to the ground.  First he tried Neriam, who managed to
go nearly back to the ground.  Mordeth, unfortunately, was not so flexible
and Adane pushed him only to the point where his legs began to vibrate
violently.  The old man tsked and let the young man go.  "Now, three laps
around the compound.  Run!"  They did.  After several more stretches and
lifts, the boys began to spar in earnest.  Adane watched patiently for
around half an hour, making suggestions and comments before he grew
obviously very bored.
	"All right, now let's determine how well you two handle melee
combat."  They looked at him in confusion.  "In most combat, you will not
fight one-on- one.  It is foolish to think so.  While in order to protect
ourselves, as you know, we do not strike below the waistline above the
thigh nor strike the neither eyes nor throat.  But you must know how to do
so, for a time may come when you will need it.  You must learn how to fight
when there are many opponents around you.  So let's begin."
	He stepped up, and the boys stepped apart so that a triangle was
formed.  He bowed to the boys, who bowed back.  "Begin," he snapped as he
launched out with a quick front snap-kick to Mordeth's belly as Neriam
attempted a punch to him.  He blocked the punch with his left arm and spun
Neriam away and into the side kick Mordeth had intended for him.  Neriam
dropped from the attack and Moreth spun into a quick spinning-heel kick.
Adane ducked below it and struck up with his hand only to receive a kick in
the head from Neriam, who launched out with both legs at his two opponents.
Neriam pulled his feet out and up, launching himself into the air.  Mordeth
connected into his back with a butterfly hand strike then whipped his right
elbow toward Adane's head.  Adane rose both hands to block the blow,
raising his knee to Mordeth's chest and grabbing the blocked arm
simultaneously, then straightening it quickly into another side kick at
Neriam.  Spinning swiftly, he launched Mordeth over his shoulder, knocking
him onto Neriam's rising form.  As they both fell to the ground, Adane
stood over them, far enough away to avoid any attack, but close enough to
prevent any attempts to rise.
	"I think that's enough for now," he informed the groaning pair.
"From now on, you will both focus on melee combat.  You MUST learn to
develop situational awareness.  You must know where your friends and
enemies are.  You must focus your energy to know whom and what is around
you at all times.  As you increase in proficiency in a three-person fight,
I will bring another Master, and we will increase it.  Good night, both of
you.  Dismissed."
	Both boys rose and bowed stiffly.
	"Oh, gods, that was killer," moaned Mordeth.
	"You're not joking," agreed Neriam.
	"And it's going to be like this every day!  I wonder why?"
	"I don't know."
	"I'm starting to rethink you being lucky, Neriam."
	Neriam laughed painfully.  "I never said that I was.  You did.  But
you held up better than I did against him.  It won't be too hard for you."
	"You must be kidding.  Hey, while we're here, let's stop by the
kitchen.  A hot bath would take the ache away, don't you think?"
	"Sure.  I know what else will do, as well."
	At the kitchen, the boys pilfered some fruit and rice and filled
three buckets of boiling water from the large cauldron used in preparation
for the morning's meal.  Neriam also grabbed a small clay jar from one of
the cabinets and loaded it into his arms.  Almost gleefully, the boys
rushed back to their room and immediately began filling the large stone
bathtub, adding the buckets of boiling water until the thick steam once
more filled the room.  Shedding their clothes in the main room, Neriam
pulled a blanket into the bathhouse with them.  "Here, before you get in,
lay down on this," he ordered his friend.  Mordeth did as he commanded, and
Neriam pulled out the small clay jar and poured some of its contents onto
Mordeth's back.  As the cooking oil hit his back, Mordeth hissed "That's
cold!"
	"Sorry.  Now stop moving!"  Neriam began to rub the oil into his
friend's broad back, kneading it deep until the hard muscles would give way
under his hands.  He began at the shoulders and slowly moved down to his
friend's calves.  Mordeth groaned appreciatively, already sounding more
than half asleep.  Once to the calves, Neriam ordered, "turn over."
Mordeth did and Neriam worked his way back up to the shoulders.  He rather
awkwardly avoided Mordeth's nether regions, not sure of what good that
would do, but he did accidentally hit the balls when massaging the inner
thigh muscles and tendons and Mordeth moaned his approval.  Neriam was
fascinated by the firmness of his friend's pectorals, large square- shaped
and hard, unlike his own and he watched in amazement as the nipples firmed
and rose under his touch even when the muscle finally relaxed.  When he was
finished, he got up and smiled.  "Feel better?"
	Mordeth smiled lazily.  "That was great."
	"Good.  My turn.  Get up."  He grinned.
	A groan.  "Fine.  Lay down."
	Mordeth returned the actions, noting idly how smooth Neriam's skin
was.  He gently moved his hands down his friend's back, and his thoughts
wandered as he did so.  He thought about Neriam's strange situation and
wondered what Master Adane held in store.  "Mordeth," Neriam groaned, "I
think I'm done there.  Will you keep moving?"  Mordeth froze in shock.  He
didn't even realize his hands had remained on his friend's two smooth
globes for the past several minutes.  Chagrined, he finished his friend's
back and turned him over.  Making sure to concentrate on the front, he
repeated Neriam's actions, his larger hands making frequent contact with
Neriam's boyhood as he tried to massage the inner thigh.  Neriam moaned and
stirred, without even knowing.
	Mordeth flushed at seeing his friend in such a position, not
entirely sure what it meant.  He knew it happened to him often, and he
remembered the morning when they both had the standard morning arousal, but
this time, he couldn't explain it.  He knew how sensitive the region is and
he didn't want to hurt it, so he avoided touching it directly and moved
quickly to Neriam's chest, where he finished the massage and had to wake
his friend.  "I'm done.  We get in the water now?"
	"Uuuh, right."
	Both were exhausted and quickly washed the oil off, each washing
each other's back without a second thought.  As the nights were growing
quite cold and one of the two blankets remained thoroughly soaked in oil,
the two of them decided to share a cot-and its blanket- once more.  Using
the blanket on the floor to dry themselves, they slid under the other
blanket, turned back-to-back on the small cot.  Mordeth shivered slightly
as he felt Neriam's smooth skin against his own.
	"You all right," Neriam whispered?
	"Fine.  Just a little cold."
	"Oh.  Sleep well then, Mordeth."
	"And you."
	Mordeth blew out the light and the two boys slept, quickly and
unconsciously sliding into each other, spooning together.  That night,
neither dreamt, but both were content.