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mple。 Yet he had never given himself entirely to anything。 All had e easily to him； and he had done all easily； it had all been a game； and he had played at loving。 But now the depths of him were wakened； not by a game or dream； but by honor； danger； wisdom； by a scarred face and a quiet voice and a dark hand holding； careless of its power； the staff of yew that bore near the grip； in silver set in the black wood； the Lost Rune of the Kings。
So the first step out of childhood is made all at once； without looking before or behind； without caution； and nothing held in reserve。
Forgetting courtly farewells he hurried to the doorway； awkward； radiant； obedient。 And Ged the Archmage watched him go。
Ged stood a while by the fountain under the ash tree； then raised his face to the sunwashed sky。 〃A gentle messenger for bad news；〃 he said half aloud； as if talking to the fountain。 It did not listen； but went on talking in its own silver tongue； and he listened to it a while。 Then； going to another doorway； which Arren had not seen； and which indeed very few eyes would have seen no matter how close they looked； he said； 〃Master Doorkeeper。〃
A little man of no age appeared。 Young he was not； so that one had to call him old； but the word did not suit him。 His face was dry and colored like ivory； and he had a pleasant smile that made long curves in his cheeks。 〃What's the matter； Ged？〃 said he。
For they were alone； and he was one of the seven persons in the world who knew the Archmage's name。 The others were the Master Namer of Roke； and Ogion the Silent； the wizard of Re Albi； who long ago on the mountain of Gont had given Ged that name； and the White Lady of Gont； Tenar of the Ring； and a village wizard in Iffish called Vetch； and in Iffish again； a house…carpenter's wife； mother of three girls； ignorant of all sorcery but wise in other things； who was called Yarrow； and finally； on the other side of Earthsea； in the farthest west； two dragons： Orm Embar and Kalessin。
〃We should meet tonight；〃 the Archmage said。 〃I'll go to the Patterner。 And I'll send to Kurremkarmerruk； so that he'll put his lists away and let his students rest one evening and e to us； if not in flesh。 Will you see to the others？〃
〃Aye；〃 said the Doorkeeper； smiling； and was gone； and the Archmage also was gone； and the fountain talked to itself all serene and never ceasing in the sunlight of early spring。
Somewhere to the west of the Great House of Roke； and often somewhat south of it； the Immanent Grove is usually to be seen。 There is no place for it on maps； and there is no way to it except for those who know the way to it。 But even novices and townsfolk and farmers can see it； always at a certain distance； a wood of high trees whose leaves have a hint of gold in their greenness even in the spring。 And they consider …the novices； the townsfolk； the farmers… that the Grove moves about in a mystifying manner。 But in this they are mistaken； for the Grove does not move。 Its roots are the roots of being。 It is all the rest that moves。
Ged walked over the fields from the Great House。 He took off his white cloak； for the sun was at noon。 A farmer ploughing a brown hillside raised his hand in salute； and Ged replied the same way。 Small birds went up into the air and sang。 The sparkweed was just ing into flower in the fallows and beside the roads。 Far up； a hawk cut a wide arc on the sky。 Ged glanced up； and raised his hand again。 Down shot the bird in a rush of windy feathers； and stooped straight to the offered wrist； gripping with yellow claws。 It was no sparrowhawk but a big Ender…falcon of Roke； a white…and…brown…barred fishing hawk。 It looked sidelong at the Archmage with one round； bright…gold eye； then clashed its hooked beak and stared at him straight on with both round； bright gold eyes。 〃Fearless；〃 the Archmage said to it in the tongue of the Making。
The big hawk beat its wings and gripped with its talons； gazing at him。
〃Go then； brother； fearless one。〃
The farmer； away off on the hillside under the bright sky； had stopped to watch。 Once last autumn he had watched the Archmage take a wild bird on his wrist； and then in the next moment had seen no man； but two hawks mounting on the wind。
This time they parted as the farmer watched： the bird to the high air； the man walking on across the muddy fields。
He came to the path that led to the Immanent Grove； a path that led always straight and direct no matter how time and the world bent awry about it； and following it came soon into the shadow of the trees。
The trunks of some of these were vast。 Seeing them one could believe at last that the Grove never moved： they were like immemorial towers grey with years； their roots were like the roots of mountains。 Yet these； the most ancient； were some of them thin of leaf； with branches that had died。 They were not immortal。 Among the giants grew sapling trees； tall and vigorous with bright crowns of foliage； and seedlings； slight leafy wands no taller than a girl。
The ground beneath the trees was soft； rich with the rotten leaves of all the years。 Ferns and small woodland plants grew in it； but there was no kind of tree but the one； which had no name in the Hardic tongue of Earthsea。 Under the branches the air smelled earthy and fresh； and had a taste in the mouth like live spring…water。
In a glade which had been made years before by the falling of an enormous tree； Ged met the Master Patterner； who lived within the Grove and seldom or never came forth from it。 His hair was butter…yellow； he was no Archipelagan。 Since the restoral of the Ring of Erreth…Akbe； the barbarians of Kargad had ceased their forays and had struck some bargains of trade and peace with the Inner Lands。 They were not friendly folk； and held aloof。 But now and then a young warrior or merchant's son came westward by himself； drawn by love of adventure or craving to learn wizardry。 Such had been the Master Patterner ten years ago； a sword…begirt； red…plumed young savage from Karego…At； arriving at Gont on a rainy morning and telling the Doorkeeper in imperious and scanty Hardic； 〃I e to learn！〃 And now he stood in the greengold light under the trees； a tall man and fair； with long fair hair and strange green eyes； the Master Patterner of Earthsea。
It may be that he too knew Ged's name； but if so he never spoke it。 They greeted each other in silence。
〃What are you watching there？〃 the Archmage asked； and the other answered； 〃A spider。〃
Between two tall grass blades in the clearing a spider had spun a web； a circle delicately suspended。 The silver threads caught the sunlight。 In the center the spinner waited； a grey…black thing no larger than the pupil of an eye。
〃She too is a patterner；〃 Ged said； studying the artful web。
〃What is evil？〃 asked the younger man。
The round web； with its black center； seemed to watch them both。
〃A web we men weave；〃 Ged answered。
In this wood no birds sang。 It was silent in the noon light and hot。 About them stood the trees and shadows。
〃There is word from Narveduen and Enlad： the same。〃
〃South and southwest。 North and northwest；〃 said the Patterner； never looking from the round web。
〃We shall e here this evening。 This is the best place for counsel。〃
〃I have no counsel。〃 The Patterner looked now at Ged； and his greenish eyes were cold。 〃I am afraid；〃 he said。 〃There is fear。 There is fear at the roots。〃
〃Aye；〃 said Ged。 〃We must look to the deep springs； I think。 We have enjoyed the sunlight too long； basking in that peace which the healing of the Ring brought； acplishing small things； fishing the shallows。 Tonight we must question the depths： And so he left the Patterner alone； gazing still at the spider in the sunny grass。
At the edge of the Grove； where the leaves of the great trees reached out over ordinary ground； he sat with his back against a mighty root； his staff across his knees。 He shut his eyes as if resting； and sent a sending of his spirit over the hills and fields of Roke； northward； to the sea…assaulted cape where the Isolate Tower stands。
〃Kurremkarmerruk；〃 he said in spirit； and the Master Namer looked up from the thick book of names of roots and herbs and leaves and seeds and petals that he was reading to his pupils and said； 〃I am here； my lord。〃
Then he listened； a big； thin old man； white…haired under his dark hood； and the students at their writing…tables in the tower room looked up at him and glanced at one another。
〃I will e；〃 Kurremkarmerruk said； and bent his head to his book again； saying； 〃Now the petal of the flower of moly hath a name； which is iebera； and so also the sepal； which is partonath； and stem and leaf and root hath each his name。。。〃
But under his tree the Archmage Ged； who knew all the names of moly； withdrew his sending and； stretching out his legs more fortably and keeping his eyes shut； presently fell asleep in the leafspotted sunlight。
The Masters of Roke
The School on Roke is where boys who show promise in sorcery are sent from all the Inner Lands of Earthsea to learn the highest arts of magic。 There they bee proficient in the various kinds of sorcery； learning names； and runes； and skills； and spells； and what should and what should not be done； and why。 And there； after long practice； and if hand and mind and spirit all keep pace together； they may be named wizard； and receive the staff of power。 True wizards are made only on Roke。
Since there are sorcerers and witches on all the isles； and the uses of magic are as needful to their people as bread and as delightful as music； so the School of Wizardry is a place held in reverence。 The nine mages who are the Masters of the School are considered the equals of the great princes of the Archipelago。 Their master； the warden of Roke； the Archmage； is held to be accountable to no man at all； except the King of All the Isles； and that only by an act of fealty； by heart's gift； for not even a king could constrain so great a mage to serve the mon law； if his will were otherwise。 Yet even in the kingless centuries； the Archmages of Roke kept fealty and served that mon law。 All was done on Roke as it had been done for many hundreds of years； a place safe from all trouble it seemed； and the laughter of boys rang in the echoing courts and down the broad； cold corridors of the Great House。
Arren's guide about the School was a stocky lad whose cloak was clasped at the neck with silver； a token that he had passed his novicehood and was a proven sorcerer； studying to gain his staff。 He was called Gamble； 〃because；〃 said he； 〃my parents had six girls； and the seventh child； my father said； was a gamble against Fate。〃 He was an agreeable panion； quick of mind and tongue。 At another time Arren would have enjoyed his humor； but today his mind was too full。 He did not pay him very much attention； in fact。 And Gamble； with a natural wish to be given credit for existence； began to take advantage of the guest's absentmindedness。 He told him strange facts about the School； and then told him strange lies about the School； and to all of them Arren said； 〃Oh； yes〃 or 〃I see；〃 until Gamble thought him a royal idiot。
〃Of course they don't cook in here；〃 he said； showing Arren past the huge stone kitchens all alive with the glitter of copper cauldrons and the clatter of chopping…knives and the eye…prickling smell of onions。 〃It's just for show。 We e to the refectory； and everybody charms up whatever he wants to eat。 Saves dishwashing too。〃
〃Yes； I see；〃 said Arren politely。
〃Of course novices who haven't learnt the spells yet often lose a good deal of weight； their first months here； but they learn。 There's one boy from Havnor who always tries for roast chicken； but all he ever gets is millet mush。 He can't seem to get his spells past millet mush。 He did get a dried haddock along with it； yesterday。〃 Gamble was getting hoarse with the effort to push his guest into incredulity。 He gave up and stopped talking。
〃Where。。。 what land does the Archmage e from？〃 said that guest； not even looking at the mighty gallery through which they were walking； all carven on wall and arched ceiling with the Thousand…Leaved Tree。
〃Gont；〃 said Gamble。 〃He was a village goa