Samuel and Tobi joined the others in eating their way through the sumptuous feast with the others, talking jovially with the wild mages. They shared stories, laughed at jokes, and poked fun at each other. The residents of the colony had welcomed him and Tobi so quickly and warmly after Sivarn’s declaration, that it surprised Samuel. He’d had good friends and people who were like comrades to him in the past, but the way these folks grew on him in under a week was a new sensation.

The Wild Mages of Zaban were hermits, it was true, but they were generally a friendly people. Like their counterparts in other nations, they welcomed new stories, loved good food, and had their squabbles. But, sitting beside the fire, under the bright moon, with his face full of delicious juicy roasted meat, Samuel did not feel like an outsider. He could have lived here all his life.

“Samuel Bragg!” Sivarn said loudly, hushing the other conversations taking place. “Tobi Tokugawa! Stand up, and let us all see you!”

Confused but grinning, Samuel hurriedly swallowed his most recent bite and stood, as did Tobi. He hurriedly wiped the grease from his chin with the sleeve of his dark blue robe, ignoring the chuckles of the wild mages who noticed this. He turned his head to stare at Sivarn, wondering what he had in mind.

“When you came to us a week ago, you were strangers. We saw only an exhausted boy carrying another on his shoulders, begging us to provide them shelter. We were persuaded by your apprentice to wait until you awoke so that we could judge your nature for ourselves.”

Samuel nodded, having been told this story by Tobi shortly after his fight with Sivarn. But he didn’t interrupt. He was familiar with the pace of Sivarn’s speeches by now and knew the man liked to tell a tale from the very beginning, making sure to miss no details. Tobi moved a little closer to him, leaning slightly so he could view Sivarn.

“I confess, seeing your thin and weak body, that I pre-judged you to be weak,” Sivarn said. He allowed his gaze to sweep over his subjects, his eyes stern. “I admit now that I was mistaken. You are a young hunter, yes, but a fierce one nevertheless. You are swift, your fangs sharp, and your mind agile.”

The large majority of the mages slapped their hands onto their thighs, in a slow, set rhythm. It had the feeling of applause, and Samuel noticed that even Sivarn joined in. They all made the motion three times, then silence fell once more. Samuel shared one bewildered look with Tobi, then returned his attention to the leader.

“Now, on the eve of the greatest fight in our recent history, you are not an outsider, but a friend, and trusted ally. You have more than proven yourself to fit in amongst our numbers. As such, it is only fair that you and your apprentice be accorded the proper respect.”

Two members of the colony stood as he said this. One, a tall and thin woman with dark skin and even darker hair with green eyes. The other, a broad-shouldered man wearing a pair of thick leather and metal gloves. All eyes were upon them, and those in the way moved aside hurriedly to let them pass. The two moved to stand beside Sivarn, staring across at Samuel and Tobi.

“In our culture, when one becomes of age and earns the title of Wild Mage, they are given a gift. This gift is unique to them and is created to aid them in combat. It makes them stronger, and underlines the tie they have with our people.”

The man stepped forward first, holding a long thin pouch out to Sivarn. The man took it and turned to Tobi. “Tobi Tokugawa. I present you this gift, and with it, I name thee. From this day, you will be known to our people as Surging Storm, in honor of your fierce power, speed, and pure spirit.”

Tobi, looking more than a little awed, took the pouch from Sivarn’s hand and undid the ribbon that was tied around it, and pulled the objects it contained out. They were thin metal spikes, about six inches long. As he rolled them in his hand, Samuel saw the thin, intricate runes etched along the surface of each spike. They were psionic runes, he realized.

Tobi stared down at the new weapons in his hand, clearly thrown by the value and thoughtfulness of the gift. Then he looked up, his eyes bright in the light of the fire, and bowed deeply to Sivarn. Sivarn put one massive hand on his shoulder and nodded in return. Then Tobi retreated to stand beside Samuel once more, who was still looking at the spikes. They appeared to be made of bone, he noticed.

Now the tall woman was walking forward. She held nothing in her hand but a brush. Sivarn spoke again. “Samuel Bragg.”

Samuel stood as straight as he could, and Sivarn continued. “In our fight, I was inspired by your sharp wit and unwavering determination. After you claimed victory, I reached out to the last mage who visited us, Erik Kiinor, and he told me of your great achievements.”

Samuel stared blankly back, surprised at the effort Sivarn had put into learning more about him. He could have asked any question, and Samuel would have answered them honestly, but Sivarn took the regard of strangers in his home seriously, it seemed. He gave a little bob of his head in recognition of the compliment.

“I present you this gift, and with it, I name thee. From now on, you will be known to our people as Maelstrom, in honor of your power, strength of mind, and unwavering soul.”

Samuel looked at the woman curiously, and she moved closer to him. “Please, remove your tunic.”

Nonplussed, but not wanting to interrupt or cause offense, Samuel did as she asked. He undid the tie holding his robe closed, and handed it, along with his gray tunic, to Tobi. Then, directed by the woman, he went down to his knees, staring at the mass of wild mages, his back to Sivarn and the woman.

“Maelstrom,” The woman explained. “I will now inscribe runes onto your back, to grant you great physical, mental, and spiritual strength. When activated, you will be renewed, despite how exhausted you are.”

Samuel did not reply, nor did he flinch as he felt the cool brush make contact with his skin. The woman worked quickly, making intricate gestures down his spine. Samuel could feel the energy pooling in every line she wrote, and when she finished, a shiver went down his spine, and the runes burned slightly. He seemed to have been robbed temporarily of breath. Leaning forward without meaning to, he put one hand out to stop his fall, and caught his breath.

“Samuel and Tobi, please stand before your honorary tribe. Know them, and let them know you.”

Samuel rose slowly to his feet, aware of Tobi moving to stand on his right. Each and every wild mage had their eyes trained on them, full of respect and welcome. Then one elder bowed his head, pressing his hands to the earth in a sort of blessing. The woman beside him copied his action, quickly followed by another dozen, then two dozen, until all bowed in his direction.

“Maelstrom.” They murmured, the word seeming to echo magically from across the lake to his ears.

“Surging Storm,” Others muttered, their voices respectful.

Samuel didn’t know what to make of all of it. Usually preferring to remain out of the spotlight, he found their collective gazes to press in on him, as if the weight of their eyes pinned him in place, marking this as his home forevermore.

“Now, in honor of our allies, let us feast!” Sivarn shouted, making Samuel jump. An equally enthusiastic roar of agreement sounded from the mages, and the feast continued in earnest. Now that the attention was off of Tobi and himself, Samuel hurriedly put his tunic and robe back on.

The rest of the night was filled with further eating of fine food until their stomachs were nearly bursting with the amount of food eaten. Samuel and Tobi were now a central part of the celebration, with others coming over to offer their congratulations. They only referred to him as Maelstrom and Tobi as Surging Storm. The names had a sense of ritual to them, and Samuel was sure that they would remain for life.

These were a great people, Samuel thought. Hidden from the rest of the world, they continued their way of life, living in communion with nature and caring for their families. The odd thing of it all was that when Samuel looked upon them, he saw the family he had never known. Little siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and little cousins. He felt at home, and he knew that, even if it were the last thing he did, he would give anything to return them home.