“So tell me about this old wise man who is so good at magic.”

It was nearly two months later, and Samuel had become well-acquainted with his new life. His studies were proceeding at an accelerated pace, and while he may still not be used to being a lord, he was by now used to the dynamics of the house. It hadn’t taken long. His skills in managing other people may be negligible, but he was a student of observation and patterns. He’d only needed a week or two to become familiar with it and adapt.

He’d also given up on attempting to deny Arthur’s wishes. As long as they didn’t inhibit his own, Samuel had resigned to allow the man his semblance of formality. He no longer sighed in exasperation when Arthur fussed over his health or greeted him with the solemn “Good Morning, young master.”

Possibly the worst side effect of this treatment was how it reflected upon him within the Mage’s College. He’d always been the studious type, and with all the new information to absorb, he couldn’t quite remember ever being so content with his lot in life. He’d finally achieved his dream of leaving Harlest, and he was finally recognized for being good at something.

But alas, the other students had caught on to his station outside the college. He’d first become aware of it when a thin and gangly student named Garret, to whom he’d never said a word, had offered to help him study for their first major practical test. He was a much older student than Samuel, clothed in a green robe that signified him as an Adept of the College. At once, Samuel had taken him up on his offer. Any chance to learn more was welcome in his eyes.

It had been nothing more than a mistake, turning out to be a party full of self-interested young nobles. After two months since his arrival to the city, they’d learned nothing about the young heir to the Bragg estate, and were curious to know more. They might as well have tried to flatter a brick wall, in Samuel’s opinion. He was rarely ever inclined to talk about himself, and definitely not when pressed for information by the type of people who would trick him for his company.

Samuel had made sure to avoid the gangly youth from that time on, ignoring his cheery attempts to catch his attention. Instead, to his great surprise, his reaction to the meeting with his fellow nobles had earned him approval in the eyes of his peers. Not long after, he’d been invited to a quiet study group of Adepts and Masters, led by the Transmutation teacher, Otis Astori. This was virtually unheard of for someone in their first year, Samuel had learned.

He’d learned a great deal from the study group, and soon he knew enough of the subjects discussed to even share his own opinions and pose questions that the others found interesting. Samuel had taken a great interest in the school of Transmutation, and it wasn’t long before, to Astori’s apparent pleasure, that it became his favorite and best subject.

Samuel had finally picked the subjects he wanted to study. He’d found Restoration and Destruction intriguing, to be sure, but, as he tried to avoid fighting as much as possible, they didn’t interest him much, so he dropped the subjects. He’d also dropped Alchemy, as he had quickly come to realize that the teacher was extremely smug, and much like the gangly green-robed figure was inclined to treat the noble students better. Samuel wanted no part in such things, and he rapidly tired of the potent fumes created when brewing potions.

Apart from Transmutation, Samuel was now studying Travel and Divination. All three were subjects that he didn’t seem to tire of and always welcomed new material. To his great surprise, Samuel found himself to be quite adept at learning new spells, only needing a few hours to master them, where most other students took a day or two. The teacher for Divination, Ashara, had actually clapped in delight when Samuel had shown a good demonstration of her God’s Eye spell. She had called the execution perfect, but Samuel had left the class feeling annoyed with himself. Doing spells without speaking turned out to be rather difficult, not to mention much slower than the spoken variety.

Grimr had noticed his mood upon exiting the class and had merely counseled patience. Masters are not made overnight, young Samuel.

I’m not a Master, Samuel snapped back, by now quite used to this method of communication. He almost never failed to respond mentally now. I’m a student, and I’m tired of holding up the class with my slow casting.

You may not notice it yourself, but you are much faster with channeling mana. You’ve improved greatly from that novice mage that couldn’t handle a simple chain lightning spell two months ago.

A little mollified, Samuel had fallen silent for the rest of the day. But as the two of them (Shigeru had eventually grown bored with the repeated classes) traveled back to the Bragg estate, he’d been left to ponder his strange companion. He may have ridden on Samuel’s shoulder and looked, for all intents and purposes like an ordinary cat, but each of his statements carried undeniable wisdom with them.

It was this thought that had prompted Samuel’s question to the cat when they were turning up the long drive to Samuel’s house. One thing Samuel had refused to permit was taking a carriage to and from the College. As he’d told Arthur, he had two perfectly working legs, and the school was only a little over a mile away.

What? Grimr said, seeming to come out of a deep thought himself.

Samuel sighed to himself, realizing he’d spoken aloud. Tell me about this wise master of yours.

I recognize no mortal master. Grimr’s reply was instant. That is for those with much left to learn.

Meaning that you know everything? Samuel was amused, and it was obvious through the connection. He reflected that it was easier to convey emotion mentally than physically, and wondered at the reason.

I did not say that, Grimr replied. There’s simply not much left I want to learn.

Samuel decided that returning to his original point would be less confusing. Fine then. Tell me about this wise mortal man who taught you travel magic.

He was a very wise man indeed, Grimr reflected solemnly. His name was, or rather is, Raveonic. He taught many great people many things. He taught Shigeru how to fight.

Samuel glanced at Grimr out of the corner of his eye, more than a little surprised. He’s still alive?

If Grimr could have smiled, he would have been doing so. Samuel could almost imagine a sly grin spreading from ear to furry ear.

Of course, he is alive. He is a powerful man. His aura is potent enough that he does not age.

Well, now, Samuel thought. That was interesting. He’d certainly never heard of such a thing. He wondered to himself just how powerful someone had to be, or what achievements they had to earn to gain such power. It wasn’t the power that interested him most, but the idea of unknown magic. His thirst for knowledge, if possible, had strengthened over the past two months.

Hold. Grimr’s voice and his tense stance upon Samuel’s shoulders made the young man stop in his tracks. Glancing at Grimr, he followed the cat’s gaze to where it fixed upon the entrance to his home. He frowned slightly as he did so. Something was off about the building.

Then he realized that it wasn’t really the building that looked strange. It was the two people in front of it that caught Samuel off-guard. They both wore robes, one grey, and one green. Then, he recognized them. The slightly younger one was the Kiinor boy, whom he’d met on his first day at the College. The other was the tall and gangly boy Garret, who had first invited him to the party of nobles.

The taller boy had his hood up, casting his face into shadow as if to protect his identity, despite the fact that Samuel had recognized him instantly. Kiinor, however, had his head bare, his sleek red hair flaming in the last rays of the day’s sunshine. He glared at Samuel with open hostility that instantly put him on guard, though he didn’t understand why. As far as he could remember, he’d had little to no contact with Kiinor, save for their study groups and Transmutation lessons.

“Hello,” Samuel said, trying his best to keep his tone light and friendly. “What brings you to my house so late in the day?”

A sudden banging sound drew Samuel’s attention to the front door of the large estate house. It was a rapid banging as if someone was trying to get out but the door wouldn’t open. Samuel doubted that they would be able to hear what was going on outside, or realize that Samuel was in danger. If he was in danger, he thought.

“We’re tired of you, Peon,” Kiinor said with a snarl, raising his hand towards Samuel. With a quick incantation, his hand became coated in flames, flaring up even more fiercely than the light reflecting from his hair. “We’ve come to teach you a lesson.”

Grimr tensed even more where he sat on Samuel’s shoulder. Insolent cowards, attacking a man on his way home.

They’re here to attack me? Samuel asked, incredulous. But I haven’t done anything to him. The one in the green, I’d understand. But what have I done to offend Kiinor?

He feels slighted because of your success within the college. He’s furious that you were invited to Astori’s study group instead of him. Now it seems, he’s waited until you are out of energy from a full day’s study, to teach you your place. It is a very cowardly move.

Well then, what should I do? Samuel asked. I can’t fight against him with my mana so low.

You must show him that attacking you is a bad idea. Grimr says. You must be seen to best both of them, and you must do it yourself.

But my mana-

Grimr interrupted him. I will lend you mana. Do not worry, I will not assist past this. I will only restore you to your full level..

It was then, when he felt the rush of mana from Grimr enter his body and swirl around, filling him with energy and eradicating his sense of exhaustion, that he finally understood why the Ancient had wanted him to work using his mana, and not incantations. He was attuned to his own mana well enough now that he could tell the difference. In just under two months, the amount of mana he had control over had increased enormously. It was like a small cup of water had transformed into a rather large puddle, he thought.

Realizing that Samuel wasn’t going to reply, Kiinor spat out another incantation. It was a short one and he said it quickly, but Samuel was still able to react. As he saw the small red bead flying towards him, his own mana was already flaring up in front of him. The small mote of glowing red energy shattered into hundreds of sparks against the shield that had suddenly appeared before him, fading harmlessly into nothing.

Kiinor’s face showed nothing but blank shock as his spell was stopped with such apparent ease. Before he could prepare another spell, the tall boy in green robes moved on his own. He brought his hand up to his mouth, whispered into it, then flung something across the space towards Samuel. It appeared at first to be some kind of long rope, but as it flew through the air, it rapidly changed to a large snake. The snake passed through Samuel’s shield without stopping.

But Samuel was no longer there. He’d willed himself forward through space, and opened his eyes to see that he was now between his two attackers and the house. They turned in surprise as he reappeared, and he tried to attack them in turn, but the sudden absence of his energy caused him to stumble, and his intended target, the boy in green robes, jumped to the side in time to avoid the bolt of lightning that Samuel shot at him.

Idiot! Grimr snapped, forced to jump off his shoulders by the sudden change in balance. Conserve your mana!

Right, Samuel thought to himself. No teleporting.

He blocked the next two attacks from Kiinor and the green-robed youth again, swiping his hand and knocking their spells to the side. Then he jutted out his own hand, catching Kiinor in the chest with his own mana in what he imagined to be an extended punch. Kiinor hit the ground with a grunt as the wind was driven from his lungs. The one in green robes, having regained his feet, let out a loud curse and began to speak another incantation. This one was longer, and at first, Samuel waited to see what it would be.

You’re faster! Grimr shouted in his mind. Strike now!

But Samuel decided that he had to finish this on his terms, with his own idea. He let his opponent finish the incantation, watching as a flood of water from the fountain flew into the air and came crashing down on where Samuel stood. He stood his ground and extended his own mana into the water as it approached. His opponent was skilled in Transmutation or the school of changing the nature of things. If Samuel wanted to stop further attacks, he had to dominate him using his own special field.

By the time the flood reached Samuel, it was no longer water. Instead, fine dust began to spin through the air around him, so that he was in the middle of his own personal tornado of sorts. Then he allowed a smile to break across his features. He wasn’t sure if that idea of his would work but was glad it had. He directed the smile at his opponent, but what the other apprentice saw was not a smile. It was much more terrifying to him, coming from a figure enveloped in whirling sands.

With a simple motion, Samuel pushed the tornado towards the green-robed apprentice. Within seconds, he was enveloped and began to thrash his arms frantically as he sought an escape from the burning hot sand. Then, in an instant, his limbs were frozen in place as the dust solidified, encasing him in stone from the neck down. Samuel finally withdrew his mana from the material, and it dispersed into the air.

Kiinor had stood up by now, gasping for air as Samuel turned to face him once more. Without a word, he fingered some kind of amulet at his neck, beginning to speak another incantation. Samuel made no attempt to stop him. He wasn’t even sure he could. The last flurry of spells he’d used had almost completely drained him. He decided to put in one last effort. He raised his own hand, much like Kiinor had first done, and pushed out his own mana. Instead of fire, raw electricity covered his hand, spreading to cover his body in an instant.

“Leave,” Samuel ordered, trying to put as much authority as possible into his voice. “Leave, and I’ll pretend this never happened.”

Anger and fear seemed to conflict on Kiinor’s face as he stopped speaking, staring at Samuel with unbridled hostility. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, he lowered his eyes and turned away, heading towards the city. Samuel kept the images of lightning active around his body until the red hair was out of sight, then let it drop with a sigh. He was exhausted, he thought, as he hobbled over to the empty fountain and sat down on its rim.

The door to the mansion burst open then, and Arthur ran out into the courtyard, followed by Shigeru and many of the estate guards. The men all held their weapons bare as they fanned out across the cobbled path, casting looks at where the flying spells had hit the ground, and glaring suspiciously at the one in green robes. Shigeru ignored all the signs of battle and instantly moved to Samuel’s side, scanning him for signs of injury.

“Are you hurt?” The warrior asked in a tense tone.

Samuel waved a hand tiredly. “No, just tired. I was too sloppy in using my own mana, but at least it’s over.”

Shigeru studied him for a second longer, then nodded, apparently satisfied that Samuel was uninjured. He allowed his gaze to move over the courtyard, coming to rest on the one encased in solid rock. A half-smile touched his face as he saw that one’s fate. Then, as he scanned the signs of flying spells once more, he frowned to himself.

“There was one more here, wasn’t there?” He looked between Samuel’s surprised face to Grimr’s uninterested expression and back again. “Who was it?”

It was an obnoxious boy named Kiinor. Apparently, he was furious that Samuel had outshined him. Grimr replied before Samuel could. There was something unsettling about the cold anger in Shigeru’s face that robbed Samuel temporarily of speech, but Grimr seemed unfazed.

“It’s not a problem anymore,” Samuel interjected. Suddenly, he found himself tired of the whole situation, and eager to get it over with. Using what little mana he had left to him, he undid the magic he’d used on the green-robed boy. The stone transformed back into dust once more, and though quite a lot of it settled in his hair and robes, making him look like he’d aged thirty years, most of it fell to the ground around him.

The former attacker stood still for a long moment, breathing heavily. He looked nowhere near as exhausted as Samuel, but he didn’t think of attacking. The swarm of guards was watching him closely, their weapons still drawn. He knew they could be upon him before he finished even half of an incantation, and then his situation would be worse. He raised his hands in surrender and looked towards Samuel.

“I surrender.” He said in a trembling tone. “I beg for your mercy, Lord Bragg.”

Arthur opened his mouth at once, his face set in furious lines, but Samuel beat him to the punch. He stood up quickly, pushing back the waves of exhaustion that threatened to take him over, and tried to assume the quiet dignity that one would expect of a lord.

“I will let you go.” He said calmly, surprising both Arthur and Shigeru. He thought that Grimr might be surprised too, but it was impossible to guess his opinion on the matter. “On two conditions. First, tell me your name.”

The gangly boy licked his lips nervously at this request. He knew all too well that by hiding his name, he had a chance of escaping future retribution. Looking once more at the group of guards, however, he seemed to realize that he had no choice in the matter.

“Silver. My name is Tomas Silver.” His voice was still shaking.

Samuel nodded in sudden understanding. “You’re the son of Augustus Silver, I take it?”

Augustus Silver was, of course, the Grandmaster of Alchemy in the Mage’s Guild. He was a well-respected Grandmaster, responsible for the great majority of the Guild’s finances and expenses. He was rumored to have a spell that could turn anything into gold, and used it to donate large massive amounts of gold to the Guild, allowing it to spend so much on its own maintenance. This alone made the Silver family a very important one, and their reputation was taken very seriously. He could see now why Tomas hadn’t wanted to reveal his name and risk corrupting said reputation.

“I’m his bastard,” Tomas said, almost too quietly for Samuel to hear. “I can’t do anything that reflects badly upon the Silver name, or I’ll be kicked out of the family.”

Samuel once again nodded in understanding. “Well, I’m not fond of more trouble than I’ve already gotten.”

Tomas Silver looked as though he didn’t dare believe what he was hearing. He allowed himself to glance hopefully up at Samuel. “You said you had two conditions?”

“Yes,” Samuel said, starting to hobble slowly towards the front door of the house. “Don’t call me Lord Bragg. Call me Samuel.”