Howard stiffened at the Sage’s words. Becoming her apprentice was the opposite of the quiet life he desired. He was glad that she did not dislike him, but the strange intensity of her request was a bit much for him. There was also a chance that intensity could morph into dislike but…

{No} his inner voice cried out, sending all his feelings with it.

The Sage immediately backed off with a disappointed smile. {I expected as much. Though your talent is incredible you are not the kind of person who would enjoy a leadership position.}

Howard noticed how she said he would not enjoy it, but still seemed to be of the opinion he would be good at it. At least she did not seem intent on forcing him into the position.

{You came here to see if I could recommend you a job. The problem is with your talent you could do most jobs here effortlessly. I suppose a hunter would be more in your comfort zone, but I doubt the hunters would allow you to work with them.}

So the mark of a Sage was both a blessing and a curse. Howard started trying to think of a way out of this.

“{If I was your apprentice would I be able to do work in the background?}” Howard asked. James was right about it being difficult to gain control of telepathy, but the Sage might not have understood him if he had just spoken anyway.

{You could,” Veda replied, {I have another apprentice so you would not need to worry about standing out as the only one.}

Howard was starting to feel overwhelmed again. {I need some time to think,} he told the Sage, then quickly escaped.

When he left he noticed that all of the natives were looking at him, or more specifically his hair. Some watched with interest, some with surprise, and Howard could already tell that some disliked him. It was clearly already too late. Whether he accepted the position or not, his hair would gain him the wrong sort of attention.

“Howie, you’re back!” Selina cried as he entered then paused as she got a better look at him. “Sorry. I thought you were someone I knew.”

“That’s Howard,” Leon confirmed, “His face is the same, and his aura doesn’t even feel that different.”

Selina looked again. “So cool.”

“What?” Howard asked.

“Your hair is awesome! I may have just skipped an opportunity to have cooler hair than I already do, but the risk is so high. What should I do?”

“I like my hair like this,” Miranda told her, “I don’t think it will change you in a way you cannot live with. Appearance-wise, anyway. And James looked almost exactly the same.”

“That is true,” Selina agreed, “but these particular highlights were not cheap.”

“Does it matter?” Natalie asked, “Any money from Earth is useless here anyway.”

“How possible do you think the restaurant idea is?” Howard broke in.

Everyone was a bit surprised by the abrupt change of subject, but Natalie stepped forward to answer the question.

“In our current situation, it is unlikely. We need to gain a better understanding of the monetary system before we can even consider starting a business. Even then we need to find an ingredient supplier and make sure our skills are up to par enough for us to even sell anything. In business, an understanding of the customer demographic is also necessary.”

It was that unlikely? Howard had hoped just a little bit that he would be able to escape the decision by working at the restaurant since he had practically promised his services. Since that wouldn’t work he decided to visit James to see if he could become a hunter after all. He might not be able to work with most of them but perhaps it would be fine if he worked with James.

{We cannot allow someone as important as you to risk their lives here,}

That was the immediate answer Howard had gotten from the hunters. They would clearly not listen no matter how much he tried to argue with them, but he could not deny that hunting was a dangerous job. However, important? They had looked at his hair when they mentioned that, and it caused anger to bubble inside Howard. It had been a mistake to go through that ceremony.

Since the hunters were a bust Howard decided to try the farmers and field workers.

{Our job is too dangerous and demeaning. Please try somewhere else.}

Howard could understand demeaning, but how was it dangerous?

{Sometimes we must go out in the sun to take care of pests or other problems,} one of them answered before Howard could even get his thoughts out. {Someone with your talent should never have to bring yourself down to such a level.}

Howard could see how dealing with sunburn often could get annoying, but the way they spoke of him as if he wasn’t even capable of working among them irked him.

The same sort of situation happened all night with every job Howard was confident with his skill in. They could not bear to let him near. No, the more it happened the more Howard realized that they were terrified to let him near.

Everyone in this world had the power of telepathy, but those with light hair and eyes had more. Light eyes were a sign of something like telekinesis. Light hair was a sign of Wisdom. The lighter the hair, the more Wisdom they had at their fingertips. Howard’s near-white hair reflected the moonlight and stood out all the more amongst the many shades and colors of the darkness.

Left with no other choice, Howard returned to Veda’s rose. However, he had no intention to just give in and accept. He would get more information first. Only if the conditions were favorable would he accept. Otherwise, he might try living on his own after all.

{You came sooner than expected. It is almost morning.}

This time Howard had been led to a comfortable sitting room instead of the heart of the rose where the fountain was. Veda had greeted him from her own seat.

{It is,} Howard agreed, {but I won’t be able to sleep until I get some answers.}

{You wish to know of the position I offered. I have done some thinking on that as well and I should be able to explain the parts you will and won’t like about the position. Though, you have likely experienced a part of it tonight.}

{You let me go so I would realize that I was treated that way because of my hair and not because I was your apprentice,} Howard proposed with suspicion.

{I did. Shall I start with the main reason you should accept my proposal?} the Sage asked, and Howard nodded. {You came to my colony because you had no way of surviving on your own. You had no idea what was safe, poisonous, or even breathable. The main purpose of a Sage is to purify the land, water, and air around them with the Sacred Fountain. There is no poison in the colony of a Sage, but that only applies to what the Sage sees as poison. If you become my apprentice you will learn to do this yourself. Then you can leave and create your own colony away from everyone else.}

She was correct about this being the thing that could convince him to agree. Before he gave in he needed to find out the downside.

The Sage noticed he was ready and continued. {The main disadvantage to being a Sage is that you are in charge of the people as well as the maintenance and protection of your colony. No one can take your place until the day you die, and know that your lifespan has been extended to match ours. Death, for you, is a long time away from now. You may also draw attention as a child prodigy who created his own colony and get many unwelcome visitors.}

{What would I be expected to do as your apprentice?} Howard asked.

{You would assist me with the duties of a Sage until the time when you are ready to start your own colony.}

{What if I wish to quit being your apprentice and never create that colony?}

Veda paused in thought. {I find that unlikely, but should that situation occur I will let you go.}

Howard sat down on one of the leaflike chairs and took some time to silently weigh his options. The Sage did not bother him as he thought.

{I will do it,} he finally answered.

{Wonderful,} the Sage replied with a smile, {Why don’t stay here while the sun passes? You did not come equipped to protect yourself from the sunlight.}

Howard agreed. There was no reason to take an unnecessary risk.