Chapter 10 – Meditro

“Hey, did you hear about the inter-family tournament?” Some guy on the street said to another.

“Yeah, of course, who hasn’t?”

“I wonder who’s going to win... maybe the Plenio? Actually…” He was stopped before he could continue as his partner buzzed at him.

“What?” He said as he turned around to look at the direction his eyes were looking. A shadow appeared, as his eyes adjusted he could clearly see a young man. Just that the atmosphere the figure gave off was dark and eerie. The young man had stopped right before him, he was about to ask why when he noticed his cloak. A magician’s cloak. His eyes widened in shock as his partner dragged him to the side of the road to where the rest of the citizen’s stood watching. Praying that the magician would not get angry.

“I’m… I’m sorry sir. I’m sorry.” The two bowed their heads as they kept saying.

To be honest, Redius would have avoided them, but everyone else seemed to part as he walked on the street which obstructed the sides. Only allowing him to walk in the middle, he really didn’t have much of a choice. He ignored the two and thought as he walked down the street.

Unbeknownst to him, at the other side of the street the same happened with two carriages parked on the side whilst two figures exited. They faced to see the commotion and just about caught a glimpse of the side of Redius’ face. If Redius could see the insignia on the carriage, he would recognize it from the Ip’s family.

‘Is it…?’ a young man thought to himself as he looked towards Redius. He thought he looked familiar but couldn’t quite recognize him.

“What is it brother?” The second one to exit from the carriage was a girl. They both wore green gowns with their family’s insignia on their clothing.

“Nothing. Just thought I recognized him…”

“Who? The magician?” She said after looking at the direction her brother was looking at and recognizing the cloak.

“No… my mistake.” He brushed it aside and walked in. ‘Not possible’ he thought. Even the Ip family would have difficulty coming up with a disciple magician, and so the thought quickly left his mind.

On the other side, Redius disappeared into an alley and making sure no one was looking, put on a black hood underneath his magician’s cloak. He was now covered in black head to toe, the shadow of the cowl over his face. Surely if anyone were to see him in the alley, or even on the street, they’d take a good few steps back at the menacing figure.

He exited the alley causing a stir as people gasped slightly at his sudden appearance and even more so when they recognize his cloak. Once again, he made his way with people parting at his side. At last, he stopped before a grand building, only this one was more luxurious than the magician’s guild. This was the meditro’s guild, the profession, just like magicians were regarded highly. Perhaps even higher as they were the answer to curing illness, disease, wounds and providing certain pills to enhance abilities. Any meditro was a good source of wealth and high recognition.

Redius ascended the stairs into the guild, as he walked past the guards, he made note of their advancement. 1st stage disciple knight. Impressive… Using even what the major families didn’t have many of as simple guards.

As he entered the guild, some people lifted their heads but only briefing. It was very normal for people of this guild to hide their faces. One, because many meditro would spend ages in their rooms experimenting, they did not particularly like seeing sunlight after such a long time. They would cover themselves for them to adapt slowly.

Second, their identity. Some didn’t want people to know, lest they be targeted for the pills they made or the money they had. Even though meditros had the power of diatis, they didn’t want to be bothered much.

Finally, Redius made it to the counter.

“Can I help you sir?” A young girl from behind the counter asked in a professional manner. She immediately recognized the cloak he was wearing and knew she had to be respectful to the magician.

“A Meditro test.” Redius simply replied.

“Right away sir.” She finally said after looking into the hood to spot anything only to barely see a face under.

“Please follow me.” As she led the way up the staircase. It was a simple hallway with rooms opposite one another.

“These are the meditro’s workplace. One may rent it to use if qualified as a meditro.” She explained as she brought

Redius down the hall. They finally entered one and he was instructed to wait.

Inside Redius examined the room, it was a clean tidy room. With low level herbs on a table to the side of the room, sound was obviously barred. No one could hear inside or outside for privacy. Then the door was once again opened and a middle aged man walked in with the previous receptionist.

Normally only the middle aged man would enter as he was the examiner, but hearing that the person was a disciple magician, he thought that Redius would pass without a doubt. So to speed things quickly he asked the receptionist to stay and prepare the items straight away as every meditro was a high priority.

The examiner eyed Redius up and down trying to catch a glimpse of his face and sizing him up, but to his dismay, he could see nothing. Not even his power.

“I’m Ian one of the examiners in the guild.” The man explained. He was in a slight hurry as he was actually a senior examiner. The juniors were all away. He wanted to hurry back into his experiments.

“Apprentice class Meditro test then. Make three 1st class pills.” He said impatiently.

In the magician’s and meditro profession, they share one thing in common, diatis. However, comparing them on the same advancement, a meditro’s diatis would be needed to be stronger. Plus the fact that the diatis would need to be attuned to a fire element. This could only be determined at birth. Thus it was difficult to become a meditro. Also the reason why many magicians were a class above their meditro class. Simply because it required more diatis to become the latter.

“Disciple test.” Redius replied bluntly.

The examiner took a second to register what he said. Although he couldn’t tell Redius’ actual power, which was strange but he thought that he had some sort of artefact cloaking himself, he estimated him to be in the early stages of disciple magician since he voice was young.

“…Okay. Three 2nd class pills.” He finally said. He wanted to see if this young man had it in him.

The pills were divided starting from 1st class to 3rd class, corresponding with apprentice, disciple and initiate meditro. Same pills could be made, but depending on different advancements, the pill’s power would be greater.

Immediately Redius took out a porti, a pot like item that meditro uses to create pills. His porti was of a low level that he had found inside his master’s item ring. An item ring contain a space in the ring to store items inside. His master, being a high level meditro, left him with dozens of powerful porti but he couldn’t bring it out, it would shock people. Plus he couldn’t use them quite yet.

But Redius miscalculated. Although he avoided the eye of the examiner with the low level porti, by taking it out with his item ring, the examiner’s eye glinted. It was difficult to obtain an item ring in such a small city. Only the head’s of the major families each had one or two. Either that or they were incredibly expensive.

Two hours passed by. The room they were in was filled with the smell of medicine. Finally Redius gathered his belongings and presented 3 vials, each containing a different pill. The examiner took them and checked.

His eyes widened with shock each time he checked a vial. They were all simple 1st/2nd class pills. Simple healing, Restoration and strengthen. Their functions were healing minor wounds, increase restoring power and increase physical abilities of the user respectively. But he could sense that the power the pills contained were all of 2nd stage disciple meditro.

And most of all, each vial contain 3-4 of the pills. The more powerful the diatis, the more control one has and therefore could separate the herbs ratio better. This could in turn create more pills from the same amount of medicine. But this technique required a high degree of both power and control. One that a simple disciple couldn’t have had. That was the reason he was shocked.

“Give him the items.” Finally he said to the girl to which she handed Redius a badge she imprinted with his name.

“This badge is an identification. It allows you to be able to seek protection, and use any facilities inside the guild.” The girl explained unaware of the examiners shock.

Redius examined the badge, one side held the insignia of the guild. A porti surrounded by fire. And on the back were two stars, signifying his advancement. He walked out of the room and headed for the exit.

‘I’ll keep an eye of him…’ the examiner thought as he gave instructions to the receptionist to notify him if Redius comes in again.

Once outside, Redius gazed down the street, as if he could see through to the other side of the city.

His next destination, one of three major households, the Losrenos family.