9 It really is just 1%

Zell made his way upstairs to the room in which he was assigned. He noticed he was the only child headed that way and wondered just what he had gotten himself into. He found the room without too much of a problem. Inside was a room filled with shelves and shelves of old thick books. In the back of the room an old man sat behind a desk. He had long white hair and a groomed beard trimmed tightly to his face. He had wrinkles around his eyes, from years of study.

[Did I mess up somehow?] Zell thought to himself. [This looks more like a scholar's test than that of a knight. Maybe I am just thinking too much about it.]

Zell made his way to the back where the man sat. The old man was too engrossed in his book to even notice he had a visitor. In an attempt to gain the man's attention Zell placed the shield on the old man's book. "Hello, I was told to come here." Zell said.

The old man looked up from the book and studied the ten-year-old before him. Zell was a scrawny child with long black hair and fair skin. "Where did you get this young man?" He asked. "This is not something anyone easily achieves."

"From my second assessment." Zell explained. "I was told to bring it to you."

"Assessment?" The old man was puzzled. "Oh, that's right, a new batch of young ones are entering the academy today. Slipped this old man's mind, you must excuse me."

"That's fine." Zell said. "I am sorry to disturb your reading."

"No, that's quite alright." The old man said. "This is far more interesting. I have worked in this department for forty years and not once has anyone ever come to my room. This is quite interesting indeed.

"If you don't mind me asking, what is it that you teach?" Zell asked.

"Magic." The old man replied. "I am Sage Donovan Henroy, Head magician of this academy and of the king."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Sage Henroy." Zell said with a bow. "I am Zell Neuval, son of Duke Kelbor Neuval."

"Oh yes I heard one of the Neuval children had been declared the hero of legend." Donovan said. "I thought I heard it was the younger female one, but I guess I just can't trust what I remember sometimes."

"No that's right." Zell explained. "My sister is the one that was declared the hero not me."

"Right," Donovan laughed to himself, "look here son, I do not know why you are trying to keep yourself a secret, but you cannot fool this old man. I have a few unique skills that allow me sight that others lack, although his majesty refuses to trust me, and insists on stupid pointless tests and assessments."

"What do you mean?" Zell asked with a worried expression.

"I can see an aura of another." Donovan explained. "The world is wrapped in what is known as mana. Everyone and everything is touched by mana, and the more one is touched the larger their aura. I have done years of study and I believe a person's mana capacity is tied to their level, aside from those just born with an abnormal amount, such as myself. Normally a person would not even have enough mana to cast a simple spell until level twenty, and more advanced magic at level forty. Roughly someone's mana pool doubles every twenty levels, at least that is my theory since I have never seen anyone breach forty-two."

"So that's why there was no mage class." Zell said. "I wondered about that, why only have a knight, merchant, and scholar class."

"Precisely," Donovan said, "normally a person would be unable to reach level twenty until at least the late teen years. That is why we have the Mage Class as a post graduate class." Donovan's expression changed into a more serious one and he made direct eye contact with Zell. "Now be honest with me, what is your level?"

[Oh no! He is going to find me out, what am I supposed to say!] Zell was freaking out in his mind.

"I can tell by your expression," Donovan said, "you are afraid your secret will be exposed. Don't be, this old man can keep a secret and you have my word I shall not tell a soul."

Zell was relieved, but still concerned. [What if he thinks I am a freak and turns me into some kind of experiment.] He thought. [No, this old man might be my one chance at answers.]

"Truth is…" Zell started. "I don't really even know what my level is, I cannot read my status screen."

Donovan leaned back in his chair. "I have never heard of such a thing." He said. "Does it not come up or what exactly happens?"

"It is just a bunch of random symbols and it glitches." Zell explained. "All I know is I am strong, if not for my limited skill I do not know what I would do."

"Limited?" Donovan asked. "Are you suggesting that what you are now is not your true power? I find that nearly impossible to believe."

"It's true!" Zell replied.

"Look," Donovan explained, "at twenty an aura on a person is a small outline and at forty it's a tiny fire that sparks from the body. Your aura lights up the entire room as if you are the surface of a star, I cannot even grasp what kind of power that is, and you are telling me this is only half of it?"

"One percent…" Zell said.

"Excuse me?!" Donovan was shocked.

"This isn't half," Zell said, "this is only one percent of my power."

Donovan just looked at Zell with a blank expression not saying a word. "Show me five percent."

"Alright." Zell said. He closed his eyes and focused.

*Skill Activation: Limited. Setting new parameters to five percent.*

In Donovan's eyes the sight was spectacular, Zell's aura flexed and grew brighter and brighter. What was once a blue flame turned to a solid white light that filled the entire room. To Donovan, it was just Zell and him standing in the middle of a white void.

"Amazing!" Donovan shouted. "This is simply amazing! You are on an entirely different level. Please let me study you!"

[No, no, no, no! This is what I was afraid of. He is going to turn me into some sort of experiment!] Zell worried.