Chapter 3: Seeking Shelter

"Look...look at this"

Two middle-aged men were sitting on a couch while the one with silver hair said touched the elbow of the other man and pointed across the room. A young boy about four years of age was standing there, looking around with his big brown eyes.

"He already knows how to manifest a flame."

The expression of the boy grew animated, and a toothy smile broke on his face.

"Son, show uncle the different types of flames you know."

"Oh, he knows more than one?"

"Yeah, just watch."

The boy puffed out his chest with pride as he concentrated on his small hands.

..

"And this is the emald geen"

A bead of sweat trickled down the young boy's face as he once again concentrated on his palm and manifested a beautiful emerald-green flame, albeit a little small in size.

The boy smiled in satisfaction as he looked at the silver-haired man.

"You're not worried he's gonna rebel, Jarnus?"

"Haah ha. That puny little flame? He only knows how to manifest it. I haven't taught him the code. I'm not even planning on teaching him how to read."

"Come, son. Light this chillum here."

***

"Gah, what a bad dream."

I woke up and checked the time on my mini portal. It was two minutes to 6 AM, the time I had set the alarm for. I washed my face and tried to forget the memory.

I thought I had forgotten my childhood memories, especially the ones from before I came here with uncle Hess. But it just made me realize that I quite liked being popular, and I how much I loved magic. Even though my father/owner would show me off to his friends like one shows his newly acquired mana stone guzzler (Let her rip..).

Well, at some point I realized that I was the clown performing tricks, the court jester. But I didn't really mind being the center of attention. Ah, what I wouldn't give now to be utterly ignored when I walk on the street..

Still I loved magic, probably because my magic was never my father's. It was always mine.

I picked up my bag and looked around my room once to check if I forgot something. This was the place where I had lived for the past one year, since uncle's death. Today was my last day here. I could not afford to pay the rent for the next month. I would have to seek shelter in a temple for the remaining 30 days.

I had been working on the magic blocker devices for the past two weeks and by now, I knew that it was a dead end. For the last three years, I was searching for a way to increase my magic power. This was already grasping at straws. I had pored through university level books, forbidden threads on boards, even had discussions with professors. Now I could only leave it up to fate.

Because I didn't know what I'd do if I didn't pass this time around. Magic was the only thing I knew, only thing I wanted. Why did it have to be so hard? My theory examination scores were in the top 1% percentile in the whole country. My magic speed was in the top 10 percentile. Just because I couldn't cross the dreaded 4 MCass barrier consistently enough, I failed to qualify - two times.

"But this time around, I would qualify. I had been working on stabilizing the output from my magic core for so long. I was already able to touch 4 MCass 8 out of 10 times. Everything would depend on my mental and physical state on the day of the exam. "

This is how I would have convinced myself if it were not my last attempt. I knew I could not afford to fail. I needed something more.

I returned my key to the guard at the ground floor and started walking towards the nearest temple, which was about 4 Km away. I did not want to spend any money on transportation, so it would take me about an hour, I would reach on time for breakfast.

It was nice out there. Slightly cold but I had always liked that. One benefit about living in Nico Islands was that you were rarely subjected to extreme temperatures. Of course, as a group of islands that was disconnected from the mainland Mythilia, technological advancement was not as great as say, the big cities, but it was a great place for tourists and merchants.

And it was also the closest region to Xenria where skirmishes rarely broke. Even though the two countries had a treaty now, mages were hot-headed people. That is why uncle Hess and me had migrated during the war to Umria, the capital of Nico Islands. The amount of looks I got here as a foreigner were already enough - I didn't know what would happen to me if I ever went to a larger province.

I did not believe in religion - I was never taught to. But the temples here were very kind. They provided food and shelter for free to the poor and the homeless - sometimes in exchange for a little service - you know, cleaning, cooking, preaching, etc. Such a thing, you could never imagine in Xenria. Of course, the government strictly controlled the activities, lest any powerful rose among the fanatics.

As the I reached the beautiful yellow colored temple, I could hear the morning hymns. I saw a person sweeping the floor outside the entrance.

"Sir, I am here to seek shelter"

I pulled my hoodie down.

He looked at me for a moment, then he nodded as if he understood something.

"Come brother, the lord doesn't care about your appearance. Only what is inside the heart."

He put a hand on my shoulder as he led me inside. It was a large praying hall with a huge statue of Lord Shvek. Some kind of incense was burning there.

"Wait here, brother. Food will be served soon. I'll make the arrangements"

I sat on one of the chairs. I didn't know if it was the music or the incense, I just got very emotional. I had never prayed before but I had seen people do it in videos. I was about do to something very drastic today. This was the last option I had and I knew there were immense risks in it. I might lose my magic, might even die. But I did not want to live a life without magic - real magic. Not daily wage worker or some magic technician, like the offer I got from Nico Islands University.

And as I was about to put my life on line, it somehow felt apt to pray. I remembered uncle Hess and asked him to wish me luck. I held the wooden box - the only thing I had of my mother - and asked her to bless me.

I did not have many memories of my mother, but as I ran my fingers through the design carved on the box, I remembered her soothing voice. I opened the lid and found her crystal earring - a single one. This was the most beautiful thing I owned and also the most painful.