An Elder is a title given to a mage who is at the top of their field, often possessing skills that others can only dream of.

-People of Fairvale

Darkness.

Huh.

I was sleepy. But comfy sleepy. I like the darkness, I mused, floating serenely within this warm cocoon of comforting blackness. Maybe I could meet that goddess of darkness in here that I named myself after.

I felt lazy.

Indolent.

The world slowly came into focus. I stretched my arms and legs, sinking deeper into the comforting sheets, wondering half-heartedly if there was anything I needed to do today that would force me out of the contentment I was surrounded in. I suddenly realised there was something warm resting on my forehead, and I froze. It was dry, and yet, it gave me a sense of comfort and protection.

"Ah, I see your awake, young mageling." The voice was slow, comforting, full of wisdom. I started slipping back into the comforting darkness, before remembering the demon.

I shot up out of bed, fighting against the comfort spell that ensnared me. I looked around wildly, finding myself in a glowing blue prison that was in a dome over my bed. There was an old woman next to the bed. I almost stopped as she looked so harmless, but as a wave of serenity rolled over me I scrambled away from her, realising it was just a part of the spell. I tumbled off the bed, nearly cracking my head open on the floor and half crawled, half ran towards the blue dome, hoping I could use my newly released magic to break through it.

"Please, mageling, you have no reason to worry. I'm not going to hurt you." The old lady's voice was so honest, I turned around, still moving away from her, and I was suddenly on the other side of the blue dome. I tried touching it, shocked that my finger went through without any resistance, and thought that maybe she wasn't lying. I looked more closely at her and smiled at her, abashed, as I realised she was wearing the light blue of the Healers, with their signature blue tendrils flowing down her face. And everyone knows that Healers are entirely neutral and harmed none.

Well, apart from those conspiracies I read ages ago. But they also said that our world was a sucker on a giant tentacled being.

"Apologies, Healer." I said respectfully, my hands automatically folding themselves neatly in front of me, making me realise I was wearing a patients' night gown. "I thought I was...in trouble. With the shield and all" waving my hand at the shield.

"I understand young one" she said, smiling gently at me, turning her face into a mass of deep creases. Wow, she's old. "Now, come back and sit down. Let me have a look at you." She said, patting the bed in front of her. I walked slowly to where she indicated, looking around at the rest of the room as I did so. I was in a long airy room, with rows of beds on either side. My end of the room was unoccupied, with no beds but mine, but I could see some occupied on the far end.

I settled on the bed in front of the old Healer, a comforting smell of honey wafting from her, relaxing me. Gods, but she must be powerful to have that sort of effect, I thought vaguely as her quick, professional hands quickly and efficiently ran over me.

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I watched over her shoulder as a tall woman in armour strode in, and headed straight for us. Curses, it's Commander Alyssa. She was the Commander of the soldiers and City guards in Fairvale, and cousin to the Emperor himself. Curses, I'm probably going to get sent to the academy, now. As the Commander walked up, the Healer finished and turned around to face the Commander, who bowed slightly towards her and said "Elder" in greeting. "You're an Elder!" I exclaimed in surprise. I'd never met an Elder healer before. I looked closer at her and saw the slightly faded golden mark on the edge of her temple that denoted her to be a Healer and the intricacy of it that was hidden within the folds of her wrinkles. The Elder just winked at me and sat back down on her wooden chair where she had been sitting when I had woken up.

"I hope you are well?" asked the Commander. I nodded and looked at the Elder to back me up.

"She is physically fine, but may be a little lethargic. Had a little shock waking up here." She smiled at me in amusement, her straight, white teeth looking out of place on the wrinkly face.

"Good. I was hoping you could answer some questions, for me."

I snuggled back under the bed covers, the blanket somehow protecting me from her piercing gaze.

I looked up at her as innocently as possible when I suddenly remembered my coat and boots, sitting up to look around for them. “Where’s my stuff?!” I shouted frantically, before spotting my belongings across the room. I slumped back down in relief, thankful that the demons hadn’t managed to get their grubby claws on my stuff. I sighed in relief and looked back at the commander, I shrugged “I don’t own much” I mumbled when she looked curiously at me, lying through my teeth.

She shook her head, dismissing whatever thoughts that had arisen from my little outburst and stuck out a hand “My name is Commander Alyssa” I shook it gently, trying to avoid her noticing the calluses on my fingers that may give away anything to this sharp woman. “Artemis” I replied, trying to say as little as possible so that she would know as little about me as possible. I had learnt that the more people talked the guiltier they appeared. Not that I was guilty of anything of course, I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. If anything, I was the victim here, nearly getting sacrificed to some bloody god.

“Is that stuff yours, then?” I nodded in response, “I got the boots instead of payment and the coat was my grand daddies”

“It must have been one hell of a job you did to get such a nice payment” I shrugged in reply, sticking to my talk little rule.

“Well, I have also noticed that you have magic that you’ve somehow suppressed, how long have you had it for?” she asked, settling herself on the bed. I held in a sigh as she settled herself in for a long talk. The elder seemed to sense this as well, and stood up, “Ah, these old bones need some stretching” she smiled at me again, her eyes almost disappearing in a sea of wrinkles “I’ll fetch us some nice tea”

“Thank you, elder” I chimed, Alyssa smiled in thanks.

I decided to be frank. I had done enough reading to know that magic was dangerous without some basic training and thought I could get some basic control teaching off this lady and then get out of the school, and hey, maybe I could learn how to sneak past wards and such. “Well, I got the magic when I was thirteen and started burning everything I could touch” I pouted remembering all the clothes and rugs I’d burned my way through, feeling thankful most of the lair was rock and marble.

“I found some book that showed how to access magic” I made a dismissive gesture “it said something about looking inside yourself and finding some energy or something inside, so I followed those instructions and found it. It also had some instructions about control, but I couldn’t make any sense of it, so I decided to imagine a wall round the energy, which seemed to work. Well, it worked until now.”

Alyssa nodded in understanding, “it’s a good thing you managed to control it, and rather impressive. We normally drug the mages that have just come into their power until we can teach some basic control techniques. How is your magic now?”

I looked inside myself, trying to find that burning sensation that I’d gotten used to. There! It was barely an ember, having burned all of it up trying to crisp that demon.” It’s really small, maybe it’ll go away now!” I looked hopefully at the commander hoping that maybe this trouble was over, before realising that it was probably my magic that had saved me from going straight into the prisons for stealing or being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Thankfully, Alyssa shook her head. “unfortunately that doesn’t happen, it might be low for a bit but it’s more than likely that it will come back stronger than before. I’ve done some research on the subject and have decided that you need to go to the academy.” I sighed a put upon sigh, “I kinda figured that would happen to be honest. Do I have to pay for it?” she smiled at my sigh “no, I think you can get in under an Emperors scholarship considering that we need all the mages we can get if we want to compete with the Republic”

I wisely decided to keep my mouth shut in regards to my opinions on stupid empire expansion stuff. The elder walked in carrying a tray with a teapot and three cups. I rose and grabbed the tray off her, instinctively helping the Elder who it seemed had gained my respect rather quickly.

I noticed the commander looking at me with a calculating look as I carried the tray to the table next to my bed, I assume that my helping the Elder had changed whatever assumptions she had made about my character. I admit, that it was pretty unusual for me to help so readily, but confusing her perception of me could help me in the long run.