A warm summer’s morning fell upon the communal shower house in Inicios. Isak had reserved one of the rooms well in advance even though he didn’t need to. At this hour of this time of week there was no one but him here in the small building. The shower house consisted of a series of small rooms containing a shower that produced a spray of warm magic water, a mirror, and a small cabinet for temporary storage of clothes and other supplies.

Its existence was one of the incentives provided by The Empire for establishing reclamation villages like Inicios. After lands were purged of nighspawn corruption, someone had to settle the frontiers. And Inicios had been one of many villages started to undertake that task. Eventually leading to having a communal modern marvel of magically produced water used for bathing. Like all magically produced substances it vanished after a time.

Meaning Isak was grateful for drying quickly and all at once. He shivered slightly at the odd feeling and fixed his hair in the mirror. It had been a while since he had a haircut. Perhaps he would let it get long, he thought to himself. All the human heroes in stories had long hair. Except for the ones who didn’t. Girls liked that, right?

Or was it old fashioned?

Isak shook his head, reasoning that he still had a while before he would be seeing any fellow students. There was still plenty of time to decide. This was just the preparation for the voyage to magic school. He was so far out on the frontier that he had to request special accommodations just to get to where he was going to be spending the better part of half a year…no, probably more. It was made very clear that if he wished to visit home during winter break, he would be responsible for all transportation.

He was so far out from civilization proper that if he didn’t awaken as a mage, he could have spent his whole life trapped here when there was so much more out there.

Absolutely everything was riding on him being a successful mage. But, Isak at least had a shot at something great now.

So don’t miss, Isak thought to himself.

Isak finished dressing in his travelling clothes, which were little more than the least worn pair of hunting clothes he owned. A long and dark green shirt over a gray pair of pants, paired with some scarred brown leather boots. No one ever pays attention to footwear so Isak could afford to skimp on those for now. His clothes were completely unremarkable aside from their practicality. They would serve him well until he could purchase his school uniforms in the provincial capital. Those would be, of course, also a subject of financial aid.

The door to the shower room clunked behind him, hinges calling out for overdue maintenance while he slipped a small satchel of clothes over his shoulder. Without him here there would be one less person in the village to periodically give in and fix all the little bits and pieces of communal structures. Even though he was eager to leave, Isak couldn’t help but feel an odd melancholy over the fact that he would be leaving. His last morning here in Inicios before the rest of his life began and Isak was all too aware of how aside from a few rare trips into a larger city, this village and the surrounding area was all he had known. Looking towards the slowly brightening morning sky, he mused that a part of him might miss the familiarity.

More familiarity was heard around the corner in the form of some of the other teens from Isak’s graduating class. The early risers had already begun their day and talked shop and spoke of the weather for as long as they were going in the same direction. A small group of humans and minotaurs who had now formally taken up apprenticeships with their parents and other adults around the village now that they were done with school.

“Good morning.” Isak offered a small wave.

The wave was lazily returned by the small group, along with their own greeting for the early hours.

“Early hunt today?” A blue eyed human teen named Marco asked of the young mage.

Isak let out a nervous laugh rather than take any offense. “No uh…I’m heading off for Black Reef…guess I’ll see you all in about a year.”

“This place is gonna burn down, then.”

“Hey at least he burns down the monster infested parts of town. That’s a good thing!”

“He’s a hunter so really the monsters should have been killed before they got here.”

“I’m still alive, I’m not complaining.”

“I actually wasn’t complaining either. This place is gonna burn all the way down. Not a controlled burn.”

“Well I’m complaining. I thought mages were supposed to be better than that.”

“I’m…going to school for that? Today?” Isak’s brows pressed together. “I mean…it’s just the first part of a voyage to get to school but–”

“Then hurry up! Old man Kaz is probably going to break a hip the next time he tries to shoot lightning out of his hands. Then we’re all nightspawn food!”

The young mage stared, blinked, and stared some more before he gestured over his shoulder. “That’s um…I’ll get on that…uh, see you all later.”

That was probably the most that he had interacted with most others his age in a long while, Isak thought to himself. And the cordiality had been at an all time high! All it had taken for that was saving the village. Then he was no longer the strange boy always off hunting, exploring, or reading. Now he was the strange young mage worthy of some socially obligated gratitude!

…

Isak gave a final wave to the group who had now resumed their early morning work, then made for home one final time. He didn’t hate others his age in this village. He didn’t even dislike them. He just never spoke to them much. All attempts at doing so reminded both parties that there was surprisingly little common ground despite the small community. They had their lives here that they seemed content with. And even now Isak found himself power walking to get his voyage under way sooner.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

The only home he had known came into view, and filled up so very little of it. Isak’s luggage was already being loaded onto the steam crawler. Already taken there by his parents who had gone on ahead of him. There wasn’t anything left in this home now that the young mage needed. He was just here for one final look. One final reminder of the smallest house in Inicios to the mage starting with nothing.

Not even a proper familiar.

…

Familiarity, Isak thought, was overrated.

He jogged towards the sand crawler and away from these negative thoughts threatening to keep him here even longer. More villagers were starting to wake and with them Isak had more people to bid a quick farewell to. The jog turned into a run as no one ever tried to exchange pleasantries with someone obviously in a hurry. And the absolute last thing Isak wanted to do was to be late for the departure of Blue Forest Shipping’s steam crawler with a passenger spot reserved for him.

As Isak rounded a corner the vehicle in question came into view. This model was built for cargo hauling, and bore all the boring practicality of such. As big as the two-story village meeting hall and thrice as boxy. At least from this perspective it appeared to be made of as much wood as possible with metal being used to dole out strategic strength and durability.

Upon getting closer to the grand construct Isak could see the four massive treads the vehicle sat upon. After having been the center of a temporary market district set up to trade goods hauled into Inicios and take goods out, the last of it was being loaded up a ramp into one of the sides of the steam crawler.

A bellowing steam engine sat at the back of the crawler, continuously pumping out magically created steam for as long as the device remained activated. Near the front, where Isak’s parents were currently speaking to the captain, was a cockpit of glass and steel angled to give some semblance of aerodynamics. The young mage joined his parents there as he caught the tail end of his mother interrogating the transport captain over how he would be kept safe.

The gray haired and fair skinned human looked to have gained a few more gray hairs after Ezter’s interrogation. He wore a gray and blue striped work shirt over dark blue slacks that set him apart from the lower ranked workers in jumpsuits. Spotting Isak, his worn down expression shifted into a thankful smile. “And there’s the priority cargo now! Which as I have made very clear will be protected unless we want to be liquidated.”

Without waiting for any acknowledgement the man pulled out a pocket watch to check the time. He shook his head and clapped a hand on Isak’s shoulder. “Look at that. Just on time, Mister Isak. Your luggage is already loaded and you know where your bunk is. I’ll be doing very important things until you’re boarded.”

A groan was poorly hidden as the captain stormed off and up into the steam crawler. Isak was left with his anxious looking parents. Both gave him a warm smile and a warmer hug.

“I won’t keep you, son.” Amado told him in the embrace. “I know you’ll do great things. The Lord and The Lady don’t make mistakes in picking mages.”

Ezter, meanwhile, was failing to fight back tears. “We’ll write you as much as we can! Take care of yourself, since I can’t anymore.”

“I’ll do my best, mom.”

“And Kazimir assured me that your familiar will keep you safe, too!”

Isak withdrew from the hug and failed to hide the skeptical look that fell over his face. “....mom, it’s a–”

“A bargain! Check those instructions again.” The shorter woman was still proud of the creative solution that she had found for her son’s need of a familiar. “I raised a smart boy, you’ll figure it out.”

The young mage pursed his lips, pulled them into a weak smile, and gave his mother a final hug. “I’m sure I’ll figure something out.”

Pulling his attention away from his parents, Isak found a small crowd of villagers had gathered to see him off. Nothing too extravagant, though Captain Zollin and a few other Land Guard were there to wave a farewell to the savior of the village and proof that they as a community could raise a mage.

With cheers and well wishes at his back, Isak boarded the great steel and wood behemoth via the loading ramp at the side of the great steam behemoth. A final wave and a smile to family and villagers was given before he made his way into the belly of the beast as the trade workers retracted the ramp and shut the door behind him.

Within the large interior sat crates, barrels, and other containers piled high. The occasional built-in shelving allowed even more cargo to be packed away in the two story high interior. Only a few scattered magelight fixtures provided any light outside of a small window in the door to the driver’s cabin at the front of the vehicle.

From the back and behind a large metal wall the steam engine chugged along as it warmed up. A modern marvel of magical engineering that would produce steam for as long as the enchanted device remained intact.

“Go on up and get settled into the cabin. We’ll be rolling out any minute now.” One of the workers, a green orc man built like a mountain, instructed the young mage. After a moment he raised an eyebrow and looked around the lad. “Wait…you didn’t forget your familiar did you?”

Isak’s eyes fought to not reveal himself as he realized how odd it must look to not have a familiar with him yet. “Oh uh…I’m…picking one up in Majra. Yeah, not a good selection out here.”

If the lie was convincing or not, neither of the two traders seemed to care. Instead they seemed to lose interest and attended final preparation that involved making sure all cargo was properly secured.

Isak made vague gestures with his hands as though he was still trying to explain something before choosing to flee towards the steel ladder further towards the front of the interior. The faster he fled the less chances there were to have to answer questions that would reveal him and his…situation.

Ascending it took him onto a walkway suspended between large shelves full of cargo secured with numerous ropes. The wood and metal suspended path extended forwards and back. Behind him led to yet another ladder that went to the top deck, and ahead of him the walkway opened up to a small landing. There wasn’t much room to move around up here, and some of that room on the landing was taken up by Isak’s luggage. The young mage winced a bit at being a likely nuisance while ensuring that all of his things were still there.

He paused at the door before elbowing it open.

Inside was a dimly lit room with a series of wooden bunk beds packed together. On each hung a small curtain to provide some privacy and additional darkness. A blue ribbon was tied to one of the curtains to signify that it was meant for Isak, and the lad moved to inspect his new temporary living situation in the corner.

A low steam whistle sounded several times and the steam crawler lurched forward as Isak steadied himself on his bunk. Never having been on such a vehicle before he got caught in the newness of the situation. The steam crawler gained speed as the surprise faded. He pulled aside the curtain on his top bunk and estimated what kind of personal space he would be working with for this journey. Isak had been growing towards being on the taller side of being a human male. The bunk beds here were clearly made with ‘imperial standard’ in mind. Which would accommodate much taller citizens if needed at mostly acceptable comfort levels.

This left plenty of room for the young mage who set about unpacking what he could from his luggage and setting it at the far end of his bunk bed. It didn’t take long and afterwards Isak was left with a sense of restlessness.

Part of him debated getting a final look at Inicios from the top deck while he still could. The other part of him shook off the idea, grabbed a book and his lantern, and crawled into his bunk to let his mind get some rest for the journey ahead.