“I brought you your coffee Lady Eldaria!” Said the lanky elvish man, his charcoal gray hair falling in loose curls around his face as he burst into the room. He quickly mussed his hair pack into place before handing over the mug he was carrying.

“Thank you, Ben. I have a list of books I would like you to pick up from the library. If you could get them to me by this afternoon that would be good.” Replied Eldaria, annoyed at the sudden intrusion. Sitting at a large ornate desk, she was dressed in a deep blue flowing robe, her emerald eyes framed by her scarlet hair.

“Oh, uh of course Lady Eldaria. I’ll get them to you right away.” Said Ben, taking the list.

“Don’t bother, I have an important meeting in about 15 minutes. You can go get them after lunch. Several of the tomes are going to be in the restricted section, however. Show them the list if any librarians stop you, it has my seal on it. I doubt they would stop you anyway but better to be safe than sorry I suppose.”

“Absolutely Lady Eldaria.” Said Ben.

“Turning to other matters, did you finish reorganizing the lab like I told you yesterday?”

“Yes! I sorted the Alchemy supplies just like you asked. I also took the time to look over the current progress from your Introduction to Evocation students.” Ben said, pride in his voice. “A few are almost ready to cast their first Firebolts, and two have already been successful in doing so.”

“Wonderful!” Said Eldaria. “Oh, I nearly forgot I’ve been asked by a foreign dignitary to help with a small demon incursion in their capital so after today I’m going to be gone for a few weeks, so you’ll have some breathing room in your schedule. I know I’ve been running you ragged lately.”

“It’s nothing I can’t handle Lady Eldaria,” said Ben. “Anything else for me today? You received a grant proposal from one of the adjunct researchers, would you like me to look over it for you?”

“Is it from the ‘Faunamancer’ again?” sighed Eldaria.

“I believe so Lady Eldaria. I took a glance over it earlier and it appears he wants to track down and study something called a ‘Crystal Cloakwing.”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t bother, I’ll look over it this afternoon. When is that Fiendish going to learn we just don’t have the funds for him to go chasing made-up monsters.”

“Mythos is pretty devoted to his studies.” Said Ben.

“Not Moreso than you I hope” insisted Eldaria.

He chuckled “I’m sure he’d give me a run for my coin, but I think I might beat him in that respect.”

“Good to know, hopefully, we’ll make some progress in that within a few weeks. I think you are getting close Ben, and I mean it this time.” Said Eldaria.

“You really think so?” Ben asked hopefully.

“Yes, I really do.” Reassured Eldaria. “Well in any case you should get going, you know who my meeting is with, and I know you don’t want to talk to her. I do have one more thing I’d like you to do before lunch, however. A delegation from the Church of Ericantheon is coming by in a few weeks and I need you to stop by the records office and pick up the file of their liaison. His name is Rowan Dawnspell. He used to study here a few years ago and I’d like to know who I’m going to have to deal with.”

“Of course, Lady Eldaria,” Ben said as he turned and walked out the door, off to his next task.

Ben’s mind began to wander as he walked away from the Records Office, file under his arm. He’d not often get unrestricted library access. There was stuff down there that people would literally kill for. He couldn’t wait to see what the deeper levels had to offer. The library, easily the second biggest in the whole world, had tens of thousands of books, documents, and scrolls. It would take centuries to go over everything. I was entirely likely that histories of entire civilizations had been lost, found, and lost again within the library’s shelves. Perhaps he’d uncover some long-lost recipe for a potion of eternal youth. Maybe he would locate a compendium of spells from an ancient arch-mage. If he was really lucky, he might even discover a way to quickly find whatever else he wanted to read from the depths of the knowledge stored there.

His daydreaming was interrupted as Ben entered the campus commons. There was a group of people ahead crowded around something he couldn’t see. This was nothing unusual to Ben, folks often gathered to watch performers or to gawk at some crazy local proclaiming the end times. Walking past, Ben noted that this appeared to be the latter. A large reptilian-looking fellow covered in frost-white scales, a Draconian, was yelling about something Ben didn’t care to listen to, he had enough on his mind. Just as he was about to be out of earshot though Ben heard something that jerked him to a stop: “You there! Elf boy! Do you have a Prominence?”

Ben had to stop himself from laughing out loud. Him? A Prominence? Gods he wished.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

The concept of Prominences was not alien to Ben; he had come across them in his studies. Concrete information on them was scarce but some records did exist. There was no way of telling if someone had one, but people often speculated about them. Ben often wondered what his would be. From what he understood a Prominence typically made you absolutely incredible at what you were already good at. What was he good at though? Knowing things, he supposed, but that wouldn’t make a very good prominence he thought.

“Who’s asking?” inquired Ben.

“I, Arthur Silverwing, am asking. And what is your name good sir?” Responded the Draconian

“Benjamin Terramark,” he said, his annoyance audible as he knew what was coming next.

Several audible gasps escaped the crowd as others whispered amongst themselves.

“It’s the outcast.”

“The disgrace of the Terramarks.”

“Him? A Prominence? It’d sooner be raining piss.”

“It’s really him, the Terramark with no magic. A Terramark! No magic!”

Arthur spoke, silencing the crowd.

“I’m afraid I haven’t heard of these rumors being whispered about, care to fill me in on them Benjamin?”

“Just Ben is fine, and no I’d rather not. Just ask any of them I’m sure anyone here could fill you in.”

“Too bad. So, do you have one?” Said Arthur, hope in his voice.

“Do you have any idea how rare and treasured a gift like a Prominence is?’ Ben said “I doubt there are even a dozen people in this city with one. Even if I was blessed with one, much to the shock of this crowd, why would I tell you? Do you have one Mr. Silverwing?”

“Please just Arthur is fine. Yes, I do in fact have one. I also suspect you do or will, at least. Perhaps you just haven’t awakened it yet! I propose you join me on my quest. That ought to quell rumors of your supposed inadequacy Ben.”

“Why me? You’ve been standing around here for at least a few hours I’d wager. How many people with ‘un-awakened Prominences’ have you tried to get to join you on this quest? Which, I should add you haven’t even told me about yet.”

Arthur narrowed his reptilian eyes at Ben “Just you. I don’t know why I know but I just know. I can sense it. A Prominence awaits within. You need only awaken it.”

“And this quest you want me to tag along with?” asked Ben suspiciously.

“Ah yes, that. I suppose I’ll tell you.” Arthur lowered his head; a searching look in his gaze. “Something great and terrible is stirring in the North, I hear it call to my mind at night and I find it harder to resist every dawn. I must seek out this thing to understand how to resist and destroy it.”

“Well, I suppose you’d want to be rid of that. How do I and my supposed prominence fit into all that?” Asked Ben

“I’m not entirely sure, the same compulsion that draws me north compels me to bring as many Prominents with me as I can. I suspect that’s got something to do with how I ‘know’ you have one.”

“And you just expect me to drop everything I’m doing and go along with you?” Questioned Ben

“My friend, I do not expect you to make such an important decision right away.” Replied Arthur “Should you choose to join me then meet me at the front gates of this institution at dawn two days from now.”

“Look I’m sure this is important but I’m not the person you’re looking for. I’d just slow you down.” Ben said, dejected. “I don’t have magic powers and I’m not some warrior either. Don’t get me wrong your offer sounds amazing but I don’t have any way to protect myself and that’d just get us both killed.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, Ben. It was good speaking with you. Now if you will excuse me, I should go elsewhere to find more companions for our quest. Best of luck to you Benjamin Terramark.” Arthur simply turned and walked away after that.

With the Draconian’s departure, the crowd quickly lost interest in Ben. He stood there for a moment, basking in the feeling of his own inadequacy. He hated that feeling. Small. This world was full of wonders, and he was just standing on the damned sidelines. His stomach rumbled; Ben considered getting lunch before deciding on another course of action.

Ben entered his apartment. It was a small space with barely enough room for a bed, wardrobe, and desk. It was piled nearly floor to ceiling with books and notes. Ben sat at his desk, chose the top textbook from the closest stack, flipped to the page he’d bookmarked and began reading. After skimming the chapter he’d started he took out a pen, jotted down a series of notes and started the next chapter.

This was Ben’s lunch break every day. He would come to his room and read magic theory textbooks. If Ben couldn’t cast magic, then he would understand it. That way when he did, gods willing, eventually awaken his magic he would have a massive head start on his training. He’d progressed quite far in the seven years he’d been doing this. In truth, he was onto more advanced theory than many professional mages, but they got to cast the spells that Ben only read about. His eyes began to wander to a stack of books at the foot of his bed.

“Getting the Best Value for Your Immortal Soul”, “How to Barter with the Fae”, “Convincing Ancient Beings of Infinite Power to Give You Some of Theirs (Without Driving You Completely Insane)”

They were coated in dust and overlooked; he’d long ago decided to avoid some of the more unscrupulous methods of getting magic. If you weren’t born with magic and didn’t want to devote your existence to a god, then your next best bet was to convince someone or something else to give you some of theirs. Those all had a price for their ‘gifts.’ It was best to keep his soul, mind, and potential firstborn child safe and sound, but today’s run-in had him second-guessing his choice. Temptation stirred Ben’s mind. His solution was right there. Not a solution, Ben corrected himself, a shortcut. What good was magic if you had to fulfill your end of some dark bargain with no guarantee you’d get out unscathed?

The room, small as it was, began to feel suffocating. His inadequacy began to weigh him down. The words on the pages blurred together. He could hear the whispers of the crowd.

“Disgrace”

“Outcast”

“Pathetic”

Arthur had asked him to help. He’d said that he needed Ben’s help, and he couldn’t do a thing about it. He’d just gone off for another day of studying with no promise he’d ever get to actually become a real mage. Years of this monotony. Forever a spectator in his own life. He slammed the textbook shut. With a burst of movement, he stood and threw it against the wall.

“What’s the use of all this knowledge if I can’t fucking use it!” Screamed Ben, the bitterness of his words hanging in the air. “Second fiddle to my stuck-up brother! Despised by my own family! The errand boy of an arch-mage who takes pity on me because I’m a failure! No more! If the Fae ask for my memories, then all the better!” Ben grabbed the stack of books from the foot of his bed and dusted off the covers. One way or another he’d be a mage.

As Ben was about to flip open the cover of the first book, a sharp pain exploded behind his eyes. Screaming again, this time in anguish, he dropped to the floor clutching his head. It felt as though his skull was ripping itself apart. Slowly the pain spread, consuming his body and mind. Arcane symbols flashed through his eyes as he barely retained consciousness. He realized he was dying. He had given himself aneurism, no other explanation. Funny that here, in his last moments, he’d be stuck not with his life flashing before his eyes but more damn studying.

He wondered how long it would take them to find his corpse. Days? Weeks probably. Unless the smell got too bad, he thought. Perhaps the rats would find him first. That would be a grim sight for whoever found him. Would his family hold a funeral for him? Of course, they would—another excuse to put the spotlight on them. “Take pity on us! Our son has perished!” They would cry.

His last thoughts before slipping into unconsciousness were on Eldaria. She’d offered to tutor him in magic if he’d work for her until his magic awoke. She’d be disappointed he never got her books. He considered if she’d miss him. Probably not.

“What a cruel world.” He managed to whisper before letting the darkness take him as Benjamin Terramark died.

Sometime later, perhaps only minutes but perhaps days later, He awoke. His headache had receded to a dull throbbing. He was lying on his back, drenched in sweat. The light streamed in through his window. He raised his hand in front of him and examined it.

“I’m not dead? What the hell happened to me?” He croaked, trying to stretch the stiffness out of his body.

Something was different, he could feel it. Whatever had happened had changed him. Did he feel better? No, that wasn’t the right way to put it. He seemed more whole. Like he was just half a person before. Text filled his vision:

[Congratulations! You have awoken your Prominence: Perfect Understanding]