“Wake up. It’s time to go to the temple to school.” Kat whispered as she shook her son awake.

“Ugh. Do I gotta go to school?”

“Yes, nugget. Get up and get washed.”

Thoric groaned as he stretched his arms above his head. He yawned loudly as he swung his feet over the edge of his bed to stand up. He really didn’t want to go to school today instead he would’ve liked to meet the new wizard that was coming in with his father. He was also looking forward to his father being back home so that he could show his dad all that he had learned. As his mother started going through and getting his clothes ready for the day he walked down the hallway from his room and entered the washroom. Grabbing the pitcher of warm water that his mother had placed in here for him this morning he proceeded to wash his face and clean up a little.

Returning to his room, he grabbed the leggings and tunic that his mother had laid out on the bed for him. Looking in the polished bronze mirror he combed his hair, and make sure that he had gotten his face clean. Thoric gathered the two tomes that he was assigned to read last night of which he only finished one and headed for the kitchen for breakfast. As he entered the kitchen he heard the distant ringing of the first bell.

As he was eating, he noticed that his mother looked rather ragged. Thoric quested, “Mom why do you look like you haven’t slept?” She looked up at him as he crammed another pancake in his mouth replying, “I was up all night cleaning the house and getting the guest room and guest house ready for my parents and any other guest or father bring home.”

“Like the wizard lady?”

“I’m not sure little one. I am unsure if the wizard, should she get to stay, will be staying with us or set up residence somewhere else in town. Either way, it is not for you to worry about. All you need to worry about is finishing breakfast and getting to the temple before you are late for school.”

“Okay, mom I’m going,” Thoric said through a mouthful of food. He quickly finished his mug of water, stood up, and gave his mother a big hug. “By mom. I’m going to school now.” He grabbed his books and ran out the door as fast as he could. He saw many of his other friends also running toward the school. He saw his friend Jenger leaving her home and joining the throng of children running. “Hey Jen, did you sleep late to?”

“Of course not. I just like to run.”, she replied. Jen was an older dwarven girl and Thoric estimated her age to be about 14. She stood approximately 3 inches taller than him, and could probably have picked him up and carried him to school with how much wider and stronger she appeared than him. Her hair was a dirty brown color and she had a very plain face but she was still one of his best friends. Even when they play she would always hang out with him and defend him. She struggled mightily with any kind of scholastic activity, so Thoric was constantly having to tutor her.

As they got to the temple, Helga, priestess of Thoth was tapping her foot next to the door as she scowled at the children that rushed into the door. As all the children grabbed their seats, she let the door slam with a resounding boom. “Okay children, as many of you know this year is the year of the conclave. Many of your parents left last year to escort the other nations leaders to our kingdom. I received word that they will be back later today. Now…”, she was saying when she was drowned out by the chatter of all the children. Suddenly, every child that was speaking felt a sharp rap on the knuckles. The room instantly silenced as Helga’s eyes glowed. “That’s enough! Now, as I was saying, today we’re going to learn basic etiquette and decorum skills.”

For the next four hours, the children were drilled on how to recognize nobles, royalty, and commoners that were coming into the kingdom today. For both the Elven and the human kingdoms they were taught the basic greeting according to their status. It was highly unlikely that any of the children would have any interaction with any of the royalty, it was decided they still needed to understand how to greet them if it should happen. Interacting with nobles and commoners would be much more likely. Many of the children’s families were nobles, traders, or important citizens that may have a noble, or commoner or staying with them during the conclave, as the dwarven kingdom was very insular and normally didn’t allow outsiders into it.

As the second bell chimed in the distance there was a knock on the door. Helga opened the door and then walked in elderly dwarf. “Standup class, and greet master Smith Braga.”

“None of that.” The grizzled old dwarf said. “I’ve been talking with priestess Helga and many of you can at least read some of our languages. Those of you that can no longer have Temple school all day. Starting tomorrow when priestess Helga determines you have a basic grasp of the written language you will report to either the blacksmiths, the carpenters, the miners, or one of the other tradesmen. ”

Multiple voices started chattering at the same time. Some were quite happy and some were disappointed. As the voices crested in volume a loud boom vibrated the walls. “Silence! You will not chatter like a bunch of goblins.” The elderly dwarf shouted while stomping his foot. “For the next eight years, you will all be spending some time with every craftsman in the area. At the end of that eight years, you along with your parents and a master craftsman will decide on your apprenticeships.”

Braga turned and walked out of the classroom without a word. For the next four hours priestess tried to teach the class about the different trades in the area. “Okay, class tomorrow morning I will have everyone who can read assigned to the craftsman. Since I can tell I won’t get any more of your attention today because of your excitement I’m going to dismiss class early. No run home and enjoy the rest of the day.” priestess Helga said as she opened the door.

Thoric quickly stood to rush out of the class with everyone else. “Thoric! I need you to stay after and speak with me.” Thoric sighed he had hoped to get to play this afternoon. “You’re far more advanced than anyone else in class on the scholastic side. However, your smaller size and young age make it difficult to place you with any of the tradesmen. I wanted to let you know that I am aware of the wizard your father is bringing back. Your mom and I spoke about it. So when I release you, you will be going to see the wizard, at least until you’re old enough to be work with the tradesmen at least part-time. Now run home.”

Thoric grabbed the book he hadn’t finished the night before and rushed out the door. As he opened the door to his house the first thing he noticed was the divine smell of lunch, quickly followed by the sound of his father’s voice coming from the other room. Dropping his book in the floor by the door he rushed into the other room making a beeline as fast as he could toward his father. “Dad! Your home!” He shouted as he leaped into his father’s arms.

Vorin laughed loudly as he caught his son. “Lad. I have missed you. Your mother tells me you eat more than I do now!” Vorin said while chuckling.

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“I do not. Did you bring anything good that?”

Thoric fell a thump on the back of his head. “What I tell you, son? Your father’s been gone a year and the first thing you ask is what he brought you back. I have a mind to spank you thoroughly.”

“Sorry, mom.” Thoric apologized. The sound of someone clearing their throat reached Thoric ’s ears. Turning his head he noticed a very tall, pale skinned, beautiful woman standing there. She had noticeably pointed ears with vibrant red hair cascading down her head. Something about her seemed to call out Thoric.

“Where are my manners?” Apologized his father. “Thoric, son, this is high wizard Vandora Whisper, of the Elven kingdom. The king has agreed that she can stay and teach you.”

The wizard turned her head and in a musical voice said “Greetings young one. I can already sense great potential in you. Tomorrow we will begin your training. Now Lord Vorin is there a place I can freshen up before we eat.”

“Of course. Kat can you show her where the washroom is. I’m going to take my son and show him some of the things I brought back.” Vorin spins around with his son and carries him into the other room while his mother escorted the wizard to get cleaned up. As he sat his son down he reaches over and grabs a chest dropping it in front of his son. “Well, son here is what I’ve gotten.” He says as he opens the chest. Approximately 20 books of the finest bound animal hide, two bags of something that smelt divine, and a shiny knife made out of some silvery metal rested in the chest. It appeared that most of the books were about alchemy, herbalism, history, and magic. Opening the bags he found small golden cubes which smell sweet and after popping one in his mouth he discovered they were extremely chewy and delicious. As soon as he lifts the knife, his muscles locked as it felt like a bolt of electricity shot through his arm.

Suddenly, every piece of metal within 20 feet of him starts glowing in his eyes and he knew where each piece was. Somehow he intrinsically knew what each of the metals were, their compositions if they were alloys, and how pure each metal was. With this comes the knowledge that the silver knife has a high composition of iron, aluminum, and something called mithril. Thoric dropped the knife and grabbed his head. The amount of information flooding into him caused an intense headache.

As he sank to his knees, his father grabbed him. “What’s the matter, son?”

“Everything so bright. All the metal is talking to me. It’s so loud.”

His father shouted through the house loudly, “Katerina. Vandora please come quickly, please. Something is going on with Thoric.”

The two ladies rushed into the living room. His mother rushed to hold him while Vandora quickly chants some mythical phrase and waves her hand. “What happened Vorin?” Exclaims Katerina.

“I’m unsure. He lifted up the new dagger, grabbed his head and sank to his knees complaining about metal being loud and bright.” Vorin explained as his son cried.

“There is no magic on the dagger, but I sense something going on in relation to the magic of the metal in this room. It is like the mana is touching your son but not being absorbed.” Vandora sinks down to her knees as she grasped Thoric’s head. She mumbled a few words and a glow surrounded her hands. And as quick as it began it stopped with Thoric sighing in relief.

“Thank you.” Sighed Thoric.

“I have cast a spell of dampening magic. I can still see the mana touching him but not as hard. Thoric can you tell me what happened?” Vandora asked kindly.

“When I picked up the dagger there was a shock. Suddenly I knew where every piece of metal was in the room, how pure it was, and if it wasn’t pure, exactly how much and what kind of ore was in it. So much information was giving me an intense headache.”

“ Young one, I am going to start letting my dampening spell go. As it weakens I want you to try to control how much information you’re getting. Imagine a fence with a gate in, and all the information are a bunch of sheep. I want you to try to imagine that you’re going to open the gate just enough for one sheep to come through.”

“Okay.” Said Thoric apprehensively.

As a glow from her hands lessened Thoric could feel the pressure building. He tried to do just as she said. He still got a headache though it was greatly reduced in intensity. He was still constantly getting the location of everything but was no longer bombarded with the other information. He sighed “It’s a lot better. But I still know where every piece of metal is but the other information is being stopped by the fence. What’s going on with me, dad?”

As Vorin stumbled over his words trying to come up with an explanation Vandora said, “It appears you have a natural affinity. Very few people have these Thoric. In my youth, a young girl had something similar to this but with animals, that’s where I came out with a sheep idea. It will get better with time and practice and you will get full control of it. This is something to be happy about.” Turning to Vorin and Katerina she states, “Your son has the ability to know everything about any metal. I am unsure of how strong it is but I sense it to be very strong. Over time he will get control of this and get even stronger with this ability.”

Vorin reached down and hugged his son. His son had the ability to sense metal. With this ability, his son could become very powerful however his son could become a target. “Vandora, Katerina, son I would ask you to keep this quiet. We will discuss it later.” At about this time both father and son stomach growled.

“Well, it looks like the excitement has made both of my men starving. Let us go to the kitchen and eat.” Katerina chuckled.

“Can we wait a moment?” Vandora said. “I would like to see what kind of mana pools he has so that I can start preparing to educate him. This tends to take a lot out of me and make me extremely hungry so I’d rather do it before I eat.”

“Is a difficult?” Questioned Vorin.

“Not at all. It is a relatively simple spell but it uses a lot of energy that all master wizards know but it makes us very hungry.” Vandora replied.

“Does it do anything to our son?” Katerina queries.

“No, it does nothing. All it does is pull a small fraction of each type of mana out of the world and touch said mana to his body. For every pool he has that mana will get absorbed and let me know how large and deep a pool is. Other than him feeling like someone is blowing on his arm after some alcohol is rubbed on there is no other effect.”

“Do it do it!” Thoric excitedly screams. “I felt these pools but I don’t know what they are. Please, mom! Dad!”

“Okay, son,” Vorin says.

Vandora sits crosslegged in on the floor in front of Thoric. “Sit down the same as me letting your knees touch my legs.” Vandora raises her hands and begins chanting. After a few moments, a small dot of light appears between her hands and cascades slowly until it touches Thoric’s skin. As the light touches his skin it flattens out and slowly vanishes. Then another small light appears and does the same thing except for this time the light rolls off the skin and hits floor. This repeats multiple times and some lights flatten and vanish while others hit the floor and vanish. Vandora’s chanting comes to a close and she lowers her arms.

Vandora turned his parents with wide eyes and excitedly explained, “Your son is phenomenal! I have never seen anyone with a number of pools he has. How can someone with dwarven blood have magic much less it be this diverse and powerful?”

“What do you mean? How many does he have?” Katerina asked. “I have a very deep pool of light magic and a shallow pool of water magic that allows me to do some minor illusions. We know he’s got earth and fire. You mean there’s more?”

“Yes. Your son has earth of deep depth, fire of moderate depth, air of trace depth, life of shallow depth, temporal of standard depth, and lastly dimensional or space that I can't find the depth. Even the greatest master of the Elven race only has four pools and none as deep as his dimensional pool. I don’t understand how this is possible.”

“He is my son and I am so proud of him.” Katerina states. “Magic has never run strongly in my family and of course Vorin being dwarven blooded has no magic. It must be a blessing from the gods.”

“I think we need to keep this quiet just like we are his other ability,” Vorin says. “But right now I think it’s time to eat.”

The family stands to go and eat.” Vorin cannot speak with you a moment?” Vandora says. As Katerina and Thoric enter the kitchen she continues, “I want you to know that as long as you feed, cloth, and provide me a place to stay you don’t have to pay me very much. I want to teach your son for the honor of teaching someone of his power. Thank you. His potential is frightening.” She turns and walks into the kitchen to eat.

“Well, son. If you’re doing this at this age I can’t wait to see what you do later.” Vorin says to himself with pride as he walks in the kitchen.