Athgar nodded his thanks, too overwhelmed to speak. Turning to leave, he saw the rest of the village arrayed before him, lining the pathway to the edge of the palisade. Taking the first steps on his journey felt like the hardest thing he had ever done, and yet he knew it was time. He moved forward, travelling through the village with his head held high. As he walked, a noise started, and he looked on in amazement to see the Orcs clapping, a purely Human action, and he smiled.

Athgar reached the gate and halted, looking back one last time at his friends, his family. He nodded at them, then turned once more to the path he was now to tread, towards his future.

Ultimatum

Autumn 1103 SR

Natalia gazed out the window of the tower she occupied. There were six of them at the Volstrum, every one topped by a copper dome. They were often used by full mages to practice their arts, but today they were being used for the final assessments of the graduating students. She waited patiently, staring out at the cold, wet weather that was so common this far north, wondering what tomorrow's dawn might bring, for today was to be her last day as a student. Her reverie was cut short when the door opened, revealing none other than the matriarch herself, Illiana Stormwind.

"Greetings, Natalia," she said, "I hope you are well?"

"I am, Mistress, thank you. And yourself?"

"As well as can be expected for someone of my advanced years," she said, sweeping her gaze over the young woman. "You look surprised?"

"I wasn't expecting you, Matriarch. I thought it would be one of the instructors here to present me with my final test."

"Final test? There is no such thing for you. I have watched your progress since the day you first came to us, Natalia. I had high hopes for you then, and you have not disappointed. You graduate the Volstrum as the most powerful of all casters, for your age."

"Surely not, Mistress," she replied. "There must be many with more power than I?"

"There are indeed," Illiana said, "but none were so powerful at such a young age. Your skill will mature as you do, lifting you higher within the family, perhaps even to its pinnacle one day, many years from now."

"I live to serve."

The matriarch looked slightly disappointed. "I doubt that," she said. "When I was your age, all I wanted to do was see the world. Has youth changed so much since that time?"

Natalia blushed, "No, I suppose not, Mistress."

"It is the custom," continued the matriarch, "that when you graduate, you be given an article of jewellery containing a special crystal. Are you familiar with it?"

"Magerite?" Natalia asked.

"Yes indeed, and do you know the properties of magerite?"

"I believe it can be used to indicate magical power, can it not?"