“I told you there was power in that name,” Gabriel said as he relaxed on the couch.
“But… I had no idea how much! It was incredible!” Era was pacing back and forth in the living room, gesticulating wildly.
“Yeah, yeah, don’t rub it in.” Gabriel glared at him half-heartedly.
“It was just amazing! If I had known it would be that easy… and it just happened, just came to me like it was nothing, I can’t even believe—”
“Calm down, kid, you’ll give yourself an ulcer.”
“I’m just…” He grinned wildly. “I feel like I could do anything if I wanted to. I’m on top of the world right now.”
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Gabriel replied with a grin. “I remember it too. And lucky you, you’ve got an ace in the hole now with that name of yours.”
“It almost seems a little too easy,” he said, his tone growing more serious.
“Consider the fact that you – apparently – had to study for twelve straight years to earn that name, and it seems a little more plausible.”
Era stopped pacing with a frown. “But I didn’t,” he said, “or if I did, I don’t remember it. It doesn’t seem fair.”
“Fuck no, it isn’t fair,” Gabriel growled quietly. “But don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, y’know?”
“I’m sorry… I’m not trying to make you upset.”
“It’s alright, kid. I’m not mad at you or anything.” He chuckled lightly. “And you realize that it isn’t fair, so you’re good.”
He sat down. “Gabriel, I… want to know who I am.”
“I think we all do,” he joked.
“You know what I mean.”
Gabriel’s lopsided grin disappeared. ”Yeah… I know what you mean.”
Era sighed, staring off into space. “But I have no idea where to begin,” he said helplessly.
“That’s how every journey begins,” Gabriel mused. “You know exactly where you want to go, but you have no clue how to get there.”
“Exactly.”
Gabriel pushed himself up and headed towards the stairs. “Well, you think on it. Now that you’re home, I can get some sleep, and I suggest you do the same.”
Era nodded. “Good idea. Goodnight, Gabriel.”
Gabriel ascended the stairs as Era went to blow out the single candle lit in the room. Before the air left his lips, however, he stared at the flame, nostalgia welling up within him. Death probably has the answers I seek, he thought longingly, but I have no way to ask him my questions.
Disappointed, he blew out the candle and curled up on his couch. He slept a dreamless sleep.
He had it.
As the morning broke and Era rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he knew exactly what he had to do: he had to visit the Mage Academy. The academy is a school, he thought, and schools usually keep records, don’t they?
He threw off his blanket and wriggled into a clean robe, plotting in his head as he prepared breakfast. If I can find my Mage-Name in their records, then I can find my real name. And if I can find my real name, then I’ll be one step closer to finding out who I am! He danced with excitement in each step (spilling a little tea and dropping some crumbs of toast along the way).
He rushed through breakfast and sat on the couch to wait for Gabriel to rise. An hour later he got his wish, and Gabriel made his way downstairs.
“Gabriel! Gabriel, I had an idea!”
Blinking at Era through sleep-crusted eyes, Gabriel mumbled an unintelligible response as he prepared his morning meal.
“Listen, I was thinking—the academy, it has to have records of its students, right? So I could look through those, and—”
“Wait-wait-wait. First off, how are you going to get to the academy?” he muttered sleepily. “It’s not exactly across the street. The academy’s in the castle town, and the castle is over a hundred miles away from here.”
“Well, I mean, yes, it’d be a long trip there, but—”
“And even then, do you think they’d just let you sift through their private records?”
“Um… well…”
“Maybe you need to think this through a bit,” Gabriel said dryly.
Era’s face was crestfallen, the energy he’d had only moments before drained away. “I’m sure I’d come up with something,” he said quietly.
“Yeah, I’m sure you would,” Gabriel replied sarcastically. “But what if you don’t? What if you rush out there expecting the world to kneel at your feet and you end up hitting a wall? What would you do, especially with you being… well, you? No offense, but you’re not exactly cut out for life on the road, and I don’t think even your manners could woo the Archmage.”
“Archmage?” Era inquired.
Thankful for the distraction, Gabriel continued. “Yeah, the King’s right-hand man. The most powerful mage in the country. He does double-duty as the headmaster of the Mage Academy, seeing as the academy is state-sanctioned.” He paused to shove a piece of toast in his mouth. “Also usually a prime example of how big of an asshole most people become when they learn to harness magic.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Well, think about it,” Gabriel said. “You go from being ‘just another noble’ to suddenly being able to use this magnificent power that can bend the world, a little bit at a time, to your whim. It’s even worse for state-sanctioned mages – you guys get those fancy little amulets and names of yours so you can ‘help the state’ and yadda yadda yadda.” He pointed his fork at Era. “You know the power rush you told me about when you used your name to cast a spell? Now imagine you lacked that humility you’ve got. Egos grow out-of-control in the Magistocracy, and the biggest head of all is reserved for the head of the academy, the Archmage.”
“So he’d be… difficult to negotiate with?”
“To put it mildly.”
They sat in silence for a while, Gabriel munching away as Era sorted this new knowledge out in his head. After a while, Gabriel looked up and locked eyes with him.
“You’re not thinking of doing anything stupid, are you?”
Era hesitated. “Maybe thinking about it,” he said, “but that doesn’t mean I’ll act on it.”
Gabriel scowled, which got a chuckle out of Era. “What’s so funny?” Gabriel growled.
“You look like a bear when you do that.”
“A bear, huh?”
“Mm-hmm.” A smile passed between them, and they began their morning routine just like any other day.
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