“Well I do, but what makes you think I will tell it to you?” I asked, turning to face the Medic, letting mana swirl around me, and as always, creating barriers. This time I went for a Chaos-Space layer only. I needed the mana.

I could see the Medic hesitate, swallowing nervously when he saw the space distort around me. It seemed that the locals had a lot of fear when it came to magic.

“Your highness. I know that perhaps you were not aware of this from your studies within the palace, but the Wild Mages are the greatest threat against the people on Algrea. One can block the swords, the maces and arrows, but only another mage may stop a wild mage. That man”- it seemed to visibly pain him to even acknowledge Arlun- “could easily kill the entire army without knowing he did it.” The Medic said.

Wow, these people had extremely exaggerated opinions about Magic. But I suppose if all they had seen were Grade 2s and 3s that the nobles let them see, they’d think all mages were that powerful. A Grade 2 could technically wipe an army after all. Only criteria was that the army should be Primal Grade and lower.

“And how did you presume that Arlun was a Wild Mage Medic? The mana has been active for hours. If it was going to go on a fritz, it would have gone by now. Did it also not occur to you that Arlun may be of noble descent also? It is not as if there is a lack of amorous relationships between a noble and commoner” I replied,

I was taking a risk here, I did not truly know if noble and commoner relationships were common or not. I was betting that there was no way that nobles in such a society could control themselves.

“That is true, but your highness, how would we verify. Even the simplest blood test would need a sample to compare with. It is best to kill the man and be done with.” The Medic said. Why was he so insistent that Arlun die?

“No. A Biomancer is needed and a Biomancer is available. It is a minor risk to let him live with me around to keep him controlled. This decision is final Medic” I replied

“Um, your highness? The man’s condition is worsening again.” Scientist Bereil said, bringing my attention back to Arlun, whose wounds had once again opened. The mana must not have been enough to make good skin.

I sent a few more pulses of mana while the Medic stared at me from behind. Hopefully healing Arlun would solve the health problem and I could move on to solving the food and other problems.

After investing a prodigious amount of mana, about a third of my total mana pool, the surface wounds were healed. The head trauma remained, with Arlun still in a coma, but hopefully he would make a full recovery.

I turned towards the men that had attempted to kill Arlun, “Perhaps you could tell me why you decided that killing a fellow soldier because someone claimed they were a Wild Mage was a good decision? “ I asked them

“Wild Mages are unpredictable, your highness. While we know that you are likely able to protect us against these abominations, we felt that stopping them from forming in the first place was a wise decision. Please forgive me for my hastiness” The man in the middle said, he might have been admitting fault, but his body language told me he was just patronizing me.

Ugh. Just what I needed, stubborn adults. Didn’t they see how useful a Biomancer could be? Of course they didn’t. The fools probably held their medical system as a good one. Even if it killed so many of them with its inability to accept change.

“I will be moving Arlun to a more controlled and suitable location. From this day forth, Arlun is a Mage of noble descent unless I say otherwise. Is that understood?” I said, turned to walk out but then suddenly turned back and said, “Oh and if anything happens to Arlun, I am blaming you, keep that in mind before you do something you’ll regret”

I then walked out of the tent.

SCENE CHANGE

Arlun, the So called Wild Mage

The first thing Arlun saw when he awoke was the back of several men as they surrounded him. Soft conversation could be heard around him, the men were whispering for some reason.

“How long do we have to stand here like this?” one asked

“Didn’t you hear the prince? Until he comes back. Or he’ll hold us responsible if anything happens to the fancy mage here.” another said, the words had Arlun’s sluggish brain come alert. They couldn’t have been talking about him right? Did his secret come out? But that made no sense. How was he still alive if people knew he was a Wild Mage?

“I still think he should be killed. The Mage is a danger to us all” the second continued

“Silence. You heard the prince. The magic is too controlled for it to not be a noble bastard. If we are lucky we might even end up as cushy retainers to him.” the third interjected. So, he was a noble bastard now? How did he not know that?

“Hah! I don’t remember the prince saying anything of that sort. All I remember is him saying that we needed a Biomancer and this fellow was one. I think it is just a noble trying to escape work again.” the second said

“But the prince is instead making food now with that magic of his.”the first said

“Yes, such hard work. Sitting in one place, waving your hand every few minutes and then telling others to go and store the food that appears. So much work!” the second said.

“Ugh” Arlun exclaimed as he suddenly felt a flash of pain in his side. The exclamation alerted his captors to the fact that he was already awake, thus causing the men to turn to him immediately.

“Your excellency! I am glad that you are awake! You should have informed us of your noble descent. I cannot imagine what would have happened if the prince had not been kind enough to stop us.”the third man said, somehow seeming to be actually sad.

All that did though was plunge into complete silence as the people in the room collectively went ‘???’ at the man’s shamelessness. Arlun opened and closed his mouth several times as his still sluggish brain tried to form a reply.

Sadly it was unsuccessful as he could not find a reply that wasn’t ‘What in all the worlds are you blabbering on about?’ Finally he got one, it wasn’t polite...but it was less rude.

“Do I know you?” Arlun asked

“You wound me, your excellency! I am your faithful servant, why just a few hours before we fought side by side for a whole minute! We are practically brothers-in-arms now!” the third said.

Arlun really hoped that the man would catch a hint and stop his naked flattery and actually tell him what was going on, because he had a massive headache and was not ready to deal with him.

“Would someone perhaps explain where I and what exactly has occurred?” Arlun asked

“Nothing much, you were just fatally injured to the point that everyone gave up on you and then saved because you are apparently a Biomancer. These three fellows here tried to kill you and as punishment, the prince has said that if any harm comes to you before he returns then they will be held responsible.” A woman to the side said.

Arlun recognized the woman to be Scientist Bereil, the only woman in the entire army. Guess he now knew why he wasn’t killed when his magic was discovered. For fifteen long years Arlun had kept his secret just to stop himself from becoming some nobles plaything.

Death, he no longer feared. It was servitude that repelled him. Growing up, he had heard many rumours of how the nobles sometimes liked to keep the Wild Mages as pets. Experimenting on them in hopes of advancing their own Magical Craft. Now that would be his fate.

“Arlun!” a voice that Arlun immediately recognized to be his childhood friend Carmil’s exclaimed. “You are awake! Oh, thank the prince! You are awake!” Carmil continued

This brought some hope to Arlun. A person that did not know Carmil would think that this statement was a completely normal one. But Arnul knew, his friend hated nobles above all else.

Everyday, he trained from night and day in hopes of one day slaying his bastard of a father that had raped his mother and then killed her when he found out that she had given birth to him.

“ I will not allow a Bastard of impure blood to pollute my bloodline.” the bastard had said to Carmil as he made him a eunuch at the age of 13. Even today, Arlun remembered his face when it happened.

If there was one thing that he was grateful for, was that his magic had awoken that day, allowing him to heal Carmil from a procedure so badly performed that it was no doubt intended to leave him dead.

“Yes I am, Carmil.” Arnul said, “I am alright”

“Yes, yes you are!” Carmil said as tears streamed down his face. Thankfully, Carmil never inherited any Magic, he was far far too emotional to wield any.

Arnul started to get up, but found himself unable to as his entire body began aching as soon as he made any movement at all.

“Careful, Careful. Your wounds have just begun healing. It will be a while before you can move around.” Scientist Beriel said. A kind woman that

“Thank you mam.” Arnul replied, “You said something about the prince? Has he returned? “

“Shhh” Scientist burial said “ I is best if we do not let the prince know about that”

“Not let meKnow about what exactly?” A voice suddenly said form the door’s direction