Anders was sore. Sore was an understatement, but it was the only word his brain could come up with. He struggled against the weight of his eyelids; the sharp light of day stung his vision through a window. He stared straight up for a while, as it was the only thing he could do without moving his aching body. The ceiling was that of Whitethorn, the window was wide, so he was on the sea facing side of the keep.

"You're awake?" A woman with a white apron over her royal medic robes walked into his line of vision. A Whitethorn mark on her neck gently glowed green.

"I, yes." He answered. His voice crackled.

"Water, now." The woman lifted a sizeable pitcher and helped pour small amounts down his throat while helping him sit up. She was a water mage, he realized as she helped direct the water down his throat in a trickle that wouldn't drown him. When she decided he had enough, she let him lay back down.

"You'll have questions I suppose." She had a kind face and soft eyes. They reminded him of Ghilda for a moment and he struggled to sit up on his own.

"Where is she?" He managed to sputter.

"Lay DOWN." She pushed him back. "I can tell you it's been four days."

"Four days?" Anders repeated.

"That's what I said." Her patience was running out. "I will summon Magister ga Harleurngin, as he requested me to do. I will not be answering any further questions, I am here for medical purposes and no more."

Anders focused on the parts of his body that could move with more ease than others. His legs were ok, his arms were sore, his fingers were all but useless. He practiced trying to move them, but they weren't cooperating.

The medic returned with broth and helped coax that down his throat too. He managed to get a lot of it spilled down the front of a plain white tunic, which the woman helped him change out of when they were done. Anders wasn't particularly proud of that part.

A knock at the door drew the woman away. Anders got his first look around, the room was small, and there were shelves full of bottles and plants. A few books covered the small wooden table, and the location of two different windows told him he wasn't inside the keep anymore.

"Anders my boy!" Harlow shuffled into the room followed closely by Jak. "I'm so relieved you came around before the tests. I thought I'd have to beg my colleagues to postpone the tests so you could make it."

"Harlow, Jak." Anders croaked. Harlow had his same white and gold coat on, Jak wore a light green tunic and had a leather eye patch.

"Don't let him talk too much Magister." The medic instructed. "I'll leave you to your conversation." She left the room and Jak and Harlow pulled chairs over to the bed.

"Ghilda?" He asked.

"Anders my boy." Harlow grew sad. "I'm afraid she is in no condition to see anyone. She isn't dead, but she is barely with us. If she can be pulled through and recover enough to talk, she will be heavily questioned you understand."

Anders nodded slowly. His heart ached for the friend he had lost, but he knew the moment he stepped onto the roof that part of his life was over.

"Onto brighter news, you stopped the spell." Jak interjected. "The mages have all but recovered. The death toll was only seven. A loss, but not a worse one thanks to you."

"You are in the house of the stable master." Harlow said. "The storm continued rather vigorously after you left it. You couldn't be kept in the keep, you were placed here to ecru minimal damage, though I dare say the horses are none too pleased."

"The storm went on for two days lad, that was four days ago." Jak said. "Ye took quite a nap."

"It was to be expected. You put on quite a show my boy, but breaking those crystals was the right move. The ill mages began recovering right away." Harlow smiled. "There are some wild stories spreading through the keep about you."

"Tests?" Anders asked.

"In two days they start, though they will continue for three days to accommodate the large population of mages at Whitethorn. You should rest up and see what magic you can regain for day three, I have of course already added your name to the list as you were incapacitated." Harlow patted Anders on the shoulder.

"My device?" Anders asked.

"No one could touch so much as the bag you kept it in, and there wasn't much of a bag left by the time you were done with it. It's still on the roof." Jak smiled.

"Yes, that would put a spring back in your step." Harlow scratched his chin. "I will see if another lightning mage can be found to try to carry it."

"Thanks." Anders whispered.

"I'll make some tea." Harlow pulled a lumpy paper envelope from his coat and poked around the small kitchen looking for something.

"So, your eye?" Anders looked at Jak.

"Ah that. Just a little incident on the roof. It's, healing. But the medics don't want me getting anything in it or exposing it to too much light. I should be ok in a few weeks." Jak brushed a finger to his temple. "Besides, what you can't see is the ugly bruise. I look to have been kicked by a horse."

"There, now we wait on the water." Harlow returned to his seat. "With the assessment tests beginning tomorrow the mages are all quietly preparing. Life in the keep has returned to normal so quickly."

"All we know is quiet and books." Anders smiled.

"Oh I wanted to talk to you about the tests." Harlow smiled. "You mentioned missing the last tests, do you know the order of events?"

Anders shook his head.

"Then let me go over what to expect." Harlow sat back. "You already know you have to do a presentation. That shows us you have put an effort to learn and further our understanding of magic."

"Us?" Jak asked.

"Yes, I am but one of several assessors. Did I not mention?" Harlow tilted his head to the side. "What is it you boys thought I was doing here?"

"We get scholars all the time! I thought you were visiting to watch the tests." Anders said.

"One set of robes to another; I can't tell the difference between you bookish types." Jak shrugged.

"Well," Harlow chuckled. "I am an assessor with the Temple of Vura. The temple, as you might know already, is said to have been the last place magic lingered among men before it disappeared. That is where the crystals are kept, save for twice a year when we travel them to each country in turn. It takes five years to make it through each of the countries and start back at the beginning again."

"Yes, that much at least is taught to the grey mages." Anders said.

"Very good. And the color system is the same throughout the known world." Harlow nodded. "The mark on your neck tells us your color, as well as what country you were in when you were found to be with magic. Since magic shows itself in a child, that usually means what country you were born in."

"Can you tell me about the mages of other countries then?" Anders shot up. "You travel with the Godscrystals, right? So you know about mage life elsewhere?"

"Well, yes." Harlow said. "What would you like to know?"

"What kingdom treats their mages the best? Do any of the other countries not lock us up?" Anders asked. "I mean, we hear stories sometimes, but not directly from someone who's been outside Selstad."

"My boy, I could tell you stories from far lands until I am blue in the face. I have seen wonders and horrors everywhere." Harlow smiled. "You need to travel for yourself. I can tell you no two countries treat their mages the same. But the social stigmas that follow one who has magic... there is no describing it. You should experience it yourself."

"Just tell me where you're going so I don't run into the likes of you again." Jak smiled and ruffled Anders's hair.

"Don't start that." Anders snapped. "Thanks Harlow, I'll think on your words."

"Of course." He nodded. "Now, you know of the crystals, let us continue. First you will present to the judges a demonstration of your abilities and what research and contributions you have to the knowledge of magic. The true test of your rank is with the Godscrystals of course, but for safety we need to assess who is able to take which tests."

"What safety?" Jak asked.

"Hm." Harlow looked at Jak for a long time. "The gods watch over us, they give and take on a whim, and our lives mean little to them in the sea of time. The crystals were made and given to man with the purpose of measuring strength. But, a mage that overreaches his strengths, and challenges a crystal above himself, can be very easily killed."

"Pleasant business then, winning your freedom." Jak mumbled.

"Oh!" Harlow got out of his chair and walked towards the kitchen. "The tea!" He pulled a pot of water off the fire and began shuffling things around in three mugs. Anders looked to Jak.

"I'm ready. I can almost taste the free air." He said softly.

"Hey lad, where are your research books?" Jak asked curiously. "I checked your room for anything I could bring here that you might want, but I never found them."

"Oh." Anders paled. "Roof."

"The roof? What-" Jak paled too. "Oh. The bag."

"Oh dear." Harlow returned with a tray of mugs. "I know of your device and the struggles you had making it. My colleagues however will want more than my word to go on."

"Can you remake them?" Jak asked slowly, knowing the answer.

"Not in full, not with my results of the other substances and how they react to lightning magic." Anders sipped his tea. It was warm, ligtly flavored of some kind of herb and honey. He could see how Harlow was so fond of it. "But I could do some of what I remember, maybe my thought process on how the device would work. I can still remember some original designs."

"Well, I will bring you all the supplies you need to work. If you need to dictate I will help with that too." Harlow smiled. "It is a wonderful thing you've made. It will do good for mages like you the world over I'm sure."

"Alright." Anders said. "I can do this, I think. Thank you for your help."

"With your newly gained consciousness, and the weather mages don't predict a storm for the rest of the week, you should be able to return to your own quarters and we may leave the poor stable master to his own bed again." Harlow smiled.

"What a shame, I could get used to having windows." Anders smiled, sipping his tea.

"If he can jest I'd say the lad is back to normal." Jak said. "Put him to work."