�Yes, I see that you do have the potential, young one.� he told me as he looked at me over the top of the ball. I was so startled by the ease with which he had so much improved upon my magic, that I did not even take affront at his calling me �young one�.
With a pass of his free hand over the ball, and the saying of the word, Donate, the ball slowly dissolved into nothingness. �No sense wasting a perfectly good ball of light,� he chuckled, �might as well donate it to the Temple so that someone may get some use out of it.�
�How did�where did�� I stuttered.
�All in good time, child, all in good time.� He told me, then he continued, �Follow this road into town, at the crossroads you will see a large fountain, continue on almost to the far eastern gates. There, on your left you will find the Mages Guild, it is the last guild on that side of the road. Tell Thelarix that I sent you. Can you remember all of that?�
Had I heard correctly? Was he really going to help me? �Yes, I can remember.� I told him.
He smiled. Then, he reached into his cloak and pulled out a plain, empty plate. Before I could even begin to wonder what it was he was doing, he had given his wrist a little flick while holding the plate and 3 large mushrooms popped into being on the plate. He held the mushrooms out to me and said, �For you, incase you are hungry from your long journey.�
It was upon seeing the mushrooms there on the plate that I realized how hungry I was. The last meal I had eaten was when I had woken up that morning. I stumbled across a blackberry bush and had broken my fast with it�s juicy berries. I took the mushrooms off the plate, popping one immediately into my mouth and placing the other two into my backpack.
�Thank you, for everything.� I told him.
�Don�t thank me yet,� he chuckled, �Thelarix is very demanding of his students. He expects total commitment to the magic and your studies. You may yet rue the day you decided to seek him out.�
He walked with me back to the door of his shop. When we reached it�s threshold I reached up and gave him a quick peck on his cheek and thanked him again for all his help, and I could have sworn that his cheeks gave off a little blush. With a wave and a smile I headed down the road, to my destiny.