I was vaguely aware of movement inside my duffle bag which was slung over my shoulder casually.
“I’m afraid so.” Lester Elwood nodded, “Now please, don’t be alarmed, and hold still.” He spoke as he got up from the chair. He was hunched over as he hobbled to where I stood. His senses must have been good, because he stopped short just one inch from where I was rooted on the spot. Lester Elwood held his hands up towards my face, and his index fingers pressed against either side of my temple. Several seconds later, the old man was hobbling back towards his chair on the other side of the desk.
“That’s it?” I let out a breath I hadn’t realised I’d been holding, “You’re done?”
“That is all it takes.” He said shuffling papers around his desk. Lester felt around, but seemed to find what he was looking for. A moment later he had a quill and ink in his hand, and he was scrawling neat writing across a document.
“Fire Mage.” He noted. “Level … hm … level five, by the feel of it. Though I’m not sure. It seems … squashed, somehow.”
I had no idea what the man was saying. Probably barking mad.
“There’s a numeric system to measure Power?” I asked.
“But of course.” Lester seemed shocked that I had doubted otherwise, “Everyone knows it here in Frost Arch.”
“Mind sharing?”
“Well a Power Level of zero, obviously that means human. We only allow humans here for trading at the marketplace of course. No human is allowed to make a home for themselves here. Pure slaves.
“Levels of one or two usually indicate that they are half human, half Mage. Of course this is almost as bad as being pure human.” He scoffed, but continued, “A Power level of three or four is really quite unfortunate. It just means that they are a pure-blood Mage that is quite weak. It’s hard finding work at that level. Mages like that are usually given worthless jobs, or try and make their own way by trading in the Marketplace.
“Level five or six is very common, average if you will. Every day jobs for those ones. Mainly Serving masters with a much higher Power Level than their own. No one in their right mind would hire staff that is stronger than them.
“Seven or Eight is seen as a reasonably high Power level. It’s respectable, and most Mages of Frost Arch with this Power Level are doing quite well for themselves.
“It’s very uncommon to find a Mage with a Power level exceeding eight, with one rare exception to our city. Mistress Elvira Frost is the highest level Mage I’ve come across in many years. A level nine. Not that it’s a good thing. Anything higher than a level eight becomes unstable. Dangerous. Destructive. We’re lucky our leader is incredibly talented.” Lester trailed off.
“Is there a level ten?” I pondered.
Lester’s face contorted, “In my ninety years on this world, I’ve never come across a level ten Mage before. Not that I want to.”
“Why not?” I said, genuinely interested now.
“I’d have to be bonkers to want to come face to face with death itself.” He said baffled. “A level ten … is … unimaginable. The Power would be so immense … I’m sure they wouldn’t even survive their own gift. I’d go as far as saying a level ten Mage wouldn’t even make it out of childhood alive, let alone their entire family.”
I raised my eyebrows, “I had no idea such Power could exist.”
“Well lucky for us, it doesn’t.” Lester seemed to be growing tired of my stupidity on this particular subject.
“So I’m a level five …” I said, rather beat about it. I thought that I might at least be a little above average. I thought I was rather dangerous.
“Yes. Level Five. Fire Mage. Average Power.” He stamped something onto the documents he was scrawling on.
“So what do I do with these papers?” I questioned.
Lester folded the documents in his wrinkled hands and slid them across the desk to me. “You show these when looking for work … when entering the city … or … when questioned at random by Guards of Frost Arch. Make sure you keep them with you at all times.”
I nodded subconsciously as I took the papers from the desk. Work. I hadn’t even thought about what I was going to do with myself.
As if Lester had read my mind, he asked, “Do you have any idea how you are going to make a living here Miss Avalon?”
I gulped loudly, “Well … I thought I would have a look around and maybe …” I trailed off, not exactly sure what I was going to say.
“I quite possibly have an idea, if you don’t mind me prying.”
My mouth twitched, “I don’t mind. Any help is good, right?”