Collection of Shorts (Ius)

B2: How did your mage learn that they were magical? Or, how did your non-mage realize someone they knew was magical? Was it one moment, or did they realize over time? How did others react?

→ Reward: +10 gold. Minimum: Colored full body or 400 words.

It was a miserable wet day. Every step he took the mud caked to his feet and the cold seeped into his bones. It was the kind of day where it drags on and on leaving you groggy and drained. Ius had gone out into the forest in search of food for a stew he was planning to make that night. He felt off the moment he stepped into the woods. An ache in his head started as a twinge the day before. It felt at first like someone was poking his forehead now it felt like someone was slowly pressing needles into his head all over the place. Every time a reprieve seemed to be coming the needle-like headache returned with greater ferocity.

Thankfully, the swamp where the lily flower grew was not too far away from his cabin. One might call it a cabin but it was more like an abandoned shack deep in the forest. A muddy river was close by which was good enough to get clean enough. It wasn't like Ius was trying to impress anyone.

So, here he went; meandering through the woods. the gray sky casting light over the pale leaves overhead. The air was cold but not as cold as Ius was. Usually running warm, Ius wondered what was going on with him. He did not feel right. Something was off but he was not sure what.

...

Finally, he found the darn flower. Of course all the extra work to hunt down this one flower to make his stew was worth the work because however tired he may be, his stew was worth the work.

...

It was dusk when Ius arrived back at his cabin. The fire was still lit but barely. He added more wood to the fire and added the final ingredient. Only one hour left till he can eat and relax. Unfortunately relaxing was the last thing that he was able to do because what once felt like needles being pierced through his head now felt like the jaws of a wild animal crushing his skull. It made him dizzy. Too much exertion and he felt ill. It was unsafe to be in the woods alone in the dark like this but his stew was not done and he was too darn stubborn to give up on this delicious meal that he was preparing.

...

The last hour before dinner passed by in agony, when he finally stood up to go conduct the final taste test he almost tumbled over in pain. It was like something shot through his skin.... no something did shoot through his skin. Ius ran over to the puddle to look at his reflection in the shakey light of the fire... there was a shoot of green growing out of his head! What did this mean? What did this mean for him, for his life, for his family?

....

"I am a mage" Is said to no one but the wind and his boiling pot of stew. "I will become better than I am and better than you thought I could be ''.

Word Count: 515