He was Almost Absorbed by the System

Chapter One Hundred And Thirty Five - With Great Power...

So he quietly nodded, keeping his eyes slightly downcast and replied an agreement. "Yes sir."

"We have also come to understand," the Teacher continued, happy that the boy was showing humility and due respect, "that the events may have unlocked an unknown potential in you, which, you understand, we must now explore." Elyas had damned himself, he knew, with his unthinking response to the attacking foliage. He kept his eyes down and said nothing. "We first need to inspect your mark."

Of course you do, Elyas thought, but could not disagree to the request, but glanced upward in slight question. "Now?" he asked, he doubted he could delay revealing it, but was hopeful all the same. Once they knew, his own escape from the city would be that much more difficult.

"That would be best," Teacher Exalos agreed. Elyas did not reveal his reluctance as he swept up his sleeve, even knowing that this would not be enough for them. A white haired old man with a bent back waddled over, his hair was an indicator of his extensive age, rather than his talent. However it was also said that a mage past his peak would begin to decline in magic as well as body. The old man's bushy white eyebrows seemed to vanish into his hairline, which was still fairly generous as his eyes examined the markings. He deemed them quite unusual, but regardless, there was clear indication that the boy was a fire user. His eyes crept upward to note that the markings disappeared into his robes, his arm only revealed to shoulder point.

"Child," The old man said, "I need to see how far these markings go. Would you please remove the upper portion of your robe?" He was a sharp man, he clearly noted that the child was reluctant, but he felt that it was likely due to embarrassment rather than anything else. Elyas complied with the old Elder's request and heard several sharp inhalation's as his full mark was revealed.

"It covers the left side of his back," one man exclaimed.

"Why were we not informed of this?" Another snapped, with an edge of accusation to his words. "This boy's potential is tremendous and yet he is in the middle classes!" He sounded outraged and almost pitiful for the child. Elyas did not respond, the magi would never understand that he had always intended to keep his abilities a secret from them. He had never wanted power nor to be restricted by that power in his own 'best interests.' "Oh for the love of magic, this boy was even sent to the surface where we could easily have lost him!"

"I assure you, Teacher Vitalous," Elder Exalos was saying calmly. "No one was aware of this. Elyas' test scores and revealed abilities have always been fairly average." The Teacher was perhaps the only one to suspect the boy now, for even as he spoke these words, he was wondering if they hadn't in fact been too average. "Also our records stated that his mark only extended to the peak of his shoulder and no further."

"But that would indicate that either the records were wrong..." the man who had made the initial exclamation mentioned.

"...or that it has grown," Teacher Exalos finished for him.

"Well," The old man stated, having extensively examined the boy's back. "It's not completely unheard of, though it is extremely rare. The norm would be for it to cease growth within a week of the marking being placed. I would suggest that we be thankful to have discovered this now and not at a date that it was too late." The others nodded in agreement. Those in the middle classes might be allocated more mundane duties such as keeping the torches along roads and within villages lit as well as aiding summer expeditions when the plants were growing at their greatest pace. His potential bride would also have been of average talent rather than one with greatness to match his own. The Elders and Teachers were not the only ones to know this, Elyas himself did and was already mourning his lost average life.

"Then Teacher Exalos," Teacher Vitalous said, formerly. "I will leave it to your capable hands to transfer Elyas Sigmis into the S-class immediately." He paused before the boy, who glanced up at the man, noticing his deep, black eyes. Elyas somehow retained enough composure not to shudder as he gazed into depths that seemed to challenge a starless abyss. "I look forward to working with you, Elyas." The boy snapped out of the illusion and nodded in acknowledgement, but remained silent. The Teacher took this as a sign of respect and left the room content.

The others followed suit, leaving Elyas to recover and straighten his robes before turning to Teacher Exalos. "Elyas," The man was saying. "You are excused from afternoon lessons and chores. Please gather your things immediately and wait in your dorm. I will direct you to your new sleeping quarters and advise you to which classroom you should go for attendance. It has been a pleasure to teach you until now. You are dismissed." Elyas nodded and left the room with a small thank you. He trudged unhappily down the corridor back to his dorm, before speaking to the small viper still curled up in his right sleeve.

"Yang, I think I need you to pass on a message..."