I woke up to the first ray of sun cutting across the ceiling. My sleep came in fits—the silence in this room felt oppressive against the alit backdrop. I was afraid the dome would break any moment. I didn't wish to die buried in stone.

  I had heard the whispers about the war. I wasn't clueless. I knew my father was engaged at this very same front I found myself in. Paradoxically, the fear only crept in once I knew I was protected by a shield.

  I dressed quickly. My farm tunic itched against the stone walls and the fancy silk robes. The tower smelled faintly of ink and incense. Everyone I passed was older—the youngest at least a teenager. They looked through me, as though a four-year-old peasant child wandering unsupervised wasn’t suspicious at all. I wondered what performance they expected from me.

  I found the dining hall on the second floor of the tower. The stone walls with only a slit to let the light in made the place feel colder than it was. The long tables were set with porridge, boiled eggs and rye bread. Institutional abundance galore.

  I sat down at the nearest one and began eating slowly, deliberately. The eggs were salty, peppery even. A luxury I didn’t have at the farmhouse. I chewed with appreciation.

  “You’re Mira.”

  The young woman sat down on my right without asking for permission. Her back was straight, and she looked ahead with a detached expression. She was spooning the porridge in her bowl like this was routine morning for her.

  I nodded.

  “I am Agnes. Master has assigned me as your caretaker,” she swallowed more porridge before continuing. “Eat well. You will be needing your strength.”

  Of course I would.

  I ate until my stomach protested. If I was still chewing, she wouldn’t have a reason to move me. Malicious compliance always came easy to me.

  “Do you want to use the toilet first, dear?”

  I nodded again and she picked me up like I was two year old baby.

  I banged my fist on her shoulders.

  “I will walk,” I kicked my legs helplessly to no avail.

  “No, we are already late and master is waiting.”

  I don’t know how she was so strong and fast but we were in and out in a flash. Her movements were efficient, swift and controlled.

  She opened the massive door to the lab with a kick before putting me down.

  I wondered why she couldn’t put me down first and knock.

  Master didn’t even look up from his desk at our entrance. His long beard trailed across the desk he was frantically writing on. He was wearing luxurious teal silk robes that actually looked quite comfortable for doing desk work all day. Once I was close enough to see I realized he was doing some calculations with numbers.

  Beyond the desk lay a globe with solid golden outline delineating the triangular landmass that I assume is our great kingdom. There was ocean to our north and mountains to our west. Making south-east the war frontier.

  “I must see your magic to begin your training. Let’s start now, make haste” said master before tapping his foot thrice in succession.

  The third time he stomped his feet a pattern of pipes unfurled from the base of the globe covering the entire room in a network of veined pipes. Some of them were glowing the same golden color as the outline. Some of them looked hollow and bereft.

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  “Touch the hollow pipes. Channel,” he wasted no time in ordering me around.

  I followed. Excited to do any sort of magic at all. When the tip of my fingers touched the hollow as directed I was rooted to it. There was no need to channel any magic it flowed out of me like the ocean pouring into a river system. There was no pain only horror at not being able to disconnect myself from this socket I dumbly touched without consideration.

  I looked helplessly at the Master who was sporting the biggest smile I had seen on a person.

  “Marvellous! Absolute perfection,” he didn’t react to my horror.

  His eyes were glued to the percentages the monitor displayed. The numbers were rapidly climbing as more of my magic was sucked in.

  155%

  270%

  545%

  I wanted to fall to my knees. I wanted to scream. Yet I remained immoveable as a statue. Warmth was seeping through me. The air itself felt heavy as if I was boiling in a sauna. There was no pain but my vision was blurring out. I could make out the shapes but the edges were no longer clear.

  1300%.

  The numbers stabilized around here. I wanted to ask the master what the numbers meant but my lips remained sealed and my body remained motionless.

  He continued whatever calculations he was doing in his notebook with these new estimates. I was only a variable in whatever math powered this shield. I realized then—I was not his student.

  I was his battery.

  A tiny tear leaked from eyes proving at least my tear ducts still worked. I was exhausted just standing in place and watching my magic drain. Most of all, it was the lack of preamble that hurt me. I only wished they would bother explaining what exactly was happening.

  I moved my eyeballs over to Agnes trying to communicate my questions through eye gestures alone. At least she was looking only at me.

  “Blink twice if you’re in pain,” she said.

  I wasn’t in pain so our staring match continued.

  A couple minutes later, she again looked at me and said, “Blink twice if you’re in pain.”

  This continued on for who knows how long and I wondered why she kept asking.

  Would they actually stop if I blinked twice?

  Did they wish to know how long I could endure before I collapsed?

  Did the heat count as pain?

  I took the exhaustion till I could no longer stand it. I blinked twice at Agnes and promptly collapsed.

  I heard Master stomping his feet again. I felt the socket unplug. Cold, strong hands picked me up. I didn’t have the strength to open my eyes but I knew who it was.

  “Take her. We will continue tomorrow. Same time,” the maniac spoke with certainty.

  Then we were off. We reached my room in only couple moments.

  “I know you’re awake” was the first thing she said after entering the room.

  “I am sorry,” I began before she finds me a liar.

  “We need you to be strong.”

  “You’re powering the wall of this kingdom now,” she said seriously putting me on bed.

  “You did the work of thirteen mages today in a single hour,” she put the back of her hand on my forehead and tutted.

  Thirteen mages. That explained the numbers I saw on the screen.

  “You have a fever. I will bring medicine and food. Stay here.”

  I collapsed into the bed as she left falling into a nap.

  When I woke up the sun was at its peak.

  The bright afternoon light filtered through the windows landing on Agnes, who was standing guard. Her long blonde hair was up in a ponytail braid. It reflected the light most brilliantly. Her face was the shape of a diamond and just as sharp. She didn’t wear the silk robes the mages favoured. Her outfit was utilitarian and proper. Made for movement and work. Her closed eyes gave her a sense of gentleness that was foreign to her character.

  As I made to get out of bed. Agnes stirred waking up immediately and stopped me.

  “Toilet?” she asked.

  I shook my head.

  “Food then,” she said and prepared a tray for me I could in bed.

  The platter included colorful fruits cut up in bite sized pieces, yoghurt and orange juice. I started with the orange juice. It was the most refreshing drink I’ve had. The juice tasted fresh and sweet and just the tiniest bit tangy.

  “What are you?” I asked her.

  I know she was my caretaker but there had to be more to her.

  “I am a combat healer,” she said simply.

  I waited.

  “I will protect you. I will heal you.” A slight pause. “You will be safe with me.”

  She handed me a chalkboard. “We begin with letters.”

  We practiced until sundown. I repeated each sound with careful imprecision, writing slower than I could have.

  “You’re a good girl, Mira. Good night!” she left but not before taking me on another carried trip.Another reminder of the humiliation that came with being a child.

  I practiced writing the alphabets on my chalkboard till my eyes hurt. I was afraid to sleep and repeat this day over again. I needed to learn the cage I was running through blind.

  If I was worth thirteen mages at four years old, it was my duty to be OP.