Opening his eyes Maximus felt lighter, getting himself out of bed he checked the wound on his head and felt that it had almost fully healed. Astounded at the fast recovery Maximus felt liberated. He now finally had a chance to experience the world of Gaia through his own eyes, his "own" soul. Quickly getting dressed in his linen tunic and breeches he headed outside to find Crispus.
The sun was high in the sky, jogging through the village Maximus found himself in front of a small shack. Instinctively Maximus found himself knocking on the door. After a moment the door creaked open and Crispus stood there.
Pressing his fist against his heart Maximus preformed a formal legion salute.
"Maximus reporting for duty sir!"
Unamused by the little performance Crispus gave Maximus a hard stare.
"Kid you're going to the provincial capital."
Taken aback by the suddenness and seriousness in Crispus, Maximus was unsure of how to respond. He just recovered from a serious head injury and he's already heading somewhere else?
"Uncle Crispus, I'm not so sure I'm ready. Isn't the provincial capital huge?"
To his memory he's never left the village! Not counting the times he's played on the outskirts of the nearby forest with some of the other kids. Slightly intimidated by the idea Maximus tried to dissuade Crispus from sending him, but was quickly cut off.
"It's not my decision to make. An envoy from the Capital came the other day, it's the decennial magical screening. That means every ten years kids between the age of ten and twenty have to report once in their life. I went through it, your father went through it, and his father before him. It's become tradition at this point, it goes back to the founding emperor after all. Or that's what they say anyway. Besides, you won't be alone the other kids in the village need to go too."
Getting slapped on the back Maximus looked up to see a beaming grin on the face of Crispus.
"You'll be fine kid! The capital provides transport to the testing area. So you won't have to do it alone."
Feeling less uncomfortable about the matter Maximus got slightly excited.
Maybe the apostate had something to do with magic. Maybe that symbol was related to magic as well. He could finally figure out what was going on with the voice, the symbol and the apostate!
"But Maximus you must understand the life as a mage in the empire is… restricting. If you do have the gift of a mage be very careful. Anyway, a caravan will be here in a day or so till then I just need you to gather some firewood in the forest and then the rest of the day you're free."
With those final words Maximus got shooed away by Crispus. Walking around the back of the shack there stood a little woodshed that was half empty and a lone wood axe pressed against the wall. Grasping the axe and hefting it upon his shoulder Maximus felt slightly encumbered holding the axe. He's never actually chopped wood before, Crispus usually chopped it himself and just made Maximus haul the wood back to the village. Ignoring the weight, Maximus was more concerned with not dismissing his chore than the soreness he was bound to bare completing his task.
As Crispus's dwelling was along the outskirts of the village it wasn't long till Maximus was making his way through the trails in the woods looking for the felling ground where the villagers downed trees specifically for firewood or carving and such. As he got closer to the pile of logs Maximus noticed a group of teens jumping around the log piles and swinging sticks at one another.
Squinting, to decipher the faces and attach names Maximus vaguely recognized them.
Of course these were the layabouts who more often than not, got other kids to do their chores for them. Since they were a few years older than Maximus he's encountered them on several occasions in his childhood.
Shaking his head trying to forget the past Maximus went to begin chopping wood. Heaving the axe up to begin Maximus brought the axe down with all his weight. However the splitting sound resembling a clean cut wasn't heard. Instead the Axehead was lodged directly in the center of the log. Disgruntled by the fail Maximus struggled to dislodge the axe pulling and shaking the handle with his upper-body while his left leg firmly planted on the Base stump, but after a few moments he lost his grip and fell back on his butt.
"Bah, Gods be damned. This stupid axe!"
Frustrated by his failure Maximus couldn't help but blame the gods for his lack of strength. Pulling himself back off the ground while steadying himself on the log Maximus tried to continue with his task.
"Who's that damning the gods over here?"
Startled by the sudden voice Maximus quickly looked over his shoulder to see the group of boys making their way towards him still brandishing their sticks.
"Eh? What're you doing out here kiddo? Don't you know this is where the big boys hangout?"
One of the Bigger teens stepped forward intimidatingly standing a few meters away from Maximus while the rest of the boys stood behind him sneering.