Jon was brought out to the training yard, was told to stand facing the wooden targets and was told to use the elemental spell on it. Jon focused on lightning and soon electricity was arcing between his fingers. As he projected his energy out, the electricity went too.
Crack!
The air split with the heat and speed of the lightning as it immediately stuck the target, lighting it on fire and charring a hole halfway through the target. Jon looked to the battle mage, who pointed a hand at the target and immediately erased it from existence with the power of his lightning magic. Jon stood there, mouth wide open, hoping to learn how to enhance his magic to that level.
Seeing this, the mage coldly said, "It is not my job to teach you to make your spells stronger, just to teach them to you." and walked back into the tent, beckoning Jon to do the same. To Jon's surprise as he entered the tent, the mage grabbed his hand and sliced his palm open, as blood began to well up and out of the wound, flowing down his palm and dripping onto the ground. The mage then did the same thing to his palm, sheathed the knife on his hip and placed his hand on top of his wound. Jon did the same as the mage and put his hand over his wound. The mage told him to imagine a green aura around his hand, calling on the energy of the earth and of nature, maybe ever Freya, one of the Old Goddesses. As Jon did this he could almost see the green aura around his hands, however what Jon Berskaggr COULD feel was his skin moving on it's own, stretching tight and beginning to seal itself. As the battle mage opened his hands, the wound was gone without leaving a scar there. Jon kept the spell going for a few seconds after that and opened his hands, revealing his wounded hand. The mage's face did not change but as Jon looked down, his hand had no wound or scar. It was like nothing ever happened, only the stinging sensation of the wound lasted for a minute but no longer. Jon gasped in shock as he could not believe he did the spell, no matter how basic on his own.
As Jon began to leave the tent of the battle mage, with his permission, Jon asked if he could practice elemental magic on the targets outside. The mage nodded and agreed, curios to watch the practice. Jon squared up to a target and reflected on the spell. Suddenly the air around his hand cracked loudly and struck the target in the blink of an eye. The target had a small hole through it, but a larger ring of charred wood surrounded it. Jon looked back at the mage who nodded and told him to do it again.
Jon practiced this spell until there were no targets to use as practice. All day long the crack of lightning rumbled through the plains.
Jon squared up to the last target of the day, and immediately a large bolt of lightning leapt from his fingertips.
CRACK!
This time the spell was very loud, which actually made Jon jump in surprise. Looking at the target, wait.. where was the target, thought Jon. Looking back at the mage Jon saw that he actually looked impressed. Without saying a word to Jon, the mage headed back into his tent. Jon walked back to camp thinking of the magic he learned today. As a horn sounded off all eyes were at attention.
The Jarls' scouting parties once again returned, this time they knew what they were looking for, although the enemies numbers were larger than the dead man had reported, that was to be expected, and was accounted for. The Jarl told the Northmen that they were to march due North, as the king and his entourage were holed up in a larger city. The Northmen forces still totalled almost 1300 men. Jon's cohort of men had suffered heavier casualties than the others, as they were essentially the bait.
As the men dug in for one last night here, Jon was too busy practicing the battle magic he had learned. In the middle of his practice, a steward asked for him outside his tent. Jon Berskaggr emerged from the tent and looked the steward in his eyes. The steward told Jon to go to the tent of the Jarl, Svygard Bjornsson. Jon obliged and followed the steward to the tent. As they got there, Jon heard the Jarl talking and laughing as the steward ushered him into the tent.
As Jon stepped into the tent, he was pleasantly surprised to see his father, Raska, sitting in the place Jon sat, just last night, eating, drinking and laughing with the Jarl. Sitting across from one another the two men appeared to be around the same age. Seeing Jon, the Jarl beckoned him to sit next to his father. Hearing the name Jon, his father twisted around in his seat looking at him while smiling, he patted next to him on wooden bench and told Jon to sit.
Jon did what he was told happily as another horn of ale was brought to the table along with a few more pitchers. The two men looked at one another and smiled, knowing that the news they were going to tell Jon would make him happy. "Jon Berskaggr" the Jarl began, "You are the youngest man on the raid this year, but you are a better warrior than half these men here. I would like to ask you and your father to join my guard for this raid, and if you do well, the rest of the raids that I am alive for... What do you say?" asked the Jarl. Jon was in shock, just a few clashes and the Jarl wanted him in his guard, his father was understandable, as he was a seasoned and powerful warrior, but him, he was still only 16 and had barely a handful of experience.
"I am honored my lord, I would gladly accept... is what you should be saying!" laughed Jarl Svygard, and upon hearing this joke, his father burst out laughing as well. "Jon, answer this man before I get a stitch in my side from laughing too hard!" both men continued laughing, almost as if they grew up together. Jon came to his senses and replied "Yes, Jarl Svygard, I would be more than honored to accept this decision and to protect you with my life!" Hearing the seriousness in Jon's voice, both men stopped laughing and acknowledged his attitude as honorable. "I would have you and your father ride with me on the march, you two shall be my closest companions and protectors.
Jon knew this meant that he would be riding with the other four Jarls and their personal guardsmen. This was a very honorable and well paying position. "In addition to joining my guard, my mage will work with you on battle magic and I will personally take you as my squire and train you." Squire?! He meant to make a knight out of me?! Hearing this, Jon's face flushed immediately. Stammering for a second, Jon's words caught up to him and he said, "S-Sir, you honor me more than words can describe." Jon got down on his knee and bowed his head to the Jarl, showing him respect.
Becoming a knight came with perks, salary pay, a nice, new set of plate armor, access to the Libraries of the Masters, free room and food plus even more benefits he was not yet aware of.