As the carriage neared the City of Atmara, Matias looked over to his companion. "Almost there boy." he said, and the wolf barked. Though he had walked as far as he could, Atmara was too distant from the nearest city to try and walk there. He was force to use some of the small amount of coin he had saved up to hire a ride there. Fortunately, the man was headed there any way, bringing a load of fruit to the city and picking up a load of grain on his way back. Over a week ago Matias had been entering the town where he lived late at night, bringing a load of furs from his recent kills, when he ran into a group of thugs surrounding a woman, their ill intent obvious in the way they were acting. As she tried to back away, he tied the horse he had burrowed to haul the furs to a post and walked over. "I don't think the lady is interested in you." he said to the men. "Oh, yeah?" said the drunken leader, "what business is it of yours?" He walked over to where Matias was standing. "You might want to back away now." he drunk said, motioning to his men, who were still closing on the woman. "Before we have to show you why you shouldn't mess with us." "If you want to fight, I'll fight you." Matias said. "Just let the girl go." "Not a chance." he said, getting close enough to breath on Matias. "After all, there's nothing better after a fight than to find a woman and-" The rest of his comment was cut off by the sound of Matias's fist hitting him in the nose. He roared in anger and jumped at Matias, all but one of his buddies coming over to help. Matias saw someone fall behind them and strike the man who was holding the woman's arm with the tips of his fingers in the chest. The man collapsed and he looked at the woman. "Run," he said to the woman as some of the men who were attacking Matias ran over. The newcomer was able to easily dodge their drunken attacks. A few seconds later Matias looked up from the ground to find that the man who was punching him had an arm wrapped around his neck. When the man collapsed, the newcomer reached down and helped Matias up. "I like how you stood up to those men." he said. "how would you like to learn to help even more people?" "I've already told the watch that I wouldn't join them. I don't want to have to kill anyone if I can help it." "I'm not from the watch." he said, waving his left hand over a nearby watering trough. The water started to swirl. "You're a mage." said Matias, noticing what was happening. The man stopped and removed his necklace. The shape of a coiled snake was engraved on it. "Would you be interested in becoming one, too?" Matias thought about it. "Sure." he said. "I would love to join there numbers, I'm just not sure they would let me join." The man placed the amulet in Matias's hand. "Actually," he said, "you just passed your entrance exam. Take that to them, and tell them that The Snake sent you." "That's all?" said Matias in disbelief. "I did something to show you that I was worthy? Mind if I ask what it was?" "You showed me you had a strong will, and I saw that you were willing to help others in need, though the second is more of a personal preference than a requirement. That's all that's really required for a Mage." Matias nodded, and stuck out his hand. "Then thank you. I'll leave as soon as I can. I'm Matias Quinn, by the way." The Snake reached out and shook his hand. "Che Farla." he said, then released Matias's hand and turned around. "I've got to go, though. The Duke is waiting for me." With that, the man ran down the street towards the palace in the center, going faster than seemed humanly possible.