Markus stared down at the device in his hands. After his Magical Aptitude test, in which he apparently broke every record in the Empire, the military was only too happy to requisition one of these little devices for him. Probably in the hopes of enticing him to the military earlier than conscription would normally occur.

  He wasn't allowed to use it, of course, and one of the parts required for it to function was removed to ensure he wouldn't get any funny ideas. It's almost like they didn't trust a child with a highly advanced piece of military tech.

  Go figure.

  They called it a Computation Jewel. The thing was about the size of a regular pocket watch, but nearly twice as heavy. The case was made of solid steel, with a dark red synthetic crystal embedded in the top, hence the name. Supposedly, this is what they used to conjure up magic.

  Opening up the case, rather gingerly as the thing cost about as much as a tank, he took note of the complicated array of gears, currently stationary, which moved with the addition of magic.

  All in all, it was a strange little device, and Markus couldn't really figure out how the gears were supposed to allow someone to use magic, even taking into account the missing piece. They performed calculations, somehow, and that's about all he really knew about it. He would love to learn more, but that knowledge was, of course, state secrets. And as high up as his father may have been in the military, he doubted he had the pull to swing that.

  So he resigned himself to wait. Perhaps when he actually got around to using the thing, he'd have some kind of epiphany. Realistically though, he'd probably have to wait until he was part of the military and transfer to the R division.

  But that didn't mean he had to remain idle. There were plenty of things he could do right now without the need to join the military or learn state secrets. Such as weapon development, or agricultural improvements. He actually did a lot of research when designing the weapons for the game he was making in his past life, not to mention his parents drilling weapons basics into him when he was a kid.

  As for the farming, well… he dated a hippie in college and she would not shut up about aquaponics or hydroponics or vertical farming and the meat industry and blah, blah, blah. Sadly enough, in his attempt to seduce that hairy beast, he learned quite a bit about it, and some of it might be useful when preparing for a war.

  The irony of hippie knowledge aiding him in war was not lost on him.

  But you can never have too much food. Perhaps he should see how much they know about worm farming while he was at it…

  When he saw his parents next, which should be soon actually, he would need to ask them for books. He was sure that would be a surprise for them, as what kid wanted to read books on weapons manufacturing, but he knew it was a necessity. Perhaps he could get daddy dearest to pull some strings and introduce him to someone.

  But beyond that, he has yet to complete his first task of his rehabilitation, which was to simply walk across the stupid room. But he was close, so very, very close, that he could just feel that he would get it done today.

  And wouldn't you know it, after having that thought, his darling mother burst through the door. "Mark, mommies here to see you!" she sang loudly as she stood proudly in the entrance.

  Mark sighed and gave her a deadpan stare, "Mother I appreciate your enthusiasm but we are in a hospital. Please keep your voice down." Joanna had the good graces to appear abashed, but only for a second, as she gave a petulant pout at being scolded by her 6 year old son.

  "Mou, so mean. And after I came all this way to spend time with my one and only son," she lamented, hamming up her distress. Her words caused Mark to flinch. Not because he regretted his choice of words, as the woman really could be extremely loud when she wanted to, but because of the guilt he felt.

  Her one and only son.

  Except, he wasn't, not really. A human being is just a collection of memories. Without those, can one really call themselves a person? How could he be Markus Adler if he has none of his memories? Worse than that, he has the memories of Thomas Miller.

  So who was he?

  This dichotomy was not something he could easily rectify within himself. He was Thomas, deceiving these people by wearing the flesh of their child. It was sick, honestly, but there was little he could do about it, and succumbing to the guilt of pretending to be their son wouldn't solve anything.

  The only saving grace is the lie that his memories were gone. That was a very convenient cover. He didn't think he could pretend to be an actual 6 year old if his life depended on it. Far better they just believe their son to be gifted.

  "And I appreciate it mother, but that doesn't mean you must terrorize the village people," Mark returned as she approached his bed. She sat down next to him with a huff, crossing her arms and glaring at her son.

  "I don't terrorize anyone but your father. And if you continue with these blasphemous claims otherwise, I won't share what I smuggled in," she threatened, making Mark raise an eyebrow in curiosity.

  "Oh, it seems like I've got your attention," she said with a wide grin, making Mark roll his eyes at her childish mannerisms. "Maybe if you apologize to your poor mother, she'll show you."

  Makus sighed, but figured giving in would be a harmless gesture on his part, one that would likely make the woman next to him happy. "Fine. I'm very sorry for my accusations. It was wrong of me."

  She gave him a smug, self-satisfied look. "Ah, that's alright, everyone makes mistakes. Now…" She looked to her right, and then her left, as if she was about to reveal a big secret and didn't want anybody to find out. She then opened up her purse, revealing a bag of chocolate chip cookies.

  "I baked them this morning. I figured you must be tired of the hospital food and would like a little treat after your session today," she said, giving him a beaming smile. He didn't want to admit it, but they did look very good.

  "Ahem, Mrs. Adler," said a voice, getting Joanna to yelp and close her purse at record speeds. She looked up to see Dr. Eckhart giving her a disapproving frown.

  "I know you mean well but Mark is on a strict diet. Deviating could hinder his recovery, we've talked about this," he stated as he approached the bed. Joanna looked sufficiency chastised, staring down at the ground in regret.

  "Oh come on, Doc. A couple of cookies won't make much of a difference," Mark said, hoping to cheer her up. Judging by the way her eyes lit up, he must have succeeded.

  "Very well, but only if I get one as well," was the ultimatum the doctor gave, showing what he really wanted all along. He and Joanna shared a bit of a laugh while Mark watched with a small smile. It's little things like this that kept his sanity intact.

  "Now then, I believe it is time for your physical therapy session. The nurse should be here shortly to take you there. I just wanted to inform you that an Imperial Mage will be here afterwards to help you utilize your magic," Eckhart informed.

  Markus felt an eager anticipation well up from within him. This is it, the day he would use magic for the first time. How could he not be excited by such a notion? Sure he didn't want to use it for war, which he knew he would, but it was still magic! The thing previously allocated to the realm of pure fantasy was now within his grasp.

  His eagerness must have shown on his face, as Joanna sighed at seeing it. Personally, she would be happier without her son having magic, but that was because she knew he had no choice but to enlist or be conscripted, and with who his father was, enlisting was really the only option that would allow the man to save face.

  Just imagine, an Admiral's son having to be forcefully conscripted into the army. People would question his patriotism if his own son refused enlistment. And with how militaristic the Empire is, such a thing could ruin not only his career, but their whole family as well.

  She just wanted her boy to be safe from harm, was that too much for a mother to ask for?

  *Line Break*

  Sweat poured down his face again as Mark made his third attempt to complete a simple 20 foot walk. His first attempt failed at around the 60% mark, and his second and the 80% mark. Going by his linear improvement, he should be able to make it the entire way this time.

  But he was really struggling on the last few feet. Just three more steps and he would do it. However, he legs were once more being incredibly uncooperative. They just didn't want to pick his feet off the ground and scooting them across it would be cheating.

  Sure the saying that cheaters never prosper is a load of crap, but he would only be cheating himself, and that was something he refused to do. He could cheat the system just fine, but not himself.

  That's why he would make these stubborn legs of his move even if it killed him. With a pained groan, he forced his right leg up and took another step, panting from the exertion. Two more. Just two more and he would be done.

  "You can do it sweety. You're so close!" his mother encouraged, but he more or less tuned her out. He couldn't allow himself to become distracted by such platitudes, not when he was so close to achieving his goal.

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Honestly, he can't remember the last time he worked so hard for something. Sure, working 18 hour days was pretty rough, especially after a couple of weeks, but for some reason the stress and pain of that just didn't compare.

  With another screaming groan, he lifted his left leg up and managed another step. Just one more, and he'd have done it. Just one more, and he'd be that much closer to achieving the freedom he so desperately wanted.

  He gave himself several seconds to catch his breath and when he did, he used up all his remaining willpower to move his right leg one more time. Once he did, he collapsed into his mother's waiting arms.

  "You did it! Oh, mommy's so proud of you. You definitely earned those cookies today," she said, and Mark couldn't agree more. Cookies sounded like an awesome way to end the session.

  However, there was one more bonus to completing his objective, one he didn't expect.

  You have successfully completed the first stage of your rehabilitation. You have earned 5 pts.

  Markus stared at the image, thoughts of cookies cast to the wayside. This was it, the first points he's earned since coming here. Looks like he could gain points by completing certain tasks, good to know.

  But that was something he could think about later. Right now, his mind was far too frazzled from his therapy and all he wanted to do was rest a bit before he tried to learn how to use magic. He had a feeling that would be even more taxing on the mind.

  Unknown to the two of them, they were being watched from the other side of the window connecting the hallway to the therapy room. Dr Eckhart stood beside another man, one who looked like he was in his late twenties, with short blonde hair and green eyes. He wore a standard military uniform, one adorned with a few medals he earned during his time of service.

  His name was Otto V?lkner, Captain of the Tactical Instructor Unit, Magic Division. He was here after learning that their nation's Admiral's son awakened from his coma with an extraordinary amount of Magical Aptitude. Normally, such a thing wouldn't warrant his personal attention, but it was so high, in fact, that it broke every previous record. Created quite the buzz in the upper echelons, and not just of the military.

  It piqued his interest, and he volunteered personally for the assignment. And so far, he hadn't been let down.

  "Kid's got a lot of grit, that's for sure. If he can make it through that, boot camp should be a breeze," the man joked. Not often you see a kid willing to put up with that kind of pain. He'd be a monster in the future, that's for sure.

  "I dare say he'd find the challenge thrilling, if for no other reason than to escape the hospital," Eckhart jested as well, getting a snort from the other man.

  "You mean to tell me kids don't like being cooped up in here? What's the world coming to?" Both of them shared a small laugh at that, watching as they placed Markus in a wheelchair.

  "I think it has more to do with his inability to walk properly than any real distaste for the hospital," Eckhart said somberly, regarding the boy as he was wheeled out of the room.

  "Yeah, can't blame him for that. Broke my leg once when I was around that age. Worst damn summer of my life," Otto said with an exaggerated shudder.

  "Of course, no kid likes to be restrained, especially boys. It gets even worse after puberty, trust me," Dr. Eckhart said, and Otto believed him. He knew what he was like when all that testosterone flooded his system, the manic energy he could never quite get rid of. He could only imagine the torture he would have been in had he broken his leg when he was 13 instead of 8.

  "So, when do I get to meet him?" Otto asked, eager to see what the kid could go. His hand traveled to the case he had in his pocket, one containing the gear piece that would allow the kid's Computation Jewel to actually work.

  "Let's see, he and his mother should be heading towards the cafeteria for some lunch. You're welcome to join them if you wish," Eckhart said, rubbing his chin in thought.

  "Uh, no offense Doctor, but I think I'll pass on the hospital food. I'll just get some food from the cafe down the street, and meet him once he's done" Otto said.

  "The food's not that bad. It's just an… acquired taste," Eckart stated, but the way he hesitated did not fill Otto with confidence.

  "Right… Well, I'd rather acquire my taste somewhere else. Want me to bring you something, or would you prefer the food here?"

  "...I'll take a roast beef sandwich, if it's not too much trouble."

  "Yeah, that's what I thought."

  *Line Break*

  Markus sighed in content as he was helped back into his bed. It still hurt both his pride and his body to be aided in such a fashion, but being able to rest after his strenuous ordeal was worth it.

  The nurse then checked his legs, noting that they didn't have as much fluid buildup as they did before. That was welcome news, though he didn't think it warranted being smothered by his mother.

  Afterward, Mark settled into his bed. It wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world but it felt like heaven at the moment. Unless heaven included those so-called gods who sent him here, then he would rather stay far away from it.

  About a minute after the nurse left, Mark heard a conspiratorial "Psst," coming from beside him. He opened his eyes to see his shifty-eyed mother holding up her purse like she was about to make a drug deal.

  "Hey, you ready for some dessert?" she whispered, opening her purse to reveal the admittedly tasty looking cookies from earlier. Mark rolled his eyes at his mother's antics.

  "You know they already caught you with those, so why are you still trying to hide them?" he asked. She gave him another huff.

  "Well, if that's your attitude, I guess I'll just have to give them all to Dr. Eckhart," she said petulantly. Mark groaned internally. "Are we really doing this again?"

  "I see. Plotting a long term assassination against the doctor via diabetes. How very clever of you mother," he said, acting like he was genuinely impressed.

  She looked at him with wide, owl-like eyes. "Huh, diabetes? What are you talking about?"

  "No need to play coy with me mother, I've seen through your scheme," Mark replied, nodding to himself like he figured out the secrets of the world.

  "Who's scheming in here?" said a voice from the doorway. Ah, speak of the devil and he shall appear.

  Mark looked over and saw Dr. Eckhart standing at the door along with another man in a military uniform he didn't recognize. Both of them seemed amused by the mother-son byplay.

  "Ah Doctor, perfect timing. I just discovered my mother's fiendish plot to eliminate you by means of cookie induced diabetes. I have no idea what she has against you, but you might want to consider getting in some extra cardio to counteract the cookies effects," Mark said. The two in the doorway blinked owlishly at the boy, much like his mother.

  After a few moments, the doctor burst into laughter. "Is that right? Well unfortunately for her I'm quite healthy for my age. It will take an awful lot of cookies to bring me down."

  The two entered the room, mirth dancing in their eyes. Joanna sighed at her son's antics, though she also had a fond smile on her face.

  "You know, I've never even thought of killing someone with diabetes before. That kind of outward thinking could be useful in the General Staff," spoke the strange man.

  "Please don't encourage him," Joanna begged, noting the smug smile on her son's face. The man chuckled a bit before the doctor decided to introduce him.

  "Markus, Mrs. Adler, let me introduce you to Captain Otto V?lkner, of the Tactical Instructor Unit, Magic Division. He's here to help you get a grasp on your magic to hopefully aid you in your recovery," Eckhart said, getting renewed looks of interest from the two.

  "I see. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Joanna Adler, and this is my son Markus," Markus said, getting confused looks from the man. His mother only sighed despondently.

  "Please ignore him. Thank you for coming all this way to meet with my son. I really appreciate it," Joanna said, standing up to shake the man's hand. He happily did so, letting out a chuckle.

  "Think nothing of it. It's good that he has a sense of humor. Lots of fuddy-duddies in the military, let me tell you."

  "So, Captain, what exactly is going to happen here today?" Joanna asked, retaking her seat. The jovial mood of the room dropped a bit, and Markus turned to the man, curiosity written all over his features.

  "Well, first I'm going to assign a Formula for the Computation Jewel to cast. Something simple, like say, levitating this pen," he said, pulling out a pen from his pocket. "Doing this should allow Markus here to get a feel for his magic, so to speak. Once he has a basic grasp, we can move on to something more advanced, while working our way up to Medical Formulas."

  Mark ruminated on his words. What he said made sense. By doing a basic exercise as he outlined, it reduced the risk of injury, especially with an already frail 6 year old child.

  "Are you well versed with such formulas? Medical ones, I mean," Mark asked. Otto turned to him, a smile on his face.

  "I'm afraid not. Nothing more than basic first aid. Saved my life a time or two though, so I definitely recommend learning at least that much."

  "I see. I suppose you'll be needing this back then," he said, holding up the Computation Jewel.

  "Ah, yes. You know, I'm surprised they let you borrow one of these. Those guys up in Requisitions can be real pains in the ass," Otto said, taking the Jewel from him. He then pulled out a case from his pocket, opening it to reveal none other than the missing gear.

  "I imagine they're attempting to bribe me," Mark said, getting an aghast look from his mother. But Otto merely laughed, giving the feeble young boy a smirk.

  "That's quite the accusation kid. But let's assume that was true, tell me, is it working?"

  It was now Mark's turn to smirk, "If I say no, will I get more stuff?"

  This caused Otto to let out another barking laugh. "You know what, I like you kid. We could sure use someone like you in the unit," he said, wiping a tear from his eye.

  "I'd appreciate you not trying to take my boy away from me," Joanna said, a bit of bite behind her words. This caused Otto to adopt a more sheepish look.

  "Of course ma'am. I only meant when he was older. Certainly not anytime soon. The military is no place for a child," he said, trying to pacify the irate woman. Judging by the way her shoulders slackened, it seemed to have worked.

  With that settled, he slid the final piece into place, allowing the Computation Jewel to be used for its intended purpose.

  "Alright, that should do it. Tell me Mark, what do you know about magic?" he asked, as the Jewel glowed slightly. The boy in question watched with speculative eyes as Otto loaded a Formula to be cast.

  "Not much. I know mages use magic to force their will upon the world, interfering with its natural laws, but that's about it. The Jewel in your hand is used to enact calculations to aid a mage in doing so," he answered, with Otto raising an eyebrow in question.

  "Tell me, how do you know that? Did one of you tell him?" Otto asked, looking towards Joanna and Eckhart. Both of them shook their heads, just as surprised as he was.

  "I only told him a bit about magic, but I never said anything about the functions of a Computation Jewel," Eckhart clarified.

  "Me neither," Joanna stated. All three of them then turned their attention towards the child on the bed, who felt suddenly put on the spot.

  "Mind explaining then, Mark?" Otto asked. Markus gave him a shrug. "I figured it out while inspecting the thing in your hand. I have yet to figure out exactly how it performs these calculations, as the device I received was missing a part and thus, inactive."

  All three of them gave him surprised, and impressed looks. "Is it really such a big deal that I figured it out? I mean, it wasn't that hard while fiddling with the thing," he thought. Their faces said otherwise.

  "Oh Mark, mommy's little genius," Joanna said, tears falling from her eyes, leaning over to smother him in her arms, much to his frustrations.

  "Mother, I can't breathe. Your boobs are suffocating me!"

  The other two just stared at the scene, a whirlwind of thoughts dancing around in their heads. "Damn, we might have another Schugel on our hands. The upper brass is going to love this," Otto said. And Eckhart, well…

  Eckhart looked like Christmas came early.

  But eventually, they got to the point of Otto's visit. "Alright kid, it's all ready. Let's see what you got," he said, handing the Computation Jewel over to him, while holding the pen in the palm of his hand.

  Mark took the device from the older man, holding it gingerly. This was it. He was really going to use magic for the first time. In that moment, he actually felt as old as he looked. He closed his eyes and concentrated, directing the magic within him to force his will upon the world.

  He had been practicing feeling out his magic whenever he had a moment to himself, which was a shockingly precious commodity. But even with so little privacy, he was able to get a feel for it, making activating the Computation Jewel in his hand fairly simple.

  The gears in the Computation Jewel began to turn, and Mark could feel reality bending to his desire. He opened his eyes, the others noting with some surprise that they appeared to glow like embers in a fire. And then…

  The pen rose.