Chapter 1:
Fumblfloot
He wondered at the small hovel towards which he was walking. It seemed sad, that a man like that should live in such a horrible place. Why didn't he make a better one? As he got nearer to the hut he thought,"I guess I'll find out soon enough." He knocked on the door, and waited. He could hear a strong gait walking towards the door from the other side.
"Who is there?" demanded a deep, strong voice from the door.
"I am a weary traveler named Lavt, and am in need of shelter!" he said. He felt bad for deceiving this man, and wasn't sure the man didn't already know who he really was, but it was his job.
After a moment's pause, the door opened and he was allowed in. "welcome to my … unseemly abode," Said his host. "I am Fumblfloot, the peasant, and am glad to offer a fellow shelter and food, for a night." The last few words were said like an order, rather than a welcome, and he got the distinct feeling that this man didn't like visitors. He followed Fumblfloot to a spare room that he used for storage, and then put his stuff down.
"Thank you, Fumblfloot. I am very grateful," he said.
"Don't get used to it; I don't like people very much."
"So I noticed, but why?"
"Mine is to know my reasons, and yours is to not ask."
"That reminds me of someone I once met, he was very famous."
"Well, I know of many famous people, which one?"
"First, are you a fan of the emperor?"
"Not at all, he made me what I am today, I was once rich."
"Well then, it was Karairun!"
"You knew him?"
"I only met him, but he was an amazing Mage, and a warrior of legendary proportions, I got the chance to duel him and lost horribly."
Fumblfloot remained silent for a moment, and then said "Hmm…. I don't think he was that strong, I met him too, and he was a very mislead man. He killed his mother and all the rest of those he loved through his vanity and spellworking."
"You must have known him well, only his closest and the kings greatest advisors knew of that."
"How did you know that?"
"Mine is to know my reasons, and yours is to not ask."
"Touché, Touché."
"So lord, why do you not use your power?"
"Oh, so you do know?"
"My job is to get you back; we need your help."
"Who?"
"The people, the subjects, the court, everyone! You went from hero to hated enemy in a night because you didn't defend the people that needed you! My parents, among hundreds of others, died because of you! You ask who? My parents needed you, but you weren't there! Now we need you, so come on!"
"Why should I come?"
"Why!? Why!? Because I was heir to the Carinus fortune, I might have been emperor; I could have made things better! My parents were killed, and it might as well have been you! I come here asking you to fix your mess, and you ask me why you should save hundreds of people?!"
"Save them? They need no saving, they need to change their government themselves, they can't expect other people to do it for them. The laws require that they be able to dethrone the king, so why don't they?"
"You know why! The Emperor got the senate to nullify the law that allowed for that! Everyone knows that! He kills anyone who researches it! I spent more money researching you than my father did in his whole life! And that life was cut short because of YOU!"
"I cannot speak to you young Fadras, until you are calmer. You are not sane at the moment."
"And why should I be! I meet the man, who killed my parents, and I can't avenge them, no, instead I have to bring him back into fame!"
"Ahh… so you dislike me then?"
"I think that has been established!"
"Yes…"
"Now, before another person dies, help us!"
"No."
"No? NO? Why in the hell not?"
"Because you didn't say the magic word!"
"I DON'T NEED TO ASK PLEASE WHEN IT IS YOUR MESS I WANT YOU TO CLEAN!"
"No need to shout, but it is not my mess."
After an angry silence "Fumblfloot" says: "And, you would do well to remember who's house it is that contains you, for the almighty does not favor those who repay kindness with disrespect."
After another silence, during which the boy seems to be trying to calm himself down, he says: "Not your mess? How so?"
"Is it I who attacked the city, I who dealt the death blow to your parents, I who changed the law, I who reduced the empire to rubble?"
"Grrr…. I…. I Guess…'sigh' No, it wasn't you. I'm sorry, this confrontation opened up an old wound that still pains me."
"I understand, this conversation wasn't easy for me either."
"So will you come and help us?"
"No, I can't."
"Why?"
"I… 'sigh' I'm just not what I used to be…"
"What…what do you mean, 'Not what you used to be'?"
After a long pause Fumblfloot says: "I…I can no longer perform even the simplest forms of prestidigitation, much less great spells."
"But lord, you are the greatest mage in history! How could you lose your power?"
"You are mistaken, I am not the great mage I once thought I was, but as for why I am not, and how I have lost the gift, those are for another time."
"Well! I didn't expect this! How will I ever tell them we have no great mage? Without a wizard, we won't have a chance of freedom. 'sigh' I guess that is it though. I should get some sleep. Goodnight, great Fumblfloot, I will leave tomorrow."
As Fadras walked off to bed, Fumblfloot said "Stay a few days, I'm beginning to think that I was wrong about people, and want to see if I can stand a few more days of you."
Fumblefloot walked off to bed, and Fadras lay down to sleep. However, due to the recent events, he couldn't seem to get to sleep. His talk with the old sage had reopened the old wound caused by that day. He could remember it as clear as yesterday. As he finally drifted off to sleep, he began to dream it again….