6 The Mystic's Hut

Alex and Stu looked baffled. How could THAT be the Mystic?

"Hello!," said his high, crackly voice. He was not a lot taller than Stu, probably up to Alex's waist.

"Hello, sir," said Alex politely, becoming even more confused.

"Hi, old guy whoever you are. We're here to see the Mystic. Are you his great-great-grandpa?," said Stu happily. Alex became furious and kicked Stu in the shin with his heel.

"OW!," yelled Stu, hopping around holding his leg.

"I am the Mystic, young man," he said.

"Oh...owwee!," Stu moaned.

"You must be Alex."

"How did you..."

"Oh I know. I'm the Mystic, not some old bottle-headed, pea-brained, blockhead of a little old man!"

"You mean you're psychic?"

"Heh! Yup, because I knew you were going to ask that," he stuck out his tounge at Alex, winked and smiled. "Please do come in!"

They had no choice. It would be rude not to go in.

"Thank you, sir," said Alex, Stu hopping in after him. The Mystic smiled again, and shut the door behind them.

"Now, I know why you're here. You came for the Eye of Zicco, yes?"

Alex was more confused than he ever had been in his life.

"Well the voice didn't say..."

"The Eye of the Black Dragon. You're taking it to the Black Tower, yes?"

"Yes..."

"Okay. Do you know how I knew that?" He winked.

"How?"

"I looked out the window! Zornyu there's an old friend of mine. Known him goodness knows how long. Probably around 367 years. So I met him when I was around 113 years old."

"YOU'RE 480 YEARS OLD!?"

"Yup."

He walked over to a concrete block, and stared at it. Then he took three paces back, waved his hand and said "Obillos Livon." All of a sudden, there was a flash of light, and the block had transformed into a red chest with a golden frame. He flicked open the catches and took out a stone. He walked back over to Alex and Stu.

"This is the Eye of Zicco, the Black Dragon. This is what you are here to collect."

"What does Zicco want with an old stone?"

"Beats me. All I know is that it posesses incredible powers that can be used at the bearers command."

It was rough and white. Engraved into the middle was what resembled an eye with a slit for a pupil, like Zornyu's eyes. As he looked at it, he could have sworn that it had glown red for a split second.

The Mystic looked at it, and said "Chainos Arundio." A chain appeared around it. He put it around Alex's neck and Alex felt something incredible surge through his body and into his eyes. He looked into the mirror on the Mystic's wall and saw that his eyed were glowing a golden colour.

"Ahh!," yelled Alex.

"Don't worry, young sir," the Mystic said calmly, "that was just its powers surging through your body and telling you that you could command it."

"Okay..." He was scared.

"Well, I guess you'd better be off. Zornyu is starting to look bored. We will meet again."

Alex smiled, opened the door, took a last glance at the Mystic smiling and waving at him, and walked out the door, closing it behind him.