(a/n: Sorry it's been a while. Been busy with stuff. Anyway, here's the next chapter. I'll be bumping up the rating to M due to some of the content in this chapter and what may come in future chapters, due to Rick and Morty type humor/content. Big thanks to Lucius Walker for all his help!)
Ch.2: Sword & Sorcery (Part 1)
"That was so awesome!" Connie declared with a wide smile. "Hands down one of the best movies I've ever seen!"
"You've clearly haven't seen very many movies" Rick said as he chewed on the last handful of his gummy candy "But…yeah, it-it wasn't that bad."
"It's no Dogcopter 2 but it's definitely up there in my top five," Steven said, draining the remainder of his soda from his cup before dumping it into the trash can sitting by the door of the movie theater.
The trio left the dark and air conditioned theater behind them and ventured out into the warm and sunny afternoon.
With Connie's music lesson canceled for the day and the gems on a mission, Steven and Connie ended up lounging about Steven's place. Rick would've pawned them off on Gary, but the mad scientist remembered that he sent the teen to check in on Tessa. It's only been a week and a half since the demon kerfuffle and although she had been healed and her memory wiped, Rick needed to be sure that Tessa was okay. Not that he cared deeply about her or anything. No, he just needed to make sure she doesn't remember how he hurt her while she was possessed or if his memory eraser was having any negative side effects on her.
With nobody else around to distract the kids, Rick reluctantly accepted that it was his turn to babysit today. He didn't want to go on another inter-dimensional adventure, considering how the last one turned out, so Rick decided that something more mundane would be better. Fortunately, a trailer popped up on TV advertising a movie about knights, dragons and King Arthur. It was a fun little outing and Rick ended up enjoying himself a little. Popcorn, drinks and a good movie in an empty theater. Not a bad way to spend the summer.
As the trio made their way up the street, heading back toward Steven's home, the two kids chatted excitedly about the film they just saw. They quoted the lines they enjoyed the most and reenacted certain scenes before eventually reaching their all-time favorite moment of the film.
"...I have not come to surrender." Connie quoted the film's protagonist, King Arthur, who was facing down his mortal enemy, Mordred, before the climactic final battle. "I came to see your face, so that I alone may find you on the battlefield and it would be good for you to mark my face as well, old friend. For the next time you see my face, it shall be the last thing you will ever see on this earth."
"Have at thee!" Steven cried, imitating the pale and grim villain of the film, lunging at Connie with a twig.
Connie parried Steven's attack with her own twig and the two engaged in a mock duel, lunging and swinging their makeshift weapons in an exaggerated fashion. Rick stood by and watched, trying his best not to feel second-hand embarrassment as the two children's reenactment brought odd glances and stares from various pedestrians around them. After a few quick moves on Steven's part, Connie found herself back up against a tree with a twig at her throat.
"With a stroke of my blade, I shall take your crown and your kingdom!" Steven quoted as he tried to make his voice deeper in order to match the sinister tone the actor portraying Mordred "The Round Table is no more, Merlin has forsaken you and Camelot shall fall! In due time, I shall make sure that no one will ever remember you or your silly dreams, Arthur!"
Connie smiled defiantly "Never!" she batted aside Steven's weapon and lunged forward, just as Steven tried to recover and block her. Connie pressed her twig against Steven's chest, pretending to plunge it into his heart, just as the half-gem's weapon tapped her shoulder close to the base of her neck.
Steven dropped his stick. Clutching his chest, the boy staggered about and sank to the sidewalk. Connie reached for her neck, where she was "wounded" and gasped. Sinking to her knees, Connie gasped out the final line of the legendary king. "It…is done." She closed her eyes and lowered her head.
There was a long moment of silence, followed by some scattered claps from the pedestrians who had gathered around and watched their display.
"Alright, c-come - *burp* - on, let's go," Rick said, pulling Steven to his feet, "before they call the cops on us."
"You're a really good sword fighter, Connie" Steven complimented his friend as the trio resumed their homeward journey.
"Really?" Connie blinked. She held up her twig and inspected it. "I was just swinging this thing around and imitating those knights in the movie. I didn't really know what I was doing, but I'd love to learn how to use a real sword. I was kind of hoping we'd do that during our adventure with…"
The young girl trailed off and her expression turned downcast. Rick didn't need to be a genius to notice that something was on her mind. If he had to guess, the mad scientist would assume that the source of Connie's soured mood was Matthias, the boy she met on their adventure in the magical fantasy world. The two were quite taken with each other and had recently reconnected after some time apart. At first, Connie had spoken highly of her friend and as often as she could. However, Matthais had recently gained a new…friend and pretty soon Connie had slowly stopped mentioning his name. A new "friend", long distance and infrequent contact. Just one of these was enough to kill some relationships, but all three at once? As Kenny Loggins would say, that's riding into the danger zone.
Wanting to move the conversation along, Rick spoke up. "Why would you want to learn about sword fighting? Sword fighting is obsolete in this day and age."
"I know but there's something noble and romantic about it. Gallant knights, fierce samurai, epic quests and chivalrous duels. It's just…really cool."
"What about magic?" Steven asked.
"I have been making some progress," Connie admitted, "but I still have a long way to go before I can actually do anything with it. With sword fighting, I feel like I can actually do something and make a difference." She looked at Steven "Maybe even fight at your side and help you protect Earth."
Rick nodded slowly, understanding what she was driving at. "I guess so, b-but the whole sword fighting scene is full of history buffs and greasy anime nerds. Where would you get a teacher that's actually worth a damn?"
"How about Pearl?" Steven suggested. "She knows a lot about sword fighting. I'm sure she'd be a great teacher!"
"Yeah, but she's got an assload of personal issues that may affect her teaching style. Plus, I think she said she's going to be busy all week with gem stuff…"
Rick noticed Connie's expression taking a more melancholic turn and, against his better judgment, decided that he should at least try to help. If he didn't, it was likely that Connie would probably do something stupid that could get her, or more importantly, himself killed.
"...however, I think I know where we can find a good sword fighting instructor and a magic teacher."
"Really?" Connie asked, surprised.
"Yep. It's a place we've been to before."
Steven and Connie considered Rick's words for a few moments before it dawned on them. Steven's expression lit up and Connie looked extremely excited.
"You mean…?"
Rick nodded. "Yee*burp*p, heading back to the fantasy dimension. Who knows, maybe we can pay your boyfriend a little visit."
Connie blushed a little as excitement and anticipation filled her expression.
After taking a brief detour between some buildings, Rick produced his portal gun, opened a portal, and stepped through. Steven followed suit with Connie bringing up the rear. Before stepping through, the young girl hesitated. It's been a while since she's seen Matthias. She worried about what to say or what to do when she saw him.
What if he doesn't want to see me? a thought whispered in her mind. Connie closed her eyes and cleared her mind of such thoughts. There was nothing to worry about. Sure, she was going to learn magic and swordsmanship in another world. But she'll be with friends and Rick would have them home in an instant if anything were to happen.
Taking a deep breath, Connie opened her eyes and jumped into the portal. A moment later, the young girl's feet landed on soft and ancient carpet. The golden, shimmering portal vanished a second later. Looking around, Connie saw that she, Steven, and Rick were in the middle of a crimson forest beneath a violet and gold sky. Although it's felt like an eternity since they were there last, Connie immediately knew where they were. She had thought of this place ever since their adventure and had longed to return. Spying the winding hiking trail, Connie started walking. Rick and Steven followed, though they lagged behind as the young girl picked up the pace. She was eager to see her friend and was already collecting her thoughts for when they meet again in person.
Although they were staying in contact via magic, Matthias seemed distracted like he was thinking of someone else. It didn't help that he mentioned his new friend Luz a lot. Every time he said her name, he seemed to light up and smile. Every time this happened, it made Connie feel a pang of jealousy and bitterness. It certainly didn't help that the two had an adventure of their own, which ended up on the news on an interdimensional streaming service.
Connie shook her head. She was overthinking things. Everything's fine. There was nothing to worry about.
At the end of the trail, the trio came to a familiar clearing beside the cliff overlooking the crashing waves of a violet sea. Across from them was the Owl House. The large, white brick house looked the same, with a sloping roof, crumbling stone tower, and large glass window that resembled an eye.
"Wow, looks even shittier than last time," Rick belched. He glanced at Connie. "You think anybody's home or did they get evicted?"
"Let's find out," Connie said as she began approaching the house.
As they got closer to the house, the trio heard voices shouting and a series of thumps and crashes. Before they even reached the front porch, two shapes burst through the window to the right of the door. The two tumbled around on the ground for a moment and it took a moment for Connie and the others to realize that one of the figures is Matthias.
"M-Matthias?" Connie said, surprised.
The apprentice wizard looked up at three visitors. Confusion filled his face for a moment before being replaced with a warm smile. Although they saw each other via a communication spell, Connie was surprised by how different Matthias looked. The raven-haired boy's face was a healthier color, as opposed to the sickly pale it was when she first met him. While still a bit gangly, he also looked stronger and more solid.
"Oh, hey guys! Hey Connie!" the boy said with a smile as he wrapped his arms around the thrashing shape that struggled in his embrace.
"Hi Matthias!" Steven said with a smile.
Whatever prepared thoughts or words Connie had formulated beforehand had failed. She couldn't help but gaze into the young apprentice's blue eyes. Feeling awkward she smiled and mumbled a greeting, which didn't seem to go noticed as Matthias returned his attention to the thing in his arms.
"What are you doing?" Rick asked, raising his brow.
"Choking the chicken," Matthias grunted.
Rick blinked. "What?"
Connie, Rick and Steven looked and saw that the apprentice wizard was wrestling a rotisserie chicken that was almost the size of a bulldog. For a moment, Connie could've sworn it was some goblin creature or something, but soon realized her mistake when she noticed the thing didn't have a head and had featherless wings for arms. The cooked, golden-brown bird thrashed and wriggled, trying to free itself, but Matthias held on for dear life. The only thing it managed to do was rub seasonings, spices, and grease into the apprentice's clean shirt.
"Eda! King! Matthias got him!" a new voice shouted.
Connie looked and saw a tan-skinned girl appear on the other side of the broken window. A familiar witch with wild gray hair and pointed ears appeared. The witch was carrying a fork and knife and had a hungry look in her eyes.
"Good work, Matty!" Eda the Owl Lady said, scrambling through the windowless opening carrying a kitchen knife. "Hold 'em still for me!"
The tan girl climbed out of the house after the witch, followed by a small canine-like creature with dark gray fur who was carrying a roll of duct tape. The trio hurried over to Matthias and dove into the frey, all trying to restrain the enormous cooked bird. However, in the tangled confused mass of bodies, the chicken managed to slip free and had turned the tables on Matthias.
The rotisserie chicken had gotten a wing around the boy's throat and had Eda's kitchen knife aimed at his jugular. Connie and the others froze and stared at the headless bird, trying to figure out a way to rescue the apprentice mage. The headless chicken guided Matthias backward toward the cliff, the others followed, slowly and carefully. Rick slowly reached for his pistol but the bird held the knife closer to Matthias's throat, indicating that it would kill him if there were any sudden movements it didn't like.
Rick backed off.
"Give it up!" Eda told the rotisserie chicken with a scowl. "There's nowhere to go."
By now the chicken and Matthias were close to the edge of the cliff. The bird turned a little, as if it were glancing behind it. The cliff was only inches away. The chicken turned to Eda and the others.
"Come along quietly now, that's a good boy," the witch said, extending a hand and beckoning it.
Weighing its options, the chicken looked at the witch, then to the far drop behind him and then back again. The hole where it's head would be moved, like a mouth, and a sound came out of it. The sound was a gurgled screech that made Connie feel the hair on her neck stand. Before anyone could react, the rotisserie chicken shoved Matthias at Eda and dived off the cliff. Eda caught the apprentice. Connie, the girl and the little canine creature raced to the edge and looked over. Far below, the white and purple waves crashed against the cliffs and jagged rocks below. There was no sign of the chicken.
After a few moments of silence, Eda sighed and patted Matthias on the shoulder.
"You did good kid, but it looks like the chicken didn't agree with us."
Looking at the new arrivals, the Owl Lady smiled. "Who's up for some takeout?"
A few minutes later, Rick, Steven, Connie and the others walked away from the busy food stand. Each member of the group carried steaming hot food wraps, sandwiches, and novelty mugs full of sweet soft drinks. After magically repairing the window, Eda led her companions and visitors into Bonesborough, the town closest to her home. There, they managed to beat the lunch rush and swiped some good food for a few silver coins.
The mad scientist wasn't fond of food from magical fantasy dimensions, considering that the culinary practices and quality were quite medieval, but he had to admit that the Dwarven food stall they visited was better than most food joints back on Earth.
Eventually, the group settled at a picnic table in the middle of a quiet looking park, though the little dog creature, King, warned the newcomers to mind their valuables.
"A lot of thievery and pixie dust dealing in these parts," the diminutive demon warned through a mouthful of mustard-drenched sandwich. "Keep anything shiny hidden and make sure that you still have shoelaces."
"That bad?" Rick asked.
"Yeah. It's a real shame too, this used to be such a nice part of town," Eda said, "but then the hobgoblins moved in, those dirty, thieving little-"
"So, Connie!" the tan girl, Luz, interrupted Eda's rant before she could get going. "Matthias said that you're from Earth."
"He did? I mean, yeah…yeah I'm from Earth. You're from Earth too, right? How'd you end up here?"
Luz smiled and she related her story to Connie and others. Rick barely listened, but from the gist of it he got was this: Luz was a "weird" kid who was oh-so-quirky-and-different, so much so that her mom wanted to send her to some camp to be made "normal." However, fate intervened and Luz ended up following Eda's "Palisman" (whatever the hell that was) through a magical door. Throughout the retelling, Rick glanced at Connie who was chewing her food in silence. If he were to guess what she was feeling, the mad scientist would guess jealousy.
"...and here I am!" Luz concluded with a flourish. "So now, I'm living here and learning magic from Eda."
"Whoa!" Steven said in amazement "That sounded like something out of this one book that Connie was telling me about. It was, uh, umm…."
"The Chronicles of Geldar," Connie finished for Steven in a flat voice.
At the mention of the book title, Luz's eyebrows rose "Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that series."
"Have you read it?" Steven asked.
Luz nodded. "Yeah, once…a long time ago with my mom. It was…okay."
"Okay?" Connie said with a slight edge to her voice. Her eyes narrowed a little. "What do you mean by 'okay'?"
"Don't get me wrong, I love that series but it's kind of boring and it fizzled out toward the end."
"It did?" Matthias asked as he took a sip from his mug.
"Yeah, I mean there was all this foreshadowing of an epic battle at the end against the Shadow Witch, but most of the cool stuff happened off-screen! And the hero ends up with the wrong girl!"
Rick looked at Luz and then to Connie. The older girl seemed oblivious to the fact that Connie really loved that book and had recommended it to Matthias during their long distance call in Wake Town, after the whole demon affair. From what he heard, it was the series that made Connie fall in love with the fantasy genre and it held a special place in her heart. It was bad enough hearing someone speak negatively of a cherished series, it was even worse to hear it from someone she's immensely jealous of in front of a guy she liked. Rick could try and change the subject. But he won't. He wanted to see how this whole thing pans out. Maybe he'll get to see some kids kick the shit out of each other.
"Wh-why do you think he ended up with the wrong girl?" Connie asked, trying her best to not sound upset or offended. "Arthur and Penelope were fated to be together. Their personalities were similar and there was that prophecy that foretold their union. It makes perfect sense!"
"Yeah, but that's so cliché! It would've made more sense if he ended up with Serana."
"The disgraced paladin? How does that make sense? They're nothing alike!"
"Exactly! Opposites attract. He's calm and collected while she's a headstrong woman who let her actions do the talking. There's also the fact that they knew each other for way longer than Penelope, who just showed up in the last book and is, to be honest, a bit of a wet blanket."
Rick's unibrow rose and he looked at Connie who blushed and appeared to be flustered by Luz's analysis of the character. Before the younger girl could muster a defense, Luz carried on.
"I like her, but she just seemed like a huge wimp and a burden on the main party. Aside from solving the Dungeon Lord's riddle and uncovering the Shadow Queen's weakness, Penelope just doesn't do much and has to be rescued by everyone else."
Connie stared at Luz like she had committed blasphemy. The girl's horror only grew when Matthias chimed in.
"I guess I won't be reading the series then, since I now know the ending."
"Oops, sorry," Luz said with an awkward smile.
Connie scowled and began taking a sip of her drink.
"That's okay," Matthias said "Sounds like you saved me a lot of time - time that could be used in reading the rest of The Good Witch Azura or with your training."
Connie choked a little on her drink and spat the mouthful she had out onto the grass.
"T-Training?" she sputtered, wiping her mouth with her sleeve.
"Although Eda's the one who's supposed to be teaching me magic, Matthias is the one who really helped get a handle on it."
"Hey!" Eda whined. "I've taught you lots of things!"
"Like what?" Rick asked.
"Like…like an illumination spell."
"A light spell? Seriously?" Rick snorted. He fished into his coat pocket and pulled out a small flashlight. "Oh wow, look at me everyone! Expecto Patronum!" He clicked the flashlight on and began waving it around. "I-I'm a wiz*burp*ard! Holy shit!"
King laughed as Rick continued to wave his flashlight around, clicking it on and off. Rick continued his little display, causing King to laugh harder and Eda to grow annoyed. Connie snorted and nearly chuckled, but whatever mirth she had faded when a voice called out to them.
"Luz? Matthias?"
Rick, Connie and the others looked and saw a trio of newcomers following the path that snaked its way past the picnic table.
Leading the trio was a skinny pale girl who was Luz's height. She had chin-length hair that was aquamarine with a bit of brown visible at the roots. The girl had golden eyes that studied the trio from Earth curiously and pointed ears, much like Eda and the two who accompanied the girl. The girl's companions were taller, older and were obviously twin siblings; both had identical emerald hair, pointed ears, pale complexions and golden eyes. All three of them were wearing identical gray tunics, belts and boots, along with white furred winter cloaks.
"Oh hey Amity! Edric! Emira!" Luz said, waving at the three similarly dressed newcomers.
"What are you guys doing here?" the girl, Amity, asked as she approached their table.
"Having lunch," Matthias said, holding up his half-eaten lunch wrap. "We tried doing a bit of home cooking, and well…"
"That bad, huh?" Amity said with a sympathetic smile.
"He nearly got a Colombian Necktie from a headless chicken, but hey, that's considered a half-way decent Sunday dinner at my place," Rick remarked.
Amity frowned. "A what? Wait, who are you?"
Luz got up and introduced Rick, Connie and Steven to Amity and her siblings. Steven waved, Connie gave a curt nod and Rick drained the ale from his novelty mug. At the mention of Earth, Amity's eyebrows rose.
"Wait, you're from Earth?" the girl asked, eyeing them with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion "How did you get here?"
"Magic," Rick belched.
"You're mages?" Edric asked, intrigued.
"Yeah, sure, why not?"
"Before I forget," Amity said, reaching into the bag hanging from her belt, the girl pulled out a thick book with a purple cover and handed it to Luz.
Rick caught a glimpse of the cover and saw that it was one of the books from the Good Witch Azura series that Matthias had mentioned. Luz accepted the book and looked at Amity with anticipation.
"So? What'd you think?"
Amity shrugged and tried to act casual. "It was fine."
"So fine that you drew yourself Malingale the Mysterious Soothsayer?" Matthais asked, pulling out a loose piece of paper from the book and held it up for all to see. On the page was a decent drawing of Amity in the arms of a tall, dark, and handsome looking mage with a brooding look. Above the two figures the words "forbidden love" were scribbled in colored pencil. While already embarrassing, the most embarrassing thing about the picture was the fact that the "Malingale" character looked suspiciously like Matthias. Rick drew the parallels and, from the look on Connie's face, so did she.
The youngest Blight blushed and, saying, nothing traced a small glowing circle in the air, disintegrating the drawing in a flash.
"This is great!" Luz beamed. "Maybe we could even start an Azura club at school when we're classmates!"
"When we're what?" Amity blinked.
"Surprise!" Luz pulled out a pamphlet while drawing in Matthias in an arm hug. "We're enrolling into Hexside!"
"O-Oh! That's great!" Amity nodded. "But to be in my class, you guys are going to need to take a placement exam and prove that you've mastered two spells. You guys know the light spell, so that's one. Do you guys know another spell?"
"Placement exams? Spells?" Luz blinked owlishly.
"Uh oh~" Rick muttered almost teasingly.
"Of course," Matthias said with a shrug. "My da…Master Avestus made it a point to have me learn at least two spells every month."
"That's impressive," Edric nodded.
"Not really. They mostly had to do with cleaning or hiding us from the authorities."
"Even better~"
"In any case, we're going to train and prepare," Amity cut in. "The placement exams are in another week, and I hear it's extra special."
"Special how?" Luz asked, sounding nervous.
"They say that the Emperor himself is going to be in attendance!" Emira stated. "Apparently it's all part of some anniversary celebration for Hexside. There's gonna be food and games and people from all over the Boiling Isles are going to be there!
"Which is why Principle Bump wants us to really impress the crowd," Edric added "Aside from boosting the school's reputation, student performances may entice the Emperor and his coven to provide additional funding for the school. Which is what the school needs, after your last little…adventure, which left quite a mark on school property. According to rumor, there's a special prize for the new student that really dazzles the crowd during the exams."
Matthias's eyes widened, while Luz looked taken aback.
"So, how about it?" Amity asked.
"I-I'd love to, but I have other training plans in a very far away place today. Right, Eda?"
"We do?" the Owl Lady questioned. Noticing the nervous look on Luz's face, Eda quickly realized what was going on and began to play along. "Uh, yeah, yeah! Of course, we have a whole training boot camp planned. We're gonna blow the socks off of those blowhards at the placement exams!"
"Great! I guess we'll see you there." Amity said as she turned and left with her twin siblings.
Once the Blight siblings had left the park, Luz stood up and declared, "We need to prepare!"
"Heck yeah we do!" Eda said. "We don't want to look like idiots in front of everyone, otherwise we'll never live this down."
"It does say here that failure to know the two spells will lead to being sent to the baby class," Matthias pointed out, rereading the pamphlet.
"You guys don't have social media, do you?" Rick asked.
"We have Penstagram," Luz answered. "Why?"
"No reason," Rick said, a mischievous smile formed on his lips.
"There's no time to waste!" Eda said, jumping up from her seat. "So much to prepare for and so little time. It was nice meeting ya, but we gotta go!"
Without another word, the Owl Lady set off with King at her heels. Matthias and Luz got up. Luz bid them a warm and sincere farewell and departed. Matthias lingered a little longer and smiled at Connie.
"It was great seeing you again," he said truthfully. "I wish we had more time to hang out, but I got to train. I don't wanna end up in the baby class."
Connie smiled back. "I understand. Go. Knock 'em dead. I'll be rooting for you!"
Matthias's smile widened and he turned and left, leaving Rick, Steven and Connie alone in the quiet park. A few silent moments passed before the smile and warmth on Connie's face faded and was replaced by worry and sadness. The young girl sank back into her seat and sighed heavily.
"Are you okay, Connie?" Steven asked, concerned about his friend.
Although he was enjoying the friction and potential drama that was brewing before him, seeing Connie down in the dumps tugged at Rick's fatherly side a little. There were times, few, but very memorable, where Beth had her heart broken and was deeply saddened by some chump for some stupid reason. Rick sat beside her and nudged her with his elbow.
"Don't worry about little orphan Matty there," the mad scientist said. "He's a nice guy, but trust me, there's like a million other dudes who are way better than him."
"I know but…I really like him," Connie mumbled. "It's just not fair."
"Hmm?"
"It's not fair. Luz…she's just so cool! She's older, smarter, and has already mastered a spell. She's already been on a bunch of cool adventures with Matthias. Then there's Amity! Amity is really pretty and probably knows a lot about magic!"
"So what? As cliche as it sounds, looks aren't always everything. Plus, you already know a spell, right?"
"Not really. I can only make some sparks and that's it."
"Oh…well, that's a hell of a lot better than a flashlight spell."
The corners of Connie's mouth twitched, threatening to pull away into a smile.
Rick frowned. "Look, if you really like this nerd and I mean really like him…you shouldn't give up just yet. You remember that scene in the movie?"
"I do!" Steven said, raising a hand. He climbed on top of the picnic table and assumed a dramatic pose, mirroring the character of Lancelot from the film they watched earlier that day. "Never give up, never give in. A true knight always fights for what is right and for what they desire!"
Connie watched Steven's performance and nodded slowly. "I-I guess so." Slowly, realization and confidence appeared on the girl's face. "You're right. I'm not giving up!"
"Yeah!" Rick and Steven chorused.
"I'm going to work hard and learn new spells!"
"Yeah!"
"I'm going to go to that placement exam and show them what I can do!"
"Yeah!"
Connie jumped up and pumped her fist to the sky "And I'm going to destroy Luz and Amity!"
"Yea-wait, what?" Steven said.
"T-That's the spirit!" Rick belched/cheered, raising a fist in the air.
"But wait" Connie said, lowering her fist "H-how will I learn a new spell? I don't know much about magic and most of the spell books I found back home are all vague or are very…weird."
"Perhaps I can be of assistance," an unfamiliar voice said.
The trio looked and saw a scraggly old man in a dirty blue bathrobe emerge from behind some nearby bushes. The man was bald and had a wild, ratty white beard that reached down to his beer belly, which poked out from the opening of his bathrobe. His eyes were bloodshot and his teeth yellow and crooked.
Rick drew his gun and aimed at the old man. "Move along, pal. We aren't interested nor are we selling anything.'"
"Nah man, that's not what I'm looking for," the old man sniffed, wiping drool from his mouth. "I'm here because I couldn't help but overhear your friend's plight. You need a magic teacher, right?"
"Yeah," Connie said, eyeing the man nervously.
"Well, I can help you!" the man said with a crooked grin. He gave an awkward bow, nearly falling over. "My name is Leonard and I can help you learn the ways of magic."
"Uh huh and do these ways involve ingesting a little bit of 'fairy dust' or licking a brightly colored mushroom?" Rick snorted.
"Nah man…unless you want some?"
"Get to the point!"
"Right! Anyway, I can teach you some spells, spells that they don't teach at Hexside. Stuff that'll make whatever those other girls conjure up look like baby magic!"
"Really?" Connie asked.
"Right hand and left hand to God little lady," the dirty stranger said solemnly, holding up both hands.
"I don't know," Connie said slowly.
"Forget it," Rick growled, "It's a neat sales pitch but you're gonna have to get your jollies elsewhere, Stumbledore."
"Alright," the dirty stranger said with a shrug. "Fine. I'll be on my way and those three friends of yours are gonna make a splash at the placement exams and get enrolled in the same class. From there I suppose they'll grow close and there'll be some romance and maybe something more in the future."
Rick scowled at the man and then looked at Connie, who looked like she was actually considering the stranger's offer. The dirty old creep knew what he was doing. This wasn't some chance encounter. Although he was all for Connie going Rambo on her crush and those other girls, he wasn't going to let some creepy old wizard get his paws on her.
"You can't be serious," Rick told the girl.
"But what if he can actually help?" Connie said "What if he's actually some great teacher in disguise or something who can teach me real magic."
"Okay, first of all: the dude has an erection!"
The old man quickly drew his bathrobe around himself, his face turning beet red.
"Secondly: I know at least a dozen other wizards who could kick this guy's ass blindfolded. Give me a few minutes and I can get you a real teacher."
"How about Holly?" Steven suggested.
Rick pointed at the half-gem in vindication. "Exactly. She's a druid and a wizard cop! I hate cops, but I'd take a Fed over Mr. 'Get-in-my-van-I-got-candy' over there."
"I can hear you!" the old man whined. "And if you're talking about Commander Holly of the Wardens, then you need not worry, I know her. We're old friends!"
"How convenient," Rick growled.
"You are?" Connie said.
"Of course! Here…" with a wave of his bony hand, the old man conjured up a crumpled up square of material in a puff of smoke. He carefully approached the group and showed it to them. The item in his hand was a black and white photograph of a dozen robed men and women of various magical races organized in rows. From the matching uniforms and the way they were organized, Rick surmised that it was a graduation photo of sorts. The old man pointed to a pair of youngsters in the back row. One was a young woman with a steely gaze and the other was a young man with an easy going smile on his face.
"There we were, graduation day at Hexside," the old man said with a wistful smile.
"You went to Hexside?" Connie said in surprise.
"Sure did. Holly and I were at the top of our class. Holly kept to the track set down by her coven and ended up specializing in Plant magic. I was a little more…open-minded. I dabbled here and there and ended up mastering Hexes, Charms, and Abominations."
Rick rolled his eyes, knowing that the man was really trying his hardest to sound smart and impressive. Unfortunately, Connie seemed to be taken by the dirty stranger's yarn of magic classes and mastering the mystic arts.
"I-I don't know…" Connie said, still unsure. "A-am I even allowed to compete? I'm human."
"Of course you can! The exams are open to everyone who wishes to enroll at Hexside," the old man insisted. "Besides, they're letting that Luz girl tryout. Trust me, I can turn you into a force to be reckoned with! You'll be the talk of the town! The Emperor himself will be amazed and will grant you the prize…that boy Matthias will have eyes only for you."
Rick was inclined to shoot the dirty old man in the head and drag the kids away. However, Connie seemed determined to win Matthias and show up Luz and Amity…even though neither of them were competing for Matthias's attention. Maybe this whole thing will help Connie actually learn magic and gain some confidence. Then again, this whole thing could end in a spectacular disaster.
"How about it?" the old man asked, putting on an innocent smile. "Just give me an hour, just one measly hour and if you feel like giving up, then you're free to do so."
Connie considered the old man's words for a few moments and then gave her answer.
"Let's give it a try."
Rick blinked and the park had vanished in a flash of colorful light and was replaced by a cramped, dimly lit space. Looking around, the mad scientist quickly realized that he was inside a dilapidated mobile home. Beside him were Connie and Steven, who were pressed up against a loudly humming refrigerator that was covered in novelty magnets from various locations on the Boiling Isles and Earth.
"Welcome," purred the eerie voice of the old wizard, "to my humble abode."
Rick, Connie, and Steven looked and saw, at the other end of the mobile home, the old wizard, laying sideways on a dirty looking water bed, which jiggled slightly. The old man's robes were opened a little, revealing a wiry hairy body covered in a white tank top that looked like a Jackson Pollock painting with its assorted stains, and a pair of leopard skin patterned boxers.
"Humble is one way of putting it," Rick sniffed. He leaned down and murmured to Connie and Steven, "Don't touch anything and watch where you step."
"Now, let us begin," the old man said. He gestured to some cupboards above the small sink beside the fridge "Would one of you kindly retrieve my Grimoire?"
Connie moved to retrieve it, but Rick stopped her and went to the cupboard. He carefully navigated his way across the dirty floor, which was littered with crumbs and discarded wrappers. Opening the cupboard, Rick was unsurprised by the sight of dozens of identical looking books sandwiched between large sheets of papers tied together with strings and rubberbands.
"Which one?" Rick asked aloud.
"The big one!"
"They're all big!"
"The one to the left!"
"The one next to these DVDs?"
"What DVDs?"
"Your, uh, mature film collection. I gotta say, you got some weird tastes man. I-I'm not one to judge but-"
The old man sat up instantly. "Not that one, definitely not that one. And leave those DVDs alone! They're private."
"-come on man," Rick continued, wanting to make the shifty old man squirm a little. "A Discovery of Bitches? Wang-Cheese and the Legend of the Ten Ding-a-Lings? The Sperminator? Fantastic Beastiality and Where to Get it? Oh my God! I thought they completely banned this in, like, every dimension."
"Banned what?" Steven asked.
Rick pulled out a DVD case featuring muscular men and a buxom young woman in cheap looking superhero costumes on the cover. "Avengers 2: Age of Consent."
By now the old man was off the water bed and was at Rick's side and had retrieved the book. The old man tore the dvd case from Rick's grasp, tossed it into the cupboard and slammed it shut. His face was beet-red once more and looked like he was going to burst into flames. Leonard made his way to the kitchen table behind Rick.
Rick had a shit eating grin on his face. "Not really a fan of movie or TV tie-ins…" he said. Ordinarily, the mad scientist was not one to judge a person and their taste in…adult films, but the old man was obviously working an angle. Wizards were notorious for being secretive assholes and few seldom offered free magic lessons to random kids out of the goodness of their hearts. Especially wizards who lived in a beat up Winnebago in the middle of a forest.
The old man slid into one of the seats by the table and set the heavy grimoire down.
"Now then," the old man said, regaining some composure. "Let's start with the basics. How much do you know in the way of magic, my child?"
"Not very much," Connie told him. "Just the basics of where magic comes from and how wizards trained for years to master the power that's within them."
"Good, very good. That'll save us some time. Have you given any thought to what sort of magic you wish to perform at the exams?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well you don't want to just do some fireballs or water manipulation, do you? Those types of spells are rather…plain and basic. If you really wish to impress everyone, you would probably want to perform something more spectacular. Here…"
With a wave of a hand, an old looking portable TV appeared in front of them, hovering above the table a little. The TV's dark, dusty screen fizzed to life with static, which gradually turned into grainy footage of a school's auditorium. The room was packed with potential new students, save for the front row, which seated a dozen professors in black robes.
"This is a highlight reel from last year's exams"
"...why would you have something like this?" Rick asked, feeling really uncomfortable.
"I-I found it in a dumpster," Leonard mumbled "B-but that's not important, look!" He pointed at the screen as the first student appeared on stage.
The student gave their name and conjured up a creature made up of purple ooze that began to juggle and perform all sorts of tricks. The teachers, appearing satisfied, thanked the student and welcomed them to the school.
"Pfft, big deal," Rick snorted.
"Watch," Leonard said as the next student stepped up.
The second student gave a small, dramatic introduction and whistled, causing a wyvern to crash through the ceiling and land on the stage beside him. The large green reptile scanned the auditorium full of anxious students and professors with its cold predatory eyes. Rick expected, and hoped, that the creature would go on a rampage and eat people but was surprised that the dragon-like creature performed a few tricks, like writing the student's name in the air with a jet of purple flames.
"Whoa!" Steven breathed in amazement.
"Show off," Rick mumbled.
The rest of the footage displayed other young students performing spectacular feats with magic, one after the other. Some acts were really similar but all showed how far along each newcomer was in terms of magic. Not a single one got so much as a funny look. All of them passed with flying colors. The highlight reel ended and Leonard made the portable TV vanish with a snap. He turned to Connie and said "That was just to give you an idea of what to expect."
"I know."
"It's not enough to know a spell, one has to show how it can be applied."
"I know."
"Good. Just letting you know. Now…let's get started. Do you know any spells? In fact, do you have a Palisman? A wand?"
Connie opened her mouth and closed it, not really sure how to answer.
The old man stroked his ratty beard. "I see…well, this is going to be a tad harder than I thought. But, not impossible."
Flipping open the old tome, Rick caught glimpses of intricate sketches of creatures, plants, structures and descriptions of various spells. Eventually, the old man stopped on a page titled "Conduits" and turned the book over to Connie.
"Conduits?" the girl read aloud.
"Yes, it's how a mage is able to cast spells. Mages from the Boiling Isles utilize sentient magical totems that also act as their familiars. These totems are called Palismen and are usually carved by youngsters well into their magical education."
"Will I have to make my own?"
"Unfortunately, palismen trees have become increasingly rare, and those that are left are heavily guarded and reserved for students of Hexside and other similar magical academies."
"Oh." Connie frowned.
"However," the dirty wizard continued, "there are other and older means of spellcasting. Wands, amulets and talismans are the most common methods, due to ease of use and transporting. There are also other ways, not very common but still very potent, like Grimoires, familiars, bargains…"
"Bargains?" Rick echoed, not liking the sound of the word.
"Yes, it's a very rare method of spellcasting. Long ago, during the days of wild magic, mages who lost power or lacked it would often strike a bargain with mighty entities. In exchange for access to magic, they would serve these creatures or give them something near and dear to their heart."
"What kind of entities?" Steven asked.
The old man shrugged. "It depends, Elder Gods, Archdemons, Angels, Gravelords."
"That doesn't sound pleasant…" Connie observed.
"No. No it isn't. But not to worry! Even if one wanted to utilize a bargain, it is actually far more difficult than it seems. For starters, one would have to gain the attention of one of these beings and then you'd have to negotiate terms that they actually would agree to. Most often fail these two crucial things and end up being atomized. Or eaten."
Connie shivered and Steven winced at the thought. From there, the wizard went to a nearby closet and began digging out various magical items. From gaudy jeweled amulets to dusty old wands of varying makes and sizes, the old man placed them on the table and urged Connie to inspect each one and to see which one "felt right." Slowly, but surely, the young girl began to dig through the mound of items and looked them over in her hands. As she did so, Rick kept a wary eye on the ratty old man. The mad scientist wasn't sure what his game was, but Rick was going to make sure that the old man made good on his promise.
The two children sorted through the items until the afternoon light waned into twilight. So far, Connie had eliminated all the wands and a significant portion of the amulets. Rick was bored as hell, but he kept watch for anything suspicious. Fortunately, nothing weird happened and the dirty wizard kept to himself and observed the children alongside Rick in solemn silence.
Tired and noticing the fading daylight, Rick decided to call it a day. Connie hesitated and insisted that she was close to finding the right conduit. However, Rick put his foot down.
"We don't want to have to mind-wipe your parents again, do we?" he asked, reminding her of their last adventure in the magical world. Besides, he didn't want to stay in this musty old trailer any longer or pay for a stay at a flea infested inn.
"Right…" Connie said, frowning. She set aside the gold and emerald ring she was inspecting.
"Don't worry," the wizard said with a gentle smile. "Come again in the morning and you can resume your search. After all, the placement exam is still a week away. I'm sure by then you'll…"
The old man trailed off as Connie picked up a small, black tome. It was the size of a pocket dictionary and half as thick. The cover was soft and made of an unknown material. The young girl and the old man stared at the book in her hand. Connie turned it over in her hands slowly, studying every detail. Rick eyed the book as well. It looked like a plain notebook or diary. There was no inscription and the pages inside were blank.
Despite having no defining details or writing, Connie seemed entranced by the book.
Connie looked up and held up the book. "This one feels right."
"Are-Are you sure?" The old man asked, surprised.
"Yeah. I don't know how to explain it but I feel like I need to take this book."
A few silent moments passed until the old man smiled. "Good! Good, very good! Congratulations on attaining your very own conduit! A Grimoire user, who would've thought."
"Is that a good thing or bad thing?" Steven asked.
"It's good. It means your friend has some unique and potent magic."
"Does this mean we can begin my training?" Connie asked.
"My child," Leonard said with a wide smile. "You now have everything you need."
Observing the confusion on the girl's face, Leonard explained "A Grimoire is not only a conduit, it's essentially…a mage's partner. Grimoire are powerful magical items, crafted by the mightiest of Archmages and mystic sages to aid those they deem worthy of learning the secrets of magic. You, my friend, just so happen to be one of the lucky few."
Rick's eyes rolled at that but Connie was awestruck.
"What do I do now?" the girl asked.
"Study the book, meditate on it. In time, it will impart wisdom and knowledge to you. By the time the exams come around, you'll be leagues ahead of even the professors of Hexside!"
Once they said their goodbyes and the children thanked the wizard, Rick led his young companions out of the Winnebago and into the woods that surrounded the mobile home.
"Safe travels!" Leonard called after them as he leaned in the doorframe of his mobile home.
Rick scowled and fought the urge to turn around and blast a hole in the old man's head. He didn't like the old fart or that book, but it's not his job to baby everyone around him. Connie wanted to tangle with magic and show up her supposed rivals. Fine. But Rick didn't like being used.
Once Rick, Connie and Steven were out of sight, Leonard the dirty old man retreated into his decrepit domicile. The old man closed the door and sank into his chair and rubbed his tired eyes. Of all the things he'd done in his life, this was perhaps the riskiest and the worst scheme Leonard has done.
Not only was he risking his life, but that of an innocent girl. He could've sworn the kid had no magic, at least nothing remarkable enough to draw out a potent conduit. But she certainly had the spark to be drawn to that particular grimoire. Leonard sat in his chair in his lonely kitchen, surrounded by magical baubles and junk. What the hell happened to him? How did he get here? One minute he was top of his class with a one way ticket to power and position. Now? Now he's sitting in his boxers in a run down mobile home seeking out kids for his little pet project.
Maybe he should come clean, call it quits before it goes too far. He's done some serious shit but manipulating a child, especially a child that connected with that Grimoire? This may be a bit too far.
Leonard stood and considered tossing this junk out and cleaning himself up, but he stopped. His thoughts turned to Hexside, to the exams and the anniversary celebration. The Emperor himself was going to be there, watching and overseeing the new students hoping to enter the school.
No. It's too late. He's committed himself and the book has chosen the girl. Can't back out now, even if he wanted to. He's got to see this through to the end.
The moment of clarity had passed and what remained of Leonard's conscience had receded into the darkest recesses of his mind. Imagining the achievement of his goal made the dirty wizard smile. The Owl Lady was right, only it was going to be Leonard and his protege who would blow the socks off of the faculty and staff of Hexside. By this time next week, Leonard will have everything he has ever wanted.
After returning from the Boiling Isles, Connie bid Rick and Steven a quick goodbye and rushed home. At home, she rushed upstairs to her room, not bothering to see whether her parents had returned home from work or not. Once in her room, Connie locked her door and pulled the little black book out of her pocket. Although the pages were blank, the young girl couldn't help but feel that this book was going to help her. She didn't know how or why, but something told her that this book was the key to gaining everything she had ever wanted.
For a moment, Connie felt a jolt of excitement and anticipation. She was going to learn magic - real magic. She began to imagine all the things she could potentially learn and do. With dusk deepening and fatigue growing, Connie considered tucking the book away and getting a fresh start in the morning. However, excitement and curiosity urged her to get started right away. The sooner she started, the sooner she'd be ready for the exam. Following the wizard's instructions to meditate on the book, the girl sat on the floor, crossed her legs and laid the open book before her. She sat up straight and closed her eyes.
Breathe in…breathe out… Connie thought to herself as she tried to clear her mind.
Time passed slowly and silence enveloped the girl. Although she tried to focus on the book, on magic, on what lay ahead, Connie began to lose focus. Her mind drifted away from the Grimoire and found its way to the events of this afternoon.
Connie scowled as the faces of Luz and Amity appeared in her mind. The two of them seemed like awesome people - people that she'd ordinarily would have befriended in any other setting. But now? Now they were her competition, her rivals. Something in the back of Connie's mind fed into this feeling, conjuring up images of the two girls and Matthias, how one or both of them are making a pass at him, how all three of them are going on adventures and having the time of their lives…and how they're laughing at her.
After all, who wouldn't laugh at her? She's an unremarkable nobody with no special talent. She can't do magic and she couldn't help Steven defend Earth from a Gem incursion. If something like that were to happen again, she'd just be a burden or get in the way. Who was she kidding? What chance did she have? Luz has a headstart on her and Amity grew up around magic! She thought of the highlight reel Leonard showed her and that only made her heart sink. If she goes into this competition, Connie will probably end up making herself look like a fool. She imagined herself standing on a stage in front of a large crowd, attempting to cast a spell, only for it to backfire and causing the crowd to laugh.
Shuddering at the imaginary scenario, Connie considered giving up. Maybe she should let Matthias be and forget about magic.
No, whispered a soft voice.
Connie's eyes flew open. She looked around her empty room. She could've sworn she heard something. But she couldn't see anything. It was just her and the book…
The girl's throat went dry as she looked at the Grimoire. Was it the book? It's possible. After all, it's a magical book and Leonard said that it was essentially a mage's partner. Could that mean that it was sentient?
The young girl stared at the open book with unease, unsure what was going on or what she should do. She noticed on the blank page, something began to appear. Strange sketches of magic diagrams and sharp, jagged letters bled into the page with black ink. At first Connie wasn't sure what they meant or said but something about them enticed her to approach the book, to gaze deeply into its pages and allow it to speak to her-
"Connie!" a muffled voice called, followed by a door closing. "I'm home!"
The young girl looked at the door. It took her a moment to realize that her mother had just returned home from work. Connie felt her heart jump. The book! She couldn't let her mother see it.
She turned her attention back to the book and saw, to her surprise, that the book's pages were blank once more.
"Connie?" her mother called out, her voice sounding much closer. "Are you up here?"
"Y-Yeah, mom!" Connie called back as she quickly closed the Grimoire and stuffed it under her bed. Quickly, she jumped up and hurried to her door and unlocked it, just as her mother opened the door.
Connie put on an innocent smile and tried her best to appear normal.
Connie's mother gave her a funny look. "Is something wrong?"
"N-Nope, nothing's wrong. Everything's fine, everything's normal!"
The girl's mother frowned. "Okay…it's just you seem…it just seems like something's bothering you. You do know that if something's bothering you, you can tell me…right?"
"Yeah, uh-huh." Connie nodded, feeling a little guilty that she was hiding a strange magic book in her room. A part of her wanted to talk to her mom and ask her for advice. But another part of her told her to keep quiet. She could take care of this all on her own.
Connie's mom stared at her daughter for a few moments before a gentle smile formed on her lips.
"Well, okay then. Just…if you need me, I'm always here for you."
Connie nodded as her mother left. The young girl closed the door and locked it once she was sure her mother had returned downstairs.
Slowly, the young girl approached her bed, knelt down and retrieved the grimoire. The moment her hand touched the book, Connie felt a warm sensation creeping up her arm and filling her, washing away any fear, doubt and anxiety she had.
The girl held the book in her hands, silently inspecting it and staring at it. Moments ago, she saw that there was writing on the pages and that she heard something speak to her. Maybe the book was reaching out to her, trying to communicate. However, as she flipped through the pages, she saw that each page was blank like before. Save for one. Coming to a stop on what she assured was the title page, Connie saw something inscribed at the top. Written in elegant black letters was what she guessed was the title of the tome: The Hidden Twilight.
A strange title and yet Connie felt that the title suited the book. After what felt like a small eternity of staring at the title page and pondering how she could further unlock the secrets hidden in the book, Connie heard her mother calling to her. Dinner was ready. The girl's stomach growled, bringing her back to reality. She turned and was almost out the door before she realized that she was still carrying the book. A part of her told her to just bring the book with her and if anyone had an issue with it, then she could show them the error of their ways.
Dark and hideous images flashed through her head, images of violence and loved ones torn to pieces by dark powers, causing Connie to shiver with disgust and fear. Where did that come from? The young girl shook her head. She returned the book to its hiding place under her bed, though that was easier said than done. As she placed the book under the bed, the girl's fingers tightened their grip on the book, but Connie forced herself to let go.
As Connie went down to dinner, she couldn't help but look back to where she left the book. Leaving the book there, it didn't feel right. Something in her mind told her to go back for it and pick it up, to hold it and keep it forever, never letting it go. Connie dismissed those thoughts and left. Tomorrow was her first day of training and she needed to focus.
- End of Chapter 2 -
"Ahh, there we go," Leonard sighed, settling into the pile of pillows on his waterbed. It took him a few hours but he finally managed to get comfortable by arranging his seat cushions and pillows on his bed in the perfect configuration.
Even a mage of his calibur and experience was still susceptible to the ravages of old age and shoddy living habits. For years the dirty old wizard had sworn to clean up and get back on the right path, but gave up on those promises long ago. It was a lot easier to just let go and drift into oblivion. Which was what got him involved with that book, that accursed…thing that the girl named Connie had taken home with her. A shudder ran through the elderly mage's bony frame, causing him to pull his bathrobe around him to try and warm himself up.
The old man scowled. He had been grappling with these guilt-ridden thoughts all day now and no matter what he did, no matter how much Pixie Dust he snorted or firewhisky he drank, a tiny annoying voice continued to nag at him about his actions. But every time that voice whined, the harder he focused on the reward. The big payout. In a week's time, everything will change for the better. For him at least.
The Emperor will get what's coming to him, him and all his little lap dogs. But all those innocent people: Hexside's faculty, the students and their families…
After a moment of contemplation, Leonard growled and shook his head. He needed to take his mind off things for a while. After all, he still had a week until the big day.
The old man raised his hands and clapped. The dirty orange-yellow lights of the mobile home's interior were extinguished and a dozen scented candles popped into existence, bringing scattered amber light. With a gesture, his stash cupboard opened and a stream of DVD cases flew out and hovered before him, presenting their covers to him.
His bloodshot eyes scanned the DVD covers and murmured their titles to himself.
"Pulp Friction…Dawson's Crack…Forest Hump…"
Leonard frowned. He'd seen all these dirty movies thousands of times - so much so that they don't do anything for him any more. But he needed something to distract him. Something to make him forget, even for a little while. The things he's seen…the horrors that came with the magic he dabbled in…
"Black to the Future…A Dong of Ice and Fire…Schindler's Fist - Here we are!"
He selected one of his newer DVDs, something he swiped from Earth, and sent the rest back to the cupboard. With a series of gestures, Leonard conjured up his enormous, HD flatscreen TV and inserted the disc into the player hovering beneath the screen. Electric guitar music and blaring horns played as the video began. The titles exploded on screen in a burst of fire and formed bronze and orange metallic letters: Pacific Rimjob.
Leonard sighed contently as he watched the actors struggle to act serious and move about in tight leather jumpsuits. As the film began to progress to its steamy climax, the dirty old wizard heard a sound. He held up his hand and the film paused. After a lengthy silence, Leonard continued the movie. There was no way anyone had found him. He had warded the place and a chunk of the surrounding forest with spells ripped directly from that little black Grimoire. The magic in that thing was so powerful, even the Emperor couldn't match it. And yet…
Not even a minute into resuming the film, the sound returned. Only this time it was louder and closer. Leonard paused the film again, only this time he was beginning to worry. He was lazy, but never careless. The wizard switched off the TV and doused the candles, plunging the interior of the Winnebago into darkness. He crawled off the water bed and tumbled to the ground. Lying flat on the floor, which was sticky and covered in crumbs and fast food wrappers, Leonard waited. Silence reigned for a long moment, the only sound was the wizard's erratic heartbeat.
After what felt like an eternity of lying on a sticky old soda stain and old hamburger wrappers, Leonard was ready to crawl back into bed and chalk this whole thing up to jangled nerves. Unfortunately, as he began to pick himself up off the floor, a thunderous bang sounded. The entire mobile home shook and the door flew off its hinges and hurled away into the starless night.
Leonard felt his heart jump into his throat. That shouldn't have happened. It was inscribed with powerful security runes. Unless…
It was then that realization and horror filled the old wizard, causing him to fall backwards as a shadowy figure entered the mobile home. The figure wasn't tall but from what he could make out, it looked human in shape, clad in a deep purple robe with a silver trim. Above the neck and shoulders, Leonard saw a smooth, bald head. The head turned and the wizard's fears were confirmed. Where a human face should be, he saw the face of a monster. Narrow, amber eyes that glowed in the dark and a long writhing beard of tentacles instead of a mouth. The stranger looked at Leonard, who was already screaming like a little girl.
(a/n: So? What do you think? This little arc will conclude in the next chapter, which I'll try to finish as soon as I can.)