Years ago, a battle was fought in the middle of a forest. The winners or losers of the battle are lost in history. During that battle, something created a massive fireball that scorched the ground along the game trail, creating a clearing where the sun shone down onto the ground. Standing in the middle of this clearing, a young man stood, one hand touching a bag tied to his waist, the other held in front of him, palm down.

Tobian focused his mental might and everything he could into pulling a rock out of a bag of holding.

Plop, a rock emerged from a bag and flew six feet before hitting the ground.

Thump, a heavyweight, pushed into Tobian's back and knocked him to the ground, right on top of the rock he'd just summoned. "Sorry, I didn't realize you had stopped," Tristan said as she reached down to help Tobian.

"It's alright. I shouldn't have stopped right on the path. I managed to throw a rock six feet from my bag of holding," Tobian said with a wide grin.

"I can throw a rock forty," Darius yelled twenty feet ahead of Tobian.

"He meant pulling it from the bag without touching it," the Professor said as he caught up to Tobian. That is more than last time. I take it you've been practicing."

"Yes," Tobian put the rock back into the bag of holding and, this time, held the bag with the opening pointed upward. He focused on it again, and the rock flew up out of the bag a couple of feet before falling to the ground. Despite trying to jerk the bag to the side, Tobian could not catch the rock in it.

"Can you do that with other objects?" Sirah said. She casually tossed a key from a dozen feet away. The key flew through the air and gracefully landed inside the bag.

Tobian looped the bag onto his belt, focused on the key, and called to it. The key lept out of the bag, hitting the ground about six feet away.

"Does the bag have to be on you?" Sirah said.

"I don't know," Tobin said. He unlooped the bag and handed it to Tristan, who took a few steps away. Tobian couldn't mentally locate the bag, but he tried to call out the rock he'd placed in there earlier.

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Nothing.

Tristan stepped up and handed Tobian his bag. When it was a foot away, the rock flew out and thumped against Tobian's chest.

"Okay, new rule: You stay at least a dozen feet away from me and my gear," Sirah said.

"I must know what is in the bag I'm pulling; I haven't seen it go there. I don't think anyone can remove unknown items from a bag." Tobian looked toward the Professor, who shrugged.

"So much knowledge has been lost." The Professor chewed on his bottom lip for a second before continuing. "Who knows what items are still adrift in the pocket dimensions of those bags."

"I wonder what treasures are hidden in the bags on ya." Darius had walked up to Tobian and poked a finger at the bags hanging off Tobian's belt. "I think we only searched them for gems and gold. Hey Professor, is there a way to empty the bags without destroying them?"

"Yes, turn them inside out." The Professor said.

Tobian pulled one of the magical bags off his belt and quickly flipped it inside out. As he pushed the bottom through the opening, he heard the Professor yell, "NOOO!"

Hundreds of items appeared out of nothing. Several rocks and pebbles fell, hitting a few feet, but none were large enough to cause damage. Some flint and steel, two dozen torches, three lanterns, eight small books, and a dozen skeletons of small animals from rats, cats, small lizards, and a frog. As soon as the skeletons hit the ground, they collapsed into a small pile of bones.

Several gemstones of various qualities, a small bag that jingled as it hit the ground, daggers, swords, two loaded crossbows, dozens of bolts and arrows, a shield, and even a battle axe.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," Tobian said as he quickly picked up the items and stuffed them back into the bag. A gentle hand grabbed his wrist as he was working on the torches.

"It is okay; this is a part of learning. Thankfully, nothing explosive or acidic was in a breakable container," Tristan said as she gave Tobian a comforting smile. Plus, this is an excellent chance to perhaps catalog what we knew and didn't know was in there. Like the gems, they could help fund some charity the next time we are in a city."

Tobias looked around at the group. All he had put into that bag were the rocks, daggers, and swords. The other items, as far as he knew, were basically free stuff for the group.

Together, they put everything but the broken skeletons back into the bag. Sirah handed Tobian the two loaded crossbows and didn't take her eyes off them. With the small bag that jingled, the Professor opened it and counted the coins inside.

"We have three hundred gold," the Professor said before tying the bag closed and placing it in one of his magical pouches. He also handed Tristan the gems to hold onto.

Everything was back in place. Tobian scanned the ground to ensure he didn't forget anything, even snagging a few extra rocks to put into the bag. Everyone started moving again. This time, Tobain kept up with the Professor to ask some questions as they walked through the forest.

"Professor, I have questions," Tobian said as he maintained pace with the spellcaster.

"The skeletons were not mine," The Professor said.

"Not that, about the magic of the bags. If I fired a crossbow in the bag, would the bolt be held in suspension?" Tobin said.

"I'm not sure, but I ask that you do not try it with those bags. If you tear one of them, all the items will spill out immediately."

"What about the Pickwick ability? Could I trigger a crossbow inside the bag to fire?"

"I'm not sure. If we were in Shuma, I could ask Magister Lucius. He studied the talent when he was younger, but even then, I'm not sure he knows. People with your ability often hid it, as it was highly prized before the war."

"And now?" Tobian glanced over his shoulder to see if anyone was following them.

"Now, it's a novelty because few ever develop it to its full power. I read a text once of a Packwick who carried the supplies of an army, eliminating the need for dozens of horses and wagons. Some people have the world in their hands metaphorically, but you," The Professor stopped and looked at Tobian with a smile. "You truly have the whole world in your hand. Or could."