Zack stumbled back from the lake and fell on his butt.

He looked up at Salguod and said, “How am I supposed to reconcile this new reality with all that I have ever known. Some moments I think I can handle it; other moments giant dragons are pointing out that I am magical and glowing purple.”

Zack shook his head, “It is too much. I just want to go home.”

Salguod paused and replied, “That is not what I think you really want.”

Zack looked up in annoyance, “Oh really, why don’t you just tell me what I am thinking then.”

Salguod, completely unfazed by Zack acerbic tone replied, “I think you really just want to not know all the things you now know. You want to not know magic is real. You want to not know that wizards and dragons exist. You want to not know you can do magic.”

Zack looked at him super pissed off for a good minute. Then his frown fell from his face, and he chuckled. “Well fuck, that’s fair.”

Salguod, on a roll pointed to himself continued, “You know the weirdest part to me, the dragon?”

Zack played along and answered, “What is the weirdest part to you the dragon?”

Salguod exclaimed, “You can do magic and you haven’t even tried to use it. Well, other than taking out some assholes who desperately needed it. I mean, you haven’t tried to fly, or levitate, shoot fire out your hands, instantly freeze things, illuminate your surroundings, or any other fun things an average wizard could do.”

Zack sat stunned, “Huh, you'RE right, it has not occurred to me to even try some basic magic um tricks? Spells? Ok seriously what is it called when a wizard practices magic?”

Salguod laughed, “Practicing magic.”

Zack replied, “fair enough, I have been calling it ‘wizarding’ for lack of a better word.”

Salguod nodded and said, “Let’s work on that.”

Zack smiled, “I have been so focused on leaving and lamenting my situation I have not really explored it. The one time I did, I left my cabin and ended back up at it despite walking in a straight line.”

Salguod responded, “I think you need to embrace reality as it is, no matter how strange it may seem to you. If you don’t you will drive yourself crazy.”

Zack nodded with a new sense of energy in him. What if I am more than some dude with his PhD? What if I am a wizard? Would that really be so bad?

Salguod stood up and stretched his back as sunlight began to pierce the night sky. “It is time Zack Tighe for you to engage the world and do whatever it is you want to do.”

Zack nodded and said, “I should probably figure that out. Maybe practice with my magic and learn the ins and outs of this world. Basically, what Paxton has been pushing me to do.”

Salguod said with a sense of satisfaction, “I am glad to hear you say that. I now feel comfortable telling you something else.”

Zack smiled with appreciation at Salguod, “What’s that?”

Salguod replied, “Queen Aadici has a contingent of soldiers looking for the last soldiers, the rats and your group killed. They are 40 mile north of here.”

Zack stopped smiling, “Well shit, couldn’t just let me have a happy moment, could you? How many are there?”

Salguod continued smiling and said, “Well you are a wizard, time to do some wizarding. There are rough 500 soldiers and another 80 archers. I don’t think they are just looking for the dead soldiers. I think they are marching on Vinstra.”

Zack responded, “A response for killing their soldiers?”

Salguod shook his head, “They are already too close for them to be a response to the other soldier’s deaths. You should also know they brought the Queens Mage and the Queens Hand.”

Zack looked quizzically, “Hand, as in her administrator?”

Salguod nodded.

Zack continued, “How powerful is her Mage?”

Salguod responded, “Hard to say, for a mage I would imagine fairly powerful. Compared to a wizard, probably not much of a threat. You have the advantage, no one believes a wizard exists. He will likely think he is the supreme unquestioned power in the kingdom.”

Zack said, “When you say march on Vinstra you mean take over Vinstra and integrate it into the kingdom?”

Salguod looked down and then said, “No, they march on it to erase it from the world.”

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Zack responded without thinking, “The fuck they will.”

Salguod replied with a smile, “You are glowing again.”

Zack returned the smile and said, “Good.”

Salguod said, “I need to get back to the council of elders and report the situation. What is your plan?”

Zack said, “Any chance you could give me a lift to a spot near the queen's soldiers?”

Salguod nodded, “Sure, but not too close. It would not be in any of our best interest to be seen together just yet.”

Zack nodded in understanding. “Makes sense, can you give me an hour to relay a message to my team in Vinstra before we leave?”

Salguod nodded again, “No problem.”

Zack immediately headed back to Vinstra. He arrived at the Adventurers Hall 25 minutes later. Vita was just opening the door with a giant mug of coffee in her hands.

Zack said, “Can you tell me where Sophie lives?”

Vita for the first time looked skeptically at Zack, “It’s a little early in the morning for that kind of visit don’t you think?”

Zack laughed, “What? Oh no nothing like that. I have an adventure for our team I need to tell her about. It is time sensitive.”

Vita stared at Zack for another moment trying to decide whether she believed Zack. Finally, she relented and gave Zack the address with an admonishment he better be above board about this.

Zack asked, “One more thing, do you have anymore coffee? I want to bring it to her, so she won’t be to mad about my waking her up so early.”

Zack grabbed a big mug of coffee and thanked her. He sprinted to Sophie’s house.

He arrived a few moments later and knocked on the door. Sophie answered after the third time Zack knocked.

Sophie said half asleep and bleary eyed, “Cor? What is going on? What time is it? Why are you here? What is going on?”

Zack realized she was still pretty out of it and offered her some coffee. Sophie looked at the coffee with indifference on her face. Then she smelled the it, and a small smile crossed her face as she took it from Zack. She invited Zack in.

In the kitchen Zack asked, “I need a really big favor from you. I realize you have known me for less than a week, but I am on to something, and I need your help.”

Sophie took another pull from the coffee mug and asked, “Why do I get bad feelings when you say you are on to something? What exactly is something?”

Zack smiled unconvincingly and said, “That is precisely why it is a ‘really big’ favor and not just a favor. I cannot tell you about the something and you are going to have to trust me.”

Sophie stalled for a second drinking more coffee. “When is this something going down?”

Zack smiled unconvincingly again and replied, “In about two hours.”

Sophie shook her head and sat up to clear her mind, “Cor, what exactly do you need from me?”

Zack replied, “Do you like and, more importantly, trust the sheriff?”

Sophie said, “Without question.”

Zack said, “Ok good, gather the team, the sheriff, and anyone else you trust and meet me at this location in two hours.

Zack took out a map and pointed to a small valley just under two hours away.

Sophie looked skeptically at Zack, “And why am I bringing everyone out to this location early in the morning?”

Zack responded, “That is the something part I cannot tell you. I know it is a big ask but trust me, it will be worth it.”

Sophie asked, “Why are we meeting you there, why not just go out there with you?”

Zack smiled sheepishly, “um, because I will already be there, the rest is really best understood when you get there.”

Sophie said, “I am not going to lie Cor, this is a big ask. I doubt I can convince the sherif to join us. Maybe I can get our team there. Hell, I am not sure I will even go out there.”

Zack stared at Sophie trying to make his mind up, finally he nodded and said, “Sophie, I get this is weird to ask, but I need you to do this for me.”

Sophie stared back at Zack and said, “What the hell am I supposed to tell the others to convince them to come as well?”

Zack smiled and said, “Have you ever heard of the legend of the man called Zack who saved the village?”

Sophie’s smile fell. “Yes, Zack the Wizard.”

Zack said, “If I remember right the legend goes that he proclaimed to Queen Aadici that Vinstra and the surrounding area under his protection.”

Sophie nodded with a new intensity about her. “He saved my grandfather from certain death. He is a hero to this town.”

Zack got up and went to the door to leave.

He turned to Sophie and said, “If you would like to learn more about him you, the team, and the sherif will be at that spot on the map in two hours.”

Zack opened the door and left. Twenty-five minutes later Zack was traveling on Salguod towards the Queen’s army.

Salguod dropped Zack off about a mile from the camp.

Zack said, “Thank you Salguod for the ride and sharing your wisdom with me. It is time I started living my life. It is time for some wizarding.”

Salguod replied, “Good luck Zack the Wizard. I shall return in a few days with an update from the council of elders.” Salguod took off away from the army leaving Zack in a small grove of trees.

Zack walked towards the smoke from the queen’s army encampment. As he walked Zack considered his situation and how to handle the queen’s army. Zack decided to meditate and flood his senses with his surroundings, getting in tune with the ambient magic as well as all the other living things.

When Zack was about a half mile away his senses tingled. He felt the presence of several scouts and guards on the perimeter of the camp. He could sense when the guards took notice of him. Much to his surprise ten guards left the camp on an interception course.

When Zack got close enough, he raised his hands with a big smile on his face. “Hello friends.”

The lead guard who was significantly bigger than the rest said, “Halt! Who are you and why are you approaching Queen Aadici’s camp?”

Zack did not halt. He continued walking towards the soldiers. They were 50 yards a part.

Zack said, “I thought this land was public land and anyone could traverse it.”

The soldier sneered and said, “You are on Queen Aadici’s land and traverse it with her blessing.”

Then he said with as much sarcasm as possible, “and ‘friend’, you do not have her blessing.”

All the soldiers unsheathed their swords and advanced on Zack.

Zack stopped feigning fear and said, “Whoa, I am but one man. Just out for a walk. I did not know the fair queen had a camp nearby.”

The soldiers kept advancing slowly.

Zack continued, “Hhhmm I seem to remember that this land was under the protection of Zack.”

The soldiers stopped for a moment and laughed. All except the lead soldier who grimaced. The other soldiers noticed their leader was not laughing and stopped.

The lead soldier said, “What do you know of Zack?”

Zack replied, “Nothing of consequence, just told a story by my grandfather who witnessed his feats of courage saving the people of Vinstra.”

The lead soldier visibly reacted to Zack’s words. He ordered the other soldiers to seize Zack.

As they approached Zack, he raised his hands in a gesture of peace to demonstrate he was not a threat and he said, “Listen, I am not a threat, I am happy to go with you willingly. Where do you want to take me?”

For the first time the big soldiers smiled, “You might be of interest to the queen’s mage. I doubt you will find him as friendly and agreeable as me.”