: Jax :

Ugn.

Why do I have a splitting headache? Am I sick? I also smell something rank.

Wha- .

Mmmgn.

ow.

Last I remember I was. . . . . at Guardian Games? Yes. Wait no! wait yes? I should probably open my eyes. Why is everything blue? I swear I had a dream or something like this. . . .

wait.

That fucking cat!

I remember now. I pat myself checking how I am. Yep pissed and puked all over myself. Which means

that was not a dream?

Oh fuck.

What now?

: Drovak :

Meditation is a wonderful and useful thing. It allows one to gather Essence more easily, along with allowing one to recall and observe certain facts. Such as the realization that the summoning, which usually only lasts for perhaps ten minutes if you are summoning a being from another plane, lasted for approximately 3 hours.

Deduction and process of elimination wound then state that: my newest apprentice hopeful is from much further out then the furthest plane that we readily have access to. I had expected my newest student to be from this world. Not to mention this plane. But apparently, he is from very far away indeed. Mayhap that is why the scrying portion of the spell took 2 and a half years. Though the mana requirement to summon him was horrendous. If it had not been for all of the redundancies that I thought would be useful but not needed. I think my spell matric would have failed.

‘Master he has awoken.’

‘Thank you Blintx’

With a deep breath in to help center myself I am reminded that my new student is currently not in the best of conditions. I stand with a little help from a levitation spell and simply observe. Whatever my new student is he is not of the races of Cor’malin. He has the height of a elf, the shape and girth of a dwarf, but rounded features as a gnome has. No matter. Soon I shall find out who and what he is.

“Are you injured? That head on collision with the shield looked like it hurt.”

A pained groan escapes his lips and he tucks himself into a ball. After a second or so he jerks back to laying flat.

“God damit, I thought this was all a fucking dream.”

Hmmm. He seems to enjoy cussing quite a bit. Well we all have our quirks I suppose.

“Try not to thrash about too much. I am surprised that you were able to take a shock spell with little to no difficulty. Usually they are able to knock out those who have not trained in the use of Essence.”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Look, I don’t know who you are, but where the fuck am I and why am I here?” he states while sitting up. He looks towards me. Impressive. Usually people can not see that well through a shield spell unless they have a fairly high perception.

“My name is Drovak. I am a conjurer. And I have summoned you here to be my apprentice.”

A look of confusion and doubt passes across his face.

“Wait, you said conjurer? As in magic!?” I would not expect someone of his size to be able to get to their feet so fast. He almost seemed to just twist in place and suddenly he is standing.

Hmmm, is he a former warrior? With his features I have no indication of age.

“Yes, magic.” I reply slightly confused.

“Holy Shit!” he seems excited. This is the first time I have ever seen someone so . . . . exuberant about such a common thing.

“So your telling me that that time in the void thingy and this forcefield here are all from magic!?” he all but stumbles over himself coming close to and stretching out his hands caressing the shield.

“Void?” what I did was a basic teleportation array combined with a specific search, along with a few carefully chosen commands to ensure I was not poaching someone else’s student.

“yeah you know the void thing. The place where I was for about 2 or so hours after I was,” he pauses for a breath or two trying to think, “Snatched? from the side of the street.”

Most interesting. I have never heard of any sort of void. The closest I can think of is the outer regions of creation. They are said to be a pitch void that nothing except madness and creatures of nightmares dare to tread.

“Hmm most intriguing. But enough of getting distracted. Who and what are you?”

: Jax :

I can’t believe it. Magic? As in honest to fucking god magic!!!

Oh that explains a few things. But that also begs the question of so much more! Like what is the system? Is it just a swish and flick and say the words? Or is it a set of precise chants and long ceremonies followed by a sacrifice? Wait no I don’t think that last one because I don’t see anything around that could have been sacrificed. Oh My Fucking God Magic!

I raptly start to poke prod and caress the forcefield in front of me. It seems a bit cool to the touch somehow. But it is also vibrating. It also feels solid but when I poke it slightly it gives just the tiniest amount. Almost like a few tarps kept tight and layered one over the other, keeping shape for the most part while being able to change should it need to.

OH MY God MAGIC!!!

Wait focus. The guy that likely zapped you here is talking.

“. . . . distracted. Who and what are you?”

Wha . . . . I missed what he said. Fuck sometimes I really hate you ADHD.

“Sorry, I was not completely listening, this is quite a bit to take in. could you say what you said again?” I ask as nice and contrite as I can.

He brings a hand up from his side and rubs his temples. I think I am giving him a headache.

“What and who are you?”

Oh hmmm.

“Well, I am 26 years old, trained as a chef, I work for Amazon at one of their shipping facilities, I am also a Gamer, Otaku and a Dungeon Master of D&D, also I am a college student who took the summer off to raise some money and take a break “

Yeah that should explain things . . . I think.

“Hmm well those are all very interesting but what are you?”

Is this some sort of introspective question or something?

“Currently your prisoner?”

That actually gets a laugh.

“No, what I mean is what species of being are you? I have never seen your kind before.”

Oh. Damn, ok.

“I am a human. From the planet Earth. If that helps at all.” I say a bit sheepish.

“Human? Hmmmm nope never heard of that one before.” He stands there on the other side of the forcefield stroking a magnificent goatee that morphs into a beard that was just. Wow. How long is that thing? Hmm looks like 3 maybe 4 feet long. Damn. The only beard I can ever grow is a patchy neck beard.

“Sooo . . what are you then?” I mean turnabout is fair play.

“I am an Elfin.”

An elf! Seriously? Cool. I take a moment and take in my surroundings a bit more. Fuck I am rank.

“ugh, I don’t know if you have noticed or not but, I would really like to clean up after my. . . mishap. Any chance I can clean up somewhere, somehow?”

After a moment of consideration, he nods slightly and with a wave of his hand the forcefield deactivates. And I get my first clear look at him.

“Holy shit you’re a Drow!”