The morning sunlight filters through the streets of Havenmere, glinting off enchanted shop windows and bustling brooms darting across the skies. Darwin strides purposefully toward Ashbain’s General Magical Services, his arms laden with scrolls, books, and even a small enchanted crystal sphere that hums faintly with stored magical energy. The sphere is from a class project he did sophomore where, but for some reason he forgot what magic he stored inside of it. His traditional magician’s robe swishes awkwardly around his legs—a stark contrast to the more modern, practical attire of passersby.
Darwin stops briefly outside the shop, adjusts his oversized satchel, and takes a deep breath. Today’s the day he’ll prove himself.
Inside, Merrick is already bustling around the cluttered office. Tally tinkers with one of his drones near the workbench, while Saffrey organizes a shelf of potions with labels scrawled in her messy handwriting.
Darwin steps in full of enthusiasm.
----------------------------------------
DARWIN: Morning everyone! I brought some examples of my work—spells I’ve been improving, my degree, even a few enchantments I made during school. And, uh— my crystal sphere…This is something I think could—
MERRICK: Leave it on the table. We have to go, we have been summoned for a job. Grab my satchel and book. Make haste apprentice. We’ve been called to the old Havenmere Archives. Seems a spellbook that was supposed to be de-cast got activated. Sentient furniture, enchanted chaos—the usual mess. Let’s move.
TALLY: First mission kid, feeling excited?
{Saffrey smirks as she packs her different potions together, then glances at Darwin’s outfit.}
SAFFREY: {teasing} Nice outfit. Did your mommy make that for you?
DARWIN: I thought it’d be... fitting. Traditional magic and all.
{Merrick stops at the door and gives Darwin a skeptical look.}
MERRICK: Where’s your broom? You do have a broom don’t you? Did you learn to navigate one in your fancy schooling?
DARWIN: Uh... sort of? I mean, I can ride one... theoretically. I never got my license in school. It wasn’t a requirement to graduate, and—
{Merrick raises a hand to cut him off, now irritated.}
MERRICK: {grumbling} Of course. Figures. You’ll ride with Tally.
TALLY: {grins} Oh, this is gonna be fun.
----------------------------------------
Tally points to the back of his hover-broom, a high-tech contraption brimming with blinking lights and enchantments. Darwin gulps, climbing on behind him as Saffrey chuckles and kicks off on her own broom. Merrick grumbles under his breath as he mounts his traditional wooden broom, the bristles swishing as he rises steadily into the air.
The group arrives at the Havenmere Archives, an imposing building of stone and stained glass. It exudes an air of quiet authority, with its grand entrance and tall, arched windows. Or at least, it would—if not for the chaos spilling out of the front door.
A galloping table barrels into the parking lot, its legs bending and creaking as it dodges a startled passerby. Several chairs hop around, a bench rears up, neighing like a horse before bolting down the street.
Darwin’s jaw drops as he hops off Tally’s broom, nearly tripping in his robes.
----------------------------------------
DARWIN: This... this is incredible!
{Merrick gives him an annoyed look, stepping past him with his staff in hand.}
MERRICK: Stay back and pay close attention. BEHOLD! Real magic is at work.
{Tally deploys a drone, which buzzes to life and zips toward the library entrance. Saffrey pulls out a shimmering blue potion, setting it to the side as she pulls more colorful vials}
SAFFREY: I’ll use a potion to pinpoint the active spellbook causing this. Shouldn’t take long.
TALLY: And I’ll make sure our furniture friends don’t stray too far off.
----------------------------------------
Merrick mutters something under his breath as he moves toward the doorway, his staff glowing faintly.
Darwin watches in awe as the team springs into action. For a moment, they look like a well-oiled machine. Saffrey’s potion glows as she throws it into the air, the mist forming tendrils that snake through the library, seeking the source of the magic. Tally’s drones whiz around the perimeter, weaving glowing nets that corral the galloping furniture back toward the entrance.
Darwin can’t help but smile. Maybe this is the place for him after all.
But then, chaos erupts.
One of Tally’s drones sputters, its lights flickering erratically before it explodes with a loud POP! The net it was holding snaps free, and a table bolts past Merrick, crashing through one of the stained-glass windows.
Saffrey’s potion mist veers suddenly, its glow intensifying as it engulfs several dormant books on the shelves. Instead of pinpointing the active spellbook, it recharges the others, sending waves of new enchantments cascading through the library.
One of the newly reactivated books flips open, releasing a gust of icy wind. Within seconds, a snowstorm begins to form above the library, snowflakes swirling through the aisles as frost coats the bookshelves.
Merrick growls, gripping his staff tightly.
----------------------------------------
MERRICK: {irritated} This is why I tell you to TEST those potions before you use them in the field!
{Saffrey glares at him, pulling out another vial}
SAFFREY: The potion works fine—well it did yesterday!
{Darwin, still standing near the entrance, watches the chaos unfold. His initial awe begins to waver as he realizes just how disorganized things are beneath the surface.}
DARWIN: Okay... maybe they’re not quite as put-together as they seemed.
----------------------------------------
The scene escalates as Merrick attempts to cast a containment spell, his voice rising over the chaos as he chants an ancient incantation. But the length of the spell gives the sentient furniture ample time to scatter further, and the snowstorm above intensifies with each passing moment.
Tally sends out another drone, grinning despite the chaos.
----------------------------------------
TALLY: Don’t worry, I’ve got this under control!
{The drone veers off course almost immediately, narrowly missing Darwin’s head as it crashes into a bookshelf.}
DARWIN: Do you, though?!
----------------------------------------
Saffrey rolls her eyes, tossing another potion into the mix as Merrick’s incantation reaches it peak.
Darwin dodges a flying chair as he realizes just how much chaos this team manages to create—and how much he still has to learn if he’s going to keep up with them.
As more books spring to life, the library becomes an ever-growing storm of chaos. Chairs gallop across the aisles, tables neigh like wild horses, and reanimated books flap their covers, darting through the air like birds. Darwin stands near the entrance, his heart racing as he watches the chaos unfold.
Merrick, stationed at the center of the room, grips his staff tightly as he continues to chant the intricate incantation of a powerful containment spell. His voice rises and falls with the ancient rhythm, but the spell takes time—far too much time in the current situation.
Darwin’s admiration for traditional magic wavers slightly. While he respects Merrick’s spellcasting, he can’t ignore what he learned in school—modern adaptations could drastically shorten the incantation time without sacrificing its essence.
On the other side of the room, Saffrey holds the shimmering blue potion and takes aim. The vial glints in the library’s dim light.
----------------------------------------
SAFFREY: {focused} This should freeze the books and furniture for a few minutes. That’ll buy us time.
{Tally, meanwhile, activates one of his newer gadgets—a small, dog-like robot with whirring legs and a glowing magical core. The “dog” sprints across the floor, shooting a cable out to lasso around the legs of the table }
TALLY: I’ll handle the furniture. Meet Sparky!
{Saffrey doesn’t even look at him as she prepares to throw her potion.}
SAFFREY: Just make sure that thing stays out of my way!
----------------------------------------
But as she throws the potion, Sparky darts directly into her path, running in between her legs causing her to lose control of the vial. It flies through the air before shattering near Merrick. A burst of frosty mist engulfs him, and in seconds, the master wizard is frozen mid-incantation, a look of intense concentration now locked in icy stillness.
----------------------------------------
SAFFREY: Oh, great! Look at what you did! Your little robot made me freeze Merrick!
{Tally looks more amused than concerned, crossing his arms as Sparky scuttles back to his side.}
TALLY: Hey, I’m just impressed your potion actually worked. When he thaws he gonna be pissed.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
SAFFREY: We got like 10 minutes. We need to fix this now!
TALLY: (shrugging) Ten minutes? Plenty of time for more chaos to erupt.
{Darwin finally steps forward, unable to stand back any longer}
DARWIN: {shouts} I CAN HELP!
{He charges in, but his long, flowing robe catches on a fallen chair leg. He trips and lands face-first on the floor with a loud thud.}
SAFFREY: Hey, kid! If you’re gonna help, take off that stupid robe first.
{Darwin scrambles to his feet, yanking the oversized robe over his head and tossing it aside. Beneath it, he’s wearing simple, practical clothes. His face flushes, but there’s a determined look in his eyes.}
DARWIN: I think I know how to finish Merrick’s spell.
TALLY: Well go for it kid!
----------------------------------------
Darwin begins reciting a spell incantation, but unlike Merrick’s drawn-out chant, Darwin’s version is sharp, concise, and modernized. He combines fluid hand movements with spoken words, focusing his energy into the core of the room where the chaos is strongest.
The reanimated books flap erratically, drawn toward the glowing point of Darwin’s spell. The galloping chairs and tables slow, their movements growing sluggish as the enchantment takes hold.
Saffrey raises an eyebrow, watching the room settle slightly.
----------------------------------------
SAFFREY: Not bad, kid.
{But just as Darwin’s spell seems to gain full control, a reactivated weather book suddenly releases a burst of energy. The snowstorm above the library gets bigger, frost and snow cascading from the ceiling as the containment spell loses against the storm's strength.}
DARWIN: {shouting} I’ve almost got it! Just—just give me a second!
TALLY: You might want to hurry. Unless you’re a fan of frostbite.
SAFFREY: You need to hold it steady. I’ve got something that can boost the containment field, but it’ll only work if your spell doesn’t collapse first.
DARWIN: I can do this!
----------------------------------------
Darwin grits his teeth, pushing through his doubt as he channels every ounce of focus into his spell. The glowing core intensifies, and the enchanted furniture freezes in place, the books fluttering weakly as their energy is drawn into the containment field.
Saffrey throws her potion into the glowing core, and it bursts into a brilliant flash of light. The snowstorm abruptly dissipates, and the library falls eerily quiet.
The chaos in the archive begins to settle. The snowstorm above the library fades, and the enchanted books and furniture freeze in place as Darwin’s spell completes. Darwin lowers his hands, panting and wiping his brow, but his relief is short-lived. He looks around at the scene—broken furniture, shattered windows, scattered books, and puddles of melted snow covering the floor. The archive is a disaster.
Suddenly, Merrick’s frozen figure cracks and shatters, leaving him free once more. He shakes off the last remnants of frost and immediately glares at Saffrey and Tally.
----------------------------------------
MERRICK: What in all the magical realms was that?!
SAFFREY: That was your spell getting interrupted by a misplaced freeze potion.
MERRICK: Misplaced?! You froze me! I was the only one holding the containment spell together, and you— {turns to Tally} —you and your little metal mutt—
TALLY: Mutt? His name’s Sparky.
MERRICK: —your “Sparky” caused this mess!
TALLY: To be fair, Merrick, it’s kind of impressive that Saffrey’s potion worked at all. Half the time, her potions don’t even—
SAFFREY: Oh, shut it! My potion worked perfectly. It’s your walking bucket of bolts that threw everything off.
{Merrick pinches the bridge of his nose, groaning as his two employees bicker. He turns his attention to Darwin, who looks sheepish but determined.}
MERRICK: And you. {pauses} Good job finishing the spell—but you still did it wrong.
DARWIN: Wrong? But it worked!
{Merrick gestures to the ceiling and the surrounding damage}
MERRICK: {deadpan} Oh yes, it worked—magnificently. Except for the broken furniture, shattered windows, and puddles everywhere. A proper spell wouldn’t have left such a mess.
SAFFREY: Like your spell was going any faster...
{Before Merrick can retort, the archivist, a frazzled elf named Corliss, bursts into the room. His eyes widen in horror as he takes in the scene.}
CORLISS: {shouting} What have you done?! Look at this place! You’ve caused thousands in damages! The books, the furniture, the everything!
{Saffrey steps forward, crossing her arms.}
SAFFREY: Yeah, but we stopped the book.
CORLISS: Stopped the book? Stopped the book?! Look at this mess! It’ll take weeks to clean, and half the archive is destroyed!
TALLY: {cheerfully} Yeah, but we stopped the book.
CORLISS: You keep saying that like it matters with all the damage that is done!
SAFFREY: But listen…We stopped the book though.
CORLISS: STOP SAYING THAT!
TALLY: Stop saying what? I do have a question for you? Do you know that we stopped the book?
{Darwin glances at the group, watching as Merrick, Saffrey, and Tally argue with Corliss. He furrows his brow, stepping forward.}
DARWIN: {calmly} This isn’t just about stopping the book. This happened because the de-casting spell on it wasn’t done properly.
{Corliss hesitates, caught off guard by Darwin’s serious tone. Darwin picks up the enchanted book, running his hand over its surface.}
DARWIN: The spell wasn’t fully completed. It was unstable—just waiting for the right conditions to collapse. Who handled the de-casting on this book?
CORLISS: {hesitant} Uh... I did. But I followed the instructions perfectly!
DARWIN: Clearly not.
{Darwin picks up another book from a nearby shelf, holding his hand over it. A faint glow appears around the cover as he concentrates.}
DARWIN: This one’s corrupted too. I’d bet most of the archive is filled with de-cast spells done the same way—half-completed and unstable.
CORLISS: {nervously} I—I didn’t have the time to do them all individually. I used a de-casting machine to speed up the process.
DARWIN: I’ll come by every day to work through the most dangerous ones properly. The lighter books don’t need full de-casting—just better storage.
TALLY: I could build a lockbox for the dangerous ones. Enchanted, secure, and completely tamper-proof.
SAFFREY: I can brew a protective coating for the lockboxes. No such thing as too much protection.
{Merrick waves them off with a sour expression}
MERRICK: Do what you want. I’m not helping this guy. He’s been nothing but rude.
DARWIN: Don’t worry Sir Corliss. We’ll take care of it. I’ll start tomorrow.
CORLISS: Fine. But you’d better fix this mess—and make sure it doesn’t happen again.
MERRICK: The boy said he will fix the spells YOU so haphazardly cast being lazy. He WILL NOT be cleaning up a mess in which you are the core to blame! Master Darwin is not your cleaning service.
{Corliss leans back in a bit of a fright as Merrick scolds him. The louder the old wizard gets the bigger his aura seems to grow. Saffrey and Tally exchange a grin as they both hear Merrick being protective over the newbie}
SAFFREY: {teasing} “Master Darwin,” huh? Does this mean he’s officially part of the team?
{Merrick freezes, catching himself. He narrows his eyes at them.}
MERRICK: {grumbling} Did I say “Master?” I meant apprentice. He’s a trial apprentice—we shall be paid per book he fixes. That’s it.
{With that, Merrick storms out of the archive in a huff, muttering under his breath. Tally pats Darwin on the back with a grin.}
TALLY: Congrats, kid. Welcome to the chaos.
{Darwin looks around at the destroyed archive, letting out a small sigh. Despite the mess, he feels a flicker of pride. He might still have a long way to go, but for the first time, it feels like he’s exactly where he’s meant to be.}
MERRICK: Alright, don’t doddle, let’s head back to the office. The paperwork for this is going to take all day– it’s already given me a migraine. LET’S AWAY!
----------------------------------------
The ride back to Ashbain’s General Magical Services was a quiet one, though it wasn’t without its moments of tension. Darwin, still shaky from the mission, clung tightly to Tally’s hover-broom as it zipped through the crisp morning air. Saffrey flew slightly ahead, her sleek broom cutting gracefully through the breeze, while Merrick trailed behind on his old wooden broom, muttering under his breath about "rookies" and "misplaced potions." The streets of Havenmere passed below them, bustling with morning life—vendors setting up their stalls, enchanted carriages weaving through traffic, and the occasional glimpse of a wizard practicing street magic for coins. Darwin found himself lost in thought as the familiar streets of the town blurred beneath him. The chaos of the archives still fresh in his mind, he wondered if every day would be like this. When the team finally touched down outside the crooked little building that housed their guild, Darwin’s legs wobbled slightly as he dismounted, earning a chuckle from Tally.
----------------------------------------
MERRICK: {gruffly} That was the easy part, youngster. Being a wizard isn’t just about spells and containment fields anymore. There’s paperwork, invoices, and enough red tape to strangle a hydra. You’d better get used to it.
{He adjusts his robes and points toward a cluttered desk piled high with scrolls and documents.}
MERRICK: I’ve got plenty of work to finish. If you need something, don’t bother me. I’ll be in my office.
{Merrick disappears into his office, the door shutting behind him with a slam. Saffrey pulls on her satchel and heads for the door herself.}
SAFFREY: {shouting out in the office} I’m out early today. Gotta help my mom with something. Don’t blow anything up while I’m gone.
{Tally gives her a mock salute as she leaves, and Darwin watches her go, feeling a bit unsure of what to do next. Tally notices and waves him over to the workbench, where he’s adjusting a small drone.}
TALLY: You did good out there, kid. It gets easier, trust me. Well… maybe not easier, but you get used to it. Some jobs are exciting, like today. Others? Boring as dirt. You’ll see.
DARWIN: It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. Work with real wizards, you know? But, uh… how did you end up here? Merrick doesn’t exactly seem like the type to embrace… well, anything with blinking lights and moving parts.
TALLY: Yeah, Merrick’s not a fan of what he considers “a waste of time.” But even he knows there’s no avoiding it. My family’s full of traditional wizards—half of them are wizards without work. There’s only so far you can go sticking to the old ways. Me? I’ve always loved advancements. When they build new structures with magic-infused supports, when there’s a new design for an enchanted communication screen, when they perfect portal travel—I’m the first to read up on it. I love keeping track of that stuff. Always have.
DARWIN: So how’d you convince Merrick to hire you?
TALLY: He didn’t exactly have a choice. I wasn’t the first, you know. I’m, like, the fifth or sixth “arcane technician” he’s brought in.
DARWIN: Wow. Not the first huh? I guess people don’t stick around long with Merrick.
TALLY: {shrugging} Merrick knows he needs someone on his team who can deal with tech, even if he hates to admit it. He’s difficult to work with, yeah, but once you figure him out, he’s not so bad. He’s got a stubborn streak as long as a sea dragon, but he means well. Most of the time.
DARWIN: What about Saffrey? How’d she end up here?
TALLY: That’s a conversation you’ll have to have with her. If she wants you to know her story, she’ll tell you. Just a heads-up, though: it’s a long one. But hey, with what I saw today, I think you’ll stick around long enough to hear it.
DARWIN: Has being an arcane technician been a lifelong dream or something?
TALLY: {grinning} For me? I just like fixing things. The tools, the gadgets, the big stuff, the small stuff. It all fascinates me. What about you, though? Why’d you pick Traditional Magic? That’s about as useful these days as running a wooden broom dealership.
DARWIN: I grew up reading the old stories. You know, the ones about dragon hunters, wizards waging wars, and spells that could turn gold into diamonds. My mom works at one of the biggest magic libraries, so I was surrounded by all those tales growing up. When I got into school, the Traditional Magic classes barely had ten students. They even announced they were going to phase out the program soon. But I wanted to do it anyway. I thought, maybe if I worked hard enough, there’d still be a place for wizards like that in the world: Of course, when I graduated, I went straight from mopping floors at Abra-Ka-Burger to bagging fries. Not exactly what I’d imagined. I guess I got lucky, though, seeing that flyer.
TALLY: Yeah? And what if this doesn’t work out? What then?
DARWIN: Ask me that a week ago, and I’d have said I’d go work for one of my brothers, or help my mom at the library, or even go back to school to study tech magic. But now? I’m not worried about it. I feel like this is where I’m supposed to be.
{Tally pats Darwin on the back, with a warm smile on his face.}
TALLY: You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, kid. You’ll do fine. Now, help me put this stuff away, and I’ll show you a few tricks—maybe even let you see some new stuff I’m working on.
DARWIN: Actually, I took an extra class in Wizard Technology back in school. I’ve got a few ideas for things that might help.
TALLY: Well now, a technomancer in the making.
----------------------------------------
The two dive into conversation as Merrick stares down from his office. He stands by the window, glancing down at the two young men with a stoic expression. He lets out a small sigh, shaking his head.
Merrick didn’t want to get his hopes up—not again. But something about Darwin made him pause. Maybe, just maybe, this one would stick around.
Merrick pulls the blinds closed and sits back at his desk, burying himself in a pile of scrolls.