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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ajanders" data-source="post: 943962" data-attributes="member: 3271">New story postThere are three lessons every wizard learns before they begin with the slightest cantrip: when to surrender to opponents, when to stand before them, and when to flee them.Rusty Wilon knew it was time to flee fast and far when the black banner came over the horizon.The first thing he did was whisper a word older than speech of man to make his cloak a deep leafy green.  After that, he went out to forage supplies from the houses on the outskirts of the village.The foraging --more like stealing, actually-- went surprisingly well.  The unexpected presence of the Pelorian Inquisition had drawn all eyes and most people to the church.  Rusty slipped into the back door of the first farmhouse, pulled three loaves of bread out of the oven before they burned, and then took one for himself as payment.The wainright next door had a new smokehouse: Rusty took down a ham and then added fuel to the fire to assuage his conscience.  The orchards behind the wainright's added a dozen windfall pears to his pack as he headed north, confident that if he could just get to the other side of the island, he could sign on as a supercargo on a trader and put this whole miserable part of his life behind him.He might even find a deep part of the ocean and drop the damned gun into it one night.  It'd be a relief to be rid of the thing. He put his eyes ahead of him and pumped his legs hard to cover distance, looking neither to the right or the left, nor wasting any energy in looking behind him.Of course, that meant he leapt about a foot in the air when he heard a familiar voice behind him."Koreas!  M-master Koreas!  You're supposed to be dead! or lost!...sir..."Amusement shone in Koreas' violet eyes."Or mad!  Or consigned to eternal torment in the Abyss!  Or taking a vacation on the Island of the Moon, yess?"Rusty stood silent, unfamiliar with the concept of his master being amused.  Or making a joke.Koreas swept on, looking ...cheerful?"Russty, apprentice mine, I think it'ss time I explained to you jusst a little bit of my long-term plans.  Ssit down and make yourself comfortable.Rusty obeyed with alacrity and without discussion.  Best not to disturb the only cheerful mood he'd seen Koreas in.  Ever."Russty, this world is under the control of certain entities generally called gods.  For the purposes of this discussion, we will also call them gods."Rusty nodded slowly and in a manner calculated not to upset Koreas.Koreas actually grinned."You, of coursse, are perfectly aware of this, and doubtless wonder why I'm treating you like an addled toddler.  Bear with me, please.  We have to lay all the premises out before we reach the conclusion, true?"Rusty nodded again."Now I know, from my ressearch, and you know, from your experience, that other worlds exist, where there are no gods...at least not in the sense that we have gods.  Do I missstate myself?"Rusty found himself slipping back into the rhythm of academic debate despite his growing sense of unease.  Koreas actually appeared happy, which should be a good thing.Why then was the hair on the back of his neck rising?"You are entirely correct, Master Koreas.""Then Russty, what does this suggest to you?""The conclusion, then, is that there must be forces or entities different than those things we call gods that sustain those godless worlds?""Yess indeed, Rusty Wilon.  Congratulationss.  You have just passed your apprenticeship.  I ssalute you."Rusty blinked."And I ssee you've learned the value of silence as well."Rusty leapt to fill whatever conversational void Koreas felt there to be.  "This just seems very sudden, s- Magister Koreas."Koreas reached into his belt purse and drew out a worked silver ring."Nonssense, Magus Wilon.  Anyone who can state a rule of reality in one simple sentence like that has moved past the apprentice stage."He handed Rusty the ring.  "Take thiss as a little souvenir of all the fine work you've done.  Blessings on your journeys."He stood and stretched for a moment, then turned around."That ssaid, Magus Wilon, I could use your help in a few projects of mine...if you have the time."Rusty bit his lip.  "I had planned, Magister, to leave the island as quickly as I could.  There's an Inquisitor here, and I'd very much-""Like to be elssewhere?"  Koreas interrupted brightly.  "That would explain the squashy pears dropping out of that pack, then.  Provisions for the journey?"Rusty nodded.  Nods seemed to keep Koreas in his happy mood, which Rusty felt was a good thing.Koreas tutted as he examined Rusty's dingy clothes and battered pack."Rusty, my boy, I blame mysself for this.  Now that you're a magus, you'll need to look like a credit to the Art, not some refugee from an otherworldly war.  Even if you are one, you shouldn't look like it."Rusty nodded again."Though I do like what you've done with the cloak."Koreas turned to look him fully in the eyes."Permit me, Magus Wilon, to try another set or two of premises and conclusions."(Will finish post tomorrow, need to do other things now.  Sorry.)</blockquote>

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