The Divine Scripter was a fragment of destiny, a being destined to write the records of existence and all of its eventualities. Given the time the Divine had spent doing their duty, it was a wonder it took them so long before they had given into the very mortal concept of boredom. To read what they had written, it was the hobby the Divine picked up throughout existence. They find mortals and their escapades interesting. They sometimes get frustrated with a mortal’s limited scope in the future. It was always a guess, a leap of faith, or a set of insane amounts of preparation. Of course, the Scripter understood their limitations, but it didn’t make it any less frustrating to look at. So, sometimes they leave fragments of their writing throughout reality, as well. These fragments of Divine Prophecy found themselves in the hands of cognitive beings, ones that could make up more creative ways to use such knowledge than any deity.
All except one, it seemed!
One of these completely tone-deaf individuals was a deity’s progeny. A resident of Earthland who, for some reason incomprehensible to the Divine, wouldn’t even so much as unfurl the fragment’s creases for a peek! They had never seen such audacity—that’s Eons of their work! Ignored! Worse still, they would often see him scoff at himself at the very idea of knowing their own future.
If they could go down and smack such an impudent child, they would! Yet, there was a better way to pay back for his unwitting insults. Ever since he had gotten his hands on the fragment, he had wisely kept the item in reach—usually in the deepest part of his duffle bag whenever he goes out of his home—which he had done at the present. Of course, this is but a harmless gag. A little push so this man can find a newfound appreciation for the Scripter’s craft.
This is for undermining my work, you impudent runt!
Meanwhile over at Hargeon town, Tim and Heba were hand in hand around the attractions. Halloween, apparently, was a foreign concept for the Desiertan girl. He didn’t blame her ignorance. Living through the streets of a Desiertan city most of her life, she barely had a proper education, much less the concept of foreign cultural celebrations.
“Funny looking.” She pointed at a pumpkin headed man who was juggling pinballs while balancing a pillar of fire over his head.
Tim huffed out a laugh at her, earning a smile from the girl. It wasn’t even a week or so ago she couldn’t utter a single word of Fiorean, now she had a handle on some. Granted, she had the most qualified person to teach her everything she needed.
“Oh my! What are you supposed to be, little Heba?” The two turned and saw Mrs. Thatch and Junior walking towards them, basket on hand.
There was an old tradition of people dressing up during Halloween, children especially. There were favorites, of course. Your usual vampires, werewolves, and zombies. Others went for a more modern inspiration. Just walking to the booths Tim found a couple of children and a few teenagers who dressed up as wizards that were featured over at the tabloids and the magazines, others wore outfits that resemble Fiore’s wizard Saints. He actually almost called over someone who dressed as his guild mistress! It was a fortunate thing the person turned, letting him realize his mistake before Tim could embarrass himself. Heba also expectedly didn’t pass up the idea of dressing up. Granted, Tim wasn’t there when she picked her outfit, else he might have given her advice on picking a more conventional one.
Heba had her hands on her hips with a toothy smile, standing proudly, letting Mrs. Thatch give her a good look. The little girl was wearing a costume that resembled a very large Manta Ray. Over the costume’s top two prongs were sticking out like horns which, apparently, were the manta’s frontal fins. Her head was poking out of a hole in the costume between a manta’s gills were supposed to be. Her arms were stretched along the width of the costume’s side fins and a pair of clothed feet were designed to stick out of the bottom so she could walk easily. She looked like she was wearing a manta ray pajama more than anything, but she looked happy with it.
“Dr. Arthur helped.” She beamed.
“Of course, he did.” Junior muttered to himself, but Tim noticed.
She wasn’t the only one who thought so, Edna told him she didn’t comment on the possibility of having worn a more elegant outfit for Heba. Dr. Schwartz happily volunteered to make the outfit when he heard Heba was going out with Tim. There were many sides of his supposed mentor he never knew, being a good manipulator was chief of which he just found out quite recently. But an impulsive attempt at helping someone ‘for the hell of it’ was one his traits Tim already knew. The doctor was an oddball, a trait Tim thankfully didn’t inherit.
“The man couldn’t have convinced the poor child to wear a prettier costume?” Mrs. Thatch said out loud, then paused. “Regardless, you look wonderful in that, little Heba!”
Heba might not have understood half of what they said, but a child could tell if they were being praised or not. And seeing the Missus smile at her made the girl happy as well. Tim, looking at them talk away, thought of how she had changed from the confused and lost girl he picked up in that alley.
“I suppose getting kidnapped was worth the trouble if it meant she is here with us now, huh.” He heard Junoir mutter to himself.
“Oh?” Tim laughed. “Acting all cool like that all of a sudden, Jun?”
The younger man finally noticed how Tim heard him and went beet red. “Y-you heard that?”
“Damn right I did.” Tim flung his arm over Junior’s shoulders and pulled him close. “Look at you—one life and death encounter, all of a sudden you’re the next God of Ishgar, eh?”
“Screw you!” Junior tried to wrestle Tim’s arm off, but for the life of him couldn’t. “What the heck is your arm made of all of a sudden—metal?!”
Tim laughed.
“You sound pretty slick just now, huh.” He looked around and found the attraction called ‘The Tunnel of Terror’. “How ‘bout we test that?”
Junior went pale as soon as he saw where Tim was looking at. “Tim? Tim. Listen to me, they added magic to that place this year. Illusions. You know I’m no good with—”
His arms still locked around Junior’s shoulder forcing him to walk towards the attraction, said over his ear. “If you finish it without pissing your pants, I’ll order a hydraulic lift for the shop. Full-beard told me you’ve been eyeballing one of those babies for a while.”
“You’re evil, you know that?”
“You know something else?” Tim laughed again. “Since I became a guild wizard, I’ve got the jewels to afford being evil.”
“I’ll send a complaint to Silver Wolf.”
“Is that a no then?”
“No—I mean, yes!” Junior was quick to protest, which made Tim choke from his laughter. “I’ll do it.”
“Good! Because we’re stalling the line.” Tim waved to the attraction’s booth. “Two, please.”
The booth attendant gave them tickets and a waiver to sign. His partner who was outside the booth, making sure no one cut in line, waved her hand telling in a spooky voice. “The spell used in the Tunnel of Terror is an illusion magic that can siphon out your mind’s greatest fears!”
The booth attendant himself talked in a monotone voice. “You’re advised to surrender any iLac, Lacrima-tech, or any magical items that might dampen the magic and lessen your experience.”
Tim patted his duffle bag that hang over his side. “I have a magic item here. But I can’t afford to leave it to you guys.”
The attendant nodded his partner and she politely ushered them to the entrance. When they entered the darker hallway, Tim felt his curse oozing out. He slowly let his magic burn it off, letting a dark steam evaporate.
Junior noticed but didn’t pay any mind, he’d seen it often. But he did ask. “That’s not gonna alert smoke alarms, right?”
“It’s magic, don’t think so.” Tim looked up, noticing the detectors still completely silent. “I hope so, at least.”
“Uh-huh. Speaking of magic, what kind of item is it?” Walking towards the attraction’s ride, Junior asked. “I heard wizards have a lot of stuff from the insane number of jobs they’ve been, but I didn’t expect you do have one just put inside your old bag.”
“I didn’t find it from a job. I bought it off a magic shop over at Crocus.” Tim paused. “It’s a scroll. I haven’t opened it, but the one who sold it to me said it could let the user see a glimpse of coming events that directly affects the one who opened it.”
“That’s a nifty thing to have.”
“It’s a load of bull if its price was any indication.” Tim shrugged.
“How much was it?”
“Five thou.”
“For a future-seeing scroll?!”
“He said he bought it off a treasure hunter he personally knew for thrice the price.” Tim scratched his cheek. “But when he used it himself, he only saw his future self a few hours into the future of him using the scroll again to look at the lottery’s results, which changed when he made a bet using the numbers he saw when he used the scroll. He tried using it for a second time the next day and all he saw was me not buying it for the price he bought it with. Which is why I got it for a lot less.”
“He just told you that when you bought it?”
“He wanted to get rid of it a bit too badly, so I wrung the reason off him before I actually bought it.”
“It does feel a bit useless; I mean, even the future changed when he actually tried to use it for something useful.”
“Yeah, I’ve read something like that once.” Tim blinked. “Right. It’s called the Observer’s effect.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Basically, how an object or event’s outcome will change depending if it has been overserved or not.” Tim waved his finger. “It’s a theory, at best. But with magic being magic, I don’t doubt something like a future seeing item would affect a future’s outcome. Especially if you’re directly involve in it.”
“You really have the uncanny ability to make something that would usually excite people really seem horrible.” Junior deflated. “And here I was just thinking if we could use it to cheat on the betting games.”
Tim blinked. “That’s actually a good idea.”
“Where did your anti-magic attitude go just now?!”
The two paused, then laughed together as they finally strapped themselves to the ride.
“Remember,” Junior nudged his arm as they slowly rode inside the meticulously decorated tunnel. “You’ll be owing me a lift for the shop soon.”
“Sure,” Tim shook his head, but his unfazed smirk was all that he needed to make the younger man feel like retracting his words.
The two went inside the foggy tunnel, guided with nothing but the ride’s mechanism. The first few meters the went along smoothly but a strong magical barrier was ahead of them. Tim, especially, felt its illusory properties as they passed it. Not even a fragment of a second after they passed it, Tim was already feeling the effects of the illusion.
Everything was dark. And he was alone.
Then he felt his magical energy leave his body, bit by bit, and finally felt empty. This lack of magical energy coursing through him was oddly nostalgic. It was exactly how he felt before his old company’s lacrima was put on him. But his melancholy was immediately overshadowed by an intense pain over his back.
“Arrgh—!” Tim let out an ugly scream. “What the f—aaaaaaaaargh!”
It was scorching! This whole body was pushed down, crushed by an unknown force without his say so. Tim instinctively tried to use his light magic, but nothing happened. He didn’t even know the pain could get worse than it already was, but when he heard the distinct sound of flesh being cut, his back felt like it was being ripped off his body! A cold feeling was piercing his back as the rest only felt worse each minute passed. Tim must’ve been in this darkness for a quarter of an hour and he felt like he was killed over and over. The seething pain on his back never left, but the cold instrument was pulled out.
Pop!
Tim somehow knew, he just knew what popped out was a bone in his back.
Pop! Pop!
The sheer pain of his ribs individually popped out of his spine by an unknown force was indescribable, and the worse part was he’s beginning to feel numb everywhere else.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
With the rest of his ribs popping out Tim rolled his eyes and blacked out.
The next feeling of consciousness he felt was who knows how long since he blacked out. He didn’t feel anything, nothing but the coldness in his back. The was a frigid wind blowing directly over him that he couldn’t shake off.
In fact, he couldn’t move at all.
Tim was being crucified! He felt his arms stretched out; his muscles being ripped apart from holding his body up. His mind was screaming at his eyes to open them but the only thing he could do was crack one of his eyelids up to see a view of the town from high up. The sunrise was beginning to peer over the horizon as it finally dawned on Tim where he was and what was happening—
There was a flash of light, jolting Tim off the view of the town and he blinked.
“—im! Tim!”
“What kind of magic did you put in that ride?!”
“This has never happened before, ma’am. We—”
The pain was still there, Tim didn’t even notice where he was. But what he did notice was the lights, and his body felt like what it supposed to fell. His magic was back! Instincts kicked in: he rode light as he stood up, kicking off the ground and anyone who meant to give him harm. Tim shook his head, trying to quickly gather his memory. When he felt a weight over his shoulder, he instinctively materialized his chain and coiled it around his assailant!
He took a measured step back and—
“Tim!”
He knew this voice! “Heba…?”
The wizard blinked, but now he was standing with his back against the wall of the attraction’s entrance. There was already a crowed that gathered. But more importantly, Tim had his chains holding the booth attendant’s arm. His face was completely horrified. Tim flicked his fingers and the chains crumbled down to nothing.
“What happened?” It was Junior, and his face was exactly the one he had when he saw Tim kill the Desiertan slavers. It was an expression Tim didn’t want to see from him again.
Tim leaned back and let his body slide down as he sat by the wall. “I think I just saw the future.”
Junior quickly unzipped Tim’s duffle bag, which was now with the younger man. Rustling the contents of the bag, there was a distinct golden glow as he quickly picked up the magic scroll the two had just been talking about. When the scroll was completely pulled out of the bag the glow subsided.
“I guess that thing really was worth something.” Tim shook his head as he slowly stood up. He walked towards the attendant, who was still shaken up, and patted his shoulder.
“Sir, we—”
“The item I was holding triggered its effect when we entered the illusion barrier inside.” Tim spoke evenly. “That was my fault.”
The attendant blinked. “I allowed you to bring it along, sir. I’m partly responsible.”
“I guess we both are.” Tim sighed. “No one else was hurt, right?”
“Fortunately,” He nodded. “You were completely unresponsive when we picked you up from the ride. I suppose my wrist counts?”
Tim held the man’s arm and casted his ‘Aid’ spell.
“Oh, that’s—”
“Let’s just call it even?”
The man nodded.
By the time they finished talking the crowd were already dispersing when they noticed the situation looked like it wasn’t escalating. Heba, Junior, and Mrs. Thatch were still waiting for him by the booth.
“About your experience, sir.” The attendant’s partner called, holding a small skull-designed token. “We were supposed to give this to the customers afterwards. I know it looks morbid, given what just happened—”
Tim huffed out a laugh as he grabbed the piece. “I appreciate it.”
The two bowed goodbye as Tim went back to Heba and the rest. He was playing with token as he saw Junior talk to Mrs. Thatch.
“It’s alright, mum. Really. It’s partly our fault.”
“They still should be—”
“Tim!” Heba ran and jumped to hug him, clinging over Tim’s hips as he wobbled towards them.
“I got this in return.” Tim flipped the token. “I say it’s a net gain, all things considered.”
“I have two.” Heba beamed, pulling out two tokens of her own. “I won!”
“She is a very patient child.” Mrs. Thatch added. “The whack-a-mole—”
“Whack-a-ghoul.” Heba corrected.
The missus smiled. “Ghoul, yes. That game and the Coffin-up candy stood no chance against little Heba here.”
“At least two people between us had fun.” Tim held his hand as Heba gave him the tokens. “How ‘bout you, Jun? Did the scroll get you too?”
Junior was silent.
“Hey,” He frowned. “Whatever it showed you. It’s just a—”
“I know.” Junior grinned, his eyes were sharp. “And I know you can get through what you saw too.”
Tim looked at junior and smiled back, but his smile never reached his eyes.
“Of course.”
All except one, it seemed!
One of these completely tone-deaf individuals was a deity’s progeny. A resident of Earthland who, for some reason incomprehensible to the Divine, wouldn’t even so much as unfurl the fragment’s creases for a peek! They had never seen such audacity—that’s Eons of their work! Ignored! Worse still, they would often see him scoff at himself at the very idea of knowing their own future.
If they could go down and smack such an impudent child, they would! Yet, there was a better way to pay back for his unwitting insults. Ever since he had gotten his hands on the fragment, he had wisely kept the item in reach—usually in the deepest part of his duffle bag whenever he goes out of his home—which he had done at the present. Of course, this is but a harmless gag. A little push so this man can find a newfound appreciation for the Scripter’s craft.
This is for undermining my work, you impudent runt!
Meanwhile over at Hargeon town, Tim and Heba were hand in hand around the attractions. Halloween, apparently, was a foreign concept for the Desiertan girl. He didn’t blame her ignorance. Living through the streets of a Desiertan city most of her life, she barely had a proper education, much less the concept of foreign cultural celebrations.
“Funny looking.” She pointed at a pumpkin headed man who was juggling pinballs while balancing a pillar of fire over his head.
Tim huffed out a laugh at her, earning a smile from the girl. It wasn’t even a week or so ago she couldn’t utter a single word of Fiorean, now she had a handle on some. Granted, she had the most qualified person to teach her everything she needed.
“Oh my! What are you supposed to be, little Heba?” The two turned and saw Mrs. Thatch and Junior walking towards them, basket on hand.
There was an old tradition of people dressing up during Halloween, children especially. There were favorites, of course. Your usual vampires, werewolves, and zombies. Others went for a more modern inspiration. Just walking to the booths Tim found a couple of children and a few teenagers who dressed up as wizards that were featured over at the tabloids and the magazines, others wore outfits that resemble Fiore’s wizard Saints. He actually almost called over someone who dressed as his guild mistress! It was a fortunate thing the person turned, letting him realize his mistake before Tim could embarrass himself. Heba also expectedly didn’t pass up the idea of dressing up. Granted, Tim wasn’t there when she picked her outfit, else he might have given her advice on picking a more conventional one.
Heba had her hands on her hips with a toothy smile, standing proudly, letting Mrs. Thatch give her a good look. The little girl was wearing a costume that resembled a very large Manta Ray. Over the costume’s top two prongs were sticking out like horns which, apparently, were the manta’s frontal fins. Her head was poking out of a hole in the costume between a manta’s gills were supposed to be. Her arms were stretched along the width of the costume’s side fins and a pair of clothed feet were designed to stick out of the bottom so she could walk easily. She looked like she was wearing a manta ray pajama more than anything, but she looked happy with it.
“Dr. Arthur helped.” She beamed.
“Of course, he did.” Junior muttered to himself, but Tim noticed.
She wasn’t the only one who thought so, Edna told him she didn’t comment on the possibility of having worn a more elegant outfit for Heba. Dr. Schwartz happily volunteered to make the outfit when he heard Heba was going out with Tim. There were many sides of his supposed mentor he never knew, being a good manipulator was chief of which he just found out quite recently. But an impulsive attempt at helping someone ‘for the hell of it’ was one his traits Tim already knew. The doctor was an oddball, a trait Tim thankfully didn’t inherit.
“The man couldn’t have convinced the poor child to wear a prettier costume?” Mrs. Thatch said out loud, then paused. “Regardless, you look wonderful in that, little Heba!”
Heba might not have understood half of what they said, but a child could tell if they were being praised or not. And seeing the Missus smile at her made the girl happy as well. Tim, looking at them talk away, thought of how she had changed from the confused and lost girl he picked up in that alley.
“I suppose getting kidnapped was worth the trouble if it meant she is here with us now, huh.” He heard Junoir mutter to himself.
“Oh?” Tim laughed. “Acting all cool like that all of a sudden, Jun?”
The younger man finally noticed how Tim heard him and went beet red. “Y-you heard that?”
“Damn right I did.” Tim flung his arm over Junior’s shoulders and pulled him close. “Look at you—one life and death encounter, all of a sudden you’re the next God of Ishgar, eh?”
“Screw you!” Junior tried to wrestle Tim’s arm off, but for the life of him couldn’t. “What the heck is your arm made of all of a sudden—metal?!”
Tim laughed.
“You sound pretty slick just now, huh.” He looked around and found the attraction called ‘The Tunnel of Terror’. “How ‘bout we test that?”
Junior went pale as soon as he saw where Tim was looking at. “Tim? Tim. Listen to me, they added magic to that place this year. Illusions. You know I’m no good with—”
His arms still locked around Junior’s shoulder forcing him to walk towards the attraction, said over his ear. “If you finish it without pissing your pants, I’ll order a hydraulic lift for the shop. Full-beard told me you’ve been eyeballing one of those babies for a while.”
“You’re evil, you know that?”
“You know something else?” Tim laughed again. “Since I became a guild wizard, I’ve got the jewels to afford being evil.”
“I’ll send a complaint to Silver Wolf.”
“Is that a no then?”
“No—I mean, yes!” Junior was quick to protest, which made Tim choke from his laughter. “I’ll do it.”
“Good! Because we’re stalling the line.” Tim waved to the attraction’s booth. “Two, please.”
The booth attendant gave them tickets and a waiver to sign. His partner who was outside the booth, making sure no one cut in line, waved her hand telling in a spooky voice. “The spell used in the Tunnel of Terror is an illusion magic that can siphon out your mind’s greatest fears!”
The booth attendant himself talked in a monotone voice. “You’re advised to surrender any iLac, Lacrima-tech, or any magical items that might dampen the magic and lessen your experience.”
Tim patted his duffle bag that hang over his side. “I have a magic item here. But I can’t afford to leave it to you guys.”
The attendant nodded his partner and she politely ushered them to the entrance. When they entered the darker hallway, Tim felt his curse oozing out. He slowly let his magic burn it off, letting a dark steam evaporate.
Junior noticed but didn’t pay any mind, he’d seen it often. But he did ask. “That’s not gonna alert smoke alarms, right?”
“It’s magic, don’t think so.” Tim looked up, noticing the detectors still completely silent. “I hope so, at least.”
“Uh-huh. Speaking of magic, what kind of item is it?” Walking towards the attraction’s ride, Junior asked. “I heard wizards have a lot of stuff from the insane number of jobs they’ve been, but I didn’t expect you do have one just put inside your old bag.”
“I didn’t find it from a job. I bought it off a magic shop over at Crocus.” Tim paused. “It’s a scroll. I haven’t opened it, but the one who sold it to me said it could let the user see a glimpse of coming events that directly affects the one who opened it.”
“That’s a nifty thing to have.”
“It’s a load of bull if its price was any indication.” Tim shrugged.
“How much was it?”
“Five thou.”
“For a future-seeing scroll?!”
“He said he bought it off a treasure hunter he personally knew for thrice the price.” Tim scratched his cheek. “But when he used it himself, he only saw his future self a few hours into the future of him using the scroll again to look at the lottery’s results, which changed when he made a bet using the numbers he saw when he used the scroll. He tried using it for a second time the next day and all he saw was me not buying it for the price he bought it with. Which is why I got it for a lot less.”
“He just told you that when you bought it?”
“He wanted to get rid of it a bit too badly, so I wrung the reason off him before I actually bought it.”
“It does feel a bit useless; I mean, even the future changed when he actually tried to use it for something useful.”
“Yeah, I’ve read something like that once.” Tim blinked. “Right. It’s called the Observer’s effect.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Basically, how an object or event’s outcome will change depending if it has been overserved or not.” Tim waved his finger. “It’s a theory, at best. But with magic being magic, I don’t doubt something like a future seeing item would affect a future’s outcome. Especially if you’re directly involve in it.”
“You really have the uncanny ability to make something that would usually excite people really seem horrible.” Junior deflated. “And here I was just thinking if we could use it to cheat on the betting games.”
Tim blinked. “That’s actually a good idea.”
“Where did your anti-magic attitude go just now?!”
The two paused, then laughed together as they finally strapped themselves to the ride.
“Remember,” Junior nudged his arm as they slowly rode inside the meticulously decorated tunnel. “You’ll be owing me a lift for the shop soon.”
“Sure,” Tim shook his head, but his unfazed smirk was all that he needed to make the younger man feel like retracting his words.
The two went inside the foggy tunnel, guided with nothing but the ride’s mechanism. The first few meters the went along smoothly but a strong magical barrier was ahead of them. Tim, especially, felt its illusory properties as they passed it. Not even a fragment of a second after they passed it, Tim was already feeling the effects of the illusion.
Everything was dark. And he was alone.
Then he felt his magical energy leave his body, bit by bit, and finally felt empty. This lack of magical energy coursing through him was oddly nostalgic. It was exactly how he felt before his old company’s lacrima was put on him. But his melancholy was immediately overshadowed by an intense pain over his back.
“Arrgh—!” Tim let out an ugly scream. “What the f—aaaaaaaaargh!”
It was scorching! This whole body was pushed down, crushed by an unknown force without his say so. Tim instinctively tried to use his light magic, but nothing happened. He didn’t even know the pain could get worse than it already was, but when he heard the distinct sound of flesh being cut, his back felt like it was being ripped off his body! A cold feeling was piercing his back as the rest only felt worse each minute passed. Tim must’ve been in this darkness for a quarter of an hour and he felt like he was killed over and over. The seething pain on his back never left, but the cold instrument was pulled out.
Pop!
Tim somehow knew, he just knew what popped out was a bone in his back.
Pop! Pop!
The sheer pain of his ribs individually popped out of his spine by an unknown force was indescribable, and the worse part was he’s beginning to feel numb everywhere else.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
With the rest of his ribs popping out Tim rolled his eyes and blacked out.
The next feeling of consciousness he felt was who knows how long since he blacked out. He didn’t feel anything, nothing but the coldness in his back. The was a frigid wind blowing directly over him that he couldn’t shake off.
In fact, he couldn’t move at all.
Tim was being crucified! He felt his arms stretched out; his muscles being ripped apart from holding his body up. His mind was screaming at his eyes to open them but the only thing he could do was crack one of his eyelids up to see a view of the town from high up. The sunrise was beginning to peer over the horizon as it finally dawned on Tim where he was and what was happening—
There was a flash of light, jolting Tim off the view of the town and he blinked.
“—im! Tim!”
“What kind of magic did you put in that ride?!”
“This has never happened before, ma’am. We—”
The pain was still there, Tim didn’t even notice where he was. But what he did notice was the lights, and his body felt like what it supposed to fell. His magic was back! Instincts kicked in: he rode light as he stood up, kicking off the ground and anyone who meant to give him harm. Tim shook his head, trying to quickly gather his memory. When he felt a weight over his shoulder, he instinctively materialized his chain and coiled it around his assailant!
He took a measured step back and—
“Tim!”
He knew this voice! “Heba…?”
The wizard blinked, but now he was standing with his back against the wall of the attraction’s entrance. There was already a crowed that gathered. But more importantly, Tim had his chains holding the booth attendant’s arm. His face was completely horrified. Tim flicked his fingers and the chains crumbled down to nothing.
“What happened?” It was Junior, and his face was exactly the one he had when he saw Tim kill the Desiertan slavers. It was an expression Tim didn’t want to see from him again.
Tim leaned back and let his body slide down as he sat by the wall. “I think I just saw the future.”
Junior quickly unzipped Tim’s duffle bag, which was now with the younger man. Rustling the contents of the bag, there was a distinct golden glow as he quickly picked up the magic scroll the two had just been talking about. When the scroll was completely pulled out of the bag the glow subsided.
“I guess that thing really was worth something.” Tim shook his head as he slowly stood up. He walked towards the attendant, who was still shaken up, and patted his shoulder.
“Sir, we—”
“The item I was holding triggered its effect when we entered the illusion barrier inside.” Tim spoke evenly. “That was my fault.”
The attendant blinked. “I allowed you to bring it along, sir. I’m partly responsible.”
“I guess we both are.” Tim sighed. “No one else was hurt, right?”
“Fortunately,” He nodded. “You were completely unresponsive when we picked you up from the ride. I suppose my wrist counts?”
Tim held the man’s arm and casted his ‘Aid’ spell.
“Oh, that’s—”
“Let’s just call it even?”
The man nodded.
By the time they finished talking the crowd were already dispersing when they noticed the situation looked like it wasn’t escalating. Heba, Junior, and Mrs. Thatch were still waiting for him by the booth.
“About your experience, sir.” The attendant’s partner called, holding a small skull-designed token. “We were supposed to give this to the customers afterwards. I know it looks morbid, given what just happened—”
Tim huffed out a laugh as he grabbed the piece. “I appreciate it.”
The two bowed goodbye as Tim went back to Heba and the rest. He was playing with token as he saw Junior talk to Mrs. Thatch.
“It’s alright, mum. Really. It’s partly our fault.”
“They still should be—”
“Tim!” Heba ran and jumped to hug him, clinging over Tim’s hips as he wobbled towards them.
“I got this in return.” Tim flipped the token. “I say it’s a net gain, all things considered.”
“I have two.” Heba beamed, pulling out two tokens of her own. “I won!”
“She is a very patient child.” Mrs. Thatch added. “The whack-a-mole—”
“Whack-a-ghoul.” Heba corrected.
The missus smiled. “Ghoul, yes. That game and the Coffin-up candy stood no chance against little Heba here.”
“At least two people between us had fun.” Tim held his hand as Heba gave him the tokens. “How ‘bout you, Jun? Did the scroll get you too?”
Junior was silent.
“Hey,” He frowned. “Whatever it showed you. It’s just a—”
“I know.” Junior grinned, his eyes were sharp. “And I know you can get through what you saw too.”
Tim looked at junior and smiled back, but his smile never reached his eyes.
“Of course.”
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Post 3,003
Post 3,003
Last edited by Rodadnuf on 24th October 2022, 1:46 pm; edited 4 times in total
