Challenge Submission Back to Pie

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Challenge Submission Back to Pie

Mephisto

Positivity Goblin
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Local time
Today 1:15 AM
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1,601
Age
48
Location
At the writing table
Pronouns
he/him
Pie woke the next morning before the sun had yet to light the edges of the sky. He gathered his things, carefully packing his rucksack. First he checked the alchemy kit to make sure everything was stored away properly and then wrapped that box in the thick leather that was meant to protect the other contents of the bag should any mishaps occur. The notebooks containing his studies on the magical runes he had been forced to learn, and of course his journals and sketchbooks. Before putting the last one in, the goblin opened the most weathered one, turning to the final page. Where he checked the list and recited the names written on the page.
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"Miss Nyxia, Miss Ashla, Mister Lurog, Miss vihni, … " The list went on until he had cycled through all of his friends, and he also read the list of the goblinton townsfolk. Some of them brought feelings of sadness, Mister Duncan, Mrs Ladeki, and some of the other victims of the False Hydra. Others he remember fondly, the stern gaze of Miss Joanna, Mister Ladekis hearty laugh, Grenda Benda Bobendas super fun to say name. He closed the book. He still remembered them all. Ever since forgetting them, and fearing that he would forget or be forgotten by his friends he had checked the list daily. It had been over a year ago, but not a day went by that he didn't check the list and make sure that his memories were intact. He had heard of phobias before, but until this fear had gripped his heart, the fear of forgetting, he had never understood how much of a grip that could take hold on a person. His friends had said they experienced similar feelings though focused on different things. The "Hero's" of Goblinton had not escaped the encounter unscathed, even though they had all lived through the encounter with the unnerving monster.



As he was closing the book the letter he had painstakingly written and copied for each of his friends slipped out and he paused to read it once again. The feelings he had put to pen that day were evident in the words, and it gripped his heart each time he contemplated that fear of losing them. Of being lost to them. He put it away before the tears forming at the corner of his eyes could fall. He missed his friends. They had pressed on, trying to find and face the dangerous threats confronting the land. It had all been too much for Pie and when they set out he had not gone to be with them. It still pained him that he hadn't been able to meet them face to face to tell them he couldn't go on anymore, that it was too much for him, and he could not go on not with all the fighting and killing and the risk to their lives and the heavy burden that put on his heart. He had eventually sent a letter, trying to convey his feelings but knowing he had still left them hurt that he had chosen not to go on with them. They understood of course. That's the kind of wonderful friends they were.

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Pie held back a sniffle and pushed the letter back into the journal, and stuffed it into the bag. Wiping his eyes quickly he too a deep breath and set about arranging his components, making sure he had everything he would need for this trip back to … well, school. He had never actually gone to school, and when Mister Duncan had taught him how to control the symbols the monster in his head was carving into his very being, it was less of an education and more a mad dash to keep up with the power that was threatening to tear him apart. He was back in Flechester, and heading to see someone he never thought he would be on good terms with again.

He sighed, there was no point in turning back now. He hoisted his pack and quietly opened the door. Few were up at this early hour in the inn. He checked for light under Mister Fitz's door, but it was dark, so he decided not to knock and wake his kobold friend. Mister fitz stayed here and was a quite popular entertainer. He went down the stairs, trying not to wince as they creaked slightly even under the goblins meager weight. He waved to the servant who kept watch on the front room where some folk too poor to buy rooms paid for space on the floor to sleep for the night, some simply because they were too drunk to find their way home, others that were traveling and just passing through. They were all still sleeping so he tiptoed around and past them and entered the still dark city streets.

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His goal was a tower slightly to the west of the city proper, and Pie did not want to be late, so he had made sure to start early. As he walked the sky gradually took a lighter tone and he could see the town coming to life around him. It was summer again, so despite the nearness of the mountains it was still just comfortably cool. After some time the wizards tower came into view and Pie, as he had done when he first petitioned the resident mage for help, ignored the signs warning that bothering the resident of the tower would have dire consequences. As he reached the entrance the door was open, and he peeked in. Inside the entry chamber a few other people mostly humans mingled talking softly. They were clearly mages and enchanters, some of them well into their thirties and forties. They looked up as the little goblin padded in to join them, he was by far the least dignified looking person in the room.

He was greeted and one of the wizards stepped forward, a younger man, just above his teenage years. "Hello there, you must be the wizard .. uhm," He glanced at a parchment in his hands. "Pie. Everyone else is accounted for." Pie nodded and gave a curt bow.


"Hello there, hi! Yes, that's Me , I'm Pie! Pie Spiderfoot! I know Mist-"

SLAM!

Pie was cut short by the loud slamming of a door in front of them. Everyone in the room looked towards the source, startled by the abrupt noise. In front of the door stood an angry wizard, glaring specifically at the small goblin talking to his apprentice. "What are you doing here!?" The wizards face had twisted into a snarl as he spun to face his apprentice.. "Kelvin, why is … THAT… in my tower!? "
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The apprentice, Kelvin was clearly shaken and surprised by his masters sudden and unexpected fury. " He a-applied and had the necessary credentials, And in fact has some of the things you were s-specifically looki-" Kelvin stammered out his explanation, but was also cut short.

"This waste of space!? I've already kicked it out once! It couldn't even follow the most basic steps of formula! Why would you let it in to my seminar?"

Undeterred by the mages vehemence, pie waved. "Hello again Mister Darkstar! I saw your listing for this seminar at the guild and I knew some of the things you were looking for so I signed up to help!"

Keiran Darkstar glared at the goblin and snatched the parchment from his apprentice. His eyes glanced over the writings and then snapped back to the goblin. "You… you actually can cast 5th tier magic?" Pie grinned.

"Yep! Miss Halea and my friends have been teaching me all kinds of things." The wizard paused in thought until he shook his head and thrust the parchment back into his apprentices hands.

"Fine, if you really have advanced that far, it will help with what I want to teach to this group." He walked away muttering under his breath, leaving his apprentice to handle the rest of the preparations for the seminar. There were some brief introductions that followed as Kelvin introduced himself and the other wizards to each other. Their names came in a flurry and Pie didn't remember any of them. When kelvin announced that Pie Spiderfoot, the goblin wizard would be assisting with the seminar as an instructor, the men and women gathered cast doubtful looks toward the smiling goblin who was busy taking some things out of his pack.

Kelvin took his spot in front of the gathering, while the master of the tower took a seat at a long polished desk and glared with ire towards those gathered, well mostly towards Pie. It seems he hadn't forgotten his failed attempts to teach the goblin magic the previous year, and how frustrating it had been for him. Despite the wizard's near murderous gaze, Keiran continued.

"The first lesson will be unseen servant. Please uh.. Master? Pie. This is one of the enchantments you had encountered that we were looking for instruction on. This enchantment summons a servant to perform menial tasks. As the name implies the servant is not visible to the eye, but the force of the enchantment can manipulate objects like a humanoid to perform tasks as long as the objects to manipulate are not heavier than ten pounds. The magical energy occupies the space and impacts with any significance can disrupt it, as does allowing it to go too far from the source of the enchanter."

Kelvin stepped aside allowing Pie to take the center of attention. "Thanks Mister Kelvin. Hmm Kelven, Keiran, you have really similar names with Mister Darkstar!" Pie caught himself. He didn't want to get too far off track. Mister Darkstar was already upset so he was going to do his best. He'd even left his regular pocketed vest behind and worn the Wizardly garb Miss Nyxia had picked out for him. He pulled some scrolls he had transcribed out from his pack, and passed them around. These are my notes on the magic.

"Ahem. So the first thing you have to do is follow the signs in the forest and find a dryad grove and if you make friends with them they might give you part of their tree. You can use that to ask them to come help sometimes and then-"

Darkstar jumped to his feet, slamming his desk with his hands. "What kind of Troll shit is this? You cannot still be pretending that magic is just the power of fey friendship!? I won't stand for this kind of mockery again!" Anger was etched on the wizards face and the other "students" backed away from the fuming mage.

"I know very well that the reagent needed for this incantation is a sliver of wood. Any wood. The wood from this desk or a twig from the forest outside will do. No traveling to enchanted groves, no making friends with woodland creatures! Magic is a set of formulas, they are the same for everyone. The symbols, the movements, the components, they unlock the arcane power and allow us to harness them." He stomped his soft leather booted foot against the stone tower floor.

Pie looked at the angry mage, but held out his hands. "Wait Mister Darkstar! Just let me show you! I didn't really understand anything back then." Pie spun the piece of bark on its piece of string, moved his free hand in a few gestures tracing arcane symbols. "Miss Shiona, are you there? I think Mister Darkstar could use a cup of dirty wat- I mean, tea." The room went silent, including Darkstar who watched with annoyed displeasure. He waved his hands and uttered some words in draconic, perhaps muttering "Like a normal mage," under his breath.

His eyes widened as he followed something he could only see around the room. Moments later the pitcher of tea hovered above the table before tipping and pouring into a tea cup, which then itself began floating slowly toward the mage.

"There is … indeed something there. Conjuration magic in the shape of a humanoid." He extended his hand awaiting the expected teacup. "You are not as much of a wasted effort as I had imagined after all." The teacup lurched forward spilling the hot liquid on the expectant mage, who yowled in surprise.

Pie winced and shook his head. "No Miss Shiona, I don't think he will believe me if I tell him you slipped." He turned toward Darkstar. "I'm Sorry Mister Darkstar, she wasn't happy you said that. You should try being a little nicer." Pie paused and then looked at the empty space in front of him. "No I understand, it's probably better if you go home for now. Thank you for coming! Tell Grandmother Dryad I said hi Ok?"

Darkstar growled at him and waved his hand with an short utterance and his clothes were instantly dry. "I knew it. This is still some kind of trickery! Magic doesn't work this way! Give me that!" He tore one of the scrolls from Kelvins hands. He scanned it with a fiery gaze filled with disdain. "This.. this.. Is gibberish! The symbols I recognize but there isn't nearly enough here to complete anything!" He tossed the scroll to the ground in disgust. "Get out. Get out now. I had hoped to see the Banishment spell in action, but if it's this half-assed it won't do anyone any good. Leave My tower. Now." Pie didn't say a word, but quietly began gathering his things as Mage Darkstar began apologizing to the seminar attendees.

Kelvin spoke up then, the discarded scroll in his hands. "Master, i think there is something here. It's like … it's like the pieces are there but he's using some shortcuts to cut corners and it looks like if we just fill in those parts just maybe we… ah…" His voice trailed off as he looked up from the parchment to his masters furious gaze.

"OUT!" Darkstar thundered, his hands beginning to weave in an incantation. Pie took a step backwards, turning with concern as the angry wizard finished the short spell and 3 lights of magical energy formed at the wizards fingertips. Kelvin's eyes were wide as he tried lunging forward to stop his teacher.

"Master no!" He shouted, trying to stop Darkstar from reacting so violently. The other attendees were also watching in shock, too slow to react and stop as those magical points of energy streaked across the room. Pie threw his arms up defensively, but there was nothing he could do to stop them.

The magical darts of force suddenly slammed into a barrier that wasn't visible before, creating even more confusion. Darkstar cursed and howled in rage, reaching for a wand tucked into his belt. Gasps of shock rose from those present as more than just his assistant realized the level of the mages' rage. Movement from the side of everyone's eye drew all of their gazes to a spot behind Darkstar, that had darkened, and a Goblin woman emerged.

1725826250521.png "You want to play little mage?" She asked in a serious voice dripping with sultry undertones. "If you want to see banishment in action soo badly, please allow me to fulfill your desire." Dark words of power filled the room, emanating from her vicinity though she did not move her lips. Her form flickered and became translucent for a moment as the incantation finished. Before Darkstar could raise the wand the air around him turned dark, and black tendrils pulled him nearly instantly up and back disappearing into the darkness.

Pie sighed. "Thank you for helping me Miss Halea! I don't think Banishing Mister Darkstar is going to make him any less angry though." He turned to the others. "I'm sooo sorry! I .. ah.. Don't think I'll make a very good instructor for this seminar. Uhm, Don't worry ok? Mister Darkstar will be back in just a little bit. I don't think he'll be super happy though, even after a minute to think about his actions. So uh yeah. I'm gonna go now. I don't think I'm cut out to be a teacher after all. I hope you find all the magic you are looking for ok?" He waved miss Halea towards the door but the goblin simply walked back into the darkness. Pie shrugged and started walking fast through the door, and then, abandoning poise he started running. He really did not want to be anywhere nearby when Mister Darkstar returned from the void that he had been banished too.

When pie returned to the inn it was bustling with the activity of the day. People ordering food to break their fast as it was well into mid morning now. Pie approached one of the serving staff. "Have you seen my friend, Mister Fitz, hes a k-" The dark haired woman patted the goblin on the head.

"A Kobold. I know." She said with a smile. She pointed to a line of clovers sprouting from the floor leading toward the back door. "He went out back. It's so adorable the way those sprout everywhere he walks." 1725826356594.png

Pie smiled his thanks, and walked happily toward the back door to see his friend, letting the memories of the morning and his attempt to go back to school drift away on fluttering wings of whimsy. A wide grin split across his face as he saw the boisterous little kobold dancing and practicing one of his songs, the little clovers popping up in all of the places where he stepped.
 
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