I woke up with my whole body in pain form the fight. “What is that feeling on my tail?” I turn my head to the side and see Joz walking behind the wagon my tail in her grasp. ‘What the heck’ as she sees me open my eyes she quickly drops my tail and ignores me. ‘Now she ignores me! Maybe this is better but what do I say now? This is so awkward.

I look around and notice that I am riding on the very back of the wagon barely on the lip. “Who put me here?” I manage to whisper clearing my throat so I can speak better and actually be heard I say it again, “who put me here?” this time the sound carries and Jon the wagon master looks back. “Humph” he said, “you’re lucky I decided to even bring you along, I should have left you back where you fell. Who knows if you’re a bandit or a thief trying to get at my cargo? Someone conveniently meets us along the path in the middle of nowhere and says he’s lost.” He eyes me suspiciously. “Well now that your awake you can walk so get out of the wagon please. I’m watching you so don’t touch any merchandise as you get off!”

“What in Gaia! Rude”-of course I don’t actually say that but I was thinking it. Who does that if he was that suspicions I wonder why he didn’t leave me back there. I walk up to Royells,” what’s up with the old man? He is… I don’t even know what to call him”.

Royells smiles queerly and tells me, “yeah he’s always been like that the whole time me and Joz have been hired with him. I don’t know his problem but he is abnormally paranoid. Anyways you’re still with us so it’s all ok. What happened on your side of the fight? I saw you take out one wolf then fall down and light a wolf on fire? Did you throw oil on it or something?” He asks. His eyes showing excitement and expectation as he looks at me.

“Well I knocked that one wolf away with my axe and it was bleeding pretty well so I figured that he was a dead wolf. But then one of the other wolfs snuck in and pulled me off my feet. Then I casted fire magic on it to keep it away. That’s all I remember, what happened after that?”

“Fire magic awesome! You can cast magic? You the man-uh-fox! That’s cool I’ve never learned magic I know a little body strengthen but not enough to use in a fight. Magic is really hard to learn I rely in this “he said patting his sword. “This always has my back. So back to your question. After that the wolfs got scared of the fire and ran off. By the way I wouldn’t suggest using fire magic on a grassy plain I think half the reason old Jon is mad at you is because of that you really threatened his merchandise. But magic is that why you fainted? I hear if you don’t have enough mana to cast a spell magicians become extremely weak. “He said with his eyes still shimmering.

Just how exited is this guy about magic he keeps steering the conversation back to it I guess I better give him a general overview. “Yeah that’s why. When a magician doesn’t have enough mana to cover the cost of a spell it takes the reminder from your stamina or strength making you weak. If there still isn’t enough it can even make up some of the cost by using your life force, which is why magicians are seen as week skinny people after all if your life force is taken it’s different from being weakened. It makes it easier to get sick, wounds don’t recover as quickly, if magicians take it too far there can be brain damage or even death.”

“Um wow”, Royells responds, “that is kinda scary I guess now I know why mom never wanted me to become a magician. Still it was soo cool looking over towards you and seeing a wolf lit up like a bonfire! I wish I could do that but I’m not willing to put in the effort to learn something that can kill me.”

“I told you. That only happens when magicians take it too far. Actually it is quite safe if exhausting. But I understand wanting to stick with what you know. How long before we get to the village? I might be able to teach you to light a fire if you want, I’m board anyways.”

“Really? Sweet! We have an hour before we get there.”

------------

One hour later

“Ohhh my head” Royells groans, “why did I let you teach me? Magic just makes my head hurt and I still haven’t been able to produce the slightest sign of flame.”

“Oh come on Royells making magic is just like using your muscles you got to build it up you didn’t learn how to swing a sword in a day. I bet you couldn’t even hold the sword for an hour on your first day but you are close to an hour working with magic. You’re just tired you’ll recover tomorrow” I smirk “mostly recover...”

We rode into a small village nothing to exiting I was excited to see it until we rode in and I realized it was just a couple of houses grouped together. All I can see are livestock and fences that must be the only thing this village produces. The only farm plots look big enough only to feed individual families.

“Well kit” Royalls states, “this is where we separate were going north into the next village as soon as Jon trades for some animal hides and rope from here. Just take that road going south and it will curve into the Desert. Just a warning though don’t go off the road there are dangers that only the desert people know or so I’ve heard. Everyone I’ve ever talked to said never to separate from the road no matter what you see. Good luck. If you’re ever in the capitol look me up at the adventures guild if I’m not on a mission it could be fun to hang out again. Goodbye!”

“I’ll come visit eventually” I shout. Royells just lifts his hand and waves at me never pausing in his walk back to Old Jon’s wagon. ‘Well he was interesting. Nice guy though’ I think to myself. Turning I start walking in a southern direction.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It didn’t end up in the story but to get Old Jon back, Kit asked Royells to slip some powdered sugar into all of Jon's spare pairs of britches.

The next day for Jon “its sticky why are my pants sticky? And the flies won’t stop what is happening today!!!”