The note read as follows:
"Due to certain rules I have to abide by, to keep a certain entity bound to the college grounds I cannot actually leave for the time being. So you will go in my place to [address redacted] and retrieve the following for me:
- sixteen ounces silver dust
- eight beeswax candles, dyed red or blue using natural dyes
- wool off a yearling lamb, first shear preferable but not required
- one dehydrator onion and one clove of garlic. Very important, cannot forget these.
Tell the person at the storefront that "East" sent you and he'll should have everything ready. You may need to go to a grocery store for the onion and garlic though. I also trust that your abilities as a magic user have grown enough to tell if something has artificial additions in it. Return to me with these items and I may have more work for you before you get any answers to your questions..
-Madam Patches Witch of the East Wall"
Once I was free of class, I got to ponder the meaning of "more work" as I made the brief walk to the address marked. Once there I found myself staring at the same "odds and ends" store that I'd found Sul's prison in.
"huh... never thought I'd see this place again."
"Those that come here are often fated to return here many times young-one. Come in come in."
I was startled by the voice of the owner of the store, an imp of a man, barely four feet tall in a simple smock, jeans jeans and t-shirt. Sandals and a manner of hair simmilar to a hippy, though his eyes were bright blue and youthful defying the lines of age surrounding them. despite his stature he had the presence of a giant. "and what brings you back?...I assume it is because you found the secret guest of that trinket I sold you months ago?"
"you knew about Sul?" I arched an eyebrow as I was guided into the shop quickly and brought to the counter before the man simply blinked into the chair on the opposite side.
"I know a great many things young-one. Each with a price, I did not know it had a particular name. I too did not know whether it was malevolent or benevolent, though you seem to have made out of the exchange quite like a sly fox, if I do say so myself." He paused as he procured a tea kettle and poured himself a drink, offering none to me, and I asked for none despite the sudden thirst that clawed at my throat. "So.. your tale? Or do you have.... other matters to attend to."
"..I..um.." I sat there at a loss for what to say before remembering why I was here and what to say. "East sent me."
"Ah, say no more, I am well aware of the details of what...and why she needs such items. Payment has already been made, allow me to gather them. Look around if you will while I do so, if anything catches your eye you need only ask and I will name the price."
As he busied himself with collecting the things "east" had asked for I peered about the store, my eyes eventually settling on a stack of books several feet deep, though nothing immediately collected my attention this time, as I extracted myself from the labyrinth of books I found the shopkeeper had collected everything and laid it all out on the counter top for me. "....No.. nothing calls to me this time."
"Hmmm..perhaps some other time. Here, examine the goods if you will."
I poked at the candles and materials, not sure what to really look for to see if it was.. or wasn't actual beeswax. It certainly smelled like beeswax, and the other items seemed right the silver felt right, at least as best I could tell as it was in a granular form instead of coins or jewelry, and the onion and garlic was quite pungent, despite it's dried state while the fleece was soft and clean looking like a cloud on a midsummer day. I shrugged and wrapped everything up in a bag before heading back to campus, not sure when it had gone from, mid-day to dark of night. "Hope I didn't take too long..."
No comments:
Post a Comment