The Wizard's Shop was quiet and it smelled faintly of lavender. It was a quaint little shack on the edge of Merthi Fields, the quiet little town it resided in. Its proprietor was dosing in a rocking chair near the back with a weather beaten grey hat pulled over his eyes. Another man, tall and broad shouldered with dark eyes and hair walked in the door. He had a young but weathered face and wore the dirty clothes of a working man: Worn leather overalls and heavy boots. There was a thick belt around his waist with a hammer hanging on one side.
This man's name was Marcus.
Marcus walked along the wall of books the wizard had on display. He eyed them, but didn't really understand what many of them said. He wasn't stupid, he could read. There was just a lot of different languages magic could be written in. Many that weren't human and even some not of this world. He carefully picked one up and looked inside at the runes and words. It intrigued him even further to see the formulas and techniques drawn in the pages. He felt a little out of place though.
You see, Marcus was a blacksmith by trade. Strong and rugged, he was an upstanding young lad that worked as apprentice and second hand to the town's master smith, Quintin.
Marcus places the book back with a soft thump of pages. The old wizard snorted and jumped, "Yes? Yes! How can I help you?" He rose from his chair with a popping of bones and came slowly over.
"Well, I was hoping to try my hand at magic." Marcus said, running a worn hand through his long, shaggy black hair. Though he had his beard trimmed short due to the fear of lighting a beard on fire.
Marcus watched the wizard look him over. He hadn't a spec of experience in doing magic himself but he had seen some. While he prided himself on his work in the smithy, he just always felt like he wanted something more exciting in his life. Towards the Western Kingdoms, there was always tales of battle and valor. Of wizards and kings going to war with dragons and elves. So much amazing tales that a young man like him couldn't help but be swayed. Perhaps if he knew a few spells, someday he might find his way to greater prospects.
"You want to learn, huh? Usually I don't take on apprentices. Too old for that." The wizard scratched his beard.
Marcus looked down a row of books and a large leather bound number caught his eye. It was etched with deep crimson runes that he couldn't understand. It seemed to emanate an almost imperceptible fiery aura.
"I didn't want an apprenticeship. I was hoping you had a book that I could study out of. I wanted to teach myself." Marcus said, kneeling down before the shelf. He slid a hand over the book. The leather was warm to the touch and immaculately tooled. He could appreciate quality craftsmanship like that.
"Its not the way it should be done. Its very easy to hurt yourself with magic. You should have a master who knows how ti channel the arcane already." The Wizard warned him. He stood back up and faced the wizened elder.
"Look, I don't want to fight dragons or conquer kingdoms. But wouldn't it be useful to just wave your hand and light a candle or grab something when your hands are full?" Marcus said, pulling out his purse, "A couple of gold for a beginner's book. That's all I ask."
The Wizard sighed and shook his head, "Alright. But if you succeeding in learning how to cast magic, find yourself a master to teach you something!"
The wizard took a small white tomb from a middle shelf and handed it to him. Marcus nodded and handed over a few coins, "Thanks a bunch."
He said nothing in return, just waved Marcus out the door with a shake of his head, "Kids."
Before Marcus had made it thirty feet away from the shop, a hand pulled at his arm. He turned, "Something else...?"
The old Wizard wasn't there. Instead, there stood a little female creature maybe three feet tall with a huge head of wild crimson hair and a bent black witch's hat atop it. She had enormous, pointed jade eyes and her skin was a soft brown like that of a reptile speckled in big freckles. She wore a slinky black dress that barely made her decent. Her massive breasts bulged against the cloth and her enormous, plush hips were totally bare. The front of the dress was barely a loin cloth hanging over her nethers and, even from where he stood, Marcus could tell she had a huge, fluffy ass.
"Watcha got there!?" She asked eagerly, grabbing at the book. She had large four-fingered hands and pointed fingers that seemed a bit out of place on her small body.
He held the book up out of her reach, "Anna, what are you doing? Where's Mari?"
Almost everyone who lived in Felnia knew Anna. She was a lost and out of place soul that just showed up hungry and alone one rainy night years ago. Nobody, her included, knew what she was or where she came from. She was taken in by Mari, who was the caretaker for the local Inn, The Cosy Cask. In all truth, she was an excitable and fun loving little thing with a cute lisp.
"She's at the bar, obviousthly. So what did you get from the wizard?" Anna asked eagerly. She was an aspiring witch and a wild little firework. Her love of witchcraft explained why she had been nosing around the Wizard's Shop.
While Marcus liked Anna, she could be a little exuberant. She liked having fun and goofing off, though her antics sometimes gave Mari, and many others, a hard time.
"Something that I'm keeping to myself for now." Marcus shook his head. He didn't want Anna to know he was trying to learn magic. If she knew and he failed to learn, it would be very embarrassing. She'd likely tease him for weeks.
"Let me see the book! Come on, Marcus!" Anna whined, leaping and flailing her arms.
"It's mine Anna, not yours. Plus when have you ever liked books?" Marcus said, picking up a jogging pace, "I know what the librarian thinks of you!"
Anna fumed and chased him, "Oh she is nothing but a bitth. Marcus, you're so selfith! Come on! Thare the book with me!" She followed him all the way back to the Blacksmith. It was conveniently located across the street from the Cosy Cask. Marcus hurried inside his little house right next to it and Anna slipped in before he could close the door.
His home was that of a sensible young man. Small and stark. A table and a chair sat near a fireplace. There was a wardrobe on the opposite wall with a bed near it. A collection of his own blacksmithing tools were arrayed on the table. Marcus sat down on his bed and held out his hand, stopping the little imp.
"Anna! Cut it out! Why are you so intent on this book?" Marcus asked, watching her closely.
"Because it lookth like the magic books I've seen in the library! Plusth you got it from the old wizard! Are you trying to learn magic?" Anna asked him, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"No! It's just something I wanted to read." Marcus sighed, not letting her see the cover of it.
"Lemmie see it!" Anna yelled and leapt on him.
