“…So,” I said.

  “That happened.”

  Vaarg sighed and set down his mug.

  It was the first time I’d ever seen him without either his mug or his clipboard.

  “Do you know who that was?” he asked, leveling me with a stare.

  “Evernod. Guildmaster for the Union of Guildmasters… or something,” I replied.

  “Quite,” Vaarg responded dryly.

  “I know him as High Archmage Evernod,” he finished.

  I paled.

  In all the world, there were only nine Archmages—legendary figures who ruled the wizard towers of the nine great kingdoms.

  I had never heard of a High Archmage.

  “…I don’t know what that means,” I eventually responded.

  He raised an eyebrow.

  “When I applied, I told you I was a miner,” I said.

  “I was a slave to bandits—forced to work in a mine from the age of ten. Before that, I lived in a small village.”

  I clenched my fists.

  “Sorry if I don’t know the grand things of the world.”

  My ears burned.

  Vaarg didn’t answer.

  But Stupid had scooted up, quietly patting my leg and looking at the floor.

  “Then one day, an earth mage came. Absolutely annihilated the bandits - every last one. Collapsed the mine.”

  “Didn’t even care there were innocents down there. Left every last one of us to die.”

  I was shaking.

  I don’t know if it was in fear or anger.

  But I felt it.

  Felt it in my bones.

  Felt it in my bloodless lips.

  “I was the only one to get out. I clawed my way to the surface.”

  “This was the closest place to that hell hole - and it was hell enough getting here.

  Where no one would even look at me. Much less hire me.

  Because I look human and have pointed ears.”

  I ground my teeth.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  “You are literally the only one who was willing to give me a chance.”

  “And Vaarg, no offence - you are a sadistic lunatic.”

  Rather than get angry, Vaarg smiled a bit.

  He actually looked a bit proud. He took off his golden nametag and began polishing it.

  I stared, mouth agape.

  “There is one more great city. It belongs to no kingdom, and hence is not named,” he eventually spoke up, peering at his polishing.

  “Hyphestra - the citadel of magic and seat of the wizard’s council and home to the most powerful wizard alive.”

  He looked at me.

  “That wizard now seems determined to meet you.”

  It felt like I had been splashed with cold water.

  “Hyphestra’s not a place you visit,” he continued. “It’s a place that notices you.”

  His gaze turned sharp.

  “Beeg, you don’t want it to notice you.”

  Beside me, Stupid gasped.

  My mind churned.

  The rune.

  The clipboard.

  The gaze Evernod gave me like I was a very interesting problem.

  “What did you drag me into?” I whispered.

  Vaarg slowly re-attached his name tag, taking great effort to ensure it was perfectly straight. Not that it ever looked crooked.

  Even after explosions, fog, or mysterious disappearances.

  It was like the nameplate obeyed a higher, sterner law.

  Perhaps it did.

  Then he took up his mug once more.

  “No going back now, Beeg,” he said, sipping.

  “I don’t want anyone to notice me,” I muttered.

  Even as I said it, I knew that wasn’t true though.

  I wanted everyone to notice me. I wanted everyone to notice me because I was someone who couldn’t be ignored.

  I wanted the 9 arch-mages to be afraid of me. In their stupid towers, disconnected from reality.

  Something must have shown in my face, because Vaarg clicked his pen, looking at me.

  “When the time is right, Beeg.”

  He reached down to pick up his Evernod copycat clipboard.

  “For now, take your friend and get to work on Aisle Three.”

  Stupid’s ears perked up and she pulled at my leg in excitement.

  I started to protest, dissatisfied.

  I wanted answers.

  “Beeeg!” She stage whispered, “Am I really your friend!”

  I drew up and glanced at the tiny gremlin with huge ears, slight pink fuzz on her head where her hair was coming in nicely.

  At her pointed teeth and dirty claws.

  Her haphazard lipstick.

  I sighed and smiled.

  “Oh Beeg!” She gasped, “Stupid has never had a friend before!”

  She began bouncing excitedly.

  Then she stopped and looked at me very seriously.

  She pulled out a potato from her vest and handed it to me.

  “…Uh…thanks?”

  She nodded seriously. “Stupid heard they are used to make Friend Fries.”

  I tucked it carefully into my belt, unsure what a Friend Fry was - but it sounded like it could be dangerous.

  “Thanks, Stupid.”

  She beamed and hopped off to Aisle Three.

  I turned to follow.

  “Oh, and Beeg,” Vaarg called after me.

  I turned and raised an eyebrow.

  “Remember: fire isn’t always the destroyer.”

  I nodded.

  “Sometimes, it cooks potatoes.”

  He smirked.

  “Exactly.”