The High-Wizard's Hunt - By Ashley Delay Page 0,44

the first wand, if the fire telling Ero had given them was correct, so he felt it would be appropriate to pay his respects before fetching his wand.

“They like to gather in the large field off to our left. You show wisdom by recognizing their importance over tools.” Eublin nodded as he closed the door.

Osric returned the nod, only moderately disturbed by the gnome’s seeming ability to hear his thoughts, and then he took the path to the field. As he walked along the path, he admired the architecture of the stone retaining wall that made the entrance to the Underforge. The worn path down to the field was easy to traverse, even in his condition. His faculties seemed to have returned, but the last thing he felt like doing was testing his physical limits with a long hike.

The path led alongside his destination, and it was easily recognizable. Several unicorns were retreating into the trees at the far end of the open area. Osric found himself a bit disappointed as he entered the expanse to find it completely empty. A momentary thought of giving the unicorns chase entered his mind, but he decided against it and returned to the path to the forge.

Osric stopped, contemplating the security spell that had attacked him as he attempted to enter the grove. He cast his gaze toward the heavens, peering with his newfound gift at the wonder that surrounded him.

He knew he was inexperienced, but he was immediately surprised at the complexity of the spell. It was not a single spell that caused the shield to function as a protection spell; there were layers of spells. One lay on top of another in a complex weave that baffled him in its construction. Each consecutive spell was more complex, more detailed in its creation, and more difficult to distinguish the threads that made them function. Yet, at the base of it all, what made the field that he walked in ‘hidden’ from the rest of the world, was a recognizable pattern of vivid white strands woven together. Osric was dumbstruck by the beauty, the intricate simplicity, of the magic displayed before his eyes. He glanced around himself, still utilizing the Wand-Maker ability to see the magic surrounding him. Osric marveled at how different the world appeared since acquiring the gift, not just visually, but every one of his senses seemed sharper, clearer. He took a deep breath and sighed audibly. If only the world could remain as pure as the grove he stood in. Almost regretfully, Osric resumed his journey to the forge.

Distant sounds of hammer on anvil confirmed that he was headed in the right direction as the path inclined to a taxing slope. The ornate carvings on his right tapered to a point as he gained the top of the hill. He stood for a few moments to gain his breath and take in the scene.

A large, wooden building stood in the center of the hill, and he could hear the work that was underway. A gradual rise gave birth to the hill he stood upon, and he could see thousands of trees surrounding it. The field he had just left was clearly visible and was flowing over with animals he could not make out at the distance. The thought of returning there to investigate entered his mind until he saw Bridgett run past the corner of the forge chasing Pebble and a white dog. It looked like a lot of fun, so having caught his breath, he attempted to jog for the first time since he awoke. The dog seemed to be threatened by his rapid approach and began to bark as it faced Osric.

“Happy, he’s is a friend.” Pebble ran to Osric and climbed his breeches as he knelt to greet the dog, holding out his hand. “Call him by’s his name and he’s will love you’s.”

“Happy? That is a great name.” He winked at Bridgett as the dog’s stump of a tail wagged excitedly while he ran his hand over its head. He sniffed at Osric’s coin purse excitedly, so Osric obliged by digging out the strips of smoked beef from his breakfast. After eating, Happy rolled over on his back, begging for his belly to be rubbed, and Pebble joined him in the display.

“Do’s me too, Unicorn!”

Bridgett laughed as Pebble laid on the ground next to Happy, wriggling for attention. Osric felt warmth spread within his chest at the whimsical chime of her laughter. They locked eyes