The Wayward Apprentice - A WoW Classic Story

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Xantros
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Re: The Wayward Apprentice - A WoW Classic Story

Post by Xantros » Mon Oct 23, 2023 5:46 pm

Garrick was getting impatient and did not like these insults one bit. He slammed his fist on the armchair and jumped to his feet. Grabbing a cup of tea, he threw it on the floor in his rage. The cup broke into a million porcelain pieces and the tea splattered on dry wood.
  • “NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOUR DEAD FATHER!! OR YOUR STUPID FAMILY LEGACY!! YOU JOIN US AND GIVE UP THE VINEYARD WILLINGLY, OR WE TAKE IT BY FORCE!!” he exploded.
Milly recoiled in fear. She had never seen Garrick this angry before but it was now clear that he had indeed changed. The bandit leader took a few moments to collect himself but he had already gotten a headache from losing his cool. His henchmen stepped over but he held up his hand, rubbing his temples with the other.
  • “Ahhh, why do you have to be so difficult? Now look what you made me do… Let’s try that again… listen here, we already got your deed to the place… whose gonna know if we…”
But as he was about to go on another one of his delusional rants, the bedroom door opened and a yawning, shivering blonde girl walked out barefoot in her chemise, rubbing her eyes.
  • “W-what’s going on, M-milly? I heard a… yawn noise…” she glanced around half asleep and shaking. “Can I g-get a… yawn …nother b-blanket, please?”
A cold wave rushed down Milly’s spine. She failed and Abbie was now in danger. Her mind raced but she was too distressed to think.
  • Hah “See? I knew something was up!” The sly thug pointed at the young girl, grinning to his large friend.
  • “Oh no…” Milly murmured to herself. “Go back to bed sweetie, we are just talking.”
  • “Who’s this, Milly? And why haven’t you told us that you have a guest here?” Garrick demanded answers.
  • “She’s my friend and she is sick! I’ll go take care of her quick and we can continue.”
Garrick stood in Milly’s way as she tried to rush over to Abigail.
  • “Please Garrick… she dropped in tonight and she has a fever. Just let me put her back to bed!” Milly pleaded desperately.
  • “No, I think both of you will stay right where you are.”
Behind the armchair, Lem was lying in wait. And it was killing him. He could not risk revealing himself too early but he needed a clear line of sight to start casting his spells. Now that Abigail had entered the picture, the situation had become worse and he was running out of options fast. Garrick stepped over to the young girl with a menacing gait.
  • “Perhaps you will be more cooperative now… for her sake…”
  • “Don’t do this Garrick… not to her, I beg you!” Milly almost screamed but her voice choked away. She took a step towards him.


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Xantros
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Re: The Wayward Apprentice - A WoW Classic Story

Post by Xantros » Sun Oct 29, 2023 11:30 am

  • “Restrain her, Fran!” he commanded.
The scrawny thug grabbed hold of Milly’s wrist and twisted her arms behind her back with one hand. She gasped in pain and struggled to free herself but it was futile. He pulled a knife with his other hand and held it close to her cheek.
  • “I would calm down if I were you or Fran’s hand might accidentally slip!” Garrick was enjoying his moment of power all too much. “And we wouldn’t want that now.”
Lem was determined to step out of his hiding spot and do something, when…
  • “Stop hurting her! You big meanie!” Abigail yelled at Garrick.
  • Hah “And just what are you going to do pipsqueak… Ow!” she kicked him in the shin.
  • “Let her go!”
  • “Why you little pest!” Garrick shouted, grabbing his leg in pain as Abbie ran towards her friend. “Grab her, Lloyd!”
The burly bandit did as instructed and clenched his vice grip on the young girl’s upper arms to drag her back. As soon as he touched her, a sharp pain ripped into him, from fingers to wrist. His hands had quickly turned purplish as if all the blood had suddenly rushed out of them. He recoiled with a loud cry.

Abigail kept on running and extended her arm to reach out to Milly. Just then, the temperature in the room dropped noticeably and the air around her hand began to shimmer. A cold, bluish light suddenly shot out of her fingertips. Fran could not react fast enough and the freezing air hit his hand. Just like Lloyd, he cried out, as the icy chill ran through his arm, causing him to drop his dagger and relinquish Milly. In the confusion, the older girl made a mad dash for her pan on the sofa. Another blue light hit Fran and he stumbled, crashing with his back into a cupboard of glasses.
  • “THE DAMN BRAT IS A MAGE!! STOP HER, QUICK!” Garrick yelled out the order, then quickly ducked as another bolt of cold air flew over his head.
Lloyd sprang at Abigail from behind but he was met face to face with Milly’s pan. As he retreated, holding his face in both hands, the vintner’s daughter turned round to go help her friend but a sudden shock of despair rooted her in place. She was too late.

Even through his thick leather gloves, Garrick could feel the intense cold emanating from the young mage. His fingers were slowly getting numb as he twisted her arm to the side with a firm grip. Abigail struggled but she was much smaller and far weaker compared to this giant of a man. The rogue knew he had to act quickly against a mage. While she was distracted and in pain, he pulled a dagger from his vest and stabbed her with all his remaining strength.
  • “ABIGAIL!!! NO!!” Milly screamed at the top of her lungs.

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Xantros
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Re: The Wayward Apprentice - A WoW Classic Story

Post by Xantros » Sun Oct 29, 2023 11:31 am

Thank you Fred! I'm glad you enjoy it! Means a lot to me :)

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Xantros
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Re: The Wayward Apprentice - A WoW Classic Story

Post by Xantros » Tue Nov 14, 2023 3:47 pm

And so too did Garrick. The piercing thrust from his dagger glanced to the side and only left a painful bruise on the girl’s side but the backlash of cold energy snapped through his entire arm. He looked down at it and just barely noticed another cold spell forming in the girl’s free hand. Without thinking, he jabbed his knees in Abigail’s stomach and slogged her as hard as he still could. The poor girl’s world had suddenly turned upside down and the room swirled around her. She was knocked out completely.
  • “That was… a close one…” he panted, holding his arm. “Your friend almost had me there but… in the end it was all useless.”
  • “Not quite!”
A shadow dashed quickly across the room, putting out the candles and hitting Lloyd, who was getting ready to take down Milly. The strong thug felt a cold pain in his chest, where he had been struck, only it was not quite freezing but more… empty.
  • “Boss… I-I can’t see!!” he shouted out.
  • “What the…?” Garrick paused.
  • “She gave me enough time…” Lem spoke with a deep and serious tone. “… to end this!”
With the candles extinguished, the room had become rather dark once more. The three rogues were caught completely by surprise and now they were at a disadvantage. The gnome could see them quite well, even in this darkness.

Garrick was now in trouble. He did not catch the position of his new enemy, nor the threat he posed. But he guessed it was another mage. His men were out of their wits or badly hurt and they were in the dark. He had to act real fast.
He dashed over to the nearest window behind the sofa, narrowly avoiding something dark that just whizzed past him. Almost desperately, he tore off the curtains to let some light in.

Fran, who had been down for the count for much of the fight, had just regained himself. Seeing his boss tearing down curtains, he knew what he had to do. He rushed over to the front door and gave it a strong kick. The old rusty hinges gave way and the birch door fell outside in the mud.

The room was now only half dark and the bandits felt their odds improving. Garrick had finally located the gnome’s position and, in the streaming moonlight, he even recognized him.
  • “YOU!?” he yelled out in surprise.
  • “Remember me, do you?”
  • “You’re the shortstop we took that book from!” Garrick recollected.
  • “I’d much like to have that back now…” Lem was not too amused by the remark.
  • Hah “You think I haul that paperweight around with me?”
  • “I guess I will just have to search your body later…” the gnome gave him a cold glare, which did not go unnoticed by the rogue leader.
  • Bwahahhaha “You what?” Fran cackled. “Big talk from such a small thing.”
  • “Watch out Fran, this one’s a spellcaster too. And a more dangerous one…”
  • “Yeah I know. Last time, he was a pushover… ‘oh! where am I? huh? Who are you?’ hahhaha easiest pickings ever!” the sly rogue gloated.
  • “It’s two for one… We can take him from both sides!” Garrick gave the command.
  • “We’ll see about that!”

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Xantros
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Re: The Wayward Apprentice - A WoW Classic Story

Post by Xantros » Tue Nov 21, 2023 5:08 pm

Lem turned around quickly and snapped his fingers. The arrogant grin instantly disappeared from Fran’s face as his legs gave way, dropping him on all fours. Despite pushing with all of his strength, he could not get himself up from the floor.

Garrick seized the opportunity and lunged forward but the gnome had anticipated this and was now focusing on him. He snapped his fingers at the rogue too but he dodged behind the sofa at the last second, putting himself out of Lem’s line of sight. He waited for the gnome to try and go around but instead the unexpected happened. Lem ran at Fran with his staff, smacking the dagger out of his hand and bashing him over the head.

Seeing this, Garrick vaulted over the sofa but dodged behind the armchair immediately as another spell flew straight at him. The energy bolt hit the furniture and quietly dispersed with a hiss. The rogue leader looked frantically around for an advantage when he finally found one. Milly who had been out of sight for a while now, had taken the opportunity of the commotion, to tend to Abigail. Garrick tossed a candlestick at the gnome while making a desperate dash over to the two girls. In his mind the plan was clear, he had to take a hostage.

Milly had just noticed his intention and turned to face him but she was too slow. The ruthless man was already upon them. She closed her eyes and desperately raised her pan, when a surge of hot air knocked her over her heels. A sudden flash of light blinded her through her closed eyes, followed by a horrific howl. When she opened them, she saw before her a terrible burning effigy of the man she hated the most. Her wish had come true.

Garrick Padfoot had burst into flames. He flailed around in panic for a few seconds, screaming and stumbling until mustering the wits to drop on the ground and roll. He managed to put out the flames in time and looked over the room frantically towards his allies. Lloyd and Fran were already sprinting out the door and the gnome was now turning his attention to him once again. He knew he had no choice but to save his own skin and mustering what strength he had left, scrambled for the door. He dodged the last spell by sheer luck and yelled behind him as he ran.
  • “This is not over Milly! I’ll be back with more!”
Lem chased after them until they disappeared into the night. When he returned, he found Milly tending to her young friend. Abigail had just regained consciousness moments ago but was still a bit out of it.
  • “Looks like they are gone!” the gnome gestured at the door. “How is she doing?”
  • “Got a nasty hit but I think she’ll be okay. She’s tougher than she looks.” Milly smiled at her friend. “Lend me a hand please…”

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Xantros
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Re: The Wayward Apprentice - A WoW Classic Story

Post by Xantros » Sun Dec 03, 2023 9:56 am

The two of them prepped Abigail on the sofa and Milly sat down next to her, with a worried and distressed expression on her face. Lem walked up to her.
  • “Are you alright?” he asked with concern.
  • “I… I just don’t… I’m so confused right now… H-how do you stay so calm after such a thing…?” Milly asked, still shaking.
  • “I understand. I assume you have not been in many fights in your life?”
  • “No… not really. Unless you count the last time, I smacked Lloyd with my pan. But this time… I don’t know it was… different…” Suddenly, the gravity of their situation moments ago had finally hit her. “Oh my gosh… Lem! This was scary… They almost killed my Abbie!!” her breathing became more rapid.
Lem put his hand on hers.
  • “I know how you feel. And it’s my fault…” He looked away.
  • “What? How? You could have died too!” she looked at him, confused.
  • “Yes, it was too close! But I should have acted sooner! If Abigail’s spellpower had not manifested, she would have been…” he could not continue with that line of thought.
  • “What even happened? I… I didn’t really understand. Did Abbie use magic?”
  • “She did indeed…” Lem smiled proudly.
  • “She used to come over and practice but… she never could!” Milly was confused. “How…”
  • “I think when you were in danger, she reacted instinctively to protect you. That must have triggered her latent abilities.” Lem speculated.
  • “Uhhhh… wah?” Abigail had finally come to.
  • “Abbie!!!!” Milly hugged her.
  • Ehhehe Ow! “Not so tight please…” she put her palm to her cheek.
  • “Oh… oops sorry!” she chirped. “How are you feeling, dear?”
  • “Like… uhhh… like I was kicked by a horse…”
  • “I should take a look at your bruises. Lie down and rest I’ll… Hey, you aren’t shaking anymore!” Milly put her palm on Abbie’s forehead. “She’s the same temperature… is the fever’s gone!?”
  • “Then my suspicions were correct!” Lem clapped his hands together.
  • “What?... WHAT??” Milly shouted.

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Xantros
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Re: The Wayward Apprentice - A WoW Classic Story

Post by Xantros » Sat Dec 09, 2023 11:15 am

  • “When she stepped on a sharp rock earlier, it seems she instinctively put up a defensive spell around herself. Usually, beginner mages learn how to freeze the air around them. It is called Frost-channeling and it is one of the easier disciplines.” Lem explained in detail. “I believe her Frost Armor spell had been active this whole time, until she was knocked out.”
  • “So that’s why she…”
  • “But Lem…” Abbie interjected with a sleepy expression on her. “When the kobolds attacked me… why I didn’t do this… uhhh frost-ch… che… the armor thing!”
  • Hmm “Probably because you were in shock. Fear obstructs the flow of magic!”
  • “…Oh…” she gave a deep blink. “Okay…”
  • “What’s this I hear about KOBOLD’S ATTACKING YOU NOW??” Milly turned to Abbie with audible concern.
  • Errhe he…” Abbie bit her pinky with a cheeky grin, like a little girl when caught ‘red handed’ with an empty cookie jar. “That one slipped out…”
  • “Honestly Abbie! You really are a magnet for all sorts of trouble.” Milly shook her head. Sigh “I guess it can’t be helped…”
After they had shaken off the initial aftershock, the gnome and the vintner’s daughter cleaned up the chaos left by the battle. They picked up the broken porcelain pieces and patched up the devastated glass cupboard as best they could. Abigail protested to help out but Milly had left her on the couch, holding a piece of cold cloth to her swollen cheek. Once the knocked down door had returned to its hinges, the signs of combat had become but a memory, if not quite distant as of yet.
  • Phew “I think we did a great job here!” Milly threw herself back, tugging at her blue suspenders. “Everything looks good as new… well, sort of…”
  • “I agree but it took quite some time. Remember what Garrick said!” Lem reminded.
Milly’s expression turned grim. “… he would be back with more.”
  • “Exactly, we have to do something before that happens!”
  • “What can we do Lem? You are a capable magician but I doubt even you could take them all on. I’m just glad we survived that one time!”
  • “True but we can’t just sit here and wait…” Lem popped down on the sofa with folded arms. “It would be safest, if you came with us to the Church until the Guard deals with them.”

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