Axel Light Trilogy: Wands and Shield

Chapter 07-B

Nelly peered through a small window at the door and pushed the rickety door excitedly. A bell tinkled clearly. She found his hand and led him into the shop – he must had looked either very weak or clueless.

Once he stepped inside the shop, Axel expected it to be dark and musty. But instead, it was bright and airy. The white lights helped, illuminating on the many wands on display at the shelves and even many more boxes stacked up to the ceiling.

There was a man behind the counter, as ancient as the fountain at Central Square.

'Ahhh... Nelly, how is Alice?' said the ancient man.

'Grandma is fine, Mr. Krow! I had brought someone to get a wand,' said Nelly warmly, and she gave Axel a gentle push.

Axel took a step forward and he smiled at Mr. Krow nervously, 'Hi... Mr... Crow...'

'Krow with a 'K',' said Mr. Krow briskly, 'You are not from Xeliq. I had never seen you before.'

Axel thought that Mr. Krow was frowning, but his eyebrows were so bushy he could not tell.

'He is from Stirling!' said Nelly quickly, 'He had lost his wand...' she gave Axel a quick nudge.

It must be a lie that he had to play along with Nelly. Maybe, if he said that it would be his first wand, at this age it would be very suspicious and Mr. Krow might not sell him any wands at all.

Axel nodded nervously, 'Yes, I... need a wand...'

Mr. Krow scrutinized Axel's face for some time before he held his right hand out. Nelly nudged at Axel again, but he had no idea what he needed to do. He had never got a wand in his life.

'Go on,' she muttered urgently under her breath, 'you got to shake his hand. He needs to read your mind before you can choose your wand.'

'Read... my mind?' stammered Axel, alarmed.

'That's how it works!' whispered Nelly exasperatedly, ignorant that this was the very first time in his life that Axel would be choosing a wand, 'Go on!'

Axel was still sceptical, but Nelly had looked very cross and not to be messed with. She had helped him to come so far, surely, she would not trick him now. Still unsure, Axel held his hand out and shook Mr. Krow's extended hand.

Immediately, Axel felt warmth and he felt himself floating, while their eyes were locked with each other's. Axel saw Mr. Krow's green eyes widened and then it had suddenly gone back to normal. He did not know if it was a trick in his eyes, but he thought he saw his own shadow in Mr. Krow's eyes.

Mr. Krow let go of Axel's hand suddenly and he stood up. Axel did not even realize that he was seated down. Mr. Krow had looked so tall behind the counter, Axel thought he had been standing behind it. Mr. Krow walked very slowly into a room behind the counter – he looked very, very old.

'Mr. Krow will bring out some wands for you to try,' explained Nelly and Axel nodded shakily.

He was breathless from the handshake – as if he had just completed a marathon.

Nelly patted his back, 'That's alright, this is normal. Mr. Krow needs to read your personality and feelings before he can choose the most suitable wands for you to try. You can't be possibly trying every single wand in the shop, there are millions of them here!'

Axel looked around the shop. It did indeed look like there were a million wands, just like its name.

Mr. Krow had gone for a long time. The longer the wait, the more anxious Axel was. Since his escape from MaxPol, he had been lucky so far – he had managed to evade MaxPol, and he got help when he needed it the most.