THE APPRENTICE III

12

Hazel and Heskit dashed through the streets, cars colliding with one another and debris falling down. The sorcerer gathered all the civilians and placed them on a park.

"What's that?!" Heskit screamed as a huge beast with tentacles and a giant eye smashed its way through the city.

It had a girl wrapped around a tentacle, and she made it just in time for Wong to do a flip as he freed her using a lasso.

"Holy fucking shit, Wong with the moves!" Hazel hyped him up as she ran through the streets. She sensed Heskit following her and made a portal to Pentadilune. "See ya later, Captain Kitty Kat!"

The cloak of levitation flew the girl to one of the building's ledgers and a blade came flying through the air, slicing the tentacle off.

"You're welcome." Strange boasted as he caught up to Wong who gave a small huff.

"You know it's ancient custom to bow in the presence of the sorcerer supreme?" Wong raised a brow and Stephen put his hands together.

"Yeah, I'm aware of the customs."

Hazel rolled her eyes and started to cast one of the new spells she developed. The two shook their heads at her.

"You're late." Stephen criticized as he and Wong cast a rope that detached to the beast.

She ignored his comment and continued on casting the spell, a translucent, wooden platform starting to emerge from the pavement.

"A little help?!" Strange yelled as they dangled from the rope, the beast climbing the building to go after the girl.

Wong let out a scream as he lost his grip of the rope, the beast appearing farther and farther as he travelled to reach the floor. Before he could make a portal, his back hit a net.

"Grab on!" Hazel winked as she took the captain's hat off the soul of a pirate.

A huge, ghost-like ship hovered around the sky as the souls of its crew sang a ballad. Hazel hung off one side, grabbing onto one of the nets and she pointed to the beast.

"Right for the beast, uh...mates? I don't know. Just follow me!" She commanded and they cheered, pulling the ropes and a few of them steering the ships.

"Work!" The pirates raised their translucent swords and Hazel gave an encouraging laugh.
Wong walked up to her, eyes roaming around in amazement.

"Haha, I made them say 'work'! Like drag queens! They have no idea what it means. It's my own spell, don't know what to name it!" She increased the volume of her voice through the winds. "Met them in the sea! Spirits— pirates! They just kinda vibed with me since I sent their captain to the underworld!,"

"That's fantastic!" Wong smiled alongside her. "Tell me about it later,"

"Get changed, Hazel!" Strange reminded with an annoyance in his tone.

She looked down and realized she was still wearing her attire from the wedding and, as the ship curved, her clothing transformed into her tunics.

The head of the ship went straight through the eye, Wong and Hazel held onto the ship at the impact. Stephen took his hands and a green flame broke off the ship's head. It poked out its eye and let it fall down to the floor with a splat. The beast let the man go, the ship catching his fall.

He created a portal and led the girl down to safety.

"You two go ahead." She cocked her head and turned to the ghost-crew. She took the hat off and gave a small bow. "Guess it's not bad luck to have a woman on the ship. Til next time, guys!"