This is a tale of Mianite, wizard lore, and magic gone wrong. What more can I say? The picture on the cover was made by KiwiDrawer on Twitter. Started in June 2015, finished in September 2016.
Oh my goodness. How has this story almost gotten to 1,000 views and over 100 votes? I feel flabbergasted (Hurray for words that aren't used enough!) every time the numbers jump. :) If you have a word you don't think gets used enough, tell me what it is. (Mine is persnickety—yes that's a word.)
*Wag's POV* ~Still a Flashback~
Rythian, Phil, Tom, and I were discussing everyone's placements for the spell one last time before the inter-dimensional jump at noon—these spells could be touchy if handled without proper respect—when I glimpsed Kay and Echo rushing across the entryway with Kay clutching one of the older books from the library. I excused myself from the others to see what had the two apprentices so worked up. Walking to meet them, I asked "Okay, what happened?"
Kay took a breath to explain, but Echo jumped in first, "I'm so sorry, Mr. Waglington. Jax was chasing a bug, and it went onto one of the bookshelves. He climbed after it before I could stop him, and he knocked the book onto the floor." I was surprised to hear this much from Echo all at once; she was usually pretty quiet. The poor apprentice seemed scared half to death, green eyes looking everywhere except at me. Jax, her emerald tree monitor, (check out the pic; these lizards are gorgeous) was peeking hesitantly through her long, black hair from where he clung to her back as if he knew he was the cause of all the fuss.
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"Let's see the damage now, shall we?" I held out my hand, and Kay carefully placed the heavy tome in it. I opened the cover to find it and the spine had separated completely from the binding. The binding was also coming apart with the front pages barely being held in. Well, this is a problem, I thought as I pursed my lips. This was one of the books with a powerful anti-tampering enchantment on it. It resisted repair and warding spells, which was why Kay and I had waited to pack it until the last minute. A protective spell could be placed on its container, but even that would not last more than a few hours max. There was no magic I could do to fix it. Judging by the expression on Echo's face, Kay had already told her as much.
As I stood there trying to decide what to do with the situation, a faint purple glow enveloped the broken book. I nearly dropped the text myself in surprise. As the glow faded to reveal the book intact once again, I noticed two things. All of the conversations that had been happening around us had ceased, and Kay and Echo were staring at something behind me, or should I say someone.
I handed Kay the tome and turned to see none other than Ianite standing in the entryway of our building. I had never seen her before, but I had overheard the heroes describe her enough times to know her by her purple dress and hair. She smiled at the two apprentices behind me before addressing me directly. "May I ask to speak with someone in charge?"
I cautiously stepped forward and introduced myself with a slight bow, "I am Waglington. How may I be of service, Lady Ianite?"
"Could you walk with me, please?" she asked and looked outside. Once we had gotten out of earshot of the others, she continued. "This is my first time back to the Overworld in ages; I love what you've done with the place. I know you wizards are preparing to leave, but I hoped to request a small build before you go."
