Orianna - Rogue Story (FRIDAY UPDATES)

3. Kotto

"Using magic is an addiction, and not a nice kind of an addiction. It is the worst. That is why only handful of you will become wizards." At least that is what headmaster Kadan said on the first day of Kotto's wizarding education. Kadan was considered to be one of the most powerful wizards in the known world. Kotto read a lot of books before entering the Sanctum - school for the Gifted. "Many say that magic is a gift, and many of your teachers here will refer to magic as The Gift. But, I warn you, there is no law that says that a gift can't be dangerous." The 4.5 feet, blue skinned headmaster went on.

Kotto always considered magic to be exactly those two things. A dangerous gift that makes you addictive. That was one of the reasons he kept much about himself from Orianna, and that's why he was reluctant to use disguising magic right now, even though she was in a tight spot.

"Come on, Kotto! Help me out here." Orianna was clenching her wizard pen.

"Not until you tell me what is going on and what are we doing here exactly." Kotto replied.

"Ok, ok!! I'll explain later. Quick, he is turning around. There is no way to hide and he'll recognize if I make a run for it."

"Fine, Say 'I promise!'" Kotto replied.

"What?"

"Say, 'I promise' or nothing happens."

"Ok, I hate you. And, I promise!" She replied. She knew why he was asking her to promise. It was a kind of truth-spell. She was going to have to explain everything to him now, as soon as he asks. As soon as she said the word she felt a little jolt of energy entering her body. She knew she looked different now. Kotto still had some magic up his sleeve. Well metaphorical sleeves at least, since he was a pen and all. Illusions and simple binding magic was easy enough. But the "real" stuff, the stuff that leaves you wanting for more was out of his grasp.

It was like yesterday when a human named Kotto was on a boat approaching a little town called Skora seven years ago. He was to meet an egwar boy named Blitz and his company of thieves. They needed a wizard that wasn't on the "books". Kotto matched that perfectly. He never got to finish his schooling in the Sanctum for reasons he was not fond of remembering. So he set out into the world as a "rogue-wizard." You needed to have a license to practice magic in some parts of the world. The Ashlake district was one of those places, and was very adamant about enforcing this law. Kotto never got his license, although he could get one for lesser spells, so he was never in the "books." He still remembered seeing a little town of Skora for the first time. A little loading dock made of white and blue stone. Just a handful of warehouses and an inn called "The Mermaid Hag" that welcomed sailors from the lake. It looked small, no really tall buildings, except for the four mansions that were lingering on a very small hill above the residential part of the city. It looked very clean. The streets made out of cobble stone, and with hints of marble here and there, where it seemed appropriate. The town had one wide street, with tracks for carriages carved into the cobblestone. The wide street was filled with stores of every kind and it led into the main circular square which had a little fountain in the center, with some farmer market stands that made their place in the top left corner of the square. The fountain was made out of polished white painted stone, and the water poured out of what looked to be a big white obelisk of some sort, some 5 feet high. It wasn't much, but it looked, smelled and sounded like freedom to Kotto. He still felt that way even though he was currently held in pocket by an egwar girl, sister of the egwar who did this to him. Orianna, thankfully did not know about all of this and Kotto dreaded the day he was have to going to explain all of this mess. Moments later he found out that the day was closer than he thought.

"You made a deal with who?!" Kotto was angry.

"I told you. The Coin Master. We're getting out of this town Kotto." Orianna replied.

Those were the words Kotto was hoping not to hear this soon. He knew he couldn't stop her from going, but he could delay the truth for a little while longer. He promised Blitz to take care of her, and he did for the past four years that he was here with her.

"Maybe it really is time." Kotto sighed in acceptance. 

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AUTHORS NOTE

Could be this chapter is going to get longer. Tell me what do you think about the tension building? Is the story compelling enough to keep on reading. Do you want to find out what happens to Orianna next?

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