That's So Wizard

Chapter 74 - Face to Faceless

Only the girl's neck to her head—covered with golden locks—was visible in the mirror due to her stature, so she had to step on the tips of her toes occasionally to see the ends. This normally didn't bother her, but her fury had grown hotter with each passing day. Her best friend, which she referred to affectionately as a sister, had been taken away, and not only that but they failed against Eldrian's friends, and were thrown aside by Tyreth.

All she truly wanted was princess-status, with unlimited wealth and daily praise. Was that so much to ask? Instead, she still lived in the same run-down house, but alone.

What bothered her even more was that her pendant, the one with a skull and crescent moon, was stolen. She was using it to puppet skeletons she dug up from the local cemetery, but one corpse moved on its own. It stormed away with the necklace around its neck. So she was out a sister and a magic item.

She moved to her study, which was a messy desk in the corner of her bedroom. Tomes were opened all over the surface and floor in hopes she would find a way to find her lost pendant. Every day was spent studying with intensity.

That day was no different. Hours passed, and her eyes ached.

"This has to be it." Nobody was around yet she spoke aloud. Deep down she thought that maybe Alchia would here her, even if when she looked there was nobody behind her. "I've tried spell after spell, but deep down, I knew there was some kind of magic that could track that thing!"

She muttered a tongue, one from tens of thousands of years ago, and brought both hands up into the sky. Strands of starlight coiled around her limbs to bounce between the tips of her fingers. In her eyes was a gaze to somewhere else entirely. It wasn't the ceiling above her, but a galaxy of black with dots of white. Then she snapped back.

"Is it gone? No. I can feel it. I think I can do it now. I can do it, Alchia! I'll track down my treasure, and then I'll use it to take you back."

She flopped back down into her seat. She began to think beyond such a brash decision. If she was beaten once, she'd have no chance doing it alone. Her sister was the only friend she had in the world, especially due to their selfish acts. There wasn't much she could think to do.

Her hand flicked up into the air. From a nearby table, her phone swooshed directly into her grip, and she swiped her finger across it.

"I can't do this anymore," Poppet muttered to herself. "I can't sit here and do nothing while everything falls apart, but the only solution I can think of is too painful. There's no way I can do it again."

A window was already open in her browser. She had spend time researching a local young man in order to find his number, which was a peace of cake through the power of technology, and people willingly giving away their private information online. There was a face—one with orange hair, freckles, and a tuft of hair on his chin.

Poppet's hand was trembling. Would they even help her? It's possible they'd try to turn her in, after all the things she'd done, especially with Tyreth.

Tears pooled around her eyes moments before she began to bawl. Her face was soon soaked, and with her phone squeezed between her fingers, she shouted, "I don't know what else to do!" She then did something she never thought she would do. Poppet dialled the number to beg for help.

The ringing was torturous. Thoughts raced through her mind, such as what she would ask, or how she'd respond to rejection. Parts of her wanted nobody to pick up while others were crying out for the opposite.

It clicked. "Yeah? Who is this? I don't have you on my phone, so if you're a telemarketer..." Kevin said on the other end.

His voice caused her to shake. Normally, she could speak without hesitation, but at that moment, it was like her mouth was filled with peanut butter.