The Wizard

Tower

In a small clearing deep within the vast forest, they came to the ruins of an old castle. There was nothing left but a short wall, part of an old forge, and the bottom half of a tower. Mevner could tell by the brickwork that the structure was from an age long passed. 

He was placed on the ground near the wall while Grimble and Oxide scouted out the tower. The rusty metal robot kicked up dust and smashed things about inside. Grimble came out grinning. 

"This will do nicely. The second-floor roof is gone but the lower level is dry enough. We're going to leave you here and go fetch supplies."

Oxide exited the tower and stood next to Mevner with a blank dead look. The electricity in his eyes reduced to a flicker. 

"Do you think you could zap him again. We should be able to make it back in less than two days time."

Mevner leaned forward and lightning arced out of him through Oxide and up into the sky. He fell over exhausted. Oxide turned him on his side. 

"Now, this might hurt a bit." The gnome looked up to his creation. "Do it."

Before Mevner could guess what 'it' was, Oxide grabbed his neck and his lower spine with ruthless force and bent his back straight with a horrid crack. 

"Ahhhh." He inhaled desperately as tears welled in his eyes. "Warn me first!" 

His head fell to the earth and he lay there breathing heavily. 

"Now, I do have to warn you, that was the easy part. The next two will really hurt." 

Mevner tried to crawl away but Oxide grabbed his right leg, took off his boot, and bent his foot back flat with a snapping of bones. Screams sent birds into flight all around the forest. 

"No more!" Mevner had a frantic crazed look in his eyes. 

"Now, my good, good new friend, I know it hurts but the ring will heal you, we'll set the bones and they'll mend correctly."

Ox broke a wooden plank in four pieces, ripped two strips of cloth off Mevner's jacket, and bound his right foot with two boards. Mevner kicked the small robot over. Oxide got up again and reached for his left leg. 

"No! Grimble, call him off. Oxide, dammit!" 

"It'll be over before you know it. Now, hold fast my boy."

The robot snapped his left foot. Mevner screamed with such force he knocked Grimble unconscious. He reached forward with a magical gesture and sent the rust-bot spiraling into the woods. Then Mevner lost consciousness as well. 

He woke up alone in an uncomfortable wooden bed inside the old brick tower. His feet were sandwiched between wooden boards and they were swollen and bruised purple and red. Next to the bed was a bucket of water and a broken clay chamber pot. On the rim of the water bucket was a tiny wheel of cheese. Mevner reached for it, fumbled it into his bed, and eventually got it into his mouth. He chewed savagely and ate the whole thing. 

He lay back in bed. A big green and yellow spider wove an intricate web above his head. 

"At least you'll keep the other insects off me." 

~

Three days later, Grimble returned riding on a tiny cart pulled by two goats. He was hauling bags and boxes of random stuff piled atop the inanimate object that was Iron Oxide. As he approached, he couldn't believe his eyes.

The tower now had a thatched roof made of recently cut branches. There was a decent sized woodpile outside and smoke rose from the chimney of the attached and now rebuilt forge. The sound of striking metal clanked across the meadow. An old hammer lifted itself and came down with a whack upon a thin blade of steel. 

Grimble reached into his bag, pulled out his goggles, and through them saw an astral projection of Mevner Ozgold. Strong and healthy, he wielded the hammer pressing a small blade that gave off a purple-ish blue glow. The ghost of Mevner looked over, saw Grimble's recognition, and gestured that he go inside. Then he continued to hammer away. 

Grimble entered and there was Mevner sitting on the edge of his bed. His foot bonds were replaced with metal braces, which not only wrapped his feet but supported his lower legs as well. 

"Good day, Mr. Grimble." His words were clear and held the slight accent of the woodsmen. 

"My word! You do heal fast." 

"It's the ring. Sadly, it does nothing for my hands." Mevner raised a twisted gnarly fist. 

"It seems you've made fine use of your time. And here I was worried you'd starve."

A wooden stump had become a makeshift table, upon it sat the torn remains of a roasted pheasant. 

"I usually only split myself when I'm sleeping, but I've been sleeping almost twenty hours a day and my mind needed to busy itself. My father was a blacksmith and even if I've only the vaguest recollections of my early childhood, I still sometimes dream of iron." 

He looked down at his hands. "In retrospect, I want to thank you for fixing my feet. They hurt unbelievably but walking again is now a reality."

"You're welcome. I wonder if you'd mind jump starting Ox?" 

"Sure. Maybe he can come in here and break my hands back into shape?"

"They might not be so easy to repair, I'm afraid." Grimble walked over to the bedside and took a couple of fingers into his hands. "You see, they work, but they're backward. It's like the curse not only moved the bones but also the tendons inside your hand. Think the mechanical pullies and levers that make your fingers go." 

"You're quite knowledgeable when it comes to anatomy. What do you think about assisting me with a surgery?"

Grimble's smile was that of a person offered a chance at their true calling.