Tycho the Wizard Ch. 01

Tycho

Many years ago, one of my masters impressed upon me the importance of recording one's life for posterity and the good of all magic. So of course, being me, I promptly forgot about this and went out adventuring. Well not really. Adventuring was not my first choice in life, I am, and always wanted to be a wizard, a Dean of magic in some college, perhaps not in the capital, but maybe a city of rich keep somewhere.

However, magic is expensive, and for a poor orphan boy raised on the streets of the capital it was easier to con my way into a college. Which worked fine until they found out. I won't go into the whys and hows I was expelled, suffice to say I found myself wandering Newham wood.

Tycho stumbled into town, barely paying attention to the surroundings. Instead the only thing on his mind was the horse trough that he stumbled towards and collapsed onto. He dropped his head into the water making a few of the horses hitched to the nearby post whinny in complaint. He drank until he thought his belly would explode and he collapsed back against the trough.

"Hey! No begging here. You want alms you go to the church!"

Someone was prodding him with something pointed. Tycho opened his eyes and looked up at two spearmen.

"I'm not a beggar." He said.

One of the spearmen snorted. "Oh really? What's your trade then?"

Now that was a good question. He couldn't really say wizard, not since his., ahem... expulsion. His spellbook was gone, his familiar banished and his staff broken. He had two silver pieces and a few coppers and a dagger he hadn't sharpened in weeks. Still...

"Magewright." He said with a cracking voice he hadn't used in maybe days.

The spearmen looked at each other and chuckled. "Oh a magewright are you? Well forgive me, my lord." One said with a deep mocking bow. "We didn't expect a magewright to be drinking here at the horse bar."

Tycho looked at the trough and shook his head. "I am a magewright."

"And what would a magewright be doing here in Cindertree? You think we have great arcane workings here?"

The two laughed again. Tycho took a moment look around, the town was small. It had a lightning struck blackened tree in the main square, no doubt where the name came from. He could see the walls of a keep to the north with open gates and a fair amount of mounted traffic. From the signs hanging outside the buildings of the town square he could see a tavern, a smithy and a general store.

"You're funny beggar." The talkative spearmen said and flipped him a few coppers. "For livening up a boring day. The church is inside the keep when you want to get alms."

They walked away and Tycho took the coppers from the mud and pocketed them. He knew better than to waste coppers. With an effort of will he forced himself up on aching and exhausted legs and turned towards the square. He could see people moving about their business and he walked stiffly towards the tavern.

The tavern was sombre, like every drinking establishment before midday. The only people here in the taproom were those that stayed from the night before and the serious drinkers, neither of which seemed to be big talkers. Tycho stepped in the doorway and breathed in, he sent out his arcane senses and detected more and a few magical items here, Maybe one or two hedge-wizards. He walked up to the bar.

"How much for a meal?" He asked.

The barkeeper looked at him for a moment as he wiped the bar. "Six coppers." He said simply.

"With a drink?"

"Eight Coppers."

Tycho felt torn, he didn't want to spend that much of his remaining money, but his grumbling belly had a point to make also. With a sigh he handed over the money and looked expectantly at the barkeeper. The tall, rotund man grumbled before he took the money and put a tankard of beer down in front of him and shambled off to the back to get food. When he returned, Tycho devoured the food.

"Slow down, lad." The Barkeeper said with a note of concern. "You're going to clean up if you puke on my floor."

The young wizard forced himself to slow down.

"You're out of place." The Barkeeper said. "Where are you from boy?"

"Got left behind by my caravan." He said quickly. He had been thinking about his excuse for a while. "Had to walk two days."

The Barkeeper raised an eyebrow. "Two days through Newham wood? Impressive if true."

Tycho shrugged, "I have no packs or supplies." He said. "I have no reason to lie."

The Barkeeper snorted and nodded. "So what's your name and profession, lad?"

Tycho swalled some of the bread down, it felt good in his stomach.

"Tycho." He said. "Magewright."

The Barkeeper raised another eyes. "A magewright, eh?" He said. "Sure you are."

"I would show you my qualification certificates, but I lost them in the caravan." Tycho said slightly archly.

The barkeeper smiled to himself and then gestured with his head over his right shoulder.

"That sword on the wall, I call it Goblin splitter." He said. "What do you think about it?"

Tycho looked at it for a moment. A longsword with a worn handle and a fairly standard scabbard. He raised an eyebrow in surprise and looked at the barkeeper more closely.

"It's a blessed weapon." He said. "You're a cleric?"

The Barkeeper was silent for a moment then chuckled. "Me a cleric? Pull the other one." He said. "Still, you ain't wrong about it."

He put down his cleaning rag and touched the sword fondly.

"Back in my adventuring days, I travelled with a holy priestess of Suraja. She enchanted my sword." The barkeeper looked at him closely. "I still say you're not a magewright. You're a wizard."

Tycho smiled a little proudly that he had been recognised as a wizard. "A wizard without spellbook or staff." Tycho sighed and shook his fatigued head. "How much for a room for the night?"

"One silver."

Without even a flinch he handed over one of his two silver pieces and stretched. "I need a bath too."

"I'll see to it."

Tycho stared into his beer and sighed deeply. He was nearly out of money and wasn't sure how to make more. But right now, he was lonely and tired. He needed to get some sleep and re-summon his familiar.

Tycho slept away the day, he awoke feeling less tired, but still worried deeply about his future. He put those thoughts of his mind for now and dug around his pockets until he found his piece of chalk and cleared a space on the floor so he could sketch out a rune-circle. His movements were precise and practiced. That filled him with a little hope. Despite everything, he was good at magic. At barely fifteen he had been admitted into a college, even if it was under false pretences, and excelled for the three years he had attended there. Until of course it came to paying for the fourth year...

He finished the circle and put his chalk away safely and then began the incantations and gestures he needed to cast the spell. The Rune-circle flared into life as he infused it with arcane energies. As he cast the spell, in the back of his mind he remembered his school days, as young apprentices they had been very impressed when casting spells caused the environment to change, furniture to rattle and the walls to shake. It wasn't until a year later they realised it was an amateur mistake. All those things were signs there was magic leaking from the spell.

Tycho's spell was silent, as he re-summoned his one constant companion. A dark grey, blue tailed hawk erupted out of the circle and flew around the room before it landed on the foot of the bed and surveyed the room.

*Master, what happened?*

It didn't speak out loud, but in the confines of Tycho's head. It wasn't a real hawk, not any more. Years of sharing a wizard's mind had changed it into a magical creature, and Tycho's was different still, more of a spirit of air than an actual bird.

*I've been expelled, Liera.* He replied mentally.

*Oh no! What are you going to do now?*

Tycho sighed as he sat down and absently stroked her soft feathers. *I don't know.*

Liera cocked her head to one side and looked at him. *Didn't Netu's father offer you a job?*

The young wizard shuddered. *That's true... unfortunately he lives hundreds of miles to the east, a trip I can't afford.*

The two fell silent and Tycho sighed as he rose up. "Come on." He said out loud. "Lets go downstairs."

It was early evening and the taproom was full. Tycho saw a musician playing a lute with his cap by his feet. a few silvers in his cap, he stared at the money jealously before he sat down at the bar. Liera rode on his shoulder, invisible and weightless, but Tycho knew his familiar was constantly scanning the room.

"Just the lad I was hoping to catch."

Tycho looked up and saw the barkeeper walk over and sit on the bar stool next to him. He gestured to the woman behind the bar who put down a tankard of beer in front of him. Instantly Tycho, the born and bred city boy, was suspicious.

"How'd you like to make some coin?"

Tycho glanced at the bar wenches shaking their breasts and showing a lot of leg to any who would look. There were also a group of males looking remarkably well groomed in such a remote place. Tycho raised a skeptical eyebrow, but the barkeeper was smiling widely, and not in a predatory way; at least towards Tycho.

"Doing what?"

The Barkeeper caught his look and laughed. "Nothing nefarious, lad. But I need someone with your skill set, as it were."

The Barkeeper looked around being cautious and reached over the bar and put a wrapped bundle in front of him. Tycho could feel magic emanating from the package.

"I've come into a few items of note. Some times adventurers settle their tab with their loot or the remains of their dead comrades." He shrugged. "Now usually I can spot a good deal, but this time I'm a little stumped."

Tycho opened the package and looked at the collection of items.

"How much?" The wizard asked.

"I'll give you two silver for the lot."

The younger man blinked in surprise and smiled. "You're kidding, there are six items here. Even a basic reading of magical items will run you ten silver a piece."

"Oh, aye I know that." The Barkeeper said. "But I can't charge that and pay you the same and this is my establishment."

"Okay then, fifty percent."

"I'll give you 10%."

Tycho shook his head and sighed dramatically. "Ok, But room and Board until next restday and I'll charge you 10% only for all the items until then."

The Barkeeper looked at him shrewdly for a moment before he spat on his hand and offered it to Tycho. With a slight grimace he half heartedly spat on his own hand and offered it back. The two shook and Tycho stealthily wiped his hand on his trousers.

"So six silver, it's agreed. M'name's Dain, by the way."

Tycho smiled and nodded as he turned his attention towards the magical items, he separated three of them. "Not magical." He stated.

Dain's eyes open wide in shock for a moment before he shook his head.

"Broach of shielding." Tycho said as he picked up the trinket and turned it over in his hands. "Damaged, I wouldn't rely on this too much.

"Belt of Bull's strength." Tycho explained and looked at the final item.

A wave of anger hit him and he got the sense of a fragment of a tainted soul slowly growing.

"Gods..."

His face paled and he took a step back involuntarily.

"What is it, lad?"

"This is a phylactery." Tycho whispered.

Dain gasped as well and scooted back. "Get rid of it."

The young wizard stared at him in horror. "How am I supposed to do that?"

"I don't care! I don't want it here!" Dain grabbed at his belt and flung him a small pouch of coins. "There, you're paid and extra! Take it! Just get rid of it!"

Tycho caught the pouch on instinct, he stared at it for a moment and when he looked up Dain had fled the taproom. The young wizard cursed under his breath and grabbed the small trinket with the cloth and walked out of the tavern.

It was dark outside and a clear starry night. Tycho looked around frantically. How could he get rid of a phylactery? If he had a fully stocked wizard's lab... and a high level wizard, he could probably destroy it.

*Tycho what are going to do?* Liera shouted in his head.

"I don't know." He said as he rushed up to the town's well. He looked down it and shook his head.

*The river, Tycho! The river!*

Tycho turned and saw the brook heading into the forest. Well, it was better than nothing. He grabbed some mud and straw and packed it around the small trinket and with an arcane word he baked the outside and tossed it into the river. He watched it bobbing up and down in the water as it zipped away with the current.

"Well, that's a half-arsed solution." Tycho berated himself.

"But it's a solution." A new voice said.

Tycho turned and saw a figure in rags slumped against the side of the tavern sitting in the mud. The figure took a swig from a bottle it held and wiped its mouth on the back of its hand.

"In battle, more often the correct orders are the first ones."

Tycho shook his head. "You have no idea what you're talking about." He cursed silently. "The Temple, I should have taken it to the temple."

The figure let out a deep mocking laugh that went on and on before turning to coughing. Tycho looked more closely and realised it was a woman in her late fifties with matted hair, but sharp blue eyes.

"You think the acolytes up there would have any idea how to deal with anything but a colicky baby?" She laughed again. "No, boy. The Five's light doesn't shine here in Cindertree."

She gestured towards him and before he could think about it he offered a hand. She gripped him with a surprising firm grasp and pulled herself up from the mud.

"Spare any coin for an old war veteran?" She asked him.

"I am three copper away from sitting next to you."

She shook her head taking another drink from her bottle. "Boy, you are twenty years of bad road, away from me." She said with a growl in her voice.

She straightened and walked away.

Tycho shook his head and headed back inside, Dain caught his eye and gave him a worried enquiring look. Tycho nodded reassuringly and Dain breathed a sigh of relief. He grabbed himself a seat at a corner table and opened the purse, 20 silver and twenty copper. A fortune for a town like this. Well, he was sorted for the next few weeks with a sort of job. He could plan a course of action.

"There you are, dearie." a voice said.

He looked up to see a human woman in her late thirties standing at the table.

"Dain told me to tell you your bath is ready."

Tycho nodded and gathered up his money and headed upstairs. He paid little or no mind to Dain winking lasciviously and giving him a thumbs up.

He went into the room and saw a large tin bath set up he turned to close the door and was a little surprised to see the woman had followed him. She closed the door behind them and smiled.

"You're a young one. How old are you?"

Tycho blinked in shock, "Er, eighteen."

She moved up lose to him. "Have you ever been with a woman before?"

He blushed deeply. "Well..."

She laughed. "So I'll be your first? I'm honoured."

She began to strip his shirt and trousers and Tycho was just stunned and excited enough to let her. She ran her fingers down his bare chest and stomach until she touched his flaccid penis that hardened quickly.

She chuckled. "Into the bath with you."

He obeyed dumbly and she bathed him gently, washing his hair and shoulders before she walked in front of him and undid the laces on the front of her dress and let it fall into a heap at her feet. Tycho stared at her nakedness, her full breasts and well proportioned legs and thighs. Her pubic hair was neatly trimmed and glicened slightly with the dew of her excitement. Without a word she stepped into the tub with him, planting her feet either side of his hips. Tycho's cock grew enough that it's head popped out of the water.

"Such a large cock for one so young."

She bent her knees and pressed her breasts into his face. Tycho groaned and suckled on her nipples making them hard.

"Yes, that's it, suck them." She panted.

He felt her grip his shaft and caress it gently. Before she lined it up with her sex and lowered herself.

Both of them groaned deeply. Tycho because this was the first time he felt the velvety grip surround his cock and milk him for his cum. She began to move up and down on his thick shaft.

"So good..." She moaned. "Just relax, let it go..."

She shuddered suddenly and paused as her head rolled back. He felt her hot pussy shiver in joy, Tycho was sure she had just cum. Eager to get the feeling back, he grabbed her by the hips and began to buck underneath her,

"No...no...!" She groaned. "If you do it so soon after I cum... You're going to make... Me..." She moaned loudly and pulled his face against her breasts.

Tycho felt her entire body quake in orgasm and the squeezing was too much for him and he erupted deep within her.

"Oh gods..." She whispered, spent.

She collapsed back in the tub and enjoyed the after shocks.

"Are you sure this is your first time?" she laughed.

He nodded.

"By the gods, Dain told me to give you a freebie and I resented him. If I knew you were this good I'd have given you a freebie myself."

She rolled out of the bath and managed I get to her feet.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

She laughed. "You've had your freebie, young wizard."

"How much for the night?"

"Fifty copper." she said.

With a snap of his fingers a silver piece leaped from his purse on the floor into he hands.

"Stay." He smiled at her.

She smiled and shrugged. "Do you need time to recover?"

Tycho got up from the bath and began to dry himself with his towel, his member hadn't diminished at all.

"I guess not."

She went to his arms and kissed him deeply. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her buttocks.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"You don't need to know my name, young wizard." she said.

He ran his fingers up her spin and flexed his will in an enchantment cantrip, stimulating her.

"Need to? No. But I want to know your name."

He nibbled her neck as he adjusted his hips, pushing his cock between her legs.

"Hmmm..." she moaned. "...Esmerelda..."

***