Chapter 1
Barely noticeable, small camping place under a night sky, surrounded by thick trees of a silent forest is where our tale takes shape. There is something resembling a chariot carrying a large cauldron in the midst of it all. A few strange figures can be seen walking around. Cauldron was filled with a black, boiling substance, while a golden rune was lit below it. The rune was enclosed in a strange uneven, wobbly loop.
"It was night..." - Someone said - "deep, dark night..."
There's a road nearby lit by the white Ink Ore lights leading through the woods away from the camp stretching to the darkness of the night.
"Truth be told no one knew I'd become a wizard one day..." - A meak voice whispered coming from the other side of a large cauldron.
A figure was standing, humanoid looking, wearing a strange green hat but appearing otherwise naked. Large, curious eyes defined by their gaze were following a black ink trail that was appearing out of nowhere as they spoke. Another, similar figure seems to be pointing its hand and the thing it's holding is deteriorating as the ink trail continues to be formed.
"This wand is made by hardening the melted ink ore." - said the strange figure while the black stick was slowly evaporating in its hand - "... but on its own it cannot be formed. The magic comes from the grimoire."
The wand stopped glowing. It was now significantly shorter than before. The figure holding the wand in its right hand, and a strange looking book in the left turned around to face the other three figures that were sanding nearby.
"And grimoire has to be earned." - Same figure, but now holding a serious, firm look in its eyes.
They were all funny looking. Large eyes covered most of their faces and their hands had no fingers, yet they were somehow holding things. All of them had hats of different colors: red, green, blue and yellow respectively. The one with the red hat was the one equipped with the other items. That one walked near the cauldron and dipped the wand inside. After pulling its arm out the wand has regenerated to its original size. The other three followed in awe as they listened a silent story that was being told.
"Let me tell you a story of how I became a wizard." - Said the one with the red hat. - "It was a long time ago, but to me it feels like it was yesterday..."
"Over the tall mountain peaks, across soft flowery fields, where darkness never reached was a small, beautiful place... a village from which I came." - the wizard narrated.
"What happened to the village" - asked a worried voice under a blue wizard hat.
"Nothing happened to the village, don't ruin the introduction!" - yelled the red hat one nervously - "Now where was I..."
The village was so small that it was barely notiecable when looked from a distance was blending in with the environment. Houses made out of tree branches structurally strengthened by pebbles, mud and hay were perfectly camouflaged with the valley. Grass could be seen everywhere on the streets, rooftops and even stalls... as if the village was purposely camouflaged. Strange looking, seemingly naked, people could be seen walking and interacting in this bizarre place.
"It was a beautiful day..." - said the wizard - "Warm Sunrays blessed us with a clear blue sky. But that was not all. It was also the day I became a wizard!"
A group of children can be seen sitting in a tree's shade while a strange fella wearing a yellow hat is holding a lesson of a sort. Some books are piled beside him.
"One by one we walked towards that wizard" - calmly explained the red hatted wizard - "And each of us grabbed a grimoire from the pile awaiting to be chosen by it."
After each child was carrying a grimoire of their own, a cauldron with some strange black liquid was brought up by the other two wizards that were hiding behind a tree.
"Our task was simple" - exhaled the wizard - "We had to draw the wand out of the cauldron. Only those who are spiritually connected with the grimoire can succeed."
Kids were going one by one, yet none was successful until when one small child put it's strange looking hand near the cauldron the liquid ink ore inside started excitingly popping up andvi generating a wand looking object in the childs hand. This event was surpising to everyone and the three wizards were strangely happy to see that one child has managed to pass the test.
"That day they put a red hat on me and I've been wearing it ever since" - said the wizard with smug look on his face - "As you can see, young ones, I've been a wizard for a long, long time..."
"Which is why you don't have to worry," - said the wizard proudly - "I'll make you into the greatest wizards ever!"
"Wow..." - said all three simultaneously.
"You can do that?" - asked one of them.
"Yes!" - answered the wizard as his large eyes sharpened - "Becoming a wizard may seem simple, but becoming a good one is difficult. You're a wizard the moment your grimoire binds with your soul... However, you're a good wizard when you start using the wand properly and collect enough spell particles to conjure incredible magic, quickly."
"Can you show us?" - asked the one in the blue hat.
"Of course I can..." - explained the experienced wizard comfortably. "Watch me create some magic for you!"
The wizard drew two runes on the ground, and as he drew, the wand in his hand began to grow smaller. After that, he drew a wobbly circular shape around them, creating an enclosed loop.
The rune drawings lit up, and from them, one hot particle and another cold particle popped up. The particles suddenly attracted each other and combined mid-air.
This created a sudden explosion, and steaming vapor started spreading in a bubbly formation until it fully evaporated.
"This is a simple one," - said the red hatted wizard - "As long as the seal lasts, the process will repeat itself. I can even grab the magic I've created with my own hands and toss it around."
"We already know all of that..." - said one of the group - "But how do we get the runes inside our grimoires? Our grimoires are almost empty. I only have the entry rune I've somehow collected... I don't even know how."
"That is a very good question," - exclaimed the wizard -"and the very last thing you need to know before you can truly call yourself a wizard."
"To collect magic, you need to find it. Put your grimoire in front of you and search for things. Let it feel the environment and collect what you can. Find objects and learn to solidify them. Find flames to learn to cast heat, and so on."
"The magic comes from exploration..."
Everyone's eyes widened. This was the last piece of the puzzle.
"Now go, my friends!" yelled the wizard as he headed towards the cauldron. "Go find what you're missing, because that's the only way to..."
He paused and looked back at them.
"...become a wizard."
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