that legendary
that legendary breed of sorcerers which are peculiar to Grotum.
As I stepped aside, I heard the mage say: “Make haste, wretched gnome, make haste! For even as I speak, time wanes!”
I looked to see the person to whom he was speaking. My jaw dropped with astonishment. Wizard indeed! For behind him—as if transported by levitation—loomed an immense sack, bulging at every seam, from which protruded the snouts and extremities of weird instruments too bizarre to describe.
From beneath the sack I heard a whining voice: “But master, it’s heavy, and I can’t see.” I now saw a pair of spindly legs under the sack, twinkling in their efforts to keep pace with the wizard’s long stride.
“Watch out!” I cried. “There’s—”
But my effort to warn the servant of the portmanteau just ahead of him did not come in time. In an instant, the little legs tripped and the gigantic sack went flying.
At the sound, the sorcerer spun about. A look of great fury came upon his face.
“Unspeakable wretch!” he cried. “Did I not entrust to your care the safekeeping of my possessions?” And so saying, the wizard began smiting the prostrate servant with his staff.
“Hold there, sirrah!” I exclaimed. “It was but an accident! Your man could not possibly have seen the obstacle before him—did he not tell you himself that he couldn’t see? If there is any fault here, it is yours alone. You should have warned him.”
The wizard’s look of wrath was transferred onto me.
“You are impudent, youth!” he bellowed.
Ignoring him, I stepped over and took the arm of the servant, who was now on his knees, shaking his head. I
As I stepped aside, I heard the mage say: “Make haste, wretched gnome, make haste! For even as I speak, time wanes!”
I looked to see the person to whom he was speaking. My jaw dropped with astonishment. Wizard indeed! For behind him—as if transported by levitation—loomed an immense sack, bulging at every seam, from which protruded the snouts and extremities of weird instruments too bizarre to describe.
From beneath the sack I heard a whining voice: “But master, it’s heavy, and I can’t see.” I now saw a pair of spindly legs under the sack, twinkling in their efforts to keep pace with the wizard’s long stride.
“Watch out!” I cried. “There’s—”
But my effort to warn the servant of the portmanteau just ahead of him did not come in time. In an instant, the little legs tripped and the gigantic sack went flying.
At the sound, the sorcerer spun about. A look of great fury came upon his face.
“Unspeakable wretch!” he cried. “Did I not entrust to your care the safekeeping of my possessions?” And so saying, the wizard began smiting the prostrate servant with his staff.
“Hold there, sirrah!” I exclaimed. “It was but an accident! Your man could not possibly have seen the obstacle before him—did he not tell you himself that he couldn’t see? If there is any fault here, it is yours alone. You should have warned him.”
The wizard’s look of wrath was transferred onto me.
“You are impudent, youth!” he bellowed.
Ignoring him, I stepped over and took the arm of the servant, who was now on his knees, shaking his head. I