The sorcerer's apprentice

[frrumussica]

The finalists are:
—> ClaudiaM25
—> Eamane
—> Elamae
—> Emirillia
—> Istra
—> Katreena.k
—> SkylarLevely
—> Swiftcat
—> Trinity Starling


Finally, nine youngest managed to impressed the old sorcerer. But because he couldn't choose only one worthy to take on his job, he decided to organised a last challenge where he would test the candidates hearts. He called all ten into his work tower – a large, circular room filled with the most amazing magic items – and offered each and every one of them something covered with brown paper. The old man then told them that the gifts contain something that would help them later on, but they shouldn't open their gifts until the time's right. Afterwards, he dropped something shiny on the floor and left the room, locking the door.

Many curious started to approach the shiny little thing, but upon doing so, something happened. At first, a bright light flooded the room, making everyone to cover their eyes. Then they feel like they were raised from the floor and transported somewhere else. When they opened their eyes, they saw incredible things: carriages without horses, buildings like boxes made of glass and people holding some bricks made of metal – some were taking alone while keeping the strange bricks next to their ears, while others were looking at those bricks like they could learn something interesting from them.

As they stood there, widening their eyes to the witchcrafts, someone approached their group. It was a girl around their age, wearing the weirdest clothes they had ever seen. A pair of blue trousers molded her perfectly on her legs and a blouse without sleeves. Her arms were full with cheap bracelets and she was carring in her hand one of those strange bricks – now painted in pink.

The girl looked at them for a while, then opened her mouth and said, her voice perfectly imitating the door squealing, "It's not Halloween yet. Why are you dressed like that? Or perhaps you are collecting funds for something? I just hope it's not one of those lame campaigns where you tell us that animals are more important than people! Because, let's face it. I know that you are going to use the money for your own good."

When she finished saying what she wanted, she turned around and walked away, not looking back. After that, the nine strangers looked around and saw that everyone look at them oddly. They realised that all that attention may be because of their look. So they decided to at least try to change it. But no one agreed to stick together. Everyone considered this as a contest: may the best be the winner!

The sorcerer is watching and judging you. Based on what he sees, he will grant prizes to two of you.


For the second part of the contest, the finalist need to:
–> create a new oitfit, using only the items they used in the firts part. If a new part of your outfit miraculously appears, they have to explain where did they get it.
(!) keep in mind that you are a stranger with no money. You can't just steal any clothes you like from the mall! And also there aren't kind womens at every corner who wish to borrow you their clothes. You have to make them yourselves! (!)
–> describe how their power helped them in the new world. Some might try to use it for other's shake (becoming what here is known as superheroes), while others would use it only for themselves.
–> describe the sorcerer's gift and how you used it. Everyone gets a different gift, so I don't want to see that two or more of got a magic sewing kit witch made you a new outfit. Also, the sorcerer didn't offered to anyone a masked portal.
–> tell me your impression of this world, how you survived and how did you get back.

❕From this point on only the finalists can make their outfits for the second part of the contest. Any new contestant will not be taken into account.❕

I will choose the winers amonght the nine finalist. I will look if you followed the items pointed above and based on your creativity I will pick two winners. Here it desn't matter anymore the number of votes, only what you do.

[ClaudiaM25]

After they spread up, the princess ended up alone, gazing at shiny cottages and hearing sounds she never heard before! Everyone was dressed so differently... In order to mingle around she needed to adapt. With the help of an old lady that she used her powers on (manipulating her thoughts, making her think she's a tailor and she is a customer), she cut her dress and the head part of the robe because apparently people in the new area were showing more skin and it was quite warm weather, those medieval dresses were making her sweat Well at least people are not staring with curious eyes at her now... She found another lady which she "borrowed" some shoes from... Things were getiing good for her, but then she remembered about her fellow apprentices - were they ok? she managed to survive this new world quite ok by now, but who knows what dangerous are there hiding and waiting?! She then remembered about the gift she received.

The sorcerer tried to test the princess kind heart - this was her final test!
This is why the gift was a weird stone which could help her get in contact with the other apprentices and summon them in the place where she was. The princess took the stone in her hand and thought about the other novice sorcerers, then they all appeared in a hollogram and after talking, they decided to meet at the place where all originated.
They gathered there and realised it's better to stick together and try to find a solution for trying to leave this strange place. So they started collaborating, the princess helped them in creating more suitable outfits to match the new fashion, etc. After the last aprentice used his magic in order to ease up the work, a flash light made them close their eyes, when they opened them, they were back in the tower.

The sorcerer: "Good job, all of you! You finally understood you cannot do everything by yourself and you need to collaborate with the other ones in order to get things done!You have all passed the test! Welcome to The Magic academy, instead of 1 apprentice, we will have all of you to take care of the shire and make it rise above all!"

[Trinity Starling]

The nine of us eager girls now looked at each other confused... where were we? I looked around and saw nothing but the smoky gray atmosphere, which gave off a sort of creepy air to the whole environment. "This doesn't look anything like what a sorcerer would have in his cottage... much less a sorcerer living in that quaint little forest cottage." I thought. I had to find a way to reach my fellow fairies.

As the days passed, the group split. We had all agreed that a competition's a competition and that we should go our separate ways, and bade each other well. From that moment on, I was alone, unable to reach my family and friends back at home. I wandered throughout the dreary area all night as my feet begged for the sweet release of sleep. Eventually in the wee hours of the morning, exhausted, I found myself at the creaky doorstep of a house. I knocked at the door, hoping for a kind someone to let me rest for a while. An old woman dressed in a black cloak showed up and I explained that I was transported to this world by the sorcerer, who I was looking to be an apprentice under, and how I'm a fairy looking to find a way home. It took a little while, but she eventually let me in and showed me a place where I could sleep: a warm and inviting bed by the fireplace. I graciously accepted and thanked her for letting me stay the night. How strange that she, of all the rather hostile people the group had previously met up with, would be so kind to let me stay. My mind was still running with thoughts as I drifted off to sleep.

I woke up with a breakfast tray on the side-table beside me -- On it, a plate with hard-boiled eggs, toast, and halved tomatoes, along with a note that read: "I know it's been a long night. Eat up! ~ Aria." My mouth watered as I stared at the delicacies before me, and I gave in to my ravenous hunger. The food was delicious and almost made me feel rejuvenated. Except for one thing... my outfit. With all the strange people out there, how was I going to get help if I walked around covered in frilly pink and jewelry? Then, I had an idea. I went to the dining hall where the lady -- by now I knew that her name was Aria -- was sitting and thanked her for letting me stay. As I was leaving she said something curious: "Oh, and by the way. I know why you're here." She waggled a large black book, decorated ornately with gold in front of me, and a small smile slid across her lips. "Eh... alright. Thank you, again, for all your help. I hope to see you again!" I said, confused. "Well, farewell, my dear." She said, and we parted ways.

I figured that my abilities would serve me well in times like this. I called some of my animal friends -- a flock of various birds -- to my aid, and communicated that I needed a new outfit pronto. They gladly helped fetch some clothes from a nearby shop window (leaving a couple of my old items of clothing in exchange) and even shed some feathers to help me decorate my shirt. Now that I had a new outfit, I might be able to figure out what was going on.

I still had so many questions: How was I going to escape? What did the sorcerer give each of us? When should I open the gift? The answers to my questions were no where to be found, so I started to become curious about my gift. Perhaps it could be something to help us escape! I decided to open it...
As I unwrapped the brown paper package, a shimmering golden light came from within. After a few seconds I was able to regain my vision to look upon...

A ring. A beautiful golden and pink ring, right before my eyes! It was lovely, and fit me perfectly. But how was THIS going to get me home? Then, it hit me. The book at Aria's house was decorated like my ring!! And Aria said she knew why I'm here. That must be the last piece of the puzzle. Frantically, I ran back to Aria's house. When she saw me at her porch, that same smile slid across her face and she let me in and led me to her library.

"I knew you'd figure it out! Congratulations, my dear." she said
"Huh?" I asked, "What do you mean?"
"You see, I am the sorcerer" she said, taking off her cloak and shape-shifting into the hoary old man that I knew him to be. "And you solved my puzzle. The gift I gave each of you young ladies was something to help you get home."
"Of course!" I remarked, "All along, I had the key to my escape with me."
At this point, I reached for the book that he held, and took off my ring. I put it into the small slot on the cover, and it opened, after yet another blast of blinding light, to reveal a map.
"This map is the way you'll get home. Now that you've solved my puzzle, you're free to go. Congratulations."
"Thank you so much! Oh, and by the way, you really didn't do that good of a job pretending to be an old woman who was a stranger to me. All your mannerisms, with you being the only nice person here, and calling me 'my dear,' I was sure it was you!" I quipped.
The sorcerer laughed, saying "Yes, of course. I much prefer being myself. You know, just because I'm old doesn't mean I don't have a sense of humor."

Now I was outside of the sorcerer's house with the map in hand. I used it to find the portal that led to the normal world and to get back home. The sorcerer's gift will forever serve as I reminder that compassion, cleverness, and a bit of humor are always helpful, even in the toughest of situations.

[Eamane]

------
Now, this was strange. I knew he had some prank ready by the look in his eyes, but I couldn't quite see it in the future, the old fortune teller has been blocking me. I was so annoyed, I was to bring ma and pa wood today, and he throws us in this strange realm where everything is backwards! And now this girl insulting us about our clothes! OK, I am poor, but what is she wearing! And talking into a box!
After we talked and agreed to go our way, I went wandering aimlessly. There was hardly a tree worth calling that, this future is not to my liking. But eventually I found a really big meadow, at the end of this village. There was something we might call a forest, so i went in. It was nice to see that the animals here are the same, they kept following me and it was comforting.
After I calmed down, I had to find my way. I had to find some shelter, something to eat and to change the way I look. I observed a few people while walking, but I had no idea where to find such clothes, let alone how to wear it. Then I turned around and there was a lion! At first I thought that was the same from before, the lion that has followed me before the magician saw me, but it was not. He looked so sad and hurt, so I tried to feel what was wrong. The next thing I knew, there were few fellows, scared and armed with some strange devices, telling me not to be afraid and that they will kill the lion. That got me scared, and you can think how the lion felt! So I tried to talk to them, which was difficult as I am not familiar with their talk. But I told them the lion is hurt, that his eyes hurt, and that he's not trying to harm anyone, only that he was mad with pain. Somehow they calmed down, maybe because the lion sat next to me and looked like he was crying. It hurt me just to feel his pain. The fellows did not know what to do, so I told them to call their master. That got them laughing! They are not slaves and have no master, but they will call the circus owner. What a strange name.
The circus owner, named Joe, came and I told him about the lion. He was not convinced, but was ready not to kill it right away. His little son came running and yelling at his father not to kill his Sultan. I could tell he loved the lion, and the lion was pretty much feeling the same. He stopped short when he saw me. His pa told him I said that the lion was hurt and the little mite started crying and telling to call a veterinarian, whoever that is. So they pulled out one of the boxes and started talking in it. For a while we all stood there as we were and I felt kind of silly, like I failed in the task. A man showed up, carrying some long stick and the kid jumped in front of the lion crying not to kill his Sultan. I guessed the stick is dangerous so I did the same. Again I said what was wrong and this man has listened to me. He said he has warned them about it before and now the poor animal is suffering. He asked me how is it that the lion won't hurt me. Now that was a tough question! I said I grew up with a lot of wild animals and that they have always have trusted me. Not convinced completely, but the man asked me to calm the lion while he gets some drops into his eyes which will help him. He was scarred, but he did not pull that stick out, maybe because the kid kept looking at him with eyes full of tears, ready to leak any moment. The lion understood this was something good for him and has allowed me to hold his head. The drops went in, the lion flinched, the man jumped away...and nothing. They all felt better, I can tell you. The man looked at the lion's eyes and said his eyes were getting worse. We all went back, the kid and me hugging the poor lion, and everyone else close by, worried about the kid.
They live in tents, how primitive! So, once there, the man said that Joe should give the lion the drops 3 times a day and keep him warm until he found a way to make 'glasses' for the animal. Joe was not happy about it, and neither were any of other men. So I offered I could come three times a day to do it, and they all relaxed. The kid was holding my skirt and lion's fur, happy as a pig. I have no idea what glasses are, but all right, I'll manage. Joe was looking at me, and I soon realized why - all the animals kept coming closer to me! Traitors.
So Joe said that since the animals like me and since the lion needs his drops, I might as well stay in one of the tents and help taking care of them all, and that their someone who did it has run away with the woman with the beard. How odd. But I took it, how could I not! So I joined them for dinner and took care of the animals. Sultan was so happy to see me, and the end I slept next to him in my tent - we had to keep him warm
The next day I became a part of their show, The Animal Charmer Who Sleeps With Lions, what a name. So I got this red thing called a jacket, and Joe's wife did my hear and face. I came up with a sweet act with part of animals and it was a hit, how Joe called it. I kept seeing glimpses of the future and I knew that I was to stay a bit longer. The woman with crystal ball is completely useless, she sees nothing it it, it makes me laugh. But she is good at guessing what people need to hear, which I am not, so there's that. I kept seeing and dreaming a boy from our time, lost in the streets here, and it got me worried, because he looked familiar. I felt he was coming, so I decided to wait.
In 2 days the circus started packing and I knew my time is to come soon. Sultan got some glasses, he looks so funny with it. But his eyes are better and the cold is better too. Nicky, the kid, keeps bringing him more and more blankets until you could see only Sultan's eyes, but he loves the kid and takes whatever Nicky does. I had to stop him and teach him some things, and he seems to feel Sultan's needs better. I tried to see his future and I am calm, he will do great things for animals, which all started with his Sultan.
Tonight the circus went away. They were sad to leave without me, but I told them I was waiting for someone and that I might find them later. Sultan was sad, Nicky was crying, Joe was not. His wife felt better because she worried Joe might 'fall for me', whatever that meant.
I've been waiting in the shadows all night and in the dawn there was a young man, a boy actually, in his early teens, hurrying over the meadow. The package the magician has given me started shaking, like I did not know it was the time. I stepped out, he stopped, scarred. I said: I've been waiting for you for four days, Prince, I'm here to help you get home.
-Thank God, he said, almost crying, knowing that the thanks should have gone to the court magician. But of course he is a brave lad, so he did not cry. Not much, anyhow.
The Prince said he went through the magician's stuff at home and got into this strange future, all by himself. At first intrigued and went away, he said, exploring, but he got homesick soon and had no idea how to get home. He kept running from place to place, hiding, stealing food, dreaming of the magician, but couldn't hear what he was saying in the dream. So he decided to find the meadow where he came through and that night he dreamed the magician nodding his head, like confirming he should come here.
He stood next to me and I hugged him with one arm, holding a small crystal ball the magician has given me. Something was written on the paper, so I've read it aloud. A bright light flooded the meadow, forcing us to close our eyes. I kept him close to me, worried what would happen if he struggled away, scarred by the process. But he really is a brave lad, he held on to me with a strong and sure grip. We felt again like we were raised from the ground and transported somewhere else. The wind stopped swirling and we were in the magician's hut, with king and queen waiting for their boy. The prince went into their arms, but the hug he gave to the sorcerer was the most beautiful one I've ever seen.
The sorcerer said to me my task was completed well, because I had trusted my powers and senses to know where to stay and when to act. He was happy with good work I did with the animals as well.
Satisfied as I was with my task, as soon as I could I went away, to see ma and pa and give them a hug. I needed it as much as the Prince needed his parents. That odd future took all the courage I had, and I needed a refill.

[Istra]

Oh well.....Could be worse.
You mused, seeing the bright hues of the multi-coloured illuminations interspersed with dark, dingy corners; as if the place itself used the candescence of the neon lights to render the viewer sightless, and uncomprehending of the dangers that lurked in the murky shadows.

Your eyes sweeped along the expanse of the street, watching the other eight recruits chosen by the sorcerer, set out in different directions, each with a nondescript brown bag in hand and questions, concerns, worries in their psyche.

Eamane: The gentle soul, animal whisperer,
Trinity: The fairy, whose soul called to kin,
Claudia: The thought-shaper

...............

Fare thee well.
................
You paid your regards to your comrades, letting the emphatic soul-link you wielded carry over to your magical kin one last time.

You focused your energies to discern the magical threads in this world, and regretted it immediately. The sheer mass of pain, lust, envy and greed, unchecked decadence, the dwellers of this realm carried in their hearts and souls, overwhelmed you completely.

So much that you didn't notice the four-wheeled mechanical contraption hurtling its way towards where you stood, rendered immobile by the assault of visceral feelings. It was the solid, steady hand wrapped around your middle that pulled you back to safety and snapped you out of the cesspool of toxic thoughts.

The hand that was still intently squeezing your waist

You turned your neck to thank the stranger that had saved you from being a roadside caricature, and also to gently admonish them for still keeping you trapped in place....and met the ice-blue eyes of the Crown Prince.
To say you were surprised would be the understatement of the century.

I bet the sorcerer, that conniving old man, is watching and laughing in glee somewhere.
You mumbled to yourself, recalling the positively ludicrous events that had transpired right after the Crown Prince, ...Rhaegar, as he'd insisted you call him, had saved you from being "knocked flat out by the car".

Reflex had had you bowing in a curtsy at seeing him, the sudden movement making you trip on your own feet and making the prince, whose arm was still nestled around you, fall down the pavement along with you. Your skirt had ripped while you scrambled to get off of him, and your gypsy hat had fallen in a muddy ditch at the roadside, leaving you half naked and dishevelled in front of the Crown Prince. Your mortification, however, was soon overshadowed by despair, as you saw that your spear and staff lay broken on the road, decimated by the speeding car.

The Crown Prince, Rhaegar,had sensed your distress and offered you a change of clothes and a sympathetic ear, ""if you are willing to shed light on the circumstances that made you contemplate jumping in front of a car", he'd assured with a kind voice.

Which brought you to the present, sitting in a cozy dwelling : Rhaegar's apartment, wearing his old clothes. "from my crazy punk rock days," he'd explained with a blush straining his cheeks, as you'd raised your eyebrows at the skin-tight black leather pants he'd offered you.

It had taken seven agonizingly long days to come to the conclusion that Rhaegar was not the Crown Prince, or at least not the crown prince you knew.Even if the powers you prided yourself on affirmed that their souls were one and the same. Seven long days where Rhaegar showed you gracious hospitality, engaged you in lively conversations and heated discussions about this realm, forcing you to see the beauty shrouded in the chaos that you couldn't see before. Wouldn't see before.....

What was it that the sorcerer had said to you during your first fateful encounter?

"Pride. That is the bane of your kind."

You closed your eyes, letting go of the pre-conceived notions you had about this realm and opened your heart to the aspirations, the secrets dwelling in the psyche of its people, and were humbled by the hope and optimism you found there, despite all the wrongs prevalent in the world. Instead of overwhelming you, they uplifted you and suddenly you knew what you had to do.

You opened the plain brown bag that the sorcerer had advised you to use at the right time. The Disillusionment Rune glinted in your hand. You couldn't help but smirk at the irony.....the wielder of secrets, the caster of illusions requiring a "disillusionment" to see the world. The sorcerer had a knack for theatrics too, it seemed, just like your mother.

Before you crushed the rune to return to your own realm, you looked back at Rhaegar, fast asleep on the couch as he'd relegated himself there and let you take the sole bedroom till you recovered from your melancholy. This Rhaegar had made you see past the blinds on your eyes, and forced you to acknowledge the potential that Rhaegar, the Crown Prince in your world, had. Not so young and foolishly impressionable, as you had once claimed. And for that life-altering lesson, you kissed him on his left cheek in thanks.

As you crushed the rune, the world around you faded, Rhaegar of the foreign realm would forget your encounter, but you would always remember the lesson.

.....................................

A few days later.....

"Where is this meddling apprentice that keeps replacing my literary texts?!" the Crown Prince fumed as he rounded the corner where you stood, rearranging the potions in the Sorcerer's personal keep, dressed in peculiar leather pants no one in the realm had seen before. He went still, one hand unconsciously moved to his left cheek in phantom remembrance. You smirked slightly at the action, before you playfully quipped, "I'm Istra, the meddling apprentice to the sorcerer. And I do not replace your texts, my Prince, I simply rearrange them so that you have immediate access to the most meaningful, unbiased texts there are."
At your temerity, he blinked and a slow smile spread across his face as he replied, "Rhaegar, Call me Rhaegar,"

.......................................

Meanwhile, in some other realm....

Trinity sighed in exasperation, "Cookies?! Why would the sorcerer give me soft-baked cookies in a brown bag?"

Eamane shrugged lightly, " Maybe he thought you would like to eat something. Who knows what goes on in the mind of the High Sorcerer, the Keeper of the Realm?", as she fed the gathered flock of peacocks grains from her own brown bag.


------------FIN---------------




Author Notes: I couldn't resist adding the last part. I hope you like it!

[Istra]

Hello! Istra here!
I can't believe I wrote so very many words!! I also wanted to add a post-scene where the Sorcerer, the Queen and Istra's mother congratulate themselves on a plan well-executed, as they watch the Crown Prince and the Sorcerer's apprentice bicker with each other in jest,
Maybe a sequel or a continuation, if one would like?
Till then!

[SkylarLevely]

Hello!
When is this due?

[frrumussica]

The sorcerer has watched and judged the candidates actions. In the end, he decided that instead of only one apprentice, he'll grant the opportunity to two of the candidates to study under his wing. The winners are:
On the firts place Eamane
On the second place Istra

[Eamane]

Thank you!!! The 1st lion, Sultan and me are happy!

[Emirillia]

Damn, I was trying to perfect my story and missed out (I don’t think you listed when it was due??) Oh well, congrats to the winners.