Fantasy ❥ 𝐔𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝 {jjomiomi＋mikayre}

[mikayre]

U P R O O T E D
bambino + mikayre



Nemi Ryse​

It was a sunny morning, and Nemi was still curled up under their quilt when a hard rapping sound on the door to their home woke them. This was out of the ordinary for a Sunday, it was the only leisure day they had. Sitting up and running a hand through their messy black hair, they stood up and quickly threw on a blouse and some pants. Lest this person knock again or become impatient, they hurried down the stairs leading to the door and looked through a hole in the door to see who it was. It was a town official. They weren't the type to cause trouble, so it was odd that a town official would be at their door right now. There was a chain keeping the door shut, but would still allow the door to be opened slightly if the other lock was released. Releasing this other lock, they cracked open the door and glared at the town official. "Whatever you have to say better be important."


The town official began, "Your presence is requested in the town square, immediately. Bring a small bag of your important belongings with you."


"What." Icy blue eyes made contact with the town official's dark, unfeeling ones. "Are you going to tell me why?"


Before they finished, the town official had disappeared. What could the town officials want with them? Why were they required to bring belongings? While they began to pack what little they had into a small bag, they began to run some possibilities through their head.


Was a family member in trouble? Were they being relocated to a different town to be with their family? If so, why weren't they just told?


Were they being hired for a new job? Why weren't they just told?


There was a town tradition that they vaguely knew of, but refused to allow it to be true. When they were a baby, a girl who was almost eighteen was selected from the town to go live with the wizard that protected them from unknown mystical forces. When they were eleven, a male in his twenties who worked as a blacksmith was selected. It'd been around ten years . . . It couldn't be, could it? They didn't believe in magic. It wasn't real. There was no science or proof behind it.


Slinging their bag over their shoulder, they sighed, stepped out of their house, and turned to look back at their old home one more time. Those who had been selected by the wizard hadn't returned, and if the wizard was still selecting new people . . . they must have had to deal with a lot of tragedies. They wouldn't be seeing their home for who knows how long.


Once in the town square, they were ushered into a horse drawn carriage and were immediately off on their journey as soon as the door closed. They had no time to resist, it was a swift process that must have been perfected over the years.

* * *
​

As soon as the tower came into view, their face contorted into a pained expression. It was a narrow and lofty building - the two things they hated the most in architecture. Damn wizard couldn't afford to be normal and live in a house like everybody else? Once they got in there they'd give the wizard a piece - more than a piece, a whole plate of their mind.


The carriage slowed to a stop, the horse whinnying to signify they had reached their destination. The carriage driver opened up the door, tied Nemi's hands behind their back, and quickly shoved them inside the tower. With the door closing behind them, they looked upwards as the lock clicked. They already hated this.

​

 

[bambino]

Yari
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫​

Yari always hated this part.

They hated most of this process that they were forced to be a part of, but this was always the worst of it, having to greet a new and usually unwilling student. They had never had a person come willingly, and the thought of facing off against yet another newbie just made them tired. If it wasn’t the king’s order for them to take on a student every ten years, Yari thought they would scarcely see another living soul. Yes, how nice it would be if they could simply stay put in their tower, without worrying about caring for another individual.

But this was a part of their duty, and there really wasn’t a way out of it, as irritating as it was.

Yari waited by the door of her tower. She hated to be kept waiting, but the townspeople were afraid enough of her that they didn’t often force her to wait long. Yes, in their eyes she was the great and terrible Alchemist, the one who protected them, the one who could also destroy them at any moment under order of the king.

Yari leaned back as the door was thrown open, and the so-called sacrifice was shoved through the door, drinking in the sight with a bit of amusement. “So they still tie the poor things up,” they said with a soft laugh, before stepping closer to undo the ties. “As if you could ever escape my tower.” There was an enchantment on the door that only they could undo, leaving it impossible to open from the inside, and that was the only exit from the tower. The new recruit was, for better or for worse, stuck.

 

[mikayre]

Nemi Ryse
​

Nemi was silent until their hands were freed, then they began their tirade, hands flying as they gestured angrily. "So you're the so called 'wizard' that protects us from who knows what lives in the forest. I bet you just did a card trick for our king and he was sold on your powers. It's going to take a lot to get me to believe you're any better than me in any way. And trust me, 90% of the world I know is better than me." They hissed, their hands aching for something to clean. It was their maid instinct, if they weren't cleaning, they weren't getting paid and couldn't eat. If they couldn't eat, they, well, died. Cleaning and doing work was their life.

"I don't care what your name is, or what you've actually done to protect us. I don't even care why you picked me, but I'm not going to participate in your magic. I'll clean for you, sure. But I know that isn't what you want, and I'm truly sorry to disappoint, but your magic is not real." They continued to ramble on like this for a few more minutes, frustrated that they were here and half hoping they'd upset this 'wizard' enough to get them booted out.

Once finished, they looked around and realized how narrow the building was. They hated it here already. Their goal now was to get booted out or convince the wizard to keep their magic away from them.

​

 

[bambino]

Yari
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫​

Yari was amused by the little tirade that her student—or prisoner, depending on who was talking—was going on. Her eyebrow raised, and she stood up straight to look over them. The claim that her magic was fake meant nothing to her, of course. This student would learn soon enough of their own gift, and in the meantime Yari could get some work out of them.

“We’ll skip the formalities, then,” they said, clasping their hands behind their back while an easy smile took their lips. They stepped toward the stairs, beginning to walk up them before looking back and gesturing for Nemi to follow them. They knew their name, of course, knew everything there was to know about them, since they’d come up as a candidate for selection.

“I hope you understand that I only do this under the king’s orders,” she started. “I don’t care much if you decide to learn magic or not, so long as you serve your time with me. While I imagine studying magic is a much more enjoyable path than cooking and cleaning for me, I’m not going to object to the free labor.” She unclasped her hands and brought one to rest on the banister. “You’ll be well cared for in your time here, though. And if you let me teach you, you’ll leave much more than a chambermaid.”

 

[mikayre]

Nemi Ryse
​

The king's orders? They supposed that made sense. If the king truly believed the wizard's magical abilities, which was likely, he'd want the wizard to have a replacement should they pass. They began to follow the wizard up the stairs, listening to them explain. The only benefit to this arrangement was they wouldn't be living from payment to payment, as they wouldn't be getting paid at all. Studying magic was a better path than cooking and cleaning? Studying nonsense was a waste of time, even if it could be more enjoyable than doing work. At least these ten years would go quickly, housework was monotonous enough.

"An advanced chambermaid, then." They muttered. How could they anger the wizard enough to the point of getting out? This wizard appears to have seen and heard it all. How annoying. It didn't make sense to them how well off this wizard was, how they got to avoid most of the town and still have the favor of the king. What exactly could be living out there that the nearby towns needed protection from? What made this wizard think that Nemi was suitable for the job? How much did the wizard know about them?

Once they reached the top, Nemi voiced their concerns as they awaited for their first task. They preferred to clean while they spoke. "What exactly do you know about me?" After their query, they guided their gaze to meet the wizard's. "Why did you select me? I'm sure there are a plethora of other apprentices you could've taken. This is, of course, assuming you at least have a choice in who you get stuck with?"

​

 

[bambino]

Yari
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫​

Yari looks over their shoulder at Nemi as they finished climbing the stairs, an amused smile covering their face. Because yes, as obnoxious as this newbie was, arguing with them from the very beginning, they were also quite amusing. The last student that Yari had had been strangely obedient, their fear of wizardly power taking over. This was certainly a nice change of pace, to have someone willing to speak up against such a great and terrible wizard.

Yari stepped into the room they had arrived in, Nemi's quarters, freshly cleaned after the last newbie had moved out about a month ago. "I know everything there is to know," she assured them. "At least, everything the townspeople know about you. The strange occurrences that always seem to happen when you're around--but of course, you must think that's all coincidence." Yari laughed softly, shaking her head as she walked around the simply furnished room. "I, on the other hand, think you were the strongest candidate with a gift out of all of them. But of course, I don't get the final say; It's always the king's word before mine. No, if I had a say I would've chosen a dog with a bit less bark."

Yari was fully teasing; They didn't mind one way or the other who they were saddled with, it was always the same nonsense regardless. They turned around to face Nemi. "Regardless of that, you're here, and you'll be here for the next ten years. You can explore the tower as much as you would like, but I hope you'll be smart enough to avoid my personal quarters. The alchemy lab as well; If you break anything in there, I'm not responsible for what happens to you."

 

[mikayre]

Nemi Ryse
​

Yari's answer brought forth more questions than it answered. What did the townspeople know about them? Probably the fact that they're rude and hate listening to anyone or anything. They assumed the town officials did some snooping around in preparation for the next selection of the wizard's apprentice. Gossip also spreads fairly easily throughout the town, as it does practically everywhere. Any strange happenings even in private quarters were soon to be public knowledge.

"At least the townspeople are brutally honest. Good for something, I guess." They tried to recall memories with odd experiences attached to them. Sure, there was the one time it began storming when they said they'd wish it would rain so they could get out of working in someone's garden. There was that other time the fire in one of their client's homes grew in size merely because they felt cold. Plants would retain more water around them when they tended to them, animals always seemed drawn to them despite their loathing of them. Had people really noticed these things? Were loose coincidences really a sign of magic?

Did they hear themselves? Admitting that it might be 'magic'. There had to be some sort of natural reason for those occasions. Maybe the storm had already been coming, the fire had just surged a bit, the plants were just conserving water. . ? It frustrated them that these could be signs of magic in them. Why would they even have magical powers, their family wasn't magical as far as they could tell. Most magical thing their father did was disappear - but that was only because he was hired to work as a live in servant for a nobleman.

"Why ten years? How long would it take to train someone in fabricated nonsense?" They looked around the room, electing to drop their crudely sewn bag of personal knickknacks and clothes on the ground next to their bed. They'd unpack later. There was a decently sized window, but knowing the wizard, there'd be no escaping from the window - not like they'd try. Certainly they'd perish should they fall out.

​

 

[bambino]

Yari
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫​

Yari leaned against the doorway to the room, watching as Nemi took in the space. They smiled softly at the question. "It takes a lot longer than 10 years to truly learn magic," they said, "but the king assigned it as a good period of time. I suppose that you'll have a decent grasp on magic after that time, though you won't be any kind of master. But you'll be able to do good service to the king afterwards." They were speaking as if Nemi had already agreed to learning, as if they were even considering it at this point, which they didn't seem to be. But Yari figured that soon their new student would see the benefits of magic, if they were stuck here with a master wizard. They didn't want to think of what would happen if Nemi actually declined for much of their stay here; The king would be furious that a good magical candidate went to waste. The king, after all, rarely listened to reason.

Yari shrugged off the thought; It could be dealt with later. For now, all she could do was teach to the best of her ability. She looked over the room, before stepping back into the doorway. "Perhaps you'll join me for lunch? Not that I want to make a habit out of eating together; But it will do you good, to get the rest of your questions out over a freshly cooked meal, I'm sure." Yari hated being questioned so much, and it usually went on for the first week or so of the newbies stay. She was hoping to get some of it over with quickly, if she could.

Looking out of the doorway, Yari began to walk up to the kitchen without another word. They didn't need Nemi to agree, after all; They were sure that Nemi's hunger would lead them to follow soon enough. It was a long trip from the tower to the local villages, and the new recruits never stopped for food. They were always ravenous when they arrived, and usually happy to eat the extravagant meals that Yari made.

 

[mikayre]

Nemi Ryse​

"If the king actually listened to his subjects, he'd get a ton more willing candidates to help out. Instead, he's just going to receive a temple of wasted 'potential' at his doorstep, because even if I learned magic I wouldn't use it to serve him. If he executes me, so be it! I might be reincarnated as someone born to a rich family. I could be just like one of the pompous rich people who hire me. Take care of the garden, maid. Cook me a meal, maid." Nemi drawled and rolled their eyes as they followed Yari into her kitchen. "What's on the menu? Anything I haven't cooked myself is a treat in my eyes, so even if your food is absolutely terrible that is the one thing I'll be thankful for. I hate cooking. The townspeople claim I'm decent at it, so I was forced to do so for them and for myself since I lived alone before I was dragged to your doorstep."

They weren't really hungry, but who in their right mind would say no to food? Nervousness could lead to nausea, so they guessed that more nervous recruits wouldn't. But it was a waste, and they knew better than to waste food. They pulled out a chair and sat down, scanning the kitchen.

​

 

[bambino]

Yari
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫​

Yari was quite amused by Nemi's continued complaining. They led them to the kitchen, tapping a finger on their chin for a moment while they thought over the meal for the two of them. "A stew, perhaps?" they answered, beginning to get the ingredients together. Yari laughed softly as Nemi continued, shaking their head. "Oh, I rather loathe cooking myself," they said, "but in your time here, you'll learn how to make things easier on yourself." They looked over the gathered ingredients, putting all the portions into the pot before waving a hand over the meal.

"Delectamentum," she said, and before their eyes the ingredients transformed into a freshly cooked stew. Yari leaned forward with her spoon to grab a taste, nodding and letting out a hum before offering it to Nemi. "It's much easier this way," she said, "and tastes better than anything I could make on my own."

 

[mikayre]

Nemi Ryse
​

They stood up and tasted the stew as well, absolutely astounded at how it had turned out. It was warm, the ingredients were perfectly blended together - it was even seasoned! How was this possible? Every law of physics - not just physics, anything they'd ever known - was rendered completely irrelevant as Yari created a meal from raw ingredients with a single word. They were extremely baffled, but wouldn't let it show. It had to be some . . . they didn't know, but they refused to acknowledge that it was real - what did you even have to learn to be able to do this?

"How can something like this exist? It makes absolutely no sense. What determines whether someone is able to do this or not? Did you just force a hallucination on me, or something?" They shook their head in disbelief.

Mouth agape, they folded their arms across their chest as they waited for Yari to serve themselves. They had to have hallucinated it. Maybe the food had already been prepared and it'd been a slight of the hand - though that was highly unrealistic, and way too much to pull off. If Yari was in the king's favor for . . . whatever they did, it'd be a lot of hand tricks plus many hard to accomplish feats. Perhaps the idea of some sort of psychology trick was reasonable? Many things are possible with the human mind - maybe Yari was just more advanced in terms of intelligence.

"How do you even teach this to someone? If I said, what was it, "delectamentum"-" Pausing, they almost wished something would happen so they could prove Yari a phony. "It doesn't work. What is the difference between you and me? How did anyone discover this?" They couldn't wrap their head around it. How far behind were they really, in terms of technological advances?

​