A Familiar World Book 1 Chapter 3

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The professor, with his dog at the front, led Diana and James through a hallway within the castle structure. It was a cool gray with windows off to the sides providing light. James looks around the hall in wonder at the increasingly bizarre sights around him. All the while, two other creatures watch the group from high in the rafters, out of sight from casual eyes. James (in wonder): This... this is a castle. We're walking in a castle. Seriously, how committed is this LARP group? James takes a break from his curious wonder to take part in more serious wondering. James: And where even is this? Is there a Medieval Times in Reno I don't know about!? And the dragon...

Diana (having suddenly turned back to James): Um, sir? James (caught by surprise, double taking to Diana): HUH!?! Diana: Well, actually, this is not really a castle. Diana approaches the confused and defensive James. Diana: Er, well it used to be, before it was repurposed. James: Repurposed? Into what? Diana: A university. Diana proceeds to put on a joyous demeanor. Diana: This is the esteemed Galinda Academy of Magic! James, not swayed by the joyous proclamation, stares at the young woman for a moment. James (pointing at Diana): ... You named your role-play magic school after a character in Wicked? Not exactly original.

Diana tries to maintain her composure, as if trying to sell the splendor of the magic academy to the strange young man. But the response is clearly not as reverent as she is accustomed to. Diana: I beg your pardon? James (digging through his left pants pocket): Like I said before, I'm not part of this LARP thing you're doing here, I don't even know how I got here! Just tell me where this ACTUALLY is, so I can figure out the best way to get home! Not finding what he's looking for, James switches to checking his right pants pocket. Diana: You keep saying 'larp', but I do not understand what that even means- James (startled): Ah crap, I dropped my phone! As James panics, Diana looks progressively more confused, muttering under her breath: What is a phone? James (looking back) Did I leave it in the grass outside, or...

James (stopping himself): Wait... As James tries to think back when he last saw his phone, he remembers when his eyes were pulled away from the screen by the mysterious glowing pentagram glowing from the bottom of the lake at the university campus. The very same bright, sparking, extremely abnormal phenomenon that James got up close and personal with as he quickly fell over the railing into it. The SPLASH from the impact reverberated in the back of James' mind.

James (pondering with his eyes closed and stroking his chin): ... That's right. I was over the lake, and I saw this light. A glowing pentagram. Then I fell into the lake and... shot up into the air above the ground at a castle? Diana: Yes, that sounds right. You see, we were in the middle of the Familiar Summoning Ritual, this class, I mean. I was the last one to get the spell to work. Diana holds onto her arm and despondently looks at the floor. Diana: And, well, somehow I managed to summon... you. James (one eye open): You... made that glowy pentagram? Diana proceeds to vigorously bow in an apologetic manner to James, tensing the air in the hallway for a moment. Diana: I AM SO SORRY SIR! I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THAT HAPPENED! I DO NOT EVEN BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO SUMMON A HUMAN- James (interrupting): With... magic?

Diana (looking back up mid bow, confused): I- Huh? Well, uh, yes, of course. James (pointing suspiciously): You're telling me that magic is real? Diana (standing back up straight): Real? Diana quickly approaches the skeptical James, catching him off guard.

Diana places the back of her left hand against James forehead, embarrassing him from the sudden close contact. Diana: Did... did you hit your head on the way here? James: This whole place being a hallucination due to blood loss would explain it. Diana: Wait, so WE are the hallucination? James: You're the one talking about magic being a thing, so obviously. Diana (taken aback): But of course magic is real! The great sorcerers created civilization for all of us through magic! There are plenty of magicians across Galinda, how can you deny any of that!? James (raising a placating hand): Look, I don't have any beef with your religion if you're not hurting anyone or forcing your beliefs. But preaching about mages in the 21st century is not a belief system I've ever heard of.

Diana (biting back with her hands at her hips): But if magic is not real, then how did you get here? How do you explain that pentagram you saw? James (eyes closed confidently, raising a finger): I... do not know how to answer that yet. James then thinks to himself: I know I was complaining about finding more to life than the grind, but how does this relate? Diana and James continue to walk down the hallway as they continue each other's interrogation. Diana: May I ask where you came from, sir? James: ... Reno. My parents and I live out in West University by the Highland Reservoir. Bit of a hike to UNR, but the fact that I'm that close was super convenient after graduating high school. Diana: I have never heard of a place called Reno. You would not happen to be from outside of Faegea? James: For sure. Cuz I never heard of whatever the hell a Faegea is. What is that, a continent of fairies or something? Diana (more than overly enthusiastic): Of course! So you do know where this is! James (off-put by the sudden excitement): ... I said that as a joke.

James: Let's try this again: I'm from the state of Nevada. Diana: State? As in like a solid? Or is it more like a state of mind? James: Okay, one more time: I'm an American. Diana stares in confusion. James: As in from the United States of America! Diana: ... And that is a country...?

James: ... Show me some magic. Diana jumps at this sudden request. Diana: Huh!? James: You say magic exists. You say this is a continent of fairies. Show me: cast a spell on me! Diana (flustered): I, uh, I cannot! James (cocky): You did it before, do it now! Show me magic is real! Diana (looking away nervously): I uh I well you see that is um-

James (arms open wide): Come on, make a little fireball, shoot lightning outta your fingers, give me something here- James' provocations were cut short by a sudden WHOOSH of wind blowing from the direction they were walking towards. The wind, bizarrely green in hue, blew past the two youths. They both turned in surprise, James more startled than Diana. The professor, already at the end of the hallway, stood with his eyes closed and his staff pointing towards them. The buckle on his hat glowed silver, the light emanating from the pentagram embedded in it. When the professor opened his eyes again, he held his other hand a little closer to the staff as fire burst onto the end in a FWOOSH. The light on his quickly changed to red to match the brilliant flames.

Professor (looking up at James): Is this adequate enough for you, young man? James (stunned and letting out a quiet 'uhhhh'): ... Yeah I'd say so. The professor undoes his spell, letting the fire die with a SSSSSSSS and the light from the buckle on his hat fading. Professor: Now, before we proceed, let us review. Ms. Gilshire, not only did you succeed in the Familiar Summoning Ritual, but you managed to summon this person, Mister...? James (slowly snapping out of his daze): Boves. Uh, James Boves. Call me Jimmy!

Professor: Mr. Boves, who claims to be from a place called Reno in the country of the United States of America. A place both outside of the continent of Faegea and where magicians do not inhabit. As the professor reiterates, James sulks to the side at the lack of acknowledgement for his nickname. He mutters to himself: Hmph, 'Mr. Boves' is my father. Diana (also not heeding James): It sounds as though that magic does not exist entirely in his home, Professor. Professor (surprised, turning to James): What? Is this true, Mr. Boves? James: Well, magic exists as a concept in fiction, but no one is actually able to do... well, that! Professor: Fascinating still. Professor (pondering this further, as the light from the window extends his shadow): I do not know exactly how to take this, but perhaps the headmasters will- Before he can finish his thought, a black cat suddenly pops out of the floor where the professor's shadow covers. It seems to phase out of the shadow itself, making a soft SSSSSSSS sound as it does so.

The cat completely steps out of the shadow, appearing as an ordinary cat for all intents and purposes, save for the burnt pentagram on its head matching the professor's dog. Professor: Seems as though we may not need to explain ourselves too much. While the professor and his dog were unperturbed, James was plenty startled by the cat's entrance. James (jumping back): What the hell, where'd you come from!? Before James could get his answer, a sand and gray colored barn owl flaps down and perches itself on top of James' head. The bird also bore a similar pentagram on its torso. James: Hello. The owl gives a little HOOT in reply. Diana: Those are the headmasters' familiars, Bedlam and Chauntecleer. I guess we made too much of a commotion outside to go unnoticed. James (looking confused and pointing at the owl): ... You got magic here, and the principals the ones doing surveillance?

In that moment, the door to the headmasters' office slowly creeked open. Bedlam the cat and Chauntecleer the owl swiftly made their way to the open doors. The professor and his dog followed close behind, with the two youths taking up the rear.

The group enter the office, with James lagging a bit behind, taking in more of the sights of the academy. Professor: Good afternoon, Head Wizard Cornwallis, Head Witch Drizella. I apologize for the sudden interruption but we- The professor's greeting was cast to the wayside by the sudden appearance of a rather haggardly and frightening old woman. She had curly, sickly green lochs, a set of grinning, yellowish teeth with a gap, a single wart on her wrinkled skin, a rather large nose, velvet robes, and the most maniacal of faces. She leapt towards a frightened James with a rather wicked sounding AH-HAA.

The woman, who based on the professor's greeting was Head Witch Drizella, began to closely inspect James, whirling around him like a tornado, only pausing on a few blips to poke and prod at him. Drizella: So this was the boy causing all the commotion outside! Yes, the little Gilshire girl summoned a human instead of a familiar? How wickedly funny! How delightfully different! Oh I like that better, alliteration and all that- The whirling dervish that was Head Witch Drizella was finally halted by a rather tired looking old man sitting at a desk with Chauntecleer perched next to him. He too had wrinkled skin, though with a more tan complexion. He had thin, nearly white hair and a beard, a large nose of his own and large ears as well, and wore brilliant blue robes. At his desk was a dark turquoise crystal ball and a staff, so old a tree had grown on top of it. Behind the desk, a large window overlooked the realm of Galinda. The old name, apparently Head Wizard Cornwallis, pinched the bridge of his nose at his colleague. Cornwallis: Agnes, please calm yourself! You do remember we are supposed to lead by example for the new generation of magicians. Drizella (smiling and patting a stunned James on the back): Oh come off it, Toby, you old sponge! You are just as intrigued as I am!

In the dark of James' shadow, Bedlam emerged once again with a SSSSSSSSS. She perches herself on the Head Wizard's desk, receiving chin scritches from her master. Drizella: Now my dear Bedlam, what have you heard? The headmasters' familiars proceed to hoot and meow to their masters for a minute or two, with the masters whispering in reply. James watches at a complete loss, as Diana removes her witch hat out of respect. The conversation ends with the Head Witch chuckling with delight. Drizella: Eeh-heh-heh-heh, this just gets better and better! James (whispering to Diana): I know people talk to their pets sometimes, but this is different.

The Head Wizard ponders the report while stroking his thin beard. Professor: What do you make of this, sir? Cornwallis: A human boy summoned as a familiar, from an unknown country. Said boy not knowing magic exists. Rather peculiar indeed... Drizella (raising a sharp, dark green nail up): Don't go playing coy at a time like this! You kiddies want an answer? It's quite simple! The Head Witch moves that finger to point straight at Diana. Drizella: You, Diana Gilshire, summoned this whipper-snapper from another world!

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