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"Alright." Max nodded as she followed her master. Blinking at the question of her age, Max smiled and puffed out her chest like many a young child her age would. "I just turned 13 yesterday!" Entering the teenage years was quite the accomplishment for children, especially young apprentices. It meant they were starting to enter the world of adults, but had yet to be tempered by the cynicism and pain that came with adulthood.
 
Kylm scratched her head and silently continued down the road. Alright so maybe a early taste of alcohol wasn't a good idea. As they walked a few friendly waves were sent to her and Max. The wizard seemed about to say something when a man bearing a dark robe and a smug look approached, followed by a younger male of similar description.
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Malcii
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Venn
Kylm gave a aggravated sigh, "that is Malcii Blackspear and his apprentice Venn, brace yourself." "Ah, Miss. Desoto" ,the man started, "what a pleasure it is to see you again. And who is this?" His tone was like he was looking at a dead carcass, but trying (poorly) not to sound disgusted.
 
The young girl blinked as the two men walked toward herself and her new master. The men sneered at the two, the older asking who she was. Max stood tall. "I'm Max, sir. Kylm's apprentice." This man and his apprentice obviously irritated Kylm, though Max was curious as to why. Besides their smug attitude, she couldn't see much else wrong with them... at least not yet.
 
Malcii look changed to mocking surprise. "Well well well. I never thought I'd see the day when the U.O.W. would become so desperate that they would allow Kylm Desoto 'The Mad Mage' to have a apprentice." He scoffed, followed by his snotty student. "Much less one so... pathetic looking." Kylm's fists were clenched. "Look you two. You can call me mad all you want, but you will not insult my student. Now move along, we have important business to attend to." "Very well. Before we leave I do hope your friends welcome you back." And without another word they left. Kylm grumbled and continued for the tavern.

As Venn passed Max, he bent down and whispered something to her. "Do you know what they say about Kylm? She used to kidnap kids about your age and stuff them in the chest in her room. They would suffocate in there, but the Order would defend Kylm from any investigation. Some say the bodies are still there, rotting in that chest." He gave a sly smile before running after his master.
 
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That sent shivers down Max's spine. Kidnapping kids? Kylm? She didn't seem the type to do that. Sure, she had a lot of creepy stuff in her house, but that didn't mean she stuffed kids in chests! The doubt lingered in her mind, but the young girl shoved it to the back of her thoughts. They were just trying to scare her! They just didn't want to admit that Kylm was a way better wizard than they could ever dream of being! Quickly, the girl ran to catch up with her master. "What's their problem?" The young apprentice asked as she tried to shake the creepy thoughts of being stuffed into a chest.
 
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Kylm wished she had a stone to throw at them. "That man was the big shot at my Academy years. You know the type, always kissing up to the teachers, always the one to raise his hand at every question, always looking for someone to put below him. One day I got sick of his shit and challenged him to a wizard duel. In short I won, he ran out the lunchroom with his pants on fire and mushrooms growing out his ears. Of course I got like five hours of detention but it was worth it. Afterwards the loon became determined to get me back, although to this day he has failed to. He'll jump on any mistake I make, or any thing his has over me regardless of how small and insignificant it may be." As she told the tale of Malcii the asshole the two neared the tavern.It was a old, friendly looking place called 'The Sleepy Nix' by a sign supported by small chains. It didn't seem very roudy, as only the chatter of calm passing words was heard.
 
Max nodded. "I know the type..." She glanced back at the two jerks walking away. The tavern, however, relaxed the apprentice. Looking around excitedly, the young girl gasped at the new place. She hadn't really been to many places outside of the academy, however this was completely new. "I just wish we learned spells to light things on fire. That would have been useful." The smells twirled around her. Alcohol tinged the air, however Max didn't mind. The whole tavern spoke of a home Max couldn't quite remember.
 
"Heh, the rules were a lot looser back in the day." Kylm smiled as she smelled the wondrous tavern air. She pushed the door open sounding the melodic tinkle of a bell and let Max enter first. The man at the bar counter was a orc, past his prime with bushy eyebrows and a round beer belly. When he saw the two he smiled broadly, "good to see yeh Kylm! I see you've brought a fair young lass with yeh! What's your name and what yeh gettin' missy?"
 
Everything fest new and exciting for the young apprentice. She couldn't wait to visit more places like-oh crap someone was talking to her. Max looked at the orc before sliding closer to Kylm, feeling very self-conscious and shy. "U-um, I'm Max, sir..." She wasn't sure what she would eat since she had never been to such a place before. The man at the counter intimidated her slightly, but Max had to be brave. It wasn't like he was going to hurt her! He probably runs the place, plus he knew Kylm! So he had to be a good guy, right?
 
The orcish bartender released a hearty laugh, exposing that one of his teeth was golden. "Little skittish I see! Pleasure to met yeh Max! Name's Leone, Leone Bagoul! Grab yourselves a seat and I'll get yeh two a menu." Kylm led Max over to a nearby table were Leone soon arrived with water and menus. "First meal's on me little lady! Any questions just ask!" He laughed before walking off to serve other costumers.

Kylm, seeing that Max was clearly distressed by Leone's loud nature, chuckled. "Don't get scared by good old Leone. Guy wouldn't hurt a fly. This place, a warm bar, is far more safe then any cold fortress. It's because everyone is happy in a bar, content. You can tell if someone's shifty if they don't smile at a tavern." She sipped her water and peered into the menu. "If you can't settle on something, just get a roast chicken breast."
 
Max relaxed as her master reassured her while the man left. "Alright, I think I'll just go with the chicken then." She looked around, noting all of the smiles and happy laughs. "Do you come here a lot? You seem to know Mr. Leone pretty well." The girl shifted in her seat. The atmosphere felt warm and safe, relaxing Max even further. She wondered if she would meet even more people that knew her master. The woman didn't seem the type to know too many people, but Kylm seemed pretty popular with others so far.
 
"This town, this fantastic, nameless town knows me pretty well. I came here a bust, out of money, no job. I know, crazy. The 'greatest mage to ever live' without a job. Well that was when I was forced to leave my tutor early, around my teens. I was refused a license for unattended magic use for I had not completed my studies and therefore unqualified."

Around that time Leone came back around, a pen and paper in hand. "Have we chosen a meal ladies?" "Yes we have. I'll have my usual and my apprentice here would like the chicken." Leone quickly nodded and dashed off.

"Leone took me in, gave me a job and somewhere to stay. We would chat long into the night, I remember those days clearly. When I wasn't working I was tutoring myself in magic, when I was I was building quite the reputation. Eventually I got my license and moved in to the house I still live in today, but not before sending off a gang of bandits wanting to burn the town down. Such actions have made me rather liked and well-known here, although I rarely leave the house anymore."
 
After her master's story, Max blurted out, "You had to leave your tutor? Why?" The question suddenly felt inappropriate, making the girl pull back a bit. This might be a sensitive subject for her. Max didn't want to hurt her master's feelings or bring up any painful memories. She knew how those could hurt a person. However, it was hard to imagine a person with Kylm's reputation starting out in such a lowly state. Even greats had to start somewhere, Max supposed. Though another thought nagged at Max's mind. If she was such a recluse then why did she choose to have an apprentice? Why did she choose Max? Wizards always personally picked their apprentices so why did Kylm decide that Max would be a good thing to teach? Or did the council just want to shove Max off on the nearest wizard who would take her? The thought nearly deflated the young apprentice. All of these insecurities and questions were right on the tip of her tongue, but Max held back for fear of upsetting her master.
 
Kylm froze at the words. Her eye for a molment showed shock and fear. She could not tell Max the full truth, not yet. Part of the truth however... "She fell ill and died." The statement was heavy and dropped on the table with and-that's-final force. A eye closed sip of the water and a leaning of the chair. "You've asked me so much you know. I would like you to tell me a little about yourself. What are your parents like? How was your Academy experience? They gave me your record and a list of facts but those are often far from one's real opinion."
 
It was a simple, yet harsh answer. "Oh..." Max wanted to console her master, tell her something to bring the heavy air up, but Kylm was too quick. The young girl shifted in her seat. "W-well... I'm not really that interesting..." She tried to deter her master, but just looking at Kylm told Max that simply wasn't possible. "My parents are... parents. They're normal people, not a single ounce of magic in them. They still love me to bits and were really reluctant to let me go to the academy." Her throat was starting to clog up. She cleared it bit, taking a sip of her own water before shifting in her seat uncomfortably. "The teachers pretty much hated me at the Academy." She laughed, as if she were discussing a hilarious joke with her friends. "If not for the fact that I couldn't do a single spell right, but the fact that my friends and I were pretty snarky and sarcastic." Max's formally tense shoulders started to relax at the mentioning of her friends. "We hung out together, ate together, did practically everything together." Her tone grew nostalgic, though tainted by something dark. "They were brilliant with the spells, always tried to help me get them right... They were the first two to get picked up by a master once we were all ready." Little whispers started to form in the back of Max's mind, but she brushed it off. The young girl shrugged. "I don't really know what else to say."
 
Kylm nodded silently, noting the hint of strangeness in Max's tone. What was that about? Could it be... jealously? "I hope to meet your mom and pops one day. Sound like nice folk. As for your friends, your's and mine aren't so far apart. We would get in trouble like you wouldn't believe... Been a while since I've seen any of them though-" "Chow's hot ladies!"

Leone had appeared again, now holding two steaming plates. The orc placed a fairly large sandwich before Kylm with a cup of tea. He then served Max a fantastic smelling roast chicken breast with complimentary fork and knife. Finally Leone pulled out a pitcher of honeymeed and pored a bit of it into Kylm's tea.

"Just how yeh like it. It's good to see those stiffs finally let yeh have a apprentice Kylm! Yeh gonna do great Max, learn'n from the best after all!" Leone, otherwise known as that bartender that says 'yeh' all the time, pat Max on the shoulder and left. Kylm took a sip of her odd concoction and took a bite out of her sandwich, beginning to be lost in thought.
 
Max was glad that the conversation was turned from herself and smiled gratefully at the orc. "Thank you, Mr. Leone!" She called after the bartender as he left. She dug into her meal, smiling at the different tastes that the chicken breast brought. After a moment, Max blinked as Leone's words properly registered in her mind. "They didn't let you have an apprentice?" She asked Kylm, frowning a bit. "Why? You're a great wizard, so why wouldn't they try to shove their best at you?" Did this have to do with the chest in her room? Did the academy just want to get rid of her so they sent her to a mass murderer?! Max shook those thoughts aside. No, no that couldn't be it. It was just a rumor, that was all... right?
 
Kylm responded swiftly, she seemed more comfortable speaking about this subject then those previous. "I have rebelled against the choices of the U.O.W. many times. That and certain other... personal conditions have lead me to be labeled 'unstable' and therefore unsuitable for a apprentice. However the recent kidnappings have led to a loophole in the rules." She spoke to Max in a serious tone, eye still calmly closed. "Your still too young to understand my causes for rebellion if I told you. Soon you will be though, and I hope that when the time comes our beliefs match." With that the wizard continued on her meal.
 
"Oh..." That seemed to be all Max could say as she ate her food, listening to the reasoning. "Then... Was I your only choice? For apprentices, I mean." Oh that question felt heavy on her tongue, yet Max couldn't stop it from rolling out. It felt like an insult toward her master. She never wanted the woman to feel insulted by her apprentice. However, the U.O.W must have been stupid not to see how a bright wizard to fair under Kylm. It was a surprise that she ended up with the class dunce.
 
"No. There were others. I was shown the best and the brightest but demanded a actual class list and chose you." Another sip of the meed-tea. A few thoughts. This place calmed Kylm, it was where she had her best ideas. It was where she read that list. She knew the upcoming question and made sure her answer was in order.
 
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