The Lone Traveler's Diary and other Short Stories

Short Story 5: The Wizard's Apprentice

Once, there was a grumpy old wizard who lived in a mysterious dimension called "The Cackling Crab". He was old, so old that no one knows how long he had dwelled upon this land. It was like he had existed since the birth of time. Of course, that was an exaggeration, for no one can live for that long.

The grumpy old wizard hated company.

He hated it so much that he separated his place from the secret place in Vault. He decided to do business with the spirits only recently and had it open on Halloween for two weeks. After all, a grumpy old wizard like him could not resist the temptation to use children in the Sky world as guinea pigs for his new spells (and, of course, candles). His most recent creation was the krill spell that can deflect a krill's attack. Unfortunately, it was not yet perfected as it lasted for only a minute.

When the "Cackling Crab" was first opened, the children of light could never find a single hair or tail from him. After hours of fruitless searching for the elusive old wizard, the children were drawn away by the spells within his abode.

The "Cackling Crab" was an eerie place filled with traps, tombs, spiders, crabs, and krills. Still, it was a habitable place as the grumpy old wizard had sought to make as much of his home as homely as possible to an elderly. Therefore, many of the traps could not harm. Even a few crabs had been tamed to carry spells and pumpkins to liven up the spirit of Halloween.

A giant cauldron sat in the middle of the place that bubbles a mysterious green soup and spews out mixtures of spells for daredevil kids to try. If they are lucky, they can get an outfit for a while. They get turned into pumpkins and crabs for a bit if they are not.

It was in the middle of the season and after closing time when the elusive grumpy old wizard came out from his hiding spot. He stepped out from the old creaky wooden door while muttering curses and complaints about the long, winding staircase that he had descended from. If it had been a couple of decades ago, when he was spry and springy, he would not have to worry much about the little exercise of climbing up and down the stairs.

It was then that his long cape was caught by something.

Thinking that it could be one of the mischievous pumpkin crabs that pinched his cape (those naughty little rascals!), the old wizard did not spare a glance but instead use his hand to shake his cloak. Yet, no matter how hard he shook, the grip did not lessen. Feeling his impatience reaching his limit, he stared down at the offending crab and wanted to kick it when he saw a baby moth.

With two glowing innocent eyes, they stared straight up at the grumpy old man and babbled cutely. Their little brown cape was stained with mud and the cauldron's green soup, making the poor little child look dirty and unkempt. And their little hands, so small that the old man was sure that they could only grasp on his one whole finger, were gripping his cape very tightly.

So small, yet so strong, the old man thought to himself as he frowned at the nuisance.

He hated company very much, and the mere presence of such a small child brought the creepy crawlies to his skin. Yet, for some reason, the grumpy old wizard could not get his heart to kick the child out of his abode. He could not fathom how anyone had left a child here. Even though the old wizard had made the "Cackling Crab" slightly habitable, it was still no place for such a young baby. With a grimace, he picked up the little moth. He found to his dismay that they had soiled their clothes. Despite the sorry state the little moth was in, they squealed in glee when they were picked up.

"This must be an idiot," the grumpy old wizard insulted the baby, who giggled at his words and tried to play with the long beard that he prized very much. "For how can you laugh when you are in such a state."

With a frown permanently stuck to his face, the old man grabbed the baby and headed off to the baths. He was planning to take a bath so bringing this nuisance was along the way. Yet, the old man seemed not to notice as the moth grabbed his prized beard and roughly pulled it.

This was how the grumpy old wizard snagged a little apprentice. Of course, it was much later when the old man officially recognized the moth as his apprentice.

After a night of sleep, the old man decided that he should leave the child near the cauldron when the place was open to visitors. However, he could not concentrate on his work and found himself peering through a crack of his door to see whether the baby's parents would come to pick up the child or some kind stranger would pick them from his place. In any case, he hoped that they would be gone for good. However, his heart skipped a beat when he could not find the moth anywhere near the cauldron until he heard an excited babble right at his doorstep.

Curses!

Somehow, the baby had crawled their way to his hiding spot. Oblivious to his annoyance, the baby moth raised their little arms at him, seeking warmth from him. Seeing how the first customers were about to arrive, the grumpy old man quickly grabbed the baby into his hiding spot, earning a squeal of glee which the wizard immediately silenced. The old man rubbed a callous hand over his withered face while the other held onto the child securely. He harrumphed in displeasure and glared at the small thing.

The baby moth gurgled and blabbed, clapping his little hands at the amusing expressions the old man was giving them. The grumpy old wizard could not throw the child out of his hiding spot without exposing it. At the thought of multiple children scrambling over him with bags of candles, the old man shivered in fear.

Still, he did not give up.

The grumpy old wizard resolved to try again tomorrow. He had to get the little nuisance off his abode.

So, he tried the next day. And the day after tomorrow... Yet, the small moth had crawled their way back to the old man. It was like they had recognized him as their caretaker! The old man rubbed his face tiredly as he glanced at the moth. No matter how he tried, he couldn't get the moth away. They were stuck to him like glue.

He grumbled before picking up the child. It was close to the baby's bedtime, and they were well-fed and washed up. The grumpy old wizard gave up on pushing the child away and accepted his fate.

Perhaps, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and it was an excellent time to pick up a rascal to take over his work.

The old man was no longer as young as he was. He feared that he might succumb to a natural death without a heir to take over his work as time went by. His greatest fear would be that creation of potions and spells would end with him if he did not take an apprentice soon. His masters, Anna and Shaz, had already given in to time many decades ago. So, if he did not take in an apprentice anytime soon, he feared they would be rolling around in their graves in anger. After all, every wizard and witch was proud of their successes in creating magical objects to aid the population.

"Alright, you little rascal," he grumbled at the sleepy child that yawned. "You win. I will take you in and teach you the arts of magic and potion-making. Make no mistake! Once you have grown up, I'm going to work you to the bone for all the trouble you have given me."

The baby moth nodded their head and turned towards the old man, fisting his robe in his little hands, and yawned once more. Their little eyes blinked a few more times before they gave into dreamland.

For the first time in a long while, the old wizard's grumpy expression softened.

A/N: 20 Dec 2021

I know Halloween is long over but since I don't have any idea for a Christmas story, this one will do. Don't hate on my poor old grumpy wizard so much. He's a real softie on the inside with a foul mouth.