A Hundred Lifetimes: A Clairxie AU

Chapter 1

"We're under-appreciated, Arch!"

Thirteen cents.

Aw, Fuzzbuckets. Douxie sighed heavily as he fingered the coins in his pocket. Only one gentleman had shown the decency to tip his blue-haired waiter, and he had offered thirteen cents. Douxie knew what he was getting into when he took the Monday shift.

Between the bookstore in the daytime, the café in the evening, his music on the weekends, and his "escapades" through the night, the boy wizard was run ragged all over Arcadia. Calluses and pocket change were his reward. Douxie chuckled. Even minimum wage was better than what Merlin had to offer.

Before Arcadia, it was Baton Rouge. Newark. Rio. Cairo. Athens. Every venue was the same. Full of hungry monsters and soul-sucking menial labor.

As he carried the trash bag out into the alleyway, Douxie's ears pricked up as he heard sounds of rapid rustling. Setting down the bag, he slowly approached the grimy dumpster. He jumped back as the lid flew open, unleashing a thin, wiry creature. It took a moment to glare at him with its vengeful glowing eyes, then dashed around the corner and into the street.

Douxie smirked. Goblins. Work was starting early tonight.

* * *

Author's Note:

Fun fact: we only ever see Douxie waiting café tables at night. He's clearly working a late shift. Points to the TOA writers for remembering that over three different shows.

* * *

"I had it all under control, Arch!"

"Of course you did." Archie bared his fangs in a wry feline smirk. "Shall I fetch some antiseptic?"

Douxie grimaced. The goblins hadn't scratched his face that many times. Not really.

"It wasn't any worse than that selkie in Dubai."

"We were together that time." Archie alighted on the ground next to the wizard, matching his stride. "Just what would you have done if I hadn't arrived in time, hmm? You can hardly afford rent, let alone plastic surgery."

"I'd have got him. Eventually." Douxie fiddled with the café's magical lock. "Have some faith in me, honestly." The pair watched as the sigl activated, the used book shop's exterior phasing into a wizard's tome library.

Douxie pushed open the door significantly harder than necessary. The cat dashed inside before it could swing shut, clearly irked.

"You know I have faith in you, Douxie. But I still worry."

"About what? My safety?"

"No, not your safety. It's worse than that. You're losing your drive."

Douxie slumped in his chair. "Maybe I'm just tired, Arch. Am I allowed to be tired?"

The cat chuckled. "You're nine hundred. I suppose you're due for a midlife crisis."

Douxie sank lower in his chair. "We're in a new town. It'd be nice if things would change a bit."

"Things haven't changed in a long time." Archie curled his tail around himself. "It takes a toll, I suppose."

The cat looked up as the shop's enchanted suit of armor entered the foyer. Sid, as Douxie had named him, was the wizard library's only other resident. He busied himself with keeping their space in order, and routinely brewing Earl Grey to soothe his roommate's worries. Douxie smirked. Right on schedule. He nodded in gratitude and blew at the steam rising from his cup.

Archie adjusted his glasses. "Arcadia is no Rome. But I hear there are lots of neighborly trolls about."

Douxie furrowed his brow. Trolls. After Killahead, trollkind had worshipped Merlin, his centuries of mysterious absence only embellishing his legendary deeds. Merlin's name offered no favor to Douxie, however. The trolls tolerated him at best, and violently pushed him out of their affairs at worst.

Merlin's sorcery had earned him prestige and sanctuary in Camelot. He had told his young apprentice that a noble wizard binds himself to protect two worlds. Unfortately, one world didn't know Douxie existed, and the other was full of immortal ingrates. Douxie finished off his tea and pulled himself off the chair. "I'm goin' to bed, Arch."

Suddenly a foreboding chill ran up the wizard's spine. Douxie froze. His bracer began to turn similarly cold. He slowly turned to the window.

"Arch. Do you feel that?"

"Feel wha-"

"Ssshhh! Follow me!"

Douxie ignited his bracer, stepping cautiously toward the door. Archie followed, knowing better than to make a sound. The street was deserted. It was the perfect night for sorcery.

The boy wizard's blood ran cold. Darkness was afoot, that much was certain. Archie's ears laid back in restrained terror, and Douxie followed his gaze to the top of a nearby building. A shadowy figure stood backlit in the moonlight, its pointed head looming over the rooftop. His eyes were dark, the pupils glowing with malice.

Douxie swallowed hard. For several silent seconds, no one dared to move. The creature stood. Turning away, he stepped into a vortex of shadow and disappeared.

Archie looked up to make sure his friend was all right. "Was that...?"

"Yes," Douxie whispered. He whirled and headed for the café door. The night had returned, but the cold lingered.

The dark assassin had found his way to Arcadia.