The New Guardian

Chapter 2

As I stepped into my apartment, I glanced around. Perhaps I was a bit paranoid about running from a troll, but I doubt they would know where I lived, at least not that fast. The apartment wasn't that big, four rooms on the third floor of a seven floor building. Actually it was pretty nice if you looked at it objectively. Maroon carpeting, paneled walls, and a ton of work space in the living area. The kitchen was attached to the living room but it made up for it by having two bedrooms, of which I turned the one a very informal study.

I flipped the lights on in the study, only to be rewarded with a flash of light, a pop, and a new dead light bulb. "Great, Tinne." I called out, the candles flickering to life, casting light around the room, not much, but enough to see by.

The majority of the candles were set up by the bookcase and the desk, so I could do my studying at night. I stood in front of my bookcase looking at all different books. Ranging from notebooks filled with formula and incantations to children's books about dragons and fairies. Every piece of fiction has some grain of truth in it, plus they were half decent reads. I pulled a notebook off the shelf, along with an old weather-worn book of fairy tales, and set them on the desk. I started to jot down notes on anything I could find from the book on trolls.

It must not have been a terribly interesting read since I woke up four hours later, pieces of paper plastered to my face. I got up from the desk, stuffed the notebook into the collection of fairy tales before heading for the kitchen. Food might help me concentrate more, and would probably be a good idea before I had to head into work. Worst case scenario, I could study out at work.

Most of the cosmic beings must have been laughing at me today, enough cereal for half a bowl and no bread to make toast even. The foundry had a cafeteria at least. I could eat there, especially if I went into work early. So I headed back to the study, packed my bug-out bag with the reading material and went for my bike parked in the shed around the back of the apartment building.

I would be early to work by two hours. 'Maybe I could take a nap too...' I thought, as I let myself into the shed, pulling out the old motorcycle. I had to keep it in good condition, parts were getting hard to find for it. But since I took such good care of it, it took care of me. Starting up on the first shot, I let it idle as I put my gear on quickly. Mages are still people, and we get hurt just as quickly. So better to be safe than sorry.

The ride out to work was interesting enough, traffic was decently heavily but the narrow bike had no problem slipping between cars. Also magic has a tendency of not playing well with technology. Especially advanced technology. Sitting next to a new Mercedes, I glanced over to watch the drive start hitting her dashboard, cursing at dead LCD screen. The light flicked green, I rolled on the throttle and heard the Mercedes stall out. I had to smile to myself, safely hidden in my helmet. Pulling into a parking space outside the old steel foundry, my mind settled back onto the topic of food and just how hungry I was.