The Wizard

Dawn

It was nearing midday before the morning sun woke Mevner. He rolled over and shielded his face from the bright light. The heat of the sun warmed his muddy wet back and he felt like he could sleep for a thousand years. His body hurt everywhere.

"Well, you're a fine mess to deal with."

His consciousness was getting the better of him.

"I say, you're a fine mess."

Mevner wished his mind would just give it a rest.

"You sir, are you alive at all?" He felt a sharp poke in his side.

"I see you breathing. Not what I expected to find at the base of my tree. And on my birthday, no less."

The voice was stern, accented, with an authoritative attitude, but yet an underlying kindness. A bit like a grandfather.

"Qua-wh-ghhh-at?" Mevner attempted to ask and looked up to see a blurry little bearded man wearing a tiny pointed hat.

"I said, and on my birthday, no less. You're a fine mess. What happened to you? Why are you sleeping on my tree?"

Mevner squinted with his eyes and blinked.

"Gr-ahhghh." He opened his mouth at the little man and gave up trying to speak.

"Egads!" The man dropped his pack. "I might...that is to say, I have an idea that might help." He dove into the pack that was almost as big as him.

In all the time spent in the woods as a child, Mevner never saw one of the species of legend. He watched the little gnome go. He pulled tiny toolkits out of his bag, several flexible sections of fine metal tubing, and a little saw.

"I'll return shortly." He walked a few steps into the forest and vanished from sight.

Mevner wasn't going anywhere. With his new little friend gone, the pain of his injuries retook center stage. He was able to move an ankle and looked down at his boot, the sole of which was pulling at the swollen foot bent at a right angle. He'd probably have to cut them off.

When his leg bones broke he lost feeling in both extremities but it was beginning to come back. He looked at the ring. It would certainly be worthless against the more bizarre deformities but was clearly advancing the speed at which his bones knitted back together. He closed his eyes and tried not to think about it.

"All right then, open wide," said the gnome.

Standing again in front of him was the tiny man holding a widdled branch with a metal ring on the end. A leather string ran around it and down the length of the branch to his chubby little fingers. Figuring how could it hurt, Mevner rolled his head to the side and parted his jaw.

"That's a good lad."

The gnome jammed the homemade device around the knotted tongue and tightened. It hurt less than Mevner expected. The gnome left the device hanging out of his mouth, grabbed a small but thick chunk of wood, and proceeded to brace it between Mevner's teeth.

"I'm going to have to go in to undo this. You aren't going to bite me, now, are you?" he asked.

Mevner shook his head 'no' with tears welling up in his eyes.

The gnome brandished a wicked little knife, not more than a few inches long. 

"If you try and eat me, I'll cut my way out. Understand?"

Mevner nodded affirmation for him to proceed.

The gnome took off his hat and jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and stuffed his beard into his shirt. He pulled the line and pain ripped down Mevner's throat. Then he stuck the upper half of his body into Mevner's mouth.

"Aaaa-gghhhhaaa." Mevner tried not to vomit him out but could not suppress the convulsions.

"Almost got it." He heard the voice from inside his skull. "There!"

The gnome popped out of his mouth, grabbed the stick end of the device, and yanked his tongue straight. The metal ring raked down his taste buds inflaming them to no end, but Mevner's mouth was free again.

"Ohhh, tannnnk yoooou!"

He couldn't really speak but could move his swollen tongue again and the gagging sensation was gone. The relief was euphoric.

"My pleasure, chap. I've never seen anyone with their tongue actually tied in a knot before." He was covered in spittle and blood. "I'm assuming you can't stand. While you rest here, I'll just pop downstairs and clean up."

The gnome disappeared down a small hole Mevner failed to notice earlier. He reappeared an hour or so later looking as fresh as ever. He had with him a jug and fist full of thin golden needles.

"Drink this and I'll see if I can do something about your eyes."

Mevner swallowed the entire contents of the cool and refreshing jug. It warmed his empty stomach. Then the gnome pushed back his left eyelid and slid a needle into the edge of his eye. It didn't hurt but had an odd sensation. He put four more in and did the same to the other eye. Mevner rolled on his back and fuzzily stared up at the treetops.

"Now, I should tell you something," said the gnome. "I recognize that ring you're wearing. I was with Melock on the day he acquired it. Let there be no mistake about it, that is a one of a kind object and probably the only thing keeping you alive."

Mevner rolled and looked at him.

"Did Melock do this to you?"

Mevner touched his twisted hand to his chest twice. "Pew-pel."

"Pupil? Where is Melock?"

"De-ad... ad ta Bra-idge" The sad look on Mevner's face was reflected in the gnome's as he pointed in the direction of the bridge.

"You're saying Melock the Wise, the greatest and most powerful of all wizards is laying dead at the Stone Mountain crossing?"

Mevner nodded confirmation. 

"And you are his student and I can only assume his murderer did this to you?"

Mevner nodded again, twice.

The gnome put on his coat and pack. "Stay here, I'll be back."

And he set off toward the edge of the forest.