Sugar Hoof the Wizard Colt

by Furenstein

Fishy Desert

The only noise to be heard in my new home was the bubbling of a cauldron as I dumped fresh diced mandrake into it.
The broth inside turned a light brown as I stirred it.

I had been busy these past few days, it wasn't easy building everything I needed for day-to-day existence. Stools, chairs, tables, a bed, shelves, desks, and don't even get me started on the floors, the floors took two days alone. It was all worth it though, to hear that clippity clop noise as I walked on the hard grey lumber.

My laboratory here wasn't as well equipped or as large as the one I had back at the university, but it was peaceful and quiet for my research. Once I was satisfied with the stirring, I hopped off the stool and made my way over to the cupboards.

"Now where did I leave that rafflesia dust?" I said as I looked around my work area. I was supposed to use vampire skin instead, but I can't grow vampires so I had to make due.

After I levitated the little salt shaker of rafflesia dust down, I sprinkled some into the broth. The room suddenly felt darker and the unmistakable scent of rotting flesh permeated the room.

"Ok, diced mandrake, rafflesia dust, and..." A noise brought me out of my thoughts. No, not a noise, an intruder. Someone, something was here.

"The potion ... oh what was that last ingredient, if ever there was a time for an invisibility potion, this is it." I trotted around the room, hoping something I saw would jog my memory. Thankfully it did.

"Blue bells!" I shouted as I jumped up onto the cupboard and threw three sprigs of blue bells into the broth. With all the grace a wizard could manage, the potion was complete, and just in time too.

There wasn't much time between turning invisible and the door opening slowly to reveal a horrid monster. Into my laboratory hesitantly lumbered a large blue fish man. He immediately covered his fish nostrils as he caught a direct whiff of the invisibility potion.

"Ack, what is that stench!" A voice shouted from behind the fish man.

The fish man left the room in a hurry and said, "We need to get out of here, some evil witch lives here, she's cooking someone up in that room!"

"Surely a witch would have some treasure, though." I heard the other voice say.

"You can stay if you want, but I'm outta here!" He said before I heard the cave shaking as he ran away.

"Coward!" Shouted his friend, who I could see clearly now.

The best way I could describe him is an orange arachnid with snail-like eyes. His four legs skittered on my wooden flooring, puncturing small holes into them.

"Cur." I whispered. I know I didn't say it loudly, but it was enough for him to hear me. It didn't matter, he couldn't see me anyway as I moved to his back.

"Who's there? You may scare Bulkul, but I will not be intimidated!" He drew what looked to be a well made spear from his back and held it, ready to strike.

I thought it'd be funny to scare him so I enchanted my throat to make my voice appear as if it was coming from every direction.

"You will pay, you're not welcome here, leave." His stance shifted slightly as he tried to pinpoint my location, so I quickly conjured up an illusion that looked just like Bulkul, the fish man.

At the sound of magic, he launched his spear into my illusion, piercing him, when I took control. I turned his eyes to mist and made him pale as he groaned.

"B-bulkul..." The arachnid said as he stepped back to ready an escape.

In unison, hundreds of voices cried out from the fake Bulkul's mouth, "You will pay, you're not welcome here, leave."

The arachnid's eyes widened as he rushed as fast as his four legs could carry him. "I'm sorry, I'll leave, I swear!"

He ran directly into my freezer, and I followed him as Bulkul. He was running into the coldest room in my home, farthest from the exit, where all my food is stored, he can't leave anymore. If word gets out about my stockpile, I'll never have any peace.

---

When I caught up to the arachnid, he was busy sifting through my many barrels, boxes, and bags of food.

"There's enough food for everycreature in Klugetown to feast for a year in here. " Said the arachnid in amazement before he continued down the freezer.

Without making a sound, I didn't feel a need to continue toying with him. As I had mentioned, he can't leave, he'd tell everyone where I was and everyone would know about the food. I'd have who know how many fish and arachnids breaking down my doors. I simply reached into his body and shocked his heart at that point. He was dead before his body even hit the ground. After his death, I debated raising him as an undead thrall or simply forcing his body to consume itself into nonexistence. The act of which caused my body to become visible again.

"It isn't worth it." I said in a low voice before causing his body to consume and destroy itself. In merely a few seconds, the arachnid's corpse was long gone.

This however made me aware of a very real problem. People will come, Bulkul may return for his friend, or he might tell someone about this when his arachnid friend didn't come back. Or someone could simply wander in whether friendly or hostile. I can't let that happen, and I can't guard this entire place 24/7 myself.

" The old guard must be reformed." I said as I walked into the garden. Among the eastern side of the field, some ironwood trees stood strong and tall as I infused them with magic. They shuddered and shook as they grey rapidly. Eyes and a mouth grew from their trunk as hands replaced branches, and legs replaced roots. The twenty treants yawned and stretched with life I had given them as their old stiff lumber grew easier to move. My eyes glowed a bright and powerful green, and the treant's eyes followed suit.

"Treants! Hear me and obey! Stand guard over my home! Scare all who would arrive and kidnap all who would not be scared!" I shouted the command with magic in my voice as my tree thralls understood the command. Four at the entrance, two for my bedroom, four for the garden, and the other ten would patrol the halls.

I now had a home, food to sustain me, and guards to keep me safe. Which means I could return to my more scholarly pursuits.

---

Sighing happily as I saw one of my tree guards start their first patrol, I entered back into my laboratory. The remaining invisibility potion broth sat in the now cold cauldron.

"What? Oh, darn it, the fire went out." Potions left in cauldrons after the fire has gone out usually don't hold very long, that's why you're supposed to bottle it in clean glass bottles. "Maybe it's still good?" I asked with hope.

After jumping up onto my stool, I dipped my hoof into the dark and cold purple liquid and sampled it. Swishing it around in my mouth, it tasted unclean and did not return me to invisibility.

"Curses," I lifted the cauldron with my magic and poured it's contents out. "Now I'll have to start all over!"

Comments

[Bandit1990]

Ok, so I see that he's a typical Fantasy Mage, not actively malicious but extremely isolationist and focused on his research.

[LunasFury]

Very interesting so far, a mage in the body of a colt. An interesting and fresh idea indeed. Can't wait too read more and see how you execute this 👍

[Fluttercry12]

looking forward to more thank u

[OmicroniX]

11298623
I’d call murder actively malicious. If you don’t warn people that trespassing could mean death. Or even that they’re trespassing at all, then you’re not defending yourself, you’re trapping people. Not that doing this sort of thing is astereotypical of classic fantasy wizards. Just pointing out that this character is definitely evil by all but the most generous definitions.

[artofwar77]

11299505
He gave several warnings. Must've thought it was fair game after that, especially after he heard his secret stash was about to be not-so-secret otherwise.

Or maybe he's a Texan wizard.
Castle Tower doctrine and all.

[Tempered_Flask]

11299505
As artofwar77 said, several warnings were given, intent to rob was established, and the thief used lethal force first. If that doesn't justify lethal self defense measures to you, then I'm sure nothing would.