Tales From a Second Hand Wand Shop- Book 1: They Were the Best of Gnomes. They Were the Worst of Gnomes.

by Robert P. Wills

  Chapter Forty-One38

  Wherein During First Annual Jamboree

  Becomes the Great Fire of 978

  Drimblerod’s eyes got wide, “The Guilds?” He quickly clambered onto the table and looked around, “GRIM! The Guilds House IS ON FIRE! How in the Lands did that happen?” From his vantage point he was now taller than the heads of most of the human-sized people in The Square. They were all running one way or another. There was a bucket brigade snaking its way towards the Inn. It was completely ablaze. “Huh, the Guilds House.”

  Grimbledung climbed onto the table as well. “Is that the Stables?” He asked pointed over Drimblerod’s shoulder, “Over there?”

  Drimblerod followed his partners pointing hand to the far side of The Square, “No, no. That’s the Courthouse burning. The Stables are over there” he explained as he pointed to where the Stables were currently burning. Realization washed across his face, “The Courthouse? That’s only a block from our shop!”

  Glowing ashes flew by as the wind picked up. “We need to check on the shop,” suggested Grimbledung as he surveyed the area. Several other buildings were completely engulfed in flames- Aution was, like most other towns, constructed of wood. Unfortunately, Aution was the oldest town in the area which meant all the wood had been drying for two centuries. It was dry, seasoned wood. Perfect kindling in the shape of a town.

  “There they are!” Grimbledung heard a familiar voice call. He turned and saw Mayor Shinn moving his way through the crowd. He was making good progress because his path was being cleared by two Orcs. “Don’t you move!” He commanded.

  “I think it’s time to go,” suggested Drimblerod.

  “Back to the shop?”

  “Maybe a little farther than that. At least until things cool down around here.” Drimblerod said without a bit of humor. The fire had spread and was moving not only downwind at a frightening pace, but also spreading sideways thanks to the brisk breeze that aided embers from jumping across streets and alleyways.

  “I think you’re right. I’ll follow you,” said Grimbledung as he turned to look towards where the shop was- while he looked, a fire hopped the street to the next block. Their block. Out of the corner of his eye, Grimbledung saw movement beside him and he startled as he turned. Oddly, he saw nothing there. Fate rested her arm on Grimbledung’s shoulder and surveyed the mayhem. She smiled and patted an unseeing and unfeeling Grimbledung on the shoulder. Even though he did not know Fate was there, it still gave her great satisfaction. With one last pat, Fate moved off, smiling. She still had a war developing and she wanted to make sure it was pointed at Grimbledung.

  The Gnomes burst into the shop which was brightly lit by the quickly approaching inferno. “Rat! We need to go now!” Called Drimblerod as he moved behind the counter. He pulled a bag of holding from under the counter and began to rake the more valuable wands into it. “RAT!”

  Grimbledung went into the back room (the curtain had never been rehung) and was greeted by a frantically flailing Dummy. “I’ve got you, Dummy. We won’t leave you.” He said as he pulled Dummy from his platform and muscled him to the cart in the backroom. “Hang on, we’ll be right back.” He grabbed a backpack of holding (also from the latest Gally Wuck trader) and moved to the front. The store was as bright as noon. Grimbledung looked across the street. The Stumbling Drunk was ablaze. “Nulu!” Grimbledung tossed the backpack to Drimblerod without even looking. In a flash, he was out the door and across the street. He burst into the establishment at a full sprint (for a Gnome anyway), “NULU!” He called.

  “Down here!” He heard Nulu voice from behind the bar- which was completely aflame. She had taken shelter in the cellar. “I’m trapped and the stairs are on fire!”

  “MOVE TO THE FAR CORNER!” Grimbledung shouted over the roar of the flames.

  “WHICH CORNER IS THE FAR ONE?”

  Grimbledung hopped back and forth in panic. “I DON’T KNOW! JUST PICK ONE! STAND ANYWHERE EVEN!”

  “SO WHY EVEN BOTHER MOVING IF I CAN STAND ANYWHERE?”

  Grimbledung howled in a combination of panic and rage. “STAND STILL THEN!”

  “THAT’S WHAT I’M DOING!”

  He drew his wand and aimed it at the floor. A stream of molten lava sprang from it and began to burn a hole in the floor. Within moments, there was a hole straight into the cellar. Grimbledung got on his hands and knees. “Nulu! Can you see the hole!”

  “Yes! I was standing right under it when you made it! Why didn’t you tell me to stand someplace else?”

  Grimbledung stood so he could hop back and forth several times then dropped back on all fours. “Stay out of the way and I’ll make it a lot bigger so you can climb up.”

  “Are you calling me fat?”

  Grimbledung stood and hopped back and forth again. Females! “Stand back!” He worked the lava stream around the edges of the hole as he circled it. The floor was wood over what appeared to be sandstone so it melted quickly. Finally, Grimbledung lowered his wand, “Now frost the edges and jump out!”

  After a moment, the edges of the hole were frosty. Nulu jumped up and made it half way out of the hole. She clawed her way out in an effective albeit unlady-like manner. Even for a Trolless. When she was back on her feet, she stared at the hole. It was over twice as large as she was. “What are you saying, with a hole that big?”

  “The town is burning down and you’re worried about your hips?” Grimbledung flailed his arms around, “FOCUS!” He grabbed Nulu’s hand and ran from the burning restaurant. As he crossed the street, he noticed it was bright enough outside that he had a shadow. Glancing up he saw the Magicked moon above the shop basked in orange firelight- it was full. Grimbledung stopped in his tracks.

  Nulu, carried by momentum, skidded past him. “What are you doing?” Moving back, she grabbed him by the arm, “Didn’t you just yell at me to focus? You need to follow your own advice, you daft Gnome!”

  Grimbledung shook his head, “Right, right. But it’s such a nice enchantment I hate to leave it behind.” He pulled his wand from his wrist sheath. “Com’ere Moon!” He commanded. Obediently, the moon left its position above and a little in front of the door and moved to Grimbledung’s outstretched hand. He tucked it under his arm. “Right. Now we need to run! Like I said, focus!” He grabbed Nulu by the hand and pulled her into the shop.

  “Stop holding my hand!” Nulu complained.

  They entered the wand shop as Drimblerod was finishing adding the wands from the shelves to the pack. “Where have you been? And where’s Rat?” Drimblerod noticed the moon under his partner’s arm, “Good thinking, Grim. That thing was a werebear to concoct.”

  Grimbledung smiled. It quickly turned into a grimace, “We need to get out of here before the Mayor finds us!”

  “Wait. You’re responsible for this?” Nulu gestured out the window at the inferno.

  “I don’t think we should discuss this now! Let’s get out of town!” Behind him Door clattered open and closed. He turned to look, “Door! No, we aren’t going to leave you behind!” He turned to Nulu, “Can you put him with Dummy on the wagon?”

  “And get on it yourself because we’re going. Now” said Drimblerod as he put the last of the wands into the pack.

  Nulu stepped outside the store and gripped the door with both hands. With a quick jerk, the entire frame came loose. “Got ya, Door. Let’s go.” Door rattled its catch in thanks. Turning it sideways, she started to enter the shop as she did, she turned to look at the Stumbling Drunk. The roof was caved in and bottles behind the bar were bursting randomly. With a sigh, she scooted into the shop and made her way to the back of the store. She hefted the door over the side of the wagon. “Get down, Dummy and put this on top of you. You’re liable to burst into flame if anything drops on you.” Flailing its arms, Dummy fell over. Nulu laid the door on top of Dummy and it grabbed Door from underneath to keep it in position.

  “LET’S GO!” She said as she jumped into the back of the wagon.

&nbs
p; Grimbledung and Drimblerod were both upfront. They turned to look at her and then at the empty harness upfront.

  “You’re kidding me. First the big hole in the floor. Then my entire business goes up in flames. Now I’m a beast of burden?” She glowered at them.

  “We’re Gnomes! The wheels on this thing are bigger than us,” offered Drimblerod.

  “It’s not our fault we’re our size,” added Grimbledung. “I blame my parents.”

  With a snarl, Nulu jumped out of the wagon and kicked the rear doors of the shop open. One came off its hinges and ended up on the other side of the alleyway. It promptly caught fire to match the building it was leaning against. “OK. Everyone hold on and keep an eye out for Rat.” Nulu grunted as she shoved the wagon out the shop and into the alleyway. She grabbed the tongue of the wagon and started towards the main street. Flames danced over their heads, carried by the rapidly increasing wind. Fueled by the heat, there was now a substantial wind billowing down the alleyway.