Cost of curiousity.

"So it really does say 'Spellwork is not unlikely to murder you.' huh?" I read out the waiver I was signing.

I was back in Dean Fogg's office the next day for the final bit of paperwork necessary to enroll me in Brakebills.

"What? Did you think magic was all rainbows and unicorn farts?" Dean Fogg scoffed.

"No. Just that when it's you who's affected by it, that kinda bones the schadenfreude, y'know?" I shrugged, signing the waiver.

"What does that mean?" He asked, confused.

"Nothing." I lied.

Can't tell him he's in a tv show, can I now?

"Now can I have what we agreed on?"

"You could have had it yesterday if you had bothered to show up on time." Dean Fogg said passive aggressively.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Eliot dragged me to a party at the Physical Kid's Cottage. Things got wild. Spent the night there."

"And stole an Emerson's Alloy Repellant." Fogg added nonchalantly.

"What?" He smiled smugly, seeing the surprise on my face, "I'm a master magician. Did you think I wouldn't notice the change in the magical circumstances around you?"

"I suppose that's true." I sighed.

"You do know that it's an important instrument to the progress of the timeline don't you?" Fogg added.

"Yes. Which is why, I will make sure to place it in the right hands at the right times. Don't worry." I assured him.

"Your presence here is already worrying to me." Fogg said, tapping the table impatiently.

"Well, nothing you can do about it now. And it'll all turn out well enough. Just trust me." I waved his concerns off.

"Now, the materials?" I repeated.

"Yes. Of course." He pulled out a duffel bag from behind his desk and handed it to me.

"Here. Everything is in there. You can check."

"I thought I said, all the living metal you can get. Not a handful of sparse chunks." I frowned, opening the bag, only to find a space much larger inside than it seemed.

"Oh! It's a bag of holding..." I muttered.

Of course it is. In the show even hedge witch markets had bags of holding, so why wouldn't a formally educated master magician be able to make one?

"Yes. So next time think before you start accusing people." Fogg said, offended.

"Sorry. I'm just used to people being....less than trustworthy. And my own paranoia doesn't really help with that."

Fogg's expression softened.

"All magicians medicate. We are all broken in a dozen different ways. Some even think magic comes from pain and not talent. It's not true of course. Pain is just a vital motivator. But enough about that. There's no point worrying about it. So don't." Fogg replied, understanding.

Guess the enchantments keeping him tolerant really do work wonders.

"Say, those enchantments you keep on yourself..."

"Are third year spells. Work your way up first. Then we can talk about them." Fogg shot me down before I could finish.

"Che, spoilsport!" I pouted, closed the bag and slung it over my shoulder.

"Just one more thing I needed help with. I need the flesh of a incubus for uh.....something. I hear you know one?"

I needed the flesh of an incubus to create a magical filter.

Since incubi are potent magical energy drainers, their flesh can automatically filter out unwanted characteristics in magic and convert it into nutrition.

Once I attune it to my magic, it will do the same for me.

"Hm? Yes. For the Voltaic Transfer?" He asked.

In the show, the main characters had used it for a power exchanging spell, the same one I intend to modify to steal a god's power.

Of course, if everything works out right I might not even need to use the two person spell.

But it pays to be prepared.

"Yeah." I lied, "Do you know where I can find it?"

"New York City." Dean Fogg pulled out a notepad and wrote down an address.

"He's a hedge fund guy. Logan and associates. Ask for Ben. Tell him I sent you."

Oh, it's in New York?

Julia's there too!

Two birds, one stone!

This way I'll be done way before schedule.

"I see. Thanks." I got up to leave, but he grabbed my shoulder, pointing behind me.

"Not so fast. Someone wants to talk to you first."

I raised an eyebrow and turned around coming face to face with an immaculately dressed lady with hair of gold and a face that screamed 'elegance' like the headmaster from SpyXFamily.

Eliza. Aka, Jane Chatwin. The Watcherwoman. Former protagonist. Time witch.

"Jesus fucking christ! Where even..." I blurted out.

Damnit!

It took all I had in me to not scream like a little girl at the woman who had suddenly appeared on my 5 o'clock.

What's with these magicians being extra sneaky?!

Worse than Batman in some regards, these bastards.

Always appearing and disappearing without warning.

They even freak each other out.

Not to mention the Travelers.

Magicians born with the ability to teleport across entire worlds, travel anywhere in the multiverse.

Note to self, get magic sensors up and running. Pronto.

Or else I might very well die of a heart attack one of these days!

"Hello Jay. Nice to meet you." She extended a hand, speaking in a very attractive british accent. Or maybe it was because she herself was a very attractive lady.

But more than that, I saw the way Fogg looked at her.

And it just clicked to me why he went out of his way to help her out.

Hehehehe.

Let's tease Henry a bit shall we?

"I would introduce my self but you already seem to know, somehow...." She trailed off, circling around me to take a seat by the table.

"So why don't you tell us exactly what you know. And how you know it? Or we can find out on our own." She said, twisting her wrist as a crystal pendant appeared in her hand.

She had stolen the Emerson's Alloy Repellant!

Well, no worries. I still have Narya.

Being a ring of power, especially an elven one, it could be turned invisible at my discretion.

And since Jane didn't know it was there, she couldn't steal or even think of stealing it.

"You will try." I replied, with a smirk.

"Why don't we find out?" She shot back, making a gesture with her hand as she cast a mind reading spell.

Only, nothing happened.

"What?" She muttered, "Did I not cast it right?"

"Oh you casted it right. It just won't work on me." I said.

"I see. We are at an impasse then." She sighed, "I don't suppose you'll want to be forthcoming here, will you?"

"Not the least bit." I said, leaning back into my chair.

"But trust me on this. I will kill the Beast. It's in my best interests to do so. He is an obstacle to what I desire as well."

"And what is that?" She asked.

"None of your business." I replied, "Just know that you should continue on with your plans as they were, involving Quentin and such. I will not be ready to kill the Beast for some time yet. Not before the end of the end of the semester at least. So in case the Beast tries anything, it's best you go along with your plans independently."

"And how exactly do you plan to kill the Beast? If you don't mind me asking. Henry mentioned something about orbital bombardment?" Jane asked.

"Yes. Hold on." I pulled out my new phone, and brought out a couple designs I had drawn.

"See I plan on creating satellites that can rain down lasers from orbit. A few missiles and kinetic energy projectiles too, just in case he survives that. You must have heard of Project Mjolnir? Rods from god? It's a US military superweapon program. Kinda like that but a lot more compact and powerful. And burny. I deploy them in Fillorian orbit and boom. Done. The Beast is no more."

"And you can make these? On your own?" She asked, not believing my claims.

"Why don't you wait and watch? Won't cost you a thing." I replied, not even bothering to dispute her.

"Except by your predictions, I die this loop. So if possible I would like to have a little more certainty." She stressed.

"And I would like to have my face sculpted on the moon. But we don't all get what we want, now do we?" I snarked.

"Still, I will show you some proof once I have the prototypes ready. Let me give you my number." I gestured at Dean Fogg to give me a pen and paper and began to write it down.

"Here." I walked up to her and handed her the paper.

"Call me of you want to check on my progress. Or make some progress together." I winked.

I gave Henry a side-eye and saw him fuming internally, hisbeyes almost popping from anger.

Hehehhehehe.

They're all so fun to tease.

She smiled awkwardly.

"I certainly will."

"Great." I smiled, raising a finger, "Just one more thing..."

With a flash, I twirled the pen in my hand, and before any of them could react, in one swift, smooth motion drove it through her shoulder with all my strength.

"Ark h-tsss!" She cried with a gasp, as I twisted the pen, bleeding her coat red, when Dean Fogg threw a spell at me.

Only for it to be reflected back at him, throwing him into the shelving behind his desk.

Glass shattered as he slid down to the floor, coughing and I raised the Emerson's Alloy Repellant in my hand, having swiped it off her amidst the stabbing.

This is why we can't have nice things.

I try to be amicable and cooperative and look what that gets me.

A surprise intervention and a mind control attempt?

Fuck that shit.

"I told you I didn't need magic to take you out, didn't I Henry?" I reminded him.

"What is the meaning of this?!" She asked, heaving painfully.

"The meaning of this is simple. I do not appreciate people trying to master me. The next time you try to mind control me, I will inject your bones with palladium and transmute it into caltrops. Capsiche?"

"Is that a threat, Mr. Walker?" Dean Fogg asked, glaring at me as he stood up.

"No, Henry. That's a promise." I said, and walked out.

____________________

The extra chapter for 200 powerstones as promised.

Next extra chapter at 400 powerstones.

Thanks for reading.

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And I am writing more as we speak.

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See you tomorrow then!