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night in his old room. Inside he found the magical sending box that he had made as well as his magical tome two things he had nearly forgotten about.
    The sending box was one of his prize accomplishments . It allowed him to send small letters to another specially designated one of the same make, which was currently in the possession of the princess. He had also made bigger version of the same thing for sending goods across long distances, but they were all behind the house in a small shed.
    The magical tome was another of his favorite possessions. The tome allowed him to copy and store books in it, so that he could carry a variable library in one small package. He had intended to make more , but had never gotten around to it. Other projects kept coming up and taking his attention away.
    Taking one last look around his room Thad extinguished the magical light , plunging the room into total darkness. With a light sigh, Thad let himself drift off into a peaceful sleep.

C HAPTER IV
     
    Thad woke early the next morning, well before the sun graced the sky. He wanted to get to his old sewer lair before too many people began crowding the streets. Winding his way through the squatter’s district, he found the hidden entrance to the lower networks of the city.
    The sewers had been built back when the old empire was strong , and mages were common. The whole infrastructure still held magical residue, emitting from almost every stone. Even the moss that grew on the walls and ceiling was of magical origin. It was a very complex system. One that Thad had no idea how to begin to duplicate. He had studied the moss extensively, trying to figure out how the mages had manipulated its growth into what they had desired.
    He found his little room, where his papers and items were stored. He found his staff learned against the wall and quickly picked it up in his hands. It had taken him a lot of effort and making it had nearly killed him. The staff was made of marblewood and had a large diamond set in its top as well as many cat eye gems throughout the rest of the staff, allowing it to amplify his magic.
    With his staff, notes, and diagrams of other projects he had worked on in hand, he made his way back through the sewer. It was a bittersweet moment. The sewer, while not the most inviting place, had offered him sanctuary when he needed it. Now he was moving on to a new chapter in his life. He was moving on, where he could practice magic openly.
    After checking to make sure no one was around , he slipped from the hidden door leading to the sewer. Thad allowed his mind to wander, not paying as much attention as he should have. He ran into a group of ragged men. The squatter’s district was the main living area for males, and most of them worked for small wages, usually living off what scraps the females were willing to toss them. Many of them resorted to preying on anyone they could to survive. Thad couldn’t really blame them, but he was also not willing to become one of their victims.
    Noticing him , the men began circling around him. “Look what we got here. One of the hoity-toity slaves from the palace.” Someone said behind him. “Poor little lamb got lost in the big bad woods, and it looks like he’s found the wolves.”
    Thad moved his ha nd for his sword, and cursed when his fingers only touched cloth. He had let himself get comfortable in the palace and had stopped carrying it with him. Cursing his own carelessness he spread his feet and prepared to fight.
    “There is n o reason for this to turn ugly. Just turn around and leave me be and no one needs to get hurt.” Thad said keeping his tone low and deadly.
    Without a response they all moved in for him. Thad waited until the nearest thug was so close he could smell his rancid breath then let loose his spell. A giant wall of fire sprung up around him , moving outward. The sounds of screams and smell of burning flesh soon filled the air as the thugs rolled around on the ground trying