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Tales of a young fire mage: Chapter 2

CHOCK! The sound of an axe splitting a log echoed through the empty countryside. His uncle made sure that he always had work to do. From cleaning, cooking, taking care of the dog, and gathering firewood, as soon as Yannie finished one thing, there was always something else. The chores piled on top of each other, and Yannie hardly had time to rest. Yannie wiped took a break to wipe the sweat from his brow. His baggy brown clothes felt hot in the midday sun, and he wasn’t allowed to return inside until all the logs in the shed had been split. How many logs there were, Yannie knew better than anyone, having cut quite a few himself. Although it felt like he’d split 100, there was still more than half to be done.

Yannie sighed as he grabbed another log and set it vertically on the stump. He raised the axe high, gripping it with both hands, and brought it down in the center of the wood with a, “CHOCK” as the wood log split in two. Yannie did his best to work quickly, as he was hungry and thirsty, and wouldn’t receive lunch until his work was done.

Yannie finally headed inside. He was hot, sweaty, and hungry. He kicked off his ragged shoes by the door and walked into the living room to see his uncle, hunched over a letter. Yannie attempted to keep walking through to the kitchen, but his uncle stopped him by saying, “BOY!” Yannie sighed and turned towards the man, his limbs still aching. “Yes uncle? I’m actually rather tired and I-” “Never mind that, this is important” His uncle dismissed his concerns with a quick wave and gestured for Yannie to sit down on the couch across from him, which he did.

His uncle was a bit more pale than usual, and his was rubbing his hand back and forth over his head in a nervous sort of way. “I’m…going to a party” his uncle said, his hand now resting on the bald part of his own head. “That’s…good then?” Yannie’s response was confused. Were social gatherings really that much of a phobia for his uncle? His uncle quickly looked at him, his eyes serious and questioning. “You know what this means, don’t you?” Yannie shrugged. It could be a lot of things, but speculation would only make his uncle angry. “It means,” continued his uncle, “That you will have to come with me”

“Why? I’ve been alright when you go into town, haven’t I? I don’t touch any of your things, I just stay in that room” His uncle had very strict instructions when Yannie was in the house unsupervised. Stay in his room, don’t touch anything, don’t answer the door. “This is a bit different” his uncle replied, “This party is quite a ways away, it will take at least a day to travel there. I can’t trust you not to touch anything while I’m gone.” His uncle scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Yes…that is the only way. If you don’t embarrass me, I won’t have to beat you.” Yannie knew better than to argue. His uncle’s paranoia was obvious, and arguing would only anger him further. Instead, Yannie gave a short nod and said. “Alright”

The day of the party was here. His uncle had laid out strange clothes on Yannie's bed while he was bathing, telling him that his current brown clothes would be, "Unacceptable" for a party like this. "If you're going to accompany me, you must look presentable" The clothes were made of green velvet, with the collar and arm cuffs ending in white lace. He stared at the outfit while dripping water all over his floor, which pooled into a small puddle on the hard wood. The outfit included a green hat which would cover his fox ears, and it lacked a tailhole for his tail. "No one is to know that you are the spawn of a fox demon, do you understand me?" Yannie's fist clenched as his uncle talked to him before his bath, but he nodded with clenched teeth.

Donning the plus outfit, Yannie grimaced at the soft velvet touched his skin. He pulled up the green trousers, as the velvet touched his bare skin he felt his cheeks grow hot. His green cap concealing his fox ears, and his tail hidden in his pants, Yannie looked at himself in a wash basin, scowling at his own image. He didn't look like himself at all, although he did look rather distinguished. Smiling, he tilted his green newspaperboy hat sideways, chuckling at his reflection. A loud pounding on his door accompanied his uncle's booming voice, "Come on, I haven't got all day. Are you ready to go?" Straightening his hat, Yannie nervously fiddled with his cuffs as he cleared his throat and faced the door. "I'm ready to leave, uncle."