CH108

Ben turned around and locked eyes with the young man who walked into the shop as he charged at Ben before he could say anything, knocking him to the ground.

Before either of them could move though Falk had ripped the man off of him and had a knife that had been hanging on the wall only moments before pressed against his tackler’s throat.

“Now I ain’t sure what issue you have with my apprentice,” His teacher growled. “But you better think long and hard before you try anything in my shop.”

“Wait Falk!” Ben yelled. “He’s a friend, it’s all good.”

At that his teacher let go of someone he hadn’t expected to see so soon, his old friend and former classmate Will, who for his part seemed to be doing his best to hide just how frightened he’d been about almost being killed.

Before he could speak though someone else called out to him, and he saw his other friend Steph who ran up and hugged him, thankfully in a far gentler manner than Will had.

“It’s so good to see you!”

“It’s good to see you both too,” He said as he hugged her back. “But what’s going on? I wasn’t expecting to see you guys here?” Surprised would be putting it mildly. He wished he could have gotten some sort of heads up about their arrival, he would have tried to actually plan something for them.

“How could we not see you after what we heard, right Will?” She asked, turning to him for the first time since she walked in and having missed his encounter with Falk. “Wait, is everything alright?”

“Oh yeah,” He told her, trying to laugh it off. “Just regretting running ahead I think.”

“I’d rather you both stay in the range of my senses,” A third voice said, and when Ben looked to see who it was found another of the world’s stranger inhabitants. Trailing behind the other two at a far more leisurely pace, a giant floating worm entered the shop.

It was about two meters in length and as thick as a fist, but Ben kept the presence of mind not to stare after his first meeting with Glob, instead just giving a friendly hello.

The worm-like person didn’t say anything in response but gave what Ben interpreted as a polite nod before fixing its full attention on Falk.

Since they didn’t go to the trouble of introducing themself, Steph did it for them. “Ben, this is my space and time magic teacher Wedrow. You could say he’s the chaperone of our visit.”

“Mmh, perhaps you both dragging us on this detour wasn’t so bad after all,” Wedrow said before turning to address Falk in particular. “Would you happen to be-”

“I am, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t go spreading that around so willy-nilly.”

“Understood. We mostly came to verify your apprentice’s sanity, but after, if you’d be willing I’d like to commission some items for these two if you’d have time?”

Falk gave a nod of agreement. If these were not only friends of his apprentice but also summoned heroes brought to help protect the world then he could make the time.

This book’s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Ben though had something different in mind. “What do you mean you guys came to check my sanity? Don’t get me wrong, it’s great getting to see you both, but I’m perfectly sane, isn’t that right guys?” He asked, expecting backup from Falk and Thera but getting nothing but betrayal.

“Boy, didn’t you somehow grow a whole other mind only a few weeks ago?”