#ruhl

Chapter 1

Index

---

06/05/2018

This was a living nightmare.

No, it’s worse than her worst nightmares have ever been.

Her son, gone! All on his own, literally lost in another world. And her only hope was the very mage responsible for his disappearance in the first place.

She was packing her bag up with everything she’ll need to look after him until they get home - first aid kit already sitting at the bottom, as she was currently packing food.

Ruhl, the mage who so carelessly got him lost, was frantically trying to help, was adding meat into her bag from the fridge.

“Stop.” She’d take it back out, to which Ruhl looked in confusion. “I still don’t know that you’re a mage, and not just insane, and this isn’t helping your case.”

“I’m a mage!” Ruhl would call out, frantically looking around… before grabbing one of the cups of water from the cupboard. “Watch.” He’d fill it up with water from the tap, holding his arm up as he’d go through his memorised process with the other hand, and…

The water in the cup froze solid! … As did the water vapour immediately surrounding the cup…

“Ah!!! Cold cold cold!” And so did the water vapour surrounding Ruhl’s fingers.

He’d panickedly fire off another spell, a bolt of fire shooting out against his hand - melting part of the ice off in an instant. And setting his hand on fire.

“Ah!!! Hot! Cold! Hot!”

Vanessa would frantically grab another cup, not even looking as she heard one fall and shatter on the kitchen bench, filling it with water and splashing it against the fire on Ruhl’s wrist.

“Ow…” Ruhl would whine out, looking at his hand - sore from both the rapid freeze and rapid burn he just inflicted on it.

Vanessa would pause on packing up the food, pulling the first aid kit back out of her bag to pull out the instructions. “Freeze burn… burn…”

She would then start the tap, waiting a moment for it to heat up to a warm temperature. Then she’d put a bowl underneath. “Put your hand in.” While Ruhl did so, she’d get a second bowl of cold water ready.

“So you’ve proven that you’re a mage with that… baffling display. As soon as we’ve treated your… freeze… heat… burn, you’re going to get my son back.”

Ruhl nodded. “O-of course, ma’am!”

Vanessa let out a sigh of relief. “Good. It will just be twenty minutes to an hour, and then you can go to this “New Realm” to find him.”

Ruhl nodded, suddenly looking a lot more nervous. “I… know someone who can.”

“...”

Ruhl’s nervousness would only increase at the silence.

“Can’t you teleport?”

“... No.” He did mention that before, but now’s not the time to be reminding her.

Vanessa facepalmed, letting out a long sigh. That’s alright, she can deal with this. Anything for her son. “... What’s their phone number?”

“What’s a phone number?”

“You-!” What’s a phone number?! Is he-?! No, no, calm down. Phillioune is her priority right now. “... Where do they live, then?”

“O-oh, at 102 S. Amaranth Boulevard.”

Finally some progress. Vanessa would pull up her phone to type in the address, asking Ruhl again to make sure she typed it in correctly. While confused, Ruhl would still answer.

Vanessa would pause upon seeing how far away it was. “... That’s 2 days by car.”

Ruhl would let out a small whine. “Really? Got anything faster than that?”

Vanessa would shoot another glare at him. “No, and the sooner we get there the better, so you just sit there while I get us ready.”

Ruhl would nod. “Right, I’ll just tell them what’s happened, and they’ll fix it like that! They might even be able to teleport us back so we won’t have to drive.”

As Vanessa would be packing, only one thing would be in her mind. She hoped to god that Phillioune was safe. Somehow, some way. Please.

---

Phillioune was a good kid, well behaved.

Lost in an unknown place, no idea what to do, the best idea is to wait. That wizard knows what he’s doing, he’ll save him.

That’s what Phillioune was thinking for the last hour. But now?

His mind is focused on how cold he is, and how hungry he is. He’d look through the spellbook that got him into this situation again, ears perking up at the gentle sound of the ocean far below. He’d keep seeing what was clearly a fire spell. That would be so helpful…

Then he could make his little campfire. Maybe even try cooking with it, it can’t be that hard after all!

If only this book were in English, though…

…

Well, there are small symbols on the edge that sort of look like hand symbols. Maybe he could mess around with them?

Let’s see… hold his hand out in a fist. Open, spin sideways, and then close every finger but the pointer.

He’d slowly repeat the instruction, and his ears would perk up again. Not at the noise, but this strange, indescribable feeling inside of himself. Besides that, nothing.

But that was strange. So strange, he was sure mom wouldn’t even have a word for it, and she’s very smart. It was enough to convince him to keep trying, balling his hand into a first, opening it back up, spinning sideways, and then pointing.

It wasn’t a coincidence, every single time he tried he felt something inside of himself. That strange, strange feeling. But why wasn’t he getting anything more?

Hm… the hand symbols are only in three symbols, not four… maybe he’s supposed to spin his hand while opening it?

Worth a shot… He’d ball his hand into a fist once more, spin while opening up his hand, and then- eep!

As he pointed, a tiny little spark erupted at the tip of his finger, giving him a big enough fright that he tripped over onto his tummy.

…

Wow! He’s a wizard now! How rare is that?! Ahhhh he’s got to keep going!

His worries briefly forgotten, the little mouse would continue trying to practise the fire spell, his eyes lighting up in sheer curiosity every single time he’d make even the tiniest bit of flame. This must be like… lucky!

---

“Oh yeah, anyone can practise magic,” Ruhl would explain, his burnt hand now in the cold water as he’d sit in the passenger side of the car. “You just need arcane energy for the spells.”

Vanessa would gently place her bag - packed with any essentials she can think of in case her son needed rescuing - into the backseat, before taking a seat in the front of the car herself. “

“How do I get that?” Vanessa made her way into the front seat of the car, hopping right in the front. This talk of magic might appear to be idle curiosity on the surface, but to Vanessa it was anything but. Magic put her son in trouble, and it’s her only chance of getting him back out of trouble.

“It’s everywhere!” Ruhl would call out.

Vanessa would look at him with a flat face. She didn’t even need to say anything, Ruhl eventually realising what was being implied. “O-oh, uhm… Everywhere in the New Realm…” After a moment of silence, his eyes widened up. “Oh I must be low by now, I really shouldn’t be casting anymore spells until we get there!”

“Great…” Vanessa’s heavy sarcasm was the last thing she said before powering up the car.

Ruhl would lean back in his seat, eyes wide at the sudden shaking in his seat. “Wha- earthquake?!”

Vanessa would stare at him again. “... Do you know what a car is?”

“... Yes.”

More staring.

“... second hand.”

Still more staring.

“... Okay all I know is that they can move fast and people make way for them.”

“You don’t have cars or phones in this “New Realm” you come from?”

Ruhl would pause a little, thinking about how to say it. Then a small smile came across him, rare confidence as he knew exactly what to say. “We don’t need them! Magic handles all of that for us!”

Looking back at Vanessa would reveal that he, in fact, did not say it in a good way, Vanessa’s irritation clear even as she was looking ahead at the road.

“S-sorry…”

---

Phillioune had been practising for the last hour. By this point he could do the motions in about a second, and each time he tried a burst of fire would shoot out of his fingertip, falling over the edge of the cliff, surely landing in the ocean.

This is so cool, he’s a real wizard now! A gust of wind would knock his thoughts back into reality, instantly shivering really badly. Ah…! Right, right, he’s freezing cold!

He’d slowly get to his feet, looking around. He probably shouldn’t be firing his new spell at the nearest patches of grass… But he shouldn’t need to, there’s a forest just nearby! He’d get to his feet, closing the spellbook. He had nothing on hand except his pyjamas and his spellbook, but he felt like that’s all he needed right now.

He’d follow the trail left behind when that… eugh, that thing dragged him away. That didn’t look like any animal he knew! He didn’t exactly want to, but it at least meant he could get back home…

Or at least where home should be. Why is his home missing? Phillioune would stop, his ears drooping down as he’d look back to the same cliff he’s always known. Is it more than his house that’s gone? It’s like his mum was never here… Is she even still around? Does that wizard even know him now? Is-

A shiver up his spine would snap Phillioune back into reality, turning ahead and - with a small, hesitant step - entered this strange forest. This is fine, this will be quick, he’s just got to collect some wood, that’s all.

As he walked, he’d pick up any and all loose twigs and sticks he’d find, no thoughts as to which ones are going to be the most important or even usable. Wood is flammable, clearly, so wood will be good for a campfire. He did this for a good few minutes before he eventually reached the spot that he first woke up, the gentle ambiance of running water easing his mind.

This is probably enough wood.

So Phillioune would drop them down on one spot, gathering them up together. He doesn’t want the fire to be big, afterall.

And a quick cast of his new spell would light up the improvised campfire, Phillioune taking a seat to warm up…

…

… Most of the sticks aren’t lighting up. The fire’s clearly close enough to burn them, why isn’t it lighting them up? Ah well, he’ll just need to shuffle closer to get whatever warmth he can manage from this flame…

… This isn’t working. He’s still freezing cold. Why isn’t the fire big enough? He’d cautiously reach out to the edge of the pile, grabbing one of the sticks. Hm… He’d chuck it into the fire, watching it light up as it passed through. Of course, it’s that simple!

He’d grab another stick, chucking it into the flame to light it up as well. And then a third. And then a fourth- huh, this one feels a little cold. Ah well, in the fire it goes.

… Ah. It didn’t catch on fire. Maybe it’s cold because it was in the water?

Okay that’s simple. Phillioune would still only reach out to sticks away from the fire, but armed with his newfound knowledge he’d check each stick. If he thought they were too wet, he’d chuck ‘em away. If not, he’d chuck it into the fire.

With each dry stick thrown back in, the fire would grow more and more, and Phillioune could feel the warmth behind it.

There was just one problem with Phillioune’s little plan. He was not a good throw, and so for every stick that landed perfectly in the pile, there was also one that’d bounce around a bit.

He wouldn’t notice this, however, and would keep tossing sticks until he felt the fire was big enough. Eventually, one of the sticks would bounce off and roll across the floor, lighting the grass on fire in the process.

FWOOSH!

The sudden jump of flame frightened Phillioune immediately, the little mouse tumbling back. When he lifted his head he immediately saw that the fire was spreading , and quickly. In a panic, he’d turn to run - only to pause long enough to pick up the spellbook. He can’t forget this…

He’d then start running again, splashing his legs against the cold, chilling, freezing water as he’d pass the small creek to the other side.

…

Mom’s not going to like hearing that he burned down the forest with his first spell.

As the fire whipped close to the creek, Phillioune would instinctively jump back, only to see some plants moving on their own. Dipping their tips into the lake they lined up with, they’d turn back and fire out a concentrated stream of water at the fire, dousing any that got too close.

Oh.

As the strange plants defended themselves from the fire, putting out Phillioune’s little accident in the process, he was left confused and bewildered. Did they just… Can plants do that now? Could they always do that? Wait, his home is gone, maybe they used to do that but can’t anymore? Is this the past?

… There used to be magic in the past?!

Phillioune’s mind would race with the possibilities as he’d go collecting sticks once more, this time taking only the dry feeling sticks as he walked down the creek. While it’s certainly nice that there’s water spouting plants now, he doesn’t want to start another forest fire if he can help it.

---

The sun was setting. Vanessa had been driving all day by this point, only stopping for essentials like gas or the bathroom. Vanessa would soon pick an out of the way spot just off road to pull up, parking her car.

“... What are you doing?” Ruhl asked aloud.

“I’m not going to drive all night,” Vanessa explained.

“... Where are we sleeping?” Ruhl would ask next.

Vanessa pointed to the back seats. “Get comfortable.”

“What?!”

Ruhl looked to the back of the car, eyes wide as he’d stare in shock. “But-but-but- don’t we have somewhere to stay?!”

Vanessa would look him in the eye. “Unless you’re willing to pay for a hotel, I want to save my money as much as I can.”

Ruhl let out a sigh of relief, bringing up a small bag. “That’s fine, I got plenty of crystals to pay!” As if to demonstrate his point, he’d open the bag to show some assortment of crystals, all identical to each other. While it would be valuable in the New Realm, here they were just some sparkly but otherwise ordinary crystals.

Vanessa stared at him blankly.

“... What?”

“... You’re welcome to try next time we pass by a motel.”

“I will!” Ruhl would call out confidently. “There’s gotta be one nearby, right?”

Vanessa sighed, turning the car back on. “I just hope my darling’s able to sleep safely…”

---

Phillioune was now dry and warm as he laid within the campfire he had set up, staring up at the night sky above. The night sky was different than his home, so many stars blinking and twinkling together, all forming a singular bright stretch of dazzling white. It was a magical sight, and helped ease him from the pain of missing his mom…

… And the pain of sleeping hungry for the first time in his life. He has to eat tomorrow, even if it kills him. Wait, don’t say kill.

First music video,

shot by vendrick and i,