The Sorcerer's Apprentice #2~ Clopin

[Maxim Horvath]

Maxim Horvath, Master Sorcerer of the 777th degree and former apprentice to the Adept Sorcerers Merlin and Morgana, sat at a large walnut desk and inspected the man sitting across from him. He was a distinctly odd character, with dark pointed features, a trimmed beard that served only to sharply accentuate the point of his chin, and a truly garish taste in wardrobe colors. Despite his clownish appearance, the man returned Horvath's gaze quite evenly. He quite reminded Horvath of the jesters of the old noble courts, the clowns who would make people laugh but watch everything all the same, who noticed each little detail and were the only ones allowed to speak freely.

He'd be one to watch. The apparent fool was often the one with the best leverage.

"Monsieur Clopin," Horvath said with his most charming smile. "It is a pleasure to have you here. Tell me, what is your reason for wishing to study sorcerery?"

[Clopin Trouillefou]

There was a difference between the underground sanctuary within the Parisian catacombs, going by the name the Court of Miracles, and the office Clopin now found himself sitting in, was notable.
The gypsy`s humble background, as the king and leader figure whose castle was a sewer infected underground cavern, only served to make his new surroundings all the more impressive.

His curious eyes had darted around the room upon arrival, but the same fascination and interest that could have him occupied and amused inspecting such strangeness as everything he could spot around him, was now instead focused upon the man on the other side of the desk, refusing to let himself be distracted by anything less than the reason why he had come in the first place.
Magic and sorcery was a riddle long pondered by the eager gypsy, and as a street performer and master of the illusionary arts he thought himself capable of noticing the difference between that, his own profession, and true, unexplainable magic once his teacher-to-be was ready to demonstrate his abilities as an example to follow.

"I must say there are quite a couple of reasons," the jester responded, a tone of excitement in his otherwise calm and serious tone.
"Firstly, i am a street performer by profession, all from acting to simple stage magic and illusions. as such i do posses a certain curiosity towards the magic than can`t be explained with mere trickery. If there are any chance of learning such a thing, it would be a great extension to my shows."

Taking a breath, Clopin paused, hesitating only a moment.
"Secondly, my people; the gypsies, are prey to powerful enemies. Men of law who has made us outcasts to society and desires nothing more than to hunt us down.
I will not lie; i fear my people are on the edge on extinction.
We do need a secret weapon."
There, he`d said it. Now all he could do was await the man`s response, weather he chose to turn down his request or accept him as a student.

[Maxim Horvath]

The sorcerer leaned back in his seat, his fingers steepled before his face. Now here was an interesting case. The leader of an entire people, coming to his doorstep to ask for magical training. Oh, the possibilities inherent in this. And the people in question were gypsies to boot. Horvath liked gypsies, they had such a delicious talent for causing mischief. If he had the leader under his wing, he could have most of the gypsy nation as well. Horvath had not lasted as long as he had without learning the value of a well-placed ally. If that self-righteous pest Balthazar Blake ever came sniffing around again, it wouldn't hurt to have a few new associates to put against him and that boy David Stutler.

After all, he could always hope that someone would accidentally remove the Prime Merlinean from the equation. The boy was a complication Horvath did not like in the slightest.

Horvath hid his sudden eagerness with the skill garnered by centuries of practice. Not even his dark eyes gave him away now. "We certainly cannot allow your people to disappear, my friend," he said calmly. "And I hold those who seek to push past mere trickery into the realm of true magic in very high regard. The eye of a stage magician is usually quick to pick up the secrets of true magic. Monsieur Clopin, I would be pleased to take you on as an apprentice. You will do well here, I think."

[Clopin Trouillefou]

Indeed, Clopin was well aware of how his actions as king might affect the well being of his people, after all, that knowledge was half the reason why he would desire to put himself under Horvath`s mentoring. Not even the keen observer he was, could tell the man`s inner thoughts for certain, but the gypsy was encouraged by the fact that the fellow didn`t immediately demand him out of his office, calling on his guards or vicious watch gods.
That alone was positive; a proof that he hadn`t just pledged himself to another Frollo.
That would have been a fatal mistake indeed, to put his people`s fate into the hands of a man likely to take upon the Judge`s goal to distinct them.

However, the magician were conspiring his own plots, without Clopin`s knowledge.
In case of a future scenario like the one Horvath had in mind, Clopin would take the stand he saw would gain his people the most; and most likely would that be Horvath`s stand..
The eternal battle between good and evil concerned little, and he would only take his stand on either side of the battle in order to protect his family, his clan, and his people as a whole.

A grin painted itself on the determined vagabond`s face upon receiving his acceptance at last.
"I am delighted you would think so", he replied to the sorcerer`s appreciation of his already existing skills at stage magic, and how that would give an advantage when learning real magic.
"I do hope you will find me worthwhile your time and efforts."
Enough with acting as collectedly polite and serious as a college professor, or regular zombie, already.
"When do we start the first lesson?" he implied eagerly.

[Maxim Horvath]

"Your first lesson will be arranged for a later date," Horvath replied. Reaching under his desk, the sorcerer drew out two packages. One was small, roughly the size of a tangerine, and contained the focus ring Clopin would be using to channel his own magic. The second was far larger, and shaped like a rectangular prism.

"Your basic tools," he informed the gypsy king. "Your focus ring, and your Incantus. I wish for you to begin your studies by reading the Incantus. Do not practice with the ring without my direction- it is very easy for power to get away from a new sorcerer. When that happens, there are... consequences."

He wasn't as convinced that Clopin would fall prey to the temptation to try the ring for himself as he had been about the Moreland girl, but if he did, well, he did. Horvath had the same tracking spells on the gypsy's Incantus that he had on Moreland's. If Clopin landed himself in trouble, Horvath could find him easily enough.

"I believe you may make an admirable sorcerer," he continued. "To be a leader among a people as, well, shall we say, eclectic as the gypsies implies certain character traits that will serve you well in this undertaking."

[Clopin Trouillefou]

Clopin`s level of patience being no higher than that of a 8 year old on Christmas eve, it was a bit disappointing to know that his first lesson wouldn`t be arranged right away, with the acceptance.
Although it did make some sense all the same; the sorcerer did look like the kind of man who would have a busy schedule.
That, and a certain unwillingness to spend the rest of his days as a frog, was perfectly good reasons to just smile and nod, Clopin figured.

The ring and whatever an Icantus was, offered, would have to do in settling his curiosity into a sense of satisfaction.
For now.
However with these gifts came a painful Revelation
I wish for you to begin your studies by reading the Incantus.

Read?
In the words of the half-blind old man constantly and unintentionally chained; Dangit.
Plastering a stiff grin upon his face, Clopin accepted the two wrapped objects as they were given him, his mind raced to find a loophole to his very fatal disability to read.
One: He could disregard his teacher`s advice not to experiment with the ring on his own, which he would likely do in any case.
Two: He could, oh god heavens no.. Try that thought again; he could seek out to learn and understand the secret of what he preferred to call "useless scribbleries."
Not so useless anymore, were they?

Merde.

Sadly, Horvath`s otherwise appreciated compliments were somehow downed by this, no less than a crisis likely to to affect Richter`s scale.
"I would certainly hope so," he gulped.
Said career as a sorcerer was about to meet obstacles before it had even begun.

(But up from the ashes, a plot idea grows.)

[Maxim Horvath]

Horvath was over nineteen hundred years old and had been dealing with people for much of that time. It was a simple matter to read the dismay in the gypsy's dark eyes, though Clopin tried to hide it. The disappointment was understandable- all of the apprentices were eager to get started. The dismay, on the other hand, was slightly murkier to divine.

His dismay did seem to be in response to the Incantus, which made Horvath wonder. Was the gypsy unable to read?

That would be quite the stumbling block if so. A sorcerer had to be able to read in order to learn proper spells. There was only so much one teacher could do, after all.

"I shall contact you when lessons are to begin," Horvath told his new student. "Until then, study the Incantus and take care."

[Clopin Trouillefou]

The session didn`t at all turn out like Clopin had hoped and pictured it would.
Some sorcerer he`d found, leaving him with no more than a ring he didn`t want him to use, and a..a.. BOOK?!
Disappointment, thy name is Icantus..

Where was the magic? Clopin sighed inwardly. After all, when visiting a sorcerer, and especially if said sorcerer agreed to tutor you, one`d want a little more abracadabra..Right?
Apparently not.
Realizing this was all the elder magician had in store for him at the moment, Clopin scrambled to his feet, gathering both the magic objects.
"Yes, off course,! he forced a smile at their farewell, when once more ordered to read the Icantus. "..Certainly.."

Well, if this were all i`ll just be going, then.. the gypsy kept a stiff smile until Horvath was no longer visible.
Too flustered to remember to question the matter, he was left to assume Horvath knew what he was talking about when the man promised to contact him.
Off course he knew.. the fellow was a sorcerer after all, or at least he claimed to be.
Clopin`s main concern was how soon, the fellow would see it fit to contact him. Hopefully no sooner than that he`d found some way to figure how to interpret the Icantus..The bohemian shot the book a dark look.

( So that was that, then..?)