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“Pizza’ll be here in a few minutes,” Toby said, lowering himself into the couch. The springs sagged deeply. The couch had been used and abused by various apartment dwellers for years. “Wanna beer?”
The wizard shook his head, thoughtful. He was not one of those wise, wizened, white-bearded wizards, but one of those younger, intense types, which were equal parts cunning, ambition, somber upbringing, and tragic mishap. He sat on the edge of the armchair, his voluminous robes spread about him. A newt sat on his shoulder, staring at the potato chip crumbs on the end table.
“So, where were you going again?” Toby asked absently. The game was back on, but he kept the volume low out of respect for his guest.
“The Seventh Tier Of Valian. There is to be a great convocation of mighty beings. I wanted to learn the secret of Toli-Tuli the Fulsome.”
“Mmm-mm,” Toby said.
“I was foolish to assume Roland was dead,” the wizard said bitterly. “It was he who interrupted my portal. I ended up here instead of in the Tiers of Alkalan.”
“In my apartment.”
“If that is what you call it, then yes. I will leave as soon as I have discovered a new source of power. Until them, know that your hospitality is appreciated.”
“No problem, man.”
The wizard glanced at the screen Toby was watching, then at Toby, and shook his head. “Tell me, is there mana in this world?”
“What?”
“Mana. An essence of life that binds all things. A sort of life force.”
“You mean like the Force?”
The wizard frowned. “Isn’t that what I said?”
“Nothing like that.” Toby sat up suddenly, entranced by some play, then slumped down and cursed.
“Well, what of places of power? Perhaps a massive tree or grove? A pool of perfect beauty? An unnatural rock formation?”
“Like that mashed potato tower?”
The wizard stared at Toby. The newt did too. “Do you mean to say that somewhere in this plane there is a tower made of pulverized potatoes?”
“It’s from a movie. It had aliens in it.” Toby glanced at the wizard. “You ever met any of those?”
“I think we would have to agree on definitions before I could say one way or another.” The wizard let out a sharp breath. “Toby, focus. I must have a source of energy by which to cast my enchantments. Every plane has its distinct power system, a force that flows through the world, something that binds all things and tempts lesser men to evils. Think, Toby. What is it here?”
Toby looked at the ceiling, trying to concentrate. “I don’t know. Maybe believe in yourself.”
“Faugh! Charlatans in every realm claim that. Nonsense.”
Toby shifted in his seat. “Look, I don’t understand half of what you’re saying. You’re welcome to stay for a few days, but you’ll have to figure all that out yourself.”
A knock at the door roused Toby out of his crevice in the couch. He dug in his pocket for his wallet, opened the door, and paid the pizza man. Returning, he flung some change on the table and dropped the box down. “Eat up,” he said, pulling out a slice. He took a bite and huffed desperately to cool the piece burning his tongue.
The wizard stared at the coins on the table. “What are those?”
“Pennies, mostly.”
The wizard took one and held it between his thumb and forefinger, closing his eyes and muttering softly. The penny vanished in a burst of light, like the flash of a lightning bug.
“How many pennies do you have?”
“I dunno. There’s always a few somewhere.”
The wizard picked up another coin, this one a dime. It made a brighter burst.
“I need more of this.”
Toby dug in his pocket. “Will a five work?”
The wizard took it greedily. Suddenly he held a ball of light in his palm. It winked out. The five was gone.
“This will work,” he said. “I’ll need a lot of it, of course. Traveling between worlds is a an costly spell. How do we get more of it?”
“How much more?”
“Thousands of times what that one you gave me was. How do we get it?”
“Normally, you get a job. You’ll get paid every week.”
The newt was poking at the pizza.
“That was a…five, you said?” the wizard asked.
“You owe me.”
“How long to make, say, one hundred thousand at a job?”
“A long time,” Toby said. “Years.”
“Too long. How else?”
“Well,” Toby said, ruminating, “you could always rob a bank.”
The wizard narrowed his eyes and steepled his fingers. “Yes….” he breathed. He took a slice of pizza and nibbled at it. “Tell me more about this robbing a bank, Toby. I think you may be on to something.”