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In the morning, Susila was woken by the sound of the alarm beside his bed blaring loudly. Groaning, he hit the off button, throwing his clawed feet over the side of his bed a few moments later. He checked the time, surprised to see the clock read 6:00am. Still feeling slightly bloated from last night's dinner, Susila went into the restroom.

A few moments later and feeling significantly lighter, Susila went leave the bathroom, but halted in front of the mirror. Something about his figure under his robe had caught his eye. Untying the robe's belt and casting it off, Susila gasped loudly. His once-trim form now sported a layer of pudge on top of his muscles. He now had obvious lovehandles over his once smooth waist, and his belly was graced with a layer of padding an inch thick.

Susila began to wonder how he could gain so much weight so quickly, when there was a knock at his door. Hastily bringing the robe back over his figure and tying it loosely, to better hide his new weight, he called through the door, "Who is it?"

"It's Photine, Mister Flores," Photine answered, "Lord Grentail would like you to dress in the work clothes provided to you as soon as possible. I will be back at six-thirty to escort you to the study."

Susila noticed the set of work clothes laid out on the end of his bed. A simple grey T-shirt was laid over a set of blue jeans. Dressing quickly, Susila noticed the clothes resizing to fit him as he slipped them on, a shiver running up his spine as the threads of his shirt and pants slithered into place. Susila thanked the spirits that the clothes didn't show his new weight. He slipped on his shoes, and then noticed the hat on the bed knob. It was a pointy velvet hat with a large brim, mossy green in color. The monitor wondered if he would have to wear such a clichéd hat while he studied with Lord Grentail. Not taking any chances, he put the hat on, feeling slightly childish. He then waited for Photine to come back.

Arriving at exactly six-thirty, Photine knocked on the door again. Susila opened it and invited the bird in. Photine smiled at the sight of the monitor's hat. "It looks good on you," she said, "Though it doesn't quite match the rest of your outfit."

Susila smiled in return. "Will I be required to wear this?" he asked, indicating his new hat.

Photine nodded. "Lord Grentail is a creature of tradition," she explained, "But you will only need to wear it on official visits to the study. Now please, place your claw on my wing."

Yesterday's trip from the study returned to Susila. He almost would have rather climbed the stairs again, but placed his claw on Photine's wing obediently. A moment later, a familiar flash of heat and light washed over him, along with the unpleasant twisting sensation. The next instant, Susila was steadying himself on a chair across a desk from Lord Grentail.

When the world stopped spinning, Susila noticed that the study was considerably less messy this time. Every book was in its place, the scrolls stacked neatly in baskets along the wall. The strange spheres still circled the room, and Susila wondered at their purpose. Lord Grentail sat with his arms folded over his large belly, his chin resting on his soft chest like a pillow. Just when Susila was starting to wonder if the dragon was asleep, Grentail opened his eyes, smiling at the sight of the monitor.

"Ah, Mister Flores," Lord Grentail greeted, "Forgive me, I was in conference with an old friend that I haven't spoken to in a while."

Looking around the room, Susila only saw Grentail and Photine. Before he could ask, Lord Grentail chuckled. "He's a spirit, Mister Flores, and hasn't manifested," the dragon explained, then spoke up, "Aaron, would you manifest for my new friend here?"

The room darkened, and then there was a flash of violet light. A moment later, there was a violet serpent floating to the ground, its five eyes scanning the room before coming to a rest on Susila. The creature was massive, coiling several times around the study, its head raised nearly to the twenty-foot ceiling. Despite its fearsome appearance, the serpent smiled warmly.

Lord Grentail stood. "Mister Flores, I would like you to meet Mors Mortis, the Five-Eyed Spirit," the dragon indicated the serpent, who bowed respectfully to Susila, "He is known to his friends as Aaron. Aaron, I would like you to meet Mister Susila Flores, a potential student of ours." Susila nodded to the serpent, trying to conceal how awed he was at the sight of a spirit.

"Good to meet you, Susila," Aaron said, smiling disarmingly, "I can see that you fear me, though I hope to edify that. Perhaps I should start with my form." At that, the spirit glowed bright violet, then shrank to the size of a large housecat, coming to rest on the desk in front of Susila. When the glowing subsided, Aaron was a small snake with only two eyes; his only odd feature his violet coloration.

Susila blinked, unsure how to respond. Lord Grentail sat back down, saying, "Consider Aaron a familiar, a spirit that teaches mortals magic. Which is exactly what he is, after all."

Susila nodded, finding his voice. "Are we going to start our lessons today?" he asked, feeling his excitement growing again.

Aaron and Grentail nodded. "We shall start with basic Arcana Minor," Lord Grentail began, "And work our way up from there. Miss Emberplume, will you get us A Beginner's Guide to Low Magic, please?"

What followed was a crash course on the most basic of magics. Lord Grentail had Susila read from several beginner books, while Aaron would correct minor errors that were present in them. Though they never got around to actual spells, Susila learned a lot about the underlying nature of magic. He learned how to control his breathing to prepare for casting spells, the formulas that defined the foundations of low magic, and a great deal of other things. It almost seemed too soon when Lord Grentail leaned back in his seat, saying, "Alright, Mister Flores, we're done for today."

Aaron turned to Lord Grentail questioningly. "So soon?" he asked, "Usually your studies would last through the day."

Lord Grentail nodded. "Usually that is the case, but Mister Flores has a job to do," the dragon stated.

Susila nodded. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Aaron," he said.

Aaron raised an eyebrow. "You act like you expect me to leave, Susila," he said, sounding mildly hurt.

Susila was surprised. "Don't you have duties to perform as a spirit?" the monitor asked.

Aaron seemed to come to a realization. "Oh, I forgot to mention that I've retired," the spirit announced.

Susila was taken aback. "Spirits retire?" he asked, disbelievingly.

Aaron nodded. "I've worked for twelve-thousand years, the least I can expect is a good retirement," he stated, "I spend my time teaching mortals magic as a familiar. So I'm not leaving you until I've drilled every fact about magic I can into you."

Susila paused, not sure if the spirit was serious. He looked to Lord Grentail, who smiled warmly. "He won't get in the way of your duties," the dragon assured Susila, "He will merely accompany you, teaching you throughout the day as you are available."

Susila stood, nodding. "So, am I starting work on the eastern wing, now?" he asked.

Lord Grentail stood, as well, nodding as he did. "Photine, would you be so kind as to escort us to the Esterwing door?" the dragon asked.

"Of course, my Lord," Photine said, positioning herself between Grentail and Susila. When dragon, monitor, and spirit made contact with the bird, Photine brought them to the eastern entrance in a flash of light and heat. Susila found that he didn't need to steady himself this time, but was still slightly dizzy when they arrived. He was also surprised to find Aaron wrapped around his neck like a living necklace.

"What are you doing?" Susila asked the spirit.

"Well, how else am I going to both keep close and stay out of the way?" was all that Aaron said.

Susila paused, and then shrugged, turning to Lord Grentail and Photine. The dragon smiled, beckoning the monitor to follow him out the door. Susila trailed behind Grentail obediently, Photine walking alongside him. Relishing the chance to speak with the bird again, Susila asked, "So, I noticed you talking with Lady Kyubi at dinner last night. Do you two know each other?"

Photine nodded, smiling. "We've known each other for quite a while," the bird said, "I practically helped to raise her, actually. We're like sisters, though we haven't seen each other as often as we once did. She has responsibilities now that she holds a seat on the Sotherlind Counsel, but we make time for each other every once in a while, including Lord Grentail's annual meetings."

Lord Grentail cleared his throat. "Sorry to interrupt, Miss Emberplume," the dragon apologized, "But I need Mister Flores' attention, now."

Photine nodded. "Of course, my Lord," she said.

Susila turned to Lord Grentail. The dragon had his pipe out, lighting it as he had the previous day. This time the smoke was light green, smelling of mint as the dragon puffed through the pipe. "Now, then," Grentail began, gesturing toward the study with his pipe, "I would like the tower to be more toward the center of my home, as I spend most of my time there. The rooms to be included are, as I said before, to be recreational in nature. I've had MADAM and Photine place the building materials there." The dragon indicated several large stacks of bricks, and then turned to Susila, "You will have total freedom as far as the floor plan goes, and MADAM will help with the manual labor."

Susila nodded, smiling to Lord Grentail. "Thank you," he said, "I'll get right on it, Lord Grentail."

Lord Grentail clapped Susila on the shoulder, smiling. "I'll leave you to it then, Mister Flores," he said, turning to Photine and placing a claw on her wing, "Miss Emberplume, if you would." An instant later, they were gone in a flash of light, and the room in the tower was illuminated momentarily by an identical flash.

Susila got to work immediately, starting with the floor plan. He drew up several blueprints, finally deciding on one that was modeled on the rest of the manor. As he was just about to call on MADAM for help, there was a rusting in the garden behind him.

Turning to the source of the sound, Susila caught a momentary glimpse of a strangely shaped shadow disappearing into the roses. Raising an eyebrow, the monitor remembered what MADAM had said about the gardener. Assuming that was what he saw, he turned back to the job at hand.

"MADAM, I'm ready, now," Susila called out.

The monitor worked quickly, MADAM helping him to dig the foundation. When the sun was at its apex they had already worked their way out a good twenty yards. The sun helped the monitor keep a steady pace, his cold blood working as an advantage as he labored. He noticed that the wide brim of his hat did help in keeping the sun out of his eyes, acknowledging the use of such a clichéd device as at least somewhat practical. At noon, Susila was interrupted by the chime of a little bell. Looking toward its source, Susila smiled as he saw Melissa bringing out a tray with lemonade and three sandwiches.

When the bee reached the monitor, MADAM took the tray from her so that she could gesture. "I've brought lunch, Mister Flores," Melissa said, "You've been working hard, so I thought I'd save you the trip to the dining room."

"Thank you, Melissa," Susila said, taking one of the sandwiches. As he bit into it, he found it to be just as delicious as Melissa's usual work. It was a ham sandwich, the meat honey glazed and succulent. The lemonade was also expertly made, the perfect blend of sweet and sour. When he finished the sandwiches he was comfortably full, giving a little sigh of satisfaction.

Melissa looked at Susila, smiling expectantly. "That was wonderful, thank you Melissa," Susila said, happy to not have gorged himself on the bee's cooking for once.

Melissa clapped her hands happily. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Mister Flores," the bee said, taking the tray and dishes before returning inside.

Susila stood and stretched, feeling his meal settle into his stomach. As he turned and picked up his shovel, Susila caught another glimpse of the strange shadow through the bushes, darting deeper into the garden when Susila tried to get a better look at it. Feeling mildly annoyed, Susila returned to digging, the sound of his shovel accompanied by the sound of MADAM clearing out larger piles of dirt.

After a few minutes, Susila noticed something odd, though he couldn't place it. As he stopped shoveling to consider this, the sound of shoveling continued, though it took the monitor a moment to realize this. Whirling around to face the source of the shoveling, Susila almost jumped out of his skin at the sight of a little black figure wielding two shovels in its four arms, digging off to Susila's side.

The ant smiled at Susila as it dug, revealing sharp little teeth. The tiny creature was even smaller than Melissa, standing hardly two feet tall. Its oddest feature was the four bat-like wings that sprouted from its back.

"What are you doing?" Susila demanded when he recovered from his surprise.

"Helping," the ant said, continuing to dig. His voice was surprisingly deep for such a small creature.

Susila blinked, surprised by the ant's flat response. "Are you the gardener?" he asked, continuing to dig as he spoke.

"Yep," the ant said, his two shovels digging at an impressive speed.

"I'm Susila Flores," the monitor introduced himself, taking a moment to offer his hand to the ant, "What's your name?"

"George Drakenwing," the ant said, pausing to shake Susila's hand before returning to work.

Susila decided against pressing the ant for further information. After a few minutes, George asked, "What we planting?"

Susila paused, and then smiled. "A house," he joked, turning to the ant with a smile.

George stopped for a moment, and then laughed heartily, looking to the monitor and returning the smile. "You the new builder?" he asked as he continued digging.

Susila nodded, returning to his digging. "I'm going to lay the foundation once we've got this dug out," he explained.

George nodded in response. After another hour of digging, George stopped and turned to Susila. "Good to meet ya, Mister Flores," he said, then flew back into the garden before the monitor could respond.

Susila shook his head. "I can see why you say he's eccentric," the monitor said to MADAM.

MADAM didn't respond, simply continuing to clear out dirt. "I think he's quite charming, in a rustic way," Aaron commented, causing Susila to jump. The monitor had completely forgotten about the spirit around his neck.

By the time the ground was ready for the foundation, the sun was low in the sky and the air was beginning to cool. As Susila returned to where he started, Photine came out of the door. "You're done for the day, Mister Flores," she announced, "Lord Grentail would like you to wash up before dinner. I'm going to escort Lord Grentail to the dining room in one hour; I suggest you be there by then, as well." Susila nodded, blinking when Photine flashed back up into the tower.

A few minutes later, Susila was in his room, choosing a new outfit. To his surprise, there were now more of the formal outfits to choose from, all in colors that complemented his coloration. There was also a moss-green velvet robe, which Susila assumed went with his new hat, along with a pair of pants of the same shade and material and a matching shirt. Hoping to show how serious he was about learning magic, Susila grabbed the outfit and brought it into the bathroom, hanging them on the clothes bar and placing his hat on the counter. As he was undressing, Aaron said, "I see you've decided to go the traditional route for casting."

The sudden comment made Susila jump, nearly tearing the shirt that was already over his head. The monitor quickly put the shirt back on, having completely forgotten about the spirit again. "Aaron!" Susila admonished the spirit, "I'm about the bathe!"

"So you are," Aaron said. A moment later, the spirit came to a realization, "Oh! Yes of course, modesty; a fascinating concept, really. Forgive me Susila; I will wait in your room."

"Wait," Susila stopped the spirit, "What did you mean by the traditional route?"

Aaron slithered off of Susila's neck onto the counter, looking the monitor in the eye. "I mean your waistline, Susila," Aaron nodded to Susila's midsection, "I see you've opted out of crystal casting."

Susila felt his face burn as he blushed. "N-no, I have not," the monitor protested, "I've just...I've been having trouble resisting Melissa's food, is all. I'm going to use crystals for casting."

Aaron cocked his head. "Whatever for?" he asked, "Crystal casting is an expensive process with poor results. I highly recommend the traditional route, especially for a beginner such as yourself. The only reason I know of for mortals to choose crystal casting is for vanity's sake." Susila was about to form a rebuttal, but could think of none after Aaron's last comment. "You're not opting for crystal casting out of vanity, are you Susila?" the spirit plied.

Susila said nothing, his answer apparent in his silence. Though his figure had never really been that important to him, he found himself reluctant to change it. "Susila," Aaron said, his voice reassuring, "I know mortals have issues with going above or below the norm when it comes to weight. However, as your familiar I recommend strongly against choosing crystal casting."

Susila hesitated. He knew that Aaron was right, of course. The spirit knew much more about magic than the monitor did, and far be it from him to argue with an expert. Susila grit his teeth, and then relaxed, relenting. "Alright, Aaron," Susila gave in, "I'll submit to your greater knowledge."

Aaron nodded, satisfied. "I'll leave you to wash up, then," the spirit said, slithering off the counter and through the air out of the restroom, closing the door behind him.

Susila looked at his figure in the mirror with defeat. He imagined himself as large as Lord Grentail for a moment, but pushed the thought out of his head as he undressed, drawing his bath. As he washed, he noticed how soft he felt, used to a flat, firm abdomen instead of a round, spongy belly. Despite his softness, Susila could still feel his toned muscles under his not-so toned form. At least he wasn't losing his strength, just his definition.

Susila washed quickly, drying himself thoroughly before donning his new apprentice's outfit. The velvet was soft and smooth against his scales, adjusting itself to fit perfectly. The robe had a swallowtail design for his tail to fit through. As he finished dressing himself, Susila looked in the mirror. He was stunned by how much he looked like a wizard. The green color of the outfit complemented his tan coloration, making him look like some sort of desert druid. Susila smiled, glad that he looked the part.

As the monitor exited the bathroom, Aaron hummed in approval. "A lot of people wouldn't be able to pull that outfit off," the spirit commented, "But you do just fine in it, Susila." Susila paused, unsure how to respond. Aaron laughed at his hesitation, though not maliciously. "Come on, let's get you down to the dining room," Aaron said, "We don't want to be late for dinner."

Susila checked the time, seeing that the clock on the nightstand read 5:35, and then nodded. The monitor offered his arm to Aaron, who slithered back up around Susila's neck. Susila walked briskly to the dining room, finding that he wasn't the only one there. Tawny was sitting at the chair two down from the head seat, the bat drinking from a coffee mug with a tired expression behind her sunglasses. Her face lit up at the sight of Susila.

"Oh, Mister Flores," she greeted, "Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon, Tawny," Susila greeted in kind, sitting next to the bat, "I don't think I've seen you at dinner, before."

Tawny yawned expansively. "It's more like an early breakfast for me," the bat pointed out, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes, "I just wanted to share a meal with my newest coworker."

Aaron lifted himself from Susila's neck and slithered onto the table. "Hello, Tawny," he greeted, "Long time no see."

Tawny blinked in surprise, then smiled. "Oh, Mister Mortis!" she said, "I haven't seen you in a while. Teaching any new students?"

Aaron indicated Susila. "Yes, actually," he affirmed, "Your newest coworker."

Tawny looked to Susila, smiling. "Good for you, Mister Flores!" she said, "Aaron is a good teacher. He taught Lord Grentail all he knows."

"I assumed," Susila said, before changing the subject as Aaron situated himself in front of the monitor, "So, how long have you worked for Lord Grentail?"

Tawny paused for a moment, bringing up her wings to count. Susila noticed that the bat used not just her digits, but the joints within them to count. "About thirteen years," she answered after awhile, "I've enjoyed most of my work here. MADAM usually catches any intruders long before they reach the manner, so I'm usually just patrolling the halls as a formality. Of course, I can take care of myself if the need arises." Susila found it hard to imagine the little bat thwarting any large intruders, but didn't comment on it. Susila heard a clock chime somewhere in the kitchen, then a flash of light interrupted his conversation with Tawny.

"Ah, Miss Brown," Lord Grentail said as he took his seat, "I haven't shared a meal with you in months, it seems! How have you been?"

As Tawny and Lord Grentail engaged in conversation, Aaron cleared his throat, grabbing Susila's attention. "Yes?" the monitor asked.

"I feel I must say," the spirit began, "That you do not have enough padding for serious spellcasting. I would like to ensure that you get the weight you need for such casting."

Susila felt his heart sink. He didn't look forward to another round of gluttony and stomach ache. Still, he had said that he would go the traditional route of casting, and Susila was a monitor of his word, so he nodded with resignation.

"Don't worry," Aaron reassured Susila, "I'll go easy on you. I heard about what happened yesterday and I'm not going to push you that far." Next exactly comforted, Susila waited in silence for Melissa to bring in dinner.

He didn't have to wait long, as Melissa brought in dinner only a few minutes after Lord Grentail arrived. As the bee zipped around the table, the delicious smells from her food were dampened by Susila's reluctance to deliberately gorge, though he tried not to show it. Dinner was stewed chicken with large dinner rolls and salad. Susila was relieved by the presence of the salad, though he doubted that his new dietician would agree with him having too much of it. When all were served, Lord Grentail gave the go ahead to dig in.

Susila started off slow. The stew was very filling, though just as delicious as Melissa's usual work. Yet even as the monitor finished his first bowl, Aaron had poured him up a second, and brought him four of the fist-sized dinner rolls. Susila swallowed hard, reluctantly starting in on his first dinner roll, moving on to his second bowl of soup afterwards. The monitor was aware of a pair of sapphire eyes watching him, causing him to blush as he ate, but he pressed on, consuming whatever the spirit brought him.

Two bowls became three, and then four. To the monitor's surprise, Aaron had him eat two bowls of salad during his dinner. Still, Susila felt his belly pushing against his thighs, its weight increasing with every bite he took. Finally, when the monitor had finished his tenth roll and his stomach began to protest, Aaron said, "Alright, Susila, that's enough for tonight."

Susila leaned back into his chair, sighing heavily. He avoided looking at Photine as he rubbed his belly, which nearly bulged past his lap. Despite how stretched his stomach had become, his new padding added a layer of softness above his tightly packed gut. His robe and shirt had resized to keep up with the monitor's growing girth, which partially obscured how stuffed Susila really was, which he was grateful for. When he looked up from his overfed state, he noticed that all eyes were on him again, causing his face to burn as he blushed. Tawny and Melissa both seemed impressed, and Lord Grentail had his usual jovial smile, but Photine's face was inscrutable.

"I see you've changed your mind about using crystals, Mister Flores," Lord Grentail commented with a smile. Susila nodded, resisting the urge to moan at how full he was. Lord Grentail chuckled softly. "Don't worry," he said, patting his middle, "You'll get used to it."

That was a prospect that Susila wasn't exactly looking forward to. "The traditional method really is better for casting, Mister Flores," Photine chimed in, staring at Susila intently. Something about how she had said that seemed odd to the monitor. He thought he heard longing in her voice, but dismissed it as his overstuffed imagination, merely nodding his head in acknowledgement, not trusting his voice for the moment, though feeling better for having Photine's support.

"By the way," Lord Grentail said, "I also see that you've found your apprentice's uniform."

Susila nodded, finding his voice again. "I like the way it looks," he said, sitting up again despite his distension, eliciting a displeased grumble from his stomach, "And it is very comfortable. Thank you, Lord Grentail."

The dragon waved his hand. "Don't thank me, thank Melissa," he said, indicating the bee, who smiled, "It is her Aranean friends who sew all of our clothing. Their craftsmanship is without equal, and their clothes are self-adjusting and self-repairing."

"I had noticed that," Susila said. Aaron cleared his throat, focusing attention on himself.

"Could you excuse us, Grentail?" Aaron asked, indicating Susila, "I would like to continue our studies in private."

"By all means, Aaron," Lord Grentail said, gesturing dismissively.

Susila stood slowly, encumbered by the extra weight around his middle. He offered his arm to Aaron, who slithered back around the monitor's neck. Susila nodded to Lord Grentail, then turned to leave, but hesitated when he noticed Photine's gaze was still locked on his midsection. It was her turn to blush as she tore her eyes from the monitor's distended belly. "I'll...I'll see you later, Mister Flores," she stammered.

"Yeah, I'll see you later," Susila echoed. There was a moment of hesitation, and then Susila turned and left the dining room, blushing slightly.

When he was in his room with the door closed securely behind him, Susila finally let out the groan he had been holding in. He made his way to his bed, lying down on his back for a moment as he rubbed his distended belly. His gut rose nine inches above his chest, partially obscuring his view of the room. Susila felt Aaron slither off onto his bed, but the monitor closed his eyes, not believing that what he had sought to avoid, he now did deliberately. After a moment, Susila opened his eyes again and sat up. He looked to Aaron, noticing a strange little smile on his face.

"What?" Susila demanded, suddenly feeling irritated.

Aaron shook his head, still smiling. "It's nothing, Susila," Aaron assured him, "Just an observation."

More irritated by the spirit's cryptic response, Susila asked, "Was there something you wanted me to study?"

Aaron nodded. "I have a spell for you to practice," the spirit announced.

Susila's irritation was quickly replaced with enthusiasm. "Really?" he asked excitedly.

"Yes, really," Aaron smiled. There was a flash of violet light, and a small book appeared on the bed next to Susila, who picked it up eagerly.

However, when Susila read the title, he felt crestfallen. "Weight Gaining; Getting the Padding You Need for Casting," Susila read out loud.

Aaron nodded again. "You will practice the Caloric Energy Storage spell tonight," he instructed, "You will know when you've cast it right when you feel warmth spread from your abdomen outward."

Susila nodded grimly, opening the book and reading. It took him nearly an hour to memorize the technical details of the spell, time which Aaron spent humming quietly to himself as he waited for his student to finish reading. When Susila had finally memorized the details, he crossed his legs, getting as comfortable as he could, and then began to regulate his breathing in preparation for spellcasting, just as Lord Grentail had showed him. When he was properly prepared, Susila began to recite the words of the spell.

"Let not this energy go to waste; let it instead go to my waist," he repeated over and over again. If he hadn't been deep in a spell trance, Susila would have felt rather silly for what he was saying. After five minutes of the chant, Susila finally felt something click. There was a pause, and then a warm feeling began to spread from his belly outward. Susila had cast his first spell.

Susila felt a sense of pride in his accomplishment, looking to Aaron, who nodded in approval. "Well done, Susila," the spirit said, "You show a knack for Arcana Minor. Usually that spell would have taken hours to cast."

The warm feeling faded after a while. Suddenly, Susila felt drained as the spell's energy left him. He leaned back into his pillows, his eyes heavy. "Sleep, Susila," Aaron said comfortingly, his voice far away, "You've done well tonight."

Susila nodded, already falling asleep. His dreams were of being a great wizard, a fiery bird at his side as he cast beautiful spells.