League of Extraordinary Robots - Yolanda Jackson (drm ebook reader .txt) 📗

things that I have done to him. He says there is nothing I can ever do that will make him stop loving me.”
“You must have the ability in you to become a very great wizard to inspire that kind of love and loyalty,” Jeronomo told him.
“Thank you so much for what you have done in your part in restoring my wand to me,” said Wisker. “I would have felt as if I had killed it if not for you and Mr. Dougloff and the parts you paid in repairing him.”
“You are welcome,” answered Jeronomo. “I am so glad it worked out so well for both you and the wand.” Then he grinned. “So it is still Mr. Dougloff is it?” he asked. “It’s a wonder you aren’t calling me Mr. Jeronomo, Dougloff and I are about the same age.”
“Why I probably should,” said Wisker. “You are quite old when I stop to think about it.” Wisker suddenly realized what he had said and was horrified. The two elves clapped their hands over their mouths to keep from giggling.
“So you think that’s funny?” reproved Jeronimo. “Such respect for an old man!” He tried to look at them sternly and failed miserably. “Oh go ahead and laugh,” he told them. “The way it came out, it is funny.”
Wisker gave a sigh of relief as he saw that Jeronomo really didn’t feel insulted by what he had said. “I guess that didn’t come out quite the way I intended he said.
Jeronomo grinned. Then he turned to the two elves. “You have done your job very well,” he praised them. “You may go now. If there is anything you wish to do today as a reward for doing this task so well, please feel free to do it.” The elves bowed respectfully and left the room. A moment later Jeronomo and Wisker heard one of them say joyfully, “Oh boy, I’m going fishing, how about you?”
Wisker felt his wand shudder at the mention of the word fishing and turned his head quickly so that he wouldn’t see him grinning. “There’s a part of me that still thinks that was sort of funny,” he thought to himself. “After all, I was just a very young boy.” He glanced up to see that Jeronomo was trying not to grin also.
Wisker flipped back the cover of the wand pocket on his robe. His wand floated out of his hand and into the pocket and wiggled around until he seemed to have found himself a very comfortable position. Soon Wisker heard the sound of very faint snores coming from the wand pocket.
Jeronomo put his finger up to his lips. “Come with me, he whispered. He slipped a ring off his finger and held it out in front of himself. Suddenly the ring began to grow, bigger and bigger until it was big enough for both Wisker and Jeronomo to step through, which they did and immediately found themselves in another room.
“This is my private room,” Jeronomo told Wisker, slipping the ring back on his finger. Looking around, Wisker realized that he was in a very strange room. Books were flying across the desk, heading for the book shelves, while more books were coming from the bookshelves and stacking themselves on the desk. Papers with magical formulas gathered themselves in neat positions.
“Hello Wisker, good to see you,” said a green, grey, yellow and orange Senegal parrot.
“Hello, errr,” Wisker glanced towards Jeronomo for some help with the parrot’s name. He did want to be polite after all and return it’s greeting, but Jeronomo was busy looking at some of the papers that were piled neatly on his desk and didn’t notice.
“Almo,” said the parrot. “My name’s Almo. Short for Alexander Moses.”
“Well then hello Almo,” said Wisker, giving the parrot a big smile.
“Almo good boy,” said the parrot.
“I’m sure you are,” Wisker told him.
“Almo very good boy,” insisted the parrot.
“Good, glad to hear it,” said Wisker, beginning to feel a little confused.
Suddenly, the parrot sprang out of his cage and turned into a large black cat. Wisker was startled and jumped back, then he smiled and reached down and patted the cat. “Good boy, Almo,” he told him. “Very, very good boy.” The cat purred happily and rubbed up against Wisker to show his appreciation. “I’m really beginning to miss my wizardery roots,” Wisker told Jeronomo.
“Wisker, our land is under attack,” said Jeronomo abruptly. “I brought you back here to my private room because nothing said in here can be overheard. We have complete privacy.”
Wisker slowly sat down on the edge of the chair. “But everything seems to be so peaceful,” he said in surprise. “I had no idea.”
“The wizard world is under attack from a green slimy creature,” said Jeronomo. “A woman made out of green slime.”
“I know who you mean,” interrupted Wisker. I saw her in the woods on my way here. ‘At least I saw someone who fits that description.”
“What did she want? asked Jeronomo.
“I watched her from a distance and she is set on destroying Mayfair,” Wisker told him.
Jeronomo let out a deep sigh. Her name is Glendora of Kapistan,” he said, “She stole one of the most powerful wizard wands ever to be made. It is five billion years old”
“Five billion!!!” said Wisker. He hesitated for a moment, trying to choose his words carefully. “Do you mean that the older a wand is the more powerful it is?” he asked.
“It depends on the wand,” answered Jeronomo. “This particular wand has saved up the knowledge he has received through the years. There is probably nothing about being a magic wand that he does not know, from things he learned as a newly made wand to the very latest wand technology.”
“And is he loyal to this Glendora of Kapistan?” asked Wisker.
Jeronomo hesitated. “Either loyal or in bondage,” he replied. “For now it doesn’t matter, the results are the same, but if, that is when, we are able to get him away from her, I’m sure that Mr. Dougloff and I,” he smiled slightly as e spoke, “Can manage to help to free him from her.”
Jeronomo’s face took on a more serious expression. “Glendora has gone around the realm of the universe, destroying lands and enslaving people. Although I have not heard her say so, her actions have led others and myself to believe that it is her goal to become the ruler of the universe. That is why I and other elders amongst the wizards have moved the entire Wizard World under the desert floor. We must fight, all of us. We must band together and fight. It is the only way we can win, by banding together as one. Our first loyalty as wizards must be to the Wizard World. If even one wizard fails to join in the defense of the Wizard World than all of the Wizard World will be in danger, each part is needed.”
Wisker nodded slowly, and a big tear rolled from his eye down over his cheek and fell to the floor. “I know where my priorities must lay and I shall be loyal to them,” he told Jeronomo. “But it is so awful when I think of the many people waiting for me to come and free them from an evil ruler. And the people in the land of the Bots, they must be in danger too.”
When Jeronomo saw the sadness in Wisker’s eyes, he leaned d forward and gently placed his hand on his friends arm. “When we have defeated Glendora, I will promise you that after that I will personally find a way to help you to free land of Mayfree and your family and your friends. The same shall hold true for the land of the Bots. But for now first things first.
Wisker tried to smile. “Yes, and the Wizard World comes first!”
“Now we must practice,” said Jeronomo, in a getting down to business tone. “It won’t do to wait until we’re actually at battle to try some of these”
“It will be like being back in Wizard school again,” said Wisker.
“Yes,” answered Jeronomo. “But you have been living amongst humans for so long and not using your magic that I will definitely be the upper classman.”
“Should I take that as a challenge?” asked Wisker.
“Yes, I think you definitely should,” replied Jeronomo. “We’ll have enough serious battling to do; we might as well enjoy getting in condition.”
“Would you like to make it a little more interesting?” asked Wisker.
“In what way?” asked Jeronomo?
“How about a prize for the winner each day? Something like, oh a bag of Dougloff’s very best candy?”
“You mean Special Wheshill Wizard Candy?” asked Jeronomo.
“That’s it,” said Wisker. “How about it?” he leaned back in his chair. “You know, I almost feel like a school boy again just thinking of this.”
“Good,” said Jeronomo. “Having a good mental attitude during the practice times will help us when it comes to the real battles. But instead of Special Wheshill Wizard Candy, can we make it the winner’s choice each day? I’d kind of like to get some of those Wizardry Fireballs occasionally and I do expect to be doing a lot of the winning.”
“You actually like those things?” Wisker asked. “I can feel my mouth burning just at the thought.”
“Well, I don’t like to eat them myself,” admitted Jeronomo. “But I do so enjoy giving them out to the unsuspecting.”
“Sir, you are getting more like a school boy every moment,” teased Wisker.
Jeronomo laughed. “I shall take that as a compliment,” he told him. “Why don’t we plan on meeting down on the oasis at one this afternoon for our first practice?””
“That sounds like a good idea,” said Wisker. “In the meantime, I’ll look around and visit some of my old stomping grounds. It seems good to be home again.”
Jeronomo took off his magic ring so that Wisker could leave the private room. “Almo good boy,” came a voice from the nearby bird cage. “Almo very, very, very good boy.”
“Oh dear,” thought Jeronomo, sitting back down at his desk and giving a big sigh. “I wonder what he did. I hope it isn’t as bad as he seems to think it is, I’ve got enough to do without that.”
Wisker and Jeronomo met as agreed on the oasis. A number of other wizards had gathered around to watch what they termed the fun. Dougloff had a perfect view from the front of his magic shop and he had conjured himself up a very comfortable looking easy chair from which to watch. He was holding two pennant type flags, a red one with blue letters that said Wisker and a blue one with red letters that said Jeronomo and was waving them both indiscriminately.
“You’re cheering for both of them?” laughed Lanter,” as he came along and saw what Dougloff was doing.
“I have to,” answered Dougloff. “They’re buying their prizes from me, so I can’t play favorites. Besides, I do want to see them both do well.”
“Me too when I stop to think of it,” admitted Lanter.
“I expect Jeronomo will be the clear