If you asked me, he was totally using his Sage Powers.

But what he didn’t consider was that I could use his very tactic to keep my distance from him. As long as I could determine his location by using his voice, I could avoid his detection indefinitely—

“Ah, there you are. I was w-w-w-wondering where you had r-run off to.”

Impossibly, the next withering tree I passed had a man-shaped shadow extending from its own. 

I froze mid-step. “Hi, Mr. Sage. Didja need something?”

“Di-di-did I need something, you say? What a ch-cheeky little girl you are, feigning ignorance as the sun sets.”

Uh oh.

“Nnnn… No! I don’t wanna! You can’t make meee!” I unfroze myself and darted behind the nearest tree.

“Now where are you ru-ru-running off too? Have you . . . . . . still not learned from all those games of hide-and-seek?”

I poked my head out just long enough to respond.

“Bleeeeeeeh!”

“Sometimes I’m b-baffled by your intelligence, and other times, you stick out your tongue like any other twelve-year-old. F-F-Full of surprises, as always.”

I huffed and crossed my arms. 

Mr. Sage rested a gentle hand on my head. For some reason, that stupid hand made it impossible to stay upset.

I bet that was his Sage Powers, too.

Mr. Sage smiled. “That’s more like it. Now, let’s be off to be-be-bed, shall we? I’ll even let you . . . . choose which story to read, if you’d like.”

…Wait, he’ll let me choose any story?
“Really?! Yay! I get to choose any story in the whole world!”

I jumped around as my mind raced with all the possibilities.

Mr. Sage laughed softly. “Well, any story I can pro-pro-pro-provide, at least. But since you’ve been such a good girl today, I have a very s-special story I . . . . think you’re old enough to hear. How does that sound?”

A special story? Could this evening get any better?!

I tugged on his sleeve. “A special story…? Do you mean the one where that guy has to stop the world from ending, all while chasing his girlfriend around the country? Or the one where that guy sneaks into bad people’s dreams and beats them up with his friends?!”

Mr. Sage shook his head. “This one is . . much, much longer. It’ll take . . . . . . more than one n-n-night to even get close to finishing. . . . . But it’s very much w-worth it.”

“More than one night?! This one must’ve been forever ago! I bet it started in the Elven Invasion!”

“Even earlier.”

“Even earlier? It is about the First Seraph War?!”

“...Maybe not that early.”

“Then when, when, when?!” I pulled his arm this way and that, and it limply complied with my every whim.

“Hmm… Do you r-r-remember when I told you about the S-S-S-Spire of D-D-Destruction’s awakening? How about I tell you the . . story of the hero who defeated it?”

“Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes! I want that story, I want that story!”

“Ahaha… And other times still, you . . . . jump around like you . . just turned seven.”

While Mr. Sage was standing there and muttering to himself, I was already on my way. I spun around and waved at him.

“Come on, come on, let’s hurry! I wanna hear everything that happens!”

Mr. Sage shook his head as he practically tiptoed in my direction.

“Now, now. Don’t get too excited or you’ll n-n-never get to sleep. And how do you know it’s am-m-m-m-azing, huh? You don’t even kn-know what it’s about yet.”

“Of course it’s super amazing. You look totally excited, so of course it’s gonna be great! Now let’s go already!”

“...Aha. I look that excited, do I? I s-s-suppose I am . . rather eager to open this box of nostalgia. It . . . . really has been a minute, hasn’t it…?”

“You coming or what?! I’m gonna drag you if you don’t move this instant!”

“Yes. Yes, my girl, I am coming. Now, how f-far back shall I . . begin this tale, I wonder…?”