A Mage's Power (Journey to Chaos) Read Online Free PDF

sir.”
    “Eric, this is not a report; it is a mess. Every other word
is misspelled, it's poorly organized, and bordered with smiley faces.”
    Tasio pouted. “What's wrong with smiley faces?”
    “Your work is barely up to par, often late, and you don't
get along with anyone.” Eric felt like a criminal standing on the gallows. “And
now you arrive late with this rubbish? I'm sorry, Eric, but for the good of the
unit, I'm giving you a dishonorable discharge.”
    “Translation: You're fired because you're a drain on the
company.” Eric gave Tasio a nasty glare as he walked down the hall. “Just
trying to help.”
    “You haven't been helpful at all!” Eric shouted. “You said
it was good enough!”
    “ I thought it was good enough,” Tasio said with his
chin high. “But, then again, I don't know anything about this company.” The
Trickster shrugged.
    Eric's first stop was cleaning out his cubicle. The only
bright side was it wouldn't take long. There were no pictures of family or
friends, no memorabilia of any kind, not even much in the way of supplies since
they frequently disappeared. Tasio tapped Eric and pointed.
    “Here's something I can definitely help you with. I have
millennium of experience matchmaking.” Normally, Eric would have declined, but
part of him felt like taking a chance. Surely matchmaking is different from
writing a report.
    “What do I do?”
    “The first step is the first step,” Tasio said. “You have to
walk over to her.” Feeling like an idiot, Eric gathered up his courage and took
that step.
    “Tell her she looks nice,” Tasio instructed.
    “ . . .Y-you l-look nice today, Emily.”
     Emily smiled. “Thank you, Eric.”
    “Now ask her about her day.”
    “H-how was y-your day?”
    “You know, same old, same old.”
    “Now ask her about her plans for the weekend.”
    “D-d-do you h-have any p-plans for the weekend?”
    “I'm going to a movie with Tim on Saturday.”
     Eric heard a record screeching. He thought it was in his
head, but then he saw Tasio holding one and dragging his nails across it. The
Trickster laughed nervously and hid it behind his back.  
    “Maybe some other time, okay, Eric?”
    “Sure . . . Sure . . .” Eric walked out dejected while Tasio
hung in the air, biting his nails. Once outside, The Trickster spoke up.
    “Eric . . .I need to apologize.”
     Eric narrowed his eyes at the Trickster. “Tasio . . .what
did you do ?”
     Eyes downcast, he shuffled uneasily in the air. “Well . . .I
had to find something todo while I waited for you to finish work,
so I looked for anyone else needing help. I saw Tim and gave him a push. I had
no idea you were going to ask her out too.” Now depressed, unemployed and brokenhearted, Eric began the long walk home.
    “Would you like me to teleport you?”
    Eric's anger reached its boiling point. His last shred of
inhibition disappeared and he threw the box at the floating trickster. It
passed through him and smashed on the pavement.
    “WHY? So you can zap me to a meteor crater or the bottom of
the ocean?”
    Tasio raised his hands defensively. “I'm just trying to
help.”
    “Well, you're not! Just leave me alone!” Eric stomped off. Stupid
elf, since he came nothing's—
    “Ohhhhh Eeerrrriiicccc.” Eric stopped. “There is . . .another
way I can help you.”
    Eric spun and glared at The Trickster. “How?! Turning me
inside out?!”
    “There's no need to get gruesome, Eric.” Tasio waggled a
finger. “I was giving you standard help; a jumpstart if you will . . .But if
you need more, then that I can give you heavy duty help.”
    “Like what?”
    “I can make all the bad things that happened today go away;
a fresh start, just for you. If you'll let me.” Tasio extended his hand. “Well,
will you let me?”
    What have I got to lose? He clasped Tasio's hand and
a jolt shot through him. An incorporeal hand reached into his body and grabbed
his soul. He couldn't move.
    “Excellent!” The wind