The Mantle Passes (Archmage Book One)

7. Formally Speaking

"Quite a name; where's it from?" Amos was curious.

"It's Czech." He got his question answered and also learned what a Czech accent sounded like.

"Well, I'm just Southern." Amos extended his hand. "Amos Hammond," they shook hands.

"Nice to meet you." Jakub had a surprisingly firm handshake for someone his age. "So what do you do?"

"I go to the college across the street." He took his hand back. "I'm thinking of going into historical study."

"That's quite a niche." Amos seemed to have gotten his attention. "I can't imagine more than five people doing that professionally."

"Well, someone's gotta do it." Amos smirked. "It probably won't be easy. But anything's easier than math."

"The world you know would become much bigger." They both laughed before Amos headed for the stacks. "I think I'll be off, then; bye." He waved to Maris and Amos. They waved and said goodbye back.

Later and back at the dorm, Amos was immersed in the world of Slightly Damned, until a familiar ding yanked his attention from the webcomic.

He opened the admin client for his website to see who had a poltergeist this time. (it was always a poltergeist) The query didn't disappoint.

It was at the warehouse he fought Owen.

PART TWO

Amos took an unusually large bite out of his "Hubba" Panini while Ellen set down her Cuban. He made a weird face while swallowing because of the Datil Pepper jelly.

"Should I pick you up at seven, or some other time?" Ellen paused for a moment to ponder an answer.

"Seven's fine." Amos smiled.

"School dances, feels just like High School all over again." Ellen sighed. "By the way, I never asked; what were you like in High School."

"Actually," Amos set his sandwich down. "I was kinda hot shit back in my day." He smiled at how he made himself sound old.

"Wait, I thought you didn't get your magic thing until September."

"True," he smiled. "But I was what some people called a 'bad boy'. Mostly because I didn't buy into the whole Southern thing so I was cool." He paused for a moment. "Also I was the only guy who knew how to play Stairway to Heaven"

"Damn," she raised all of her eyebrows. "I was just the funny girl."

"What's New York like?" Amos had never been north of Kentucky.

"Surprisingly meh." Amos was actually taken back by that. He always thought New York was supposed to be exciting and stuff. "I live on the edge of queens and all the good stuff's in Manhattan."

"By the edge, you mean-"

"Closer to Levittown than Astoria." Amos barely knew the geography of where <i>he</i> lived. "I live just outside the city limits."

"Oh," Amos was confused. "In other news, I got a job... A weird job."

"Considering your job, it must be really weird."

"It's just a poltergeist, but it's at the place I fought Owen."

"God, that guy;" Ellen didn't like it when people kidnapped her. "What the hell happened to him, anyway?"

"I think he got off on an insanity plea." Ellen sighed in slight disappointment. "And by 'got off' I mean 'thrown in a padded box'." Ellen wasn't disappointed anymore.