Tommy was a spellcaster, a witch, in other terms.
Some would call him sorcerer, some would call him satanist.
Others would think him as a warlock, which were taboo in some profound states.
Warlocks were pure evil, and they are often confused with witches - no matter their personality or goal.
Tommy was one of these mistaken witches, and people thought he was similar to a warlock.
He wanted to puke.
He wasn't anything like that, and he could prove it by driving a broomstick through their mouths.
He wanted to help, but people pushed him away.
Not only metaphorically, but also physically.
Once people caught word that he was a witch, they unhinged their pitchforks and torches, and drove him away from the village.
And the worst thing about it was he was only 14.
Some knew who he actually was deep down that false interpretation, and often they would secretly visit him in his relocated abode.
Others disliked him for who he was, but they understood how young he was so they stayed behind, despite the remainder being the 74% who drove him away.
Tommy couldn't hate them no matter what they did.
They were afraid, and during 'the incident', he was too.
It was instinct, and they couldn't help it like he couldn't.
And here he was now, 17 and living in a serene, tranquil environment.
He was on a quite large mould of land that was slightly separated from the village as of the deep water between the two boundaries, bound together by a single, rickety bridge that was quite ancient though in it's prime.
It had seen better days, and it was prone to collapse though it was quite beautiful, repainted and decorated with lamps extruding from the beams and poles.
What Tommy didn't care about his choice of home, was that it was situated in fae territory.
He was prone to a fae attack or the presence of one, perhaps even being visited.
The villagers tried to keep peace by sending sacrifice.
At first it was fresh fruit, then meals, then animals being sent to the forest often.
Then came the human sacrifices, being of old age or young and healthy.
Usually it would be composed of elderly that were inable to recover or sinners of aspects of religion, even wrongdoers who committed crimes beyond legal.
Tommy was fine with the criminals, yet he wasn't pleased with elderly sacrifices.
They still had a chance in life, but the villagers decided to 'play god' and choose who gets to continue roaming the Earth and who doesn't.
Once, they even sent a child.
A blind one at that.
Tommy witnessed the occurence, as they ushered the child by prodding their back lightly with a spear.
He was beyond disgusted.
The villagers were on a thin line, and if something like this were to happen again he would unleash his wrath onto them.
Not the wrath of a disturbed fae, but the wrath of an angered witch, one experienced.
Once the villagers had finally left, Tommy decided to put matters into his own hands.
A fae had appeared, in it's usual spot, being the faerie ring strangely not too far from a stream yet hidden by the leaves of the trees.
The fae was about to ask the child for their name, however Tommy managed to interfere.
"Hello there." He smiled, ignoring the annoyance of the fae's presence, "What are you doing out here?"
The blind child turned towards his direction, forgetting the fae's request.
"I was forced out here by the village. They called me a 'sacrifice'." They stuttered.
Tommy hummed, looking towards the fae.
It clearly was annoyed by his presence, and how he prevented from the child giving the fae their name.
"Why don't you come with me? I can shelter you." His eyes still narrowed, turning towards the child.
The child seemed to brighten at that.
"Really? You won't mind?"
He chuckled.
"Of course. It's horrid how people would drive someone as innocent as you."
The child dimmed at his last sentence.
"But I'm not innocent. They said I made my mom ill, said I was cursed."
Tommy's heart shattered.
How could they just point hands at someone as young as this kid?
They didn't even know what cursed even meant, but they knew it wasn't good.
"Nonsense. Come with me." He said, taking the child's hand and allowing her to follow towards his cottage.
He turned towards the fae, who clearly was angered.
He successfully evaded the chance of another missing child.
He sighed, opening the door of his cottage.
"What's your name?" He looked towards the child.
The child hummed.
"Clementine. Clementine Foralles."
He'd have another mouth to feed, but that's fine.
For the sake of the child to have a childhood and finally be young, he would sacrifice anything.
That was when he was 15, however.
And here he was 17.
He acted much older for his age, despite his tall height.
He was forced to grow up too young.
He didn't want anyone to go through that again.
꧁꧂
It was morning, and Tommy had just woken up.
Clementine was most likely sleeping in the other bedroom nextdoors.
Upon stretching and sitting up, he heard a soft chitter.
On his legs was his familiar, Shroud.
"Morning Shroud." He grinned, petting the familiar.
Shroud was an albino raccoon, and he had immediately bonded with him the moment he had first summoned his familiar.
Familiars can be gained by channeling your feelings and personality into the core of a pentagram, engraved with specific markings and such.
The pentagram would have to be carved into the floor, and cannot be removed, as a permanent reminder that you are not alone, and you have a familiar.
Tommy, however, still felt alone despite the company of both Clementine and Shroud.
He took Clementine as his apprentice, and taught her multiple figments of magic and potion-making.
She was quite a quick learner, despite her sight.
Currently, Tommy was working on a spell that eradicates blindness effects, and he had been hoping this would allow Clementine to finally see.
However it did the complete opposite of what it did, and blinded people temporarily.
And by 'temporarily', he meant 7 hours.
When he tested it on himself after using a blindness potion which works only 1 minute, he wasn't able to see shit after that minute.
For 7 hours.
Shroud had to guide him around the house.
She just made herself 10x more lovable as a familiar.
That, however, was yesterday.
He decided to rest after the incident, as it had completely used up all his energy.
Today Tommy decided to head out in the forest to collect some certain herbs with magical properties, as it is usually in forests that are either enchanted or inhabited by the enchanted.
An example are the fae, and there most likely were some.
Tommy never bothered to ward his home from fae, as he believed it might anger them.
There were multiple types of fae, each of them bound to a specific kind despite all of them hungering for human names.
Tommy never placed down salt, and if any were to spill it was to be cleaned immediately.
He had rosemary growing, sure, but it was hidden in the forest, not too far from his cottage in a single patch.
To get there it would take a 7 minute walk.
He didn't take any precautions of protection from fae folk, as he did not want to be disturbed by an angered fae.
However, the fae near the stream was inable to reach him, as fae are unable to leave their faerie ring.
But it depends on the type of fae, really.
Yet that didn't mean the fae couldn't curse him if he had angered it.
He sighed, rubbing at his temples.
He had to be so wary at such an age, it practically tired him.
Shroud chittered, curling on the lap of Tommy, who currently was drinking some herbal tea.
He didn't drink herbal tea unless he was stressed, and that was usually an often occurrence.
Tommy's head turned towards Shroud, curled up in a ball and embracing the witch's warmth.
He huffed, lightly smiling as he stroke the albino raccoon's fur.
"Honestly, I'm really lucky to have you. You understand me best." He sighed.
"But then again, you are my familiar."
Shroud purred at the light pets and compliments she was receiving.
Tommy smiled even more, his eyes softened as he relaxed.
"Say Shroud, since Clementine won't be up for another two hours, what would you think of walking through the forest?" He hummed, tilting his head slightly as he waited for an answer.
Shroud growled softly, lazily stretching on her back.
Tommy sighed.
"You lazy shit. We're walking for 30 minutes. It's not that long!" He protested.
Shroud simply continued stretching on Tommy's lap.
Suddenly, Tommy lifted shroud by the waist, the poor raccoon desperately trying to reach his lap again.
"We're going, I think you had too much time lying around in the house."
Shroud made a sound similar to groaning, and Tommy laughed.
꧁꧂
Tommy was out collecting herbs, yet again.
It seemed that he had stress-brewed, and made too much herbal tea and various potions.
Well, he had exactly 354 ml of herbal tea and several healing potions.
He had got to stop getting in the habit of stress brewing.
He had found some ginger roots, which held great healing properties.
While gathering the ginger, he was spooked by a sudden interaction.
"Hello there." A deep, yet soft voice beckoned.
Tommy sharply turned to see a fae.
Well, it was the fae who he had saved Clem from.
Now that Tommy could focus, he could see that the fae had umber curls, all directed to the left side of its face, sharp golden eyes with a blazed orange rim, no sight of pupils, golden bangles wrapped around its wrists, earrings dangling, attached to its lobe as the thin wires interlaced at a point, an emerald loosely hung from the gold wire.
Its ears were abnormal, as they were stretched outwards, and quite pointed.
It wore quite regal and fancy clothing, warm and bleached yellows present.
It could easily be mistaken for human if it weren't for its eyes and ears.
"And who may you be?" Tommy raised an eyebrow, doing his best as to be polite.
He was interested in fae, yet he disliked the doings of the folk.
The fae simply smiled.
"What are you gathering?" It tilted its head in an almost sickly way, as if it were looking at an animal.
Tommy attempted in resisting the urge of narrowing his eyes, yet he narrowed it by a millimetre.
"I'm gathering ginger. It has great healing capability." He exhaled sharply.
The fae hummed.
"Could you be a witch?" It continued smiling, its hand placed behind its back.
Tommy's mouth was slightly agape, inhaling softly as he widened his eyes.
The fae slightly narrowed its eyes.
"Now you know you can't lie to me. It would be quite rude to disrespect it, wouldn't it now?" It hummed, tilting its head again.
Tommy stood, looking into the fae's eyes.
It was quite tall, perhaps by a foot and fee inches.
"Why would you like to know?" He deadpanned, keeping his confidence.
The fae chuckled.
Tommy was in cold sweat.
"You're smart one, aren't you?" It grinned.
Tommy gritted his teeth.
Never was a fae encounter so terrifying.
Maybe the fae forgot he took its prey from it?
"You owe me, you know that, witch?" Its grinned softened into a light smile.
Tommy's eyes widened in shock.
He was going to start shaking soon if he doesn't leave.
"W-what could I possibly owe you?" He stuttered.
Fuck.
He was showing fear.
The fae grinned.
"How about... Your name?"
Tommy froze.
"I- Yo-"
The fae started to chuckle.
Tommy's heart was racing.
He was absolutely fucking scared.
The fae paused it's laughter, humming once more.
"What's wrong? Cat's got your tongue? Or should I say raccoon?"
Tommy stepped backwards.
He was absolutely fucking terrified, shaking even.
"How do you-"
"What? You disturb me whenever you enter the forest near this location, and I've seen your familiar. A lovely albino raccoon, if I do say."
Tommy opened his mouth, only to snap it shut again.
"What do you want from me?" He whispered.
The fae tutted.
"I just told you, I want your name."
Tommy exhaled shakily, no longer shivering.
"You can call me Tommy."
The fae's joy slowly turned into a slight smile.
The name didn't tone right.
It didn't feel anything.
But, the witch wasn't necessarily lying.
Tommy had used a nickname.
His name, a nickname.
Wow! Big turn of events.
He was safe.
For now.
The fae's grin returned once more.
Tommy flinched by stepping back once.
"Nice to meet you, Tommy."
Tommy exhaled softly.
"It's only fair if I know yours too."
The fae's grin dissolved into a tender smile.
"Call me.. Wil."