The stolen staff.

He was not a thief, far from it, he had only stolen the staff from the grand wizard Alphonse to save his village from the goblin hordes invading. Zaraff didn’t realize when he first stole the staff that it would lead to the world collapsing. He sought the wizard now more feverently and earnestly seeking the mage’s forgiveness. That reality was not going to collapse and fall into the void of space. The wizard’s magic kept the world of Elohim from dissolving it seemed as Zaraff traveled he began to see trees melt into nothing, rivers dissolve and go dry, and whole mountains fade away into the sky. The reality of the situation was that his world was fading away ever since he stole the staff from the wizard’s dwelling the only way to right this error on his part was to return it. Like the sword in the stone almost its helm called to it. For many months Zaraff traveled and slowly but surely he was running out of time. Finally he found it, the dwelling of grand wizard Alphonse. It was a grand dwelling with statues of his wizard forebarrers depicted in the walls of the mountain. He found the wizard sitting in his throne contemplating the end. Suddenly he looked up and said, “ I suppose you think you’re quite clever stealing from me elf. You only began to see the damage when the rivers dried up and the mountains faded into the void. I suppose you are seeking my forgiveness for your transgressions? Zaraff only stood quiet for a moment and nodded yes. Then he opened his mouth to answer the sage, “Please sir my world, my village was in peril! The goblin hordes are at our doorstep and taking the staff was the only way I sought to save it. I only now see I was wrong to steal from you. Please forgive me I did it to save lives not realizing I was ending them! Please sir my village!” The wizard stood up from his thrown and reached out to Zaraff kneeling down with staff offered up in a humble kneel. “I forgive you. And as for your village I can save it I controll the reality of this realm its overseer if you will. I can make it so that the goblins never heard of your village and shield it so that only those from the village may enter and go as they please. You have returned that which is stolen from me it shall be done.” With that the wizard grabbed his staff and turned to place it in the helm and a great light emanated from the impact like a sword being sheathed in its hold. Zaraff left the cave and readied himself for the trip home. When he found his village he was relieved to find it intact and the people thrived from that day forth under the wizard’s magic. As for the wizard Alphonse it was a curious existence he led living with all seeing and all knowing sight of what transpired in the realm of Elohim was a world filed with magic and prospered as a sort of haven from eldritch beings that surrounded them in space there were other worlds of course but Alphonse was not overseer of those planets and their residences. Still he was greatly moved by Zaraffs humbleness and change of heart. The ability to see a mistake was something not many people knew how to do and would often learn the hard way. Well Zaraff learned that lesson the hard way it seemed. The staff was likened as a sort of beacon and anchor for the realm to exist anyways. Telling the mortals that would certainly mess with their minds for sure. If Alphonse had been anyone besides the guardian of the realm any other being would have just let the realm collapse and fade into nothingness. He was fortunately none of those vices and continued to guard or man his post. “Zaraff? What an odd name for an elf to have. He was quite a foolish fellow wasn’t he Archimedes?” Overhead soared an owl that landed perfectly on Alphonse’s shoulder. The bird began to speak, “ Oh yes! Foolish elf he was stealing from you would have collapsed his entire world with his recklessness bit off more than he could chew he did!” “Exactly my thoughts!” boomed Alphonse. “We should see his progress and check in on him from now and then with the Orb of twilight at our disposal.” Across the dimly lit cave there was a podium and on top of it an orb. Alphonse rubbed his hands over it tenderly and looked into it. In the orb an image began to dance around and in it a bright and modest village of elves appeared and in it Alphonse could see Zaraff holding his daughter and son in his hands calling to his wife from inside the small hut they lived in. “That right there his family is what he was so desperate to save I could sense his urgency from a mile away.” Archemides cooed, “So that’s why you were so eager to help the blimey fool because he has a family? You are one big softie Alphonse they should think you’ve run a charity if you give a helping hand to every fool that steals from you!” “Soft?”questioned Alphonse. “Me go soft? Heavens no you daft fool it’s my job to keep this realm afloat. Besides he learned his lesson and now he lives his days carefree and happy isn’t that what anyone wants in this life?” Archemides nodded and then ruffled his feathers and nested then chirped out, “Soft you are.” “I am not!”replied Alphonse. “Now goodnight I have some reading to do. Those rivers aren’t going to build themselves!” Zaraff in his part of the world had just put his children to bed after a hard days work of farming the gardens. He thought honestly about the wizard and how his reality had almost vanished. He felt remorse but it was only passing and he found that a great relief filled him that there was some sort of overseer watching over him and his people. Like a guardian of sorts that is hidden in the great corners of the world. And with that he drifted off to sleep with his wife in his home knowing he had accomplished his task of saving his village and by extension his universe.