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  Witch’s Brew T he magicians’ truck vanished into the cold twilight, leaving Alia alone at the edge of the world. A solemn black tower ascended into the clouds. She wondered what its inhabitant must be like. What would make someone hide away from civilization? This was her punishment. The daughter of her hamlet’s two most prestigious magicians, she entered magic-school with high expectations, the burden of which she could not bear. She argued with her teachers and brewed forbidden potions. According to the dean, her behavior was more befitting a witch than a proper magician. Thus, he decreed, her punishment must fit her crime: she must steal and destroy the witch’s brew. The front door would not open, and there were no ajar windows on the ground floor. Pacing through the yellow-gray knee-high grass surrounding the tower, she failed to find a crack in the stone or a hidden staircase. Hiding in a nearby bush, she watched the stars emerge into the darkening sky. The glow of starlight...
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