[ WP ] A sleight-of-hand magician meets an actual spells-and-wands magician .

`` The Great Illusionist Santiago'' That is what the sign said. Great may have been an overstatement, the old man reflected upon seeing the diminutive figure that set foot on stage. And yet, he had a poise about him that was difficult to place. The old man watch quietly from the back of the room as the Great Santiago pulled a rabbit from an apparently empty hat. The audience cheered loudly, but for a moment the old man began to second guess if his coming here was right after all. He deftly slipped his hand into the pocket of his cloak and idly felt the gnarled furnishings of his all so familiar wand. For a moment, he was reassured in his quest. Something was off in this place, he felt in his bones. Faint whisperings on the wind carried tidings of ill omen; the Val Dakin had been found. If the old man were to confront a foe as powerful as this, he would rather have a mage to accompany him, or at least an alchemist. But as it were, the Great Illusionist Santiago would have to be help enough. After all, he was the greatest magician in the land, or so they said. The decision was made. Once the show was over, the old man would head behind the stage and plead his case to Santiago, imploring for his help. 
 
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 The curtains closed slowly as the applause grew only louder. Today had been a good show, Santiago thought to himself as he drew back quickly off of the stage and made for his rear office. He was not at all prepared for what awaited him there. The old man with the long cloak and pointy hat looked for all the world like a caricature of some ancient warlock. His words were no less alarming. 
 
 `` Quickly, you must help me. A great evil has come to this land, the Val Dakin. He must be stopped.'' 
 
 Santiago pondered this briefly. `` A great evil you say? Then how do you propose to contain it?'' 
 
 At once, the old man drew a gnarled stick from his cloak and began to prance about the room. `` Why, with a spell of containment, of course,'' he said. 
 
 `` A spell of containment?'' If only there was such a thing. `` Look,'' Santiago said, `` I am just a simple illusionist, and I have a feeling that you are just a mad-man in a cape. I'm sorry, but I'm sure I can be of no help to you in this quest.'' As though to emphasize his point, Santiago drew a rabbit from behind him, seemingly from nowhere. `` You see? This is what I do.'' 
 
 The old man was taken aback, but now began to plead all the more fervently. `` But he must be contained. We can do it together. I know magic,'' the old man insisted. 
 
 `` I'm sorry,'' said Santiago, slow petting the rabbit in his arms, `` but I really must go.'' The Great Illusionist Santiago turn to face his office door and set forward quickly toward the hallway beyond. As he passed the threshold, and with great flutter of motion, he snapped his fingers and the rabbit disappeared. This time, there could be no mistake. The rabbit had simply vanished into thin air. Val Dakin. That was a name he had not heard in a long time, Santiago thought to himself as he fled rapidly down the corridor. He had a new name now, an appearance that must be maintained. A vague smirk crossed his face. Illusions, he would continue to call them that. His audience was n't ready for the truth anyways. Besides, the old man posed no threat to him. His secret would remain safe, at least for now.
