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Andrea, the Illustrator, was sitting on a scaffold painting an azure sky when, behind him, he heard a splash. He turned around and to his astonishment, coughing and spluttering, an odd young man dressed like a wizard from the middle ages was sitting on the floor in a pool of water.
"Well then!" said Andrea with surprise. "Where in heaven's name did you come from?" "I-I'm not sure," Qwyfyx replied, looking around in amazement. "I thought I was going to drown and now I am here, wherever here is." |
"This is the palace music room, and my business is to decorate the walls," said Andrea. "Pray tell, what is your business here?"
Qwyfyx was dumbfounded. He had never seen such a magnificent room in all his life. Around him were paintings of the most extraordinary beauty. They seemed so real that he felt he could walk into them. "My King has sent me to look for the Philosopher's Stone," he said. "The Alchemist told me that it turns base metals into gold..." Andrea laughed so much that he almost fell off the scaffold. "Stuff and nonsense!" he finally managed to say. "Anyone can make gold. Just watch me." |
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The Illustrator turned around, picked up his brush and dipped it into yellow paint. In a flash, he had rendered the wings of a cupid with rich, glowing gold.
"But that's not really gold," said Qwyfyx. "I mean it might look like gold but it's just paint." "As real as the Philosopher's Stone, I assure you," laughed Andrea. "Good luck, Magician, you'll need it."
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