The Hunter Mage

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

"My toy lieon at home," he responded, trying hard not to look at Vernon's face even though his face showed happiness, his eyes looked to be in pain.

"Oh, I remember it. We used to play with it all the time and now that you mentioned it, I can almost see it." Vernon wasn't being patronizing or anything of that sort because the outline that it was a lieon was there, it was just distinctive little details that were missing.

"But this is really good for a first attempt, definitely better than my spikes." Vernon continued. "At this pace, we should get a hang of it in no time, or at least you."

"I am sure you will get it too, besides I've heard years to practice while you just started using magic about a month ago." Nevil tried to cheer but Vernon barely shrugged and didn't respond.

"Okay, um did you have anything in mind specifically?" Nevil quickly asked as he tried to change the air.

"Nah, nothing specifically. Just enough toys I guess."

"Okay then," Nevil replied and got to work.

The air was a little tense as both of them got to work. Vernon couldn't help but feel a bit sad, he had expected that they would figure it out together but it was pretty obvious that they weren't in the same league to figure it out together. Nevil would definitely get a hang of it in a couple of days and he wasn't exaggerating.

Vernon kept his eyes glued to what he was doing because he knew looking over to Nevil was bound to frustrate him but he was really glad he was getting help.

This would definitely finish faster than he by himself would have ever dreamt it would though there was a very high chance that Nevil might end up doing all the work but on the bright side he was bound to get better if he tried hard enough, he hoped.

"I think we should call it a day," Vernon said about an hour later. This was usually when he ended as he didn't want to raise any suspicion as to where he was and figured they would do the same.

"Nah, I am not tired. Could I still try for a couple more minutes? I am just getting a little bit better, just a couple more minutes please." Nevil begged.

"Oh, okay," Vernon responded, a little taken aback. He had not expected some disagreement but this was kind of good as the person he had asked for help wanted to do more but he could deny it was kicking his plan in the groin. "Yeah, a couple of minutes wouldn't hurt anybody." He said through clenched teeth.

They ended up leaving almost two hours after they got there. Vernon tried not to make a fuss as this would propel them faster but he couldn't help but think two hours was a little too much. However, on the bright said he could easily explain that they had been doing some magic training and which in some way would be the truth.

Luckily, when they got back nobody so much as batted an eyelid. It was a little disappointing but he was half that he did not have to explain. He did remember to tell Nevil that what they were doing was top secret and that he should not tell it to anyone.

One of the reasons was it was supposed to be a surprise and children weren't known for their secret-keeping, somebody was surely going to tell the toddlers and he badly wanted this to be a good surprise.

A week later and Nevil already got a hang of it, it was hard to smile at this as he wasn't even at Nevil's first stage yet and but by the looks of things it would have taken him a while to get there. Therefore, he was grateful but it didn't stop him from feeling a level of sadness.

He just made himself useful in the aspect of supervision. Nevil was pretty good at making lieon toys but everything else, he fell flat and it was up to Vernon to try to explain what he needed to do differently to make a doug look like a dog not just another lion without the mane. Stacs were the worst.

Making enough toys took them only about three days as Vernon didn't want to make an exact number of toys as compared to the children but he wanted there to be more than enough just in case one got tired of their toys and wanted a new one or better still, one or two goes missing. They are toddlers, it is definitely bound to happen.

On the day they made the last toy. Vernon and Nevil immediately sighed out loud out of exhaustion and relief. Neither of them could deny that they were glad this was over. Vernon had found a bag which he used to put all the toys and after a couple of minutes of resting they stood up to leave.

At first, Vernon thought he could carry the bag of toys all by himself but it didn't take him a couple of seconds to realize that he couldn't and Nevil joined him so that way the poor toys wouldn't drag on the ground.

It was easier this way but still a little troublesome to carry. Wood was quite heavy and considering it was a lot of wooden things it was bound to be heavy even though they were small in size.

They tried to walk as fast as they could because the excitement was brimming and even Nevil could barely contain his excitement too. They soon got to the entrance and Vernon dropped his side of the bag to get the door open.

He quickly picked up the bag and rushed in alongside Nevil, neither of them bothered to check if the door closed behind them as they ran all the way to the toddlers' section.

"Vernon!" They all screamed as they saw him, he has been spending less and less time with them. There were even days he didn't come at all. "Where have you been?" James cried, Vernon thought he looked a little slimmer but quickly blamed it on the fact that he was away for a while.

"Getting this!" He announced and turned the bag's contents on the ground.

There was a slight silence until the toddlers realized what they were and screams erupted from every angle. "I want one," they all screamed, in different variations, some more distinctive than others.