Hi all, if you're reading this then that obviously means you've decided to start reading my fanfiction, so thanks!

There are a couple of things I'd like to clear up first though:

1.) This story takes place after the Polaris arc but before Mirage.

2.) Yes, this is a story based around my own OC. No, I don't plan to involve him with any of the Familiar of Zero characters romantically, unless the readers really want me to for some reason, and even if they do, it will NOT be romantically involved with Louise.

3.)My OC is not meant to be a permanent replacement for Saito...I plan to involve him in the story sooner or later, but I'm still thinking up ideas on how to include him.

4.) I'm far from perfect, and there are bound to be a few mistakes hidden away here and there. If you see any grammatical errors in the story, please let me know!

5.) I do not have any predetermined schedule planned out, so I don't know how often I'll be updating this.

I don't expect this to become very popular...very few Wizard101 fanfictions are, afterall, but I do plan on at least trying to finish it all up sooner or later. That being said, I would appreciate it if you could please leave a review and let me know if you have any comments or concerns. And without further delay, the first chapter:

It had been almost a year relative to Wizard City since I'd graduated from Ravenwood and moved on to the Arcanum. A lot has changed since then, and I'm still trying to get used to some of it. For starters, I don't have to worry about waking up very early in the morning to get to classes anymore(despite already being greatly ahead of my classmates). Although I've oftentimes been summoned to the Gravulum Order to help with certain missions or assignments, it was usually in the form of a request to help investigate something minor and thus was never really considered a "top priority", as it were. Still, it had been enough to keep me from dying of boredom, and I was usually treated to some kind of reward such as gold or crowns, so that was nice.

I had been trying to keep in touch with some of my old friends and acquaintances back at Wizard City, but it seems a lot of them have been really busy lately, especially ol' Merle. Not that I can really blame them, though, It's tough to run and attend a school as large and advanced as The Ravenwood School of Magical Arts. Although we at the Arcanum were all certain that the Old Cob (or Grandfather Spider as everyone else calls him) was planning something big, things had been really quiet lately since my battle with The Rat, so we'd been using our time brushing up on some old magic and reviewing some of the old legends about Grandfather Spider to try and have an idea on what his next move would be.

I'd just been called over to the Arcanum by the Myth Scholar, Baba Yaga, to help with an old incantation of some kind. I wasn't told the specifics, but all she really wanted me to do was gather some of the ingredients she needed to help with it. Some ingredients were easier to obtain than others, although I'd often find myself having to fight a thug or three in order to obtain them. The incantation was set to take place in Caliburn, Avalon. I was instructed to meet her there as soon as I got everything.

Coincidently, the spell was set to take place in the exact spot from which I'd originally summoned the Avenging Fossil. Upon arrival I'd noticed that Baba had placed a couple of magic symbols across the ground, some I'd recognised, some I didn't. She had also brought with her an old cauldron and wooden spoon for what I could only assume would be for mixing the ingredients together (I mean really, what else could it be for?).

"Good, you're here!" she exclaimed upon noticing me. "You gathered all the materials I needed, right?" she questioned.

"You should know me better by now," I stated. "I wouldn't have come here if I didn't have them."

"So, what exactly are we supposed to be doing here?" I pondered. "Questions, questions, always with the questions. Didn't anyone tell you that curiosity killed the cat?" she teased.

"I think it's best you not say that in front of Qismah," I answered. "Besides, you've already brought me this far, and it would be rude not to tell me now."

"Not we... I." she said. "You would just get in the way, now hand over the materials so that I can get started."

I pulled the ingredients out from my backpack and handed them to her. She eyed them closely. "Good. You were telling the truth." she said. I couldn't help but feel offended by that, but I didn't say anything.

She took the materials I'd gathered and dropped them into the cauldron, then she poured water inside it and began to stir. "All you must know is that, with luck, it will do exactly as I hope it will."

Oh boy. If there was one word I hated more than anything, it was luck. I didn't believe in the darn thing, we make our own choices, and if something doesn't turn out the way you hoped, you have only yourself to blame.

"Fine," I said. "I'll have found out sooner or later anyway, so I might as well just sit quietly and watch what happens". After a couple minutes of stirring, the liquids in the cauldron had begun to change color, first from green, then to red, and finally to purple.

"Now for some Ancestor Dirt, and..." she started. "Viola! My dinner is complete."

"You made me collect all those rare liquids to help you make a pot of soup?" I asked rhetorically, unamused by the old witch's antics.

"Of course I didn't! That was meant to be a joke, don't you have any sense of humor?" she laughs. "No, what we're doing here is nothing like that. We'll be creating an elixir for increasing our magic power."

"Why bother? Don't those things already exist, and can't you get them at one of the crown shops?" I asked.

"Do you know of any crown shop elixirs which increase your resist by up to 20%?" she replied.

"No, but doesn't that seem a bit too convenient? Surely there's a catch, right?" I questioned.

"Well...there may be a few harmful side effects," she started. "But nothing major, just some stomach aches, nausea, and a slight chance of...immediate death."

I sighed. Of course it would be too convenient, I'd assumed that as soon as I'd heard the word "resist", but I'd never even thought she'd be willing to put me at that great of a risk over something that she hasn't even used before.

"Oh, don't look so troubled by it!" she grumbled. "I wouldn't have brought you here if I didn't have total confidence that you would survive."

"Maybe so, but you could at least have let me in on it sooner," I replied. I didn't have any reason to suspect that she was trying to poison me, but still, it's kind of unsettling that she wouldn't tell me all of that until sooner. "I mean, do you really have to be so discreet with me? Shouldn't I have earned your trust by now?"

"Well, of course you have!" she started. "It's just that...well, I didn't want you knowing about it until I was sure that it would work...yeah! That's it!" she laughed.

"A likely story. Whatever, just give it to me when you're finished, and I'll test it out with a Sacrifice spell."

"Now hold on a minute!" she interrupted. "This elixir is infamous for leaving a bitter taste in the mouth, and I don't want to hear any whining in case it doesn't work, so prepare yourself before tasting it."

"Whatever, just give it to me," I responded, handing her an empty potion bottle. She filled the bottle with some of the elixir and handed it to me, and you know what? She was right, It really DID leave a bitter taste in the mouth.

"Ugh, it tastes like cough syrup." I complained.

"Cough syrup? What's that supposed to be, some kind of fancy beverage they serve at Wizard City?"

"No," I responded. It's funny, I haven't been to Earth since Ambrose first summoned me who knows how long ago, and I still can't help but make a couple comparisons about it here and there. I wonder if I'll ever get back to my home planet? Well, it's not like it would matter even if I did. I wouldn't be able to see my family anyway, they'd be put in danger. Besides, what am I supposed to say to them after all this time? That I was summoned by a great and powerful wizard and went on to save the universe not once, not twice, but THREE different times? I suppose I could show them my magic, that would make them believe me. That, or think I was some sort of demon taking the form of their son and brother grown older.

"Forget about it, let's just see if it works." I said, when all of a sudden a green portal appeared in front of us.

"Uh, was that supposed to happen?" I asked, looking at the portal.

"Of course it wasn't!" she responded. "This portal has nothing to do with the potion."

"Then what is it here for?" I asked.

"How am I supposed to know?" she replied. "It could be here for anything, or anyone."

I didn't like where this was going. This would mean the equivalent of hitching a ride in some stranger's car at the crack of midnight back on Earth. A couple of moments passed until one of us decided to say something, that someone being Baba Yaga herself. "Well, don't just stand there! Go inside and see what it's for!"

"It could lead to anywhere, are you sure about this?" I asked.

"It'll be fine!" she exclaimed. "Besides, if something comes up, we'll just have to summon you back here again."

I decided not to argue. I do this sort of thing all the time anyway, might as well see what's up. I walked up to the portal, sticking one hand in. After I determined it was safe to enter, I stepped through it entirely.

So, what do you think? Have you fallen in love with my awesome story-telling skills yet?! Just kidding, this is my first time writing a story, but I hope you enjoyed it so far! Chapter 2 is coming up soon.