**Secret Artist #14 — Hugo’s Test** You probably think that a Wizard Prison is a dark place guarded by soul-sucking demons, but actually, wizards are highly intelligent (though they do say so themselves), and therefore believe that isolation is a sufficient punishment for a wizard who has done wrong. It also meets the very important criteria of keeping segregated those who are a danger to the general public/universe. Wizards are also not big fans of the death penalty. Though this is less to do with high-minded thinking, and more to do with laziness, as wizards are also notoriously difficult to kill. It’s for this reason that, amongst the stars, you will find a portal to a beautiful land with cascading water, singing birds, and a giant tree that a wizard known as “Hugo” calls his home. On this day (though days are somewhat arbitrary concepts when talking in terms of space and time), Hugo has a visitor. It’s his first visitor in over 2000 years… The Grey Wizard Silas passed through the portal and wrapped his staff against the door. Hugo had fallen asleep in his chair after an intense afternoon of smoking pipeweed. The unexpected knock sent him jumping in the air. “GOOD HEAVENS! Who…WHO THE DEVIL IS THERE? NAME YOURSELF, MAN OR BEAST!? … OR WOMAN!?” “Hugo! It is I, you’re old friend Silas!” “Silas! Shi…GREAT! I’LL BE DOWN IN A SECOND!” Hugo looked around the room, spotted a few black crystals and chucked them under his bed. Then he noticed the book lying on his bedside table, “Magical Entrapments and How to Escape Them”. He ran over and began putting it back on his bookshelf, “Doing a little bit of light reading, Hugo?” “JESUS! Silas, you scared the life out of me. How on EARTH did you get…ohh, levitated through the window. Slightly rude of you, but never mind.” Hugo picked a random book off the shelf, “Yes, I was just about to make a start on…” “Banshee Babes and Dashing Druids…Volume III?” Silas raised a bushy eyebrow. Hugo blushed. “Well… It’s… once you’ve read the first two, you might as well…” Silas cleared his throat and took a seat. “Hugo… I’m here to assess your eligibility for rehabilitation through a series of tests.” “Rehabili—WHAT!? You’re not serious? You’re letting me OUT!” “Not—” “Thank the GODS! I mean, this place is beautiful, but there’s only so much—” “Hugo! You’re not being freed. Not yet.” Hugo’s face temporarily fell. Tests, man! You’ve got to pass the tests! There’s paperwork!” “Of course! I LOVE paperwork!” Hugo said, grinning like a madman. “Ok, first things first… Are you now, or have you, in the last 4388 years of incarceration, ever considered: overthrowing the Wizard’s Council and taking control by any means, including creating an entire army of shadow monsters?” “Good GRIEF! NO! I haven’t given it a second thought… except to think that I should NEVER MAKE SUCH A MISTAKE AGAIN!” “Fantastic. That’s good progress, Hugo.” Silas nodded his head. “And what about the Wizard’s Council in general, what are your feelings towards your fellow wizards?” “Love… mostly love. I feel a lot of love for them. I love the council. I love the bureaucracy. I love the rules. The whole setup. It’s… lovely.” “What about the Archmage?” “LOVE!” “You love him? You don’t want to… what was it… ‘cast him into a fiery pit of fire and have his ashes made into a thick cement that can be used to create a statue of yourself’?” “No, Silas. That was one time. One time! And I was under the influence when I said that.” “Goood Hugo! That’s what I like to hear. Ok, ok. Let’s do some word association…” “Yes, words! My words will PROVE to you that I am a changed wizard.” “Ok, first word… Power” “HUNGRY!” Silas raised an eyebrow. “Sorry! Power!? I thought you said… chowder. Power, eh? In that case… GIRL!” “Girl? Power girl? Girl power?” “Yes, it’s very trendy I believe. Perhaps it’s not quite reached the rest of the council...” “Hmmm…sounds dangerous…Girl Power…” “Well, yes! Well, no! Because if it were dangerous, I, of course, would have nothing WHATSOEVER to do with it!” “Quite. Ok, next word… Seize” “SEIZE…CONT…CONT” “Sorry?” “Ehh.. SEIZE CONTINUALLY…the day … as it stretches out before you in all its magnificence.” “Very well. It’s supposed to be one word, but fine.” “Last one…annihilation.” Hugo opened his mouth and then closed it again, “...emmm… cheese?” “Splendid! I love cheese!” Silas giggled. Silas stood up “For the final test, Hugo, you must submit to me your staff.” “Very well. Though …it’s not really considered good edicate to handle another…”, muttered Hugo. “Give it here, Hugo.” Silas held the staff in both hands and it began to glow. “I will now perform… A spell check!” “A spell…NO!” The staff flashed brightly and then went out. Silas had a puzzled look on his face. “It looks like… it seems like…you used a spell to… attack…no … split… tiny little parts of matter. Tiny little chemical elements… Uranium?” Hugo looked at the floor, “...yes” “Hugo, we expressly told you that you were forbidden from breaking things… but since these are only tiny little particles, I can’t see any harm in it…” Hugo looked up. His eyes widened. “You mean…” “Hugo, I want you to take my Energy Crystal and unbreak the seal to your cosmic prison.” “Silas! I can’t believe it! I’m FREE!? And all I need to do is… wait… Your energy crystal.” “Yes.” Said Silas, removing it from his own staff. “The way to unlock the seal on my prison is by giving me your energy crystal?” “Yes.” “And then I’ll have two, and you’ll have zero.” “Yes. Until you give me mine back.” “Yes… of course! And give it back I SHALL!” Silas smiled and handed over the crystal. Hugo’s eyes immediately darkened and a sinister smile spread over his face. He held both crystals high above his head. “Silas, thank you! Thank you for being a complete …. and utter… FOOL! Get ready to join the archmage in that FIERY PIT OF FIRE! I’m going to combine your ashes into one THICK CEMENTY PASTE AND MAKE A PLINTH FOR MY OTHER STATUE! AND THEN I’LL SUMMON THE COUNCIL AND I’LL BUILD A FORTRESS FROM THEIR BONES AND I’LL WEAVE RUGS FROM THEIR BEARDS AND…AND… EVEN SMALLER RUGS FROM THEIR…” Hugo stopped to take a breath, and noticed that Silas didn’t look afraid of these undeniably scary threats. He just looked disappointed. He began shaking his head. “Hugo, Hugo, Hugo…” Hugo looked up at Silas’s crystal, and then back at Silas. Then to the crystal, and back again at Silas. “It’s not really your crystal, is it?” “No. It’s not.” “This was part of the test, wasn’t it?” “It was.” “I didn’t pass, did I?” “No, Hugo. You did not.” *** (Please note that in the unlockable content of “Hugo’s Test”, the buyer will also receive a couple of exclusive alternative WIPs created by Secret Artist #14.) *** **The Secret Artists Project** The world of NFTs opens up new, creative opportunities for artists and also for the ecosystem that surrounds them. The Secret Artist Project works to curate innovative artists from inside and outside of the NFT community. We ask them for a piece of their work that has yet to be minted and add it anonymously to our collection. This puts the focus on the art and not the artist. We want people to buy the art simply because they love it. The Secret Artist Project has no Discord, no Telegram, no overambitious roadmap. However, there is one very special bonus you receive with your NFT from The Secret Artist Project, and that is... **The Artist** While their identity remains a mystery to everyone else, the artist's details will be revealed to you after purchasing the NFT — as if you've discovered their signature scrawled on the back of their painting. So now, you not only have the NFT to hang in your home or display in the Metaverse, you also have the opportunity to discover more of the artist’s work. In addition, by holding the NFT and discovering its secrets, you become part of The Secret Artist Project community. Those who hold secrets, hold power... **The Aims of the Secret Artist Project** — to positively impact the artist by putting their art first — to introduce new artists to the NFT space (though we have some well-known artists in our collection too!) — to promote art we love and collaborate with artists we trust *** If you have any questions, or if you’re an artist who would like to feature your artwork in the project, please go to The Secret Artist Project collection’s Opensea page for contact details/socials https://opensea.io/collection/the-secret-artist-project — The Merchant of Venus, Curator of The Secret Art Project
Name
Secret Artist #14 — Hugo’s Test
ID#81034769…679425
Rarity
N/A