Magic Al made a series of small vocal noises as he took in the scene outside. Most of them were incomprehensible, but I caught a few Hmm's and I see's as the sorcerer stroked his beard thoughtfully.

I'd had a chance to test out his phone while he threw on his robe, which in all honesty didn't look a whole lot different from his pajamas. The phone was completely dead, so there was no luck testing out whether I could get in contact with anyone elsewhere. The power seemed to be out as well and yet the small electrical candles in the staircase continued to shine. I asked Magic Al if he had a backup generator, but he claimed the candles were lit continuously by a low level charm. Once cast, it required no further mental or magical investment from him and it saved him a fortune on electricity bills. It was only powerful enough to light small candles though, so he couldn't run his whole home and shop off of it.

He didn't know who had boarded up his shop along with all of the other businesses on the street, but he did seem like he was figuring something out as he walked around. He paused to bend over and pick up the strange "iPhone" box I had discarded earlier. After studying it for a moment, he let it drop back to the ground and then eventually wound up at the tree with the word "CROATOAN" carved into it.

"Very interesting," he said aloud.

"Does that word mean something to you?" I asked. "Is it some sort of magical incantation?"

"Have you ever heard of the lost Roanoke Colony?" Magic Al asked as he turned and gave me a considering look.

While I consider myself a highly educated man, even I have to admit it's impossible for one person to know everything. "No, I can't say I'm familiar with it."

"Ah, it's quite a fascinating tale. In the late 16th century, English settlers established a colony on Roanoke Island in what is now North Carolina. After about a year, the leader of the expedition went back to England to gather supplies. He was delayed from returning to the colony for a couple years by the Anglo-Spanish war, but by the time he made it back, he discovered it had been completely abandoned and there was no sign of the settlers. Except for the mysterious word 'CROATOAN' carved into a post."

"That's gnarly," Antony said. "So what does that word mean?"

"Most likely it was a reference to another nearby island by the name of Croatoan. It is believed to be a message that the settlers relocated there, although that can't be confirmed as they were never found. Nor was it ever explained why they abandoned the Roanoke settlement. A colony of over one hundred people just vanished mysteriously off the face of the Earth."

"I can't help but draw a parallel to our current situation," I said.

"Indeed, there are some striking similarities," Magic Al said.

"Do you think, like, the Witch of the Misty Woods got those colonists?" Antony asked. "She was pretty ancient looking. I would believe she could be a few hundred years old."

"Anything is possible," Magic Al shrugged.

"So why is this word carved here?" I asked. "Is somebody trying to send us a message? Did everybody go to this Croatoan Island?"

"I find that unlikely, but it is possible," Magic Al took off his spectacles and wiped them on his robe. "Most likely it's some sort of prank. Or it could be that the actual original carving has been transported here by magical means. I'm actually starting to lean in that direction based on the presence of the other archaic objects that seem to be strewn around here."

"Why would somebody do that?" I asked.

"It could be a side effect," Magic Al said. "There is much here that remains uncertain to me, but I can tell you one thing I'm sure of. An extremely powerful and dangerous spell has been cast somewhere in this vicinity. Or perhaps, I should say it will be cast tonight. Gentlemen, I believe that unless we stop it from happening, we may be among the last living creatures on the entire Earth."

"Aw nuts," Chaucer squawked.