Chapter Four
Justin knew that this discussion was only keeping him from focusing on the more pressing matter of figuring out how to get back home, but when Maggie's grip around her waist loosened at his enthusiasm, he decided to keep talking.
"Mythical creatures. I can't get enough of them." Maggie let her arms fall to her side as she brightened at his words. "What do you mean by 'mythical'?"
"Creatures that don't exist in the real world, but are part of our literature and oral stories. Creatures like the griffin, chimera, unicorn, and dragon. There are countless others, but those are some right off the top of my head."
Maggie's eyes had steadily grown wider as he spoke. "These creatures aren't real in your world?" Justin couldn't help but notice that she seemed very confused by this. "No, they aren't real. Why?"
Maggie took one steadying breath before continuing. "Because they are very real here."
Justin could do nothing but look at her as he tried to digest what she said. Surely he had heard her wrong. "Are you telling me that you have actual griffins, chimeras, unicorns, and dragons here? Like live ones, not some kind of animatronic or puppet?"
Maggie nodded once. "I don't know what those things are, but we most definitely have your so-called 'mythical' creatures alive and breathing and being general nuisances."
Looking around, Justin craned his neck, hoping to see a unicorn or dragon in the distance. "Where, where are they?"
Maggie placed a hand on his arm, directing his gaze back to her. "They roam free in this land and could be anywhere at anytime. There are many different creatures, and it is against the law to intentionally kill them. The animals sense they cannot be harmed, so they do whatever they want without any fear of punishment.
Justin couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What kinds of stuff do they do?"
Maggie's previous discomfort was long forgotten as she animatedly explained Aldervaile's struggles with mythical creatures. "They eat our crops and burn our houses. They steal shiny objects, and many have a propensity for damsels in distress. We have had many knights and squires who have tried to rescue people and didn't make it back."
Justin slumped down at her words. "But that is normal. Just like squirrels hoard nuts and birds build nests with things they find, dragons like shiny things and often keep them close by. And all animals must eat. They don't understand that you need to eat the crops too. It sounds like they are just doing what their nature tells them to do."
Frustration streaked across Maggie's face before she looked down at her lap. "That might be the case, but it still doesn't help my people when they are struggling to eat and hold on to their houses and possessions. Not to mention the loss of life. There is no excuse for that. I don't care if it is their nature."
"Your people?" Justin asked. Maggie looked out over the horizon as though collecting her thoughts. "I mean, people in general. I know so many who have had run-ins with these mythical creatures and have wound up worse for wear because of it. It is a problem that I wish I had a solution to. I know the king has had his mages working on a solution for over a year. So far, all they have suggested is exiling all of the creatures to an uninhabited piece of land and letting them fend for themselves. But that would ultimately harm them, so it goes against our laws."
"Wait, you have mages here? Mages, as in magicians?" Justin ran his fingers through his hair, causing it to stand on end, before continuing. " Are you telling me that magic is real?"
"Yes," Maggie said, so matter-of-factly that it made Justin feel stupid for even questioning it. "Is it not where you are from?" Justin sat as though frozen as he absorbed her words. "No, magic is most definitely not real in my world. We have science, but that is as close as it comes."
"What's science?" Justin cringed at her question. There was no good way for him to answer her. "Don't worry about it. It isn't important, and I couldn't explain it to you if it were. Just take my word for it that it isn't the same."
Maggie shrugged as though indifferent to the request. "If you say so. Anyways, the king has had a terrible time assuring the people that the creatures will be contained, but not harmed."
"You never did say why it is a law not to harm them. Don't get me wrong, I am glad it is a law, but why did it become one?" Maggie rubbed her arms as though chilled. "All of the magic in this world comes from these creatures. Killing one of them intentionally would only take away a source of magic. While their deaths do put a small amount of magic back into the earth, it is their lifeforce that truly makes the magic great. It is our job to protect and nurture them, and in turn, they enable us to do great things. However, lately, we have barely been able to contain their 'nature' as you call it. There are even some whispers of completely doing away with these creatures, even if we lose the ability to do magic."
Justin was appalled at that suggestion. "No, you can't. That isn't right." Maggie held up her hand. "Don't worry, the king won't let that happen. He sees the importance of the creatures even beyond the magic that they give us. He genuinely values all life and will not permit them being destroyed. But he still needs a way to minimize their damage."
At her last sentence, Justin's eyes caught onto the D20 dice embedded into the book, still lying in the field, and something clicked into place in his head. "That's it!"
"What's it?" Maggie was thoroughly confused by his change in topic.
"That's why I was summoned here. It has to be." Looking over at Maggie, Justin did something he had never done in his entire life. He reached for a girl's hand and took it. He was momentarily shocked when she didn't pull away. But after a brief pause, he continued. "I think one of the king's mages summoned me here to find a solution to your problem with mythical creatures."