My eyes are weary and grow heavier with every passing moment. I rub them as I try to concentrate on the book I'm trying to read which is very thick and not easy to understand. Many passages I have to reread several times before I get the vaguest inkling as to what the words are trying to convey. As such, I am pouring over the difficult tome, willing my eyes to use the light provided by the few candles that grace my desk.
All at once my eyes are blinded by a brilliant flash of light. I raise my hands to shield them, as my vision slowly returns to me. I look to the full-sized cell that sits toward the center of the room, where I find a swirling vortex of light. I watch as bit by bit a strange, floating, pulsating liquid comes through. Slowly, it solidifies into a large, purple cocoon.
I rise from my place at the dusty, old desk and reach out for my cane which is propped to one side. I hobble my way toward the cage, all the while my body gives off a cacophony of sounds that issue forth from every joint and crevice. I put my hand to the cage door and open it wide so I can get a better look at the confined, fleshy sack.
I gaze at the strange thing and put forth my hand to touch it. It feels leathery and has smooth bumps all over its surface. It reminds me of an egg and I can feel something inside fighting to get out. Little by little cracks start to form all over the surface and pieces begin to flake off as the thing inside pushes against the confinement.
A hand breaks through the strong membrane, covered in a kind of green goo and sporting tiny claws. It takes hold of the opening and produces another hand which it uses to assist in pulling open the crack it created. More and more it opens before my eyes and the green goo spills out of the hole and makes a nasty mess on the floor. I'll clean it later.
I watch as the hole grows larger until it is wide enough for the small creature contained within to emerge. It's mouth is wide open as though it's screaming from intense pain. It seems to me like a young boy, who stretches his body out as the liquid covering his body drips off, revealing light blue skin and a musculature in miniature.
The boy closes his mouth as his eyes go wide while he tries to take in the entirety of the strange environment that surrounds him. That's when I see them, a pair of wings, jutting from out of his back, which he shakes vigorously to dry and uses to lower himself to the floor. His feet touch down and he looks to me.
I open the cage and step inside. The little, blue boy takes immediate notice and reaches out for my robe. He clings tightly as he draws closer and stares up into my face with his deep, blue eyes. I give him a smile as my eye takes note of the wings which continue to develop as the goo slips off. Curiosity burning in my brain I reach for the boy's aerial appendages.
My fingers take hold of the growing protrusions and I find the membrane sticky and my hands hold fast. Gingerly, I try to remove my fingers without doing damage, but the boy is not so composed and jumps away. My hands cannot release themselves and the wings are ripped from out of the boy's back.
The strange child impacts the cage and his eyes grow even wider while his mouth widens to an uncomfortable degree, as he issues forth a blood curdling, silent scream. The wings fall from my hands and impact the floor below, where they remain completely motionless, while their owner turns his menacing eyes upon me, reaches up and yanks me down by my robe till I'm face to face with him.
He lets loose his fury with a wide open mouth and a terrible look in his eyes, which glow brighter and brighter, until they are like strong flashing lights. The power grows along with his rage and exudes from the holes in his back, creating new, vibrant wings which stretch twice as large as they had been.
Slowly he lowers his body till he is crouched and allows his wings to settle on the ground as he quietly seethes inside. I reach down but my gesture is too late as he abruptly stands and launches himself into the air, ripping through the top of the cage and the roof above it with a tremendous crash raining debris all over the place, letting the rain inside.
I quickly recover from the shock and rush myself, in as much as I can, to the nearest window. I gaze outside my tower at the magnificent display of the boy with luminescent wings flying through a torrential downpour. I am simply in awe of the scene and watch until the boy is completely gone from sight, the only thing left is a fading trail of blue.
I am nearly intoxicated by the sight, it's just so beautiful. So much so that I have to replay it all in my head. I could be wrong, but I swear the boy's glistening wings grew till they were three, no four times his size. Such growth, such development in so short a time, a magnificent specimen to be sure. I resolve then and there to find him and make amends if I can.
I look to the bookshelf which holds all of my research and many other books besides. I hobble my way over and regret my previous over action since it makes my muscles all the more sore and my bones pop even louder. I steal glances every which way. You never know when you're being watched.
Satisfied, I discreetly push the books on the second, topmost shelf to one side, giving me ample room to disengage the lock which keeps the secret door from opening and then push the obstructing works back. I make my way to the side of the bookcase, push the tapestry aside and take hold of the small indentation that allows my fingers to slip through thus giving me ample purchase to pull upon.
I quietly shut the door behind me and push it till I hear the lock engage. Inside is another full-sized room which serves as my true laboratory. I store all of my truly personal research, namely the things that I'd rather no one learn about, scattered throughout the room. Especially those of my little friends, housed inside their own little cages.
They all look to me as I hurriedly take hold of a large satchel and gather a variety of the cages. I then make my way to the secret door and pull on the latch, which is a small dragon figure, release the lock, slip outside and shut it behind me. I replace the tapestry and make my way to the table I was reading at.
I take hold of the first cage, open it up and find a bowl sitting inside with a pink goop inside. I take the receptacle out and pour the strange substance on my chair. Carefully, I take hold of the soppy solid and shape it until it resembles myself, down to the last detail. It is for this ability that I call the thing mimic. Really, what else could it be called?
"Mimic?" I address it and look deep into its ocular cavities.
The thing shaped like me casts its eyes upon my person.
"I need you to sit here and read," I instruct it and point to the large tome. "Do nothing else."
Mimic nods and carries about the pretense, looking as though an old man hard at work. Why the sudden need for caution. My advanced age has made me paranoid that someone, or something is out to get me. For what purpose I know not, nor to what extent they'll go. As such, I like to keep on my toes. After all, you're not paranoid if there really is someone out to get you.
Satisfied, I produce another cage, reach inside and pull out a long folded cloth. I throw the material about me and find that I am now invisible as Shade knows what to do without being told. Now I can leave the tower without being seen and carry on with my mission without any being the wiser. But just for good measure, I decide not to leave by conventional means.
I take hold of a very round cage and remove from it an equally round, white object about the size and shape of a small pillow. I tuck this last one inside my robe before walking toward the open window. I cast my eyes to the ground and see that it is a long way down. I take a deep breath, choke up on my cane and jump.
I am now outside in the pouring rain and falling at an accelerated rate, but I take a moment to admire the beauty of this night. The water falling from the sky. The moon peeking through the cloud cover. The trees bending their leaves to the precipitation. A nearby flowing river, swelling at its banks, threatening to overflow.
The ground is quickly approaching and I remove the white creature from my robes. I place it before me just as I'm about to hit the Earth and the creature absorbs the entirety of the impact as well as canceling all effects upon myself, or any of the creatures I hold. A good ability to have during any precarious circumstance.
I'm very grateful to have Bloob, still not sure why I named it that, and I wonder again the strange place it must have come from. I reasoned that it must have come from a place with many high cliffs and rather than develop the ability to fly, it instead developed the ability to fall. What's more I believe this ability is part of a symbiotic relationship as it keeps others from harm as well. Still, whatever the circumstance, I have things to be about.
I continue on my way, but find each step to weigh me down. It's then that I remember that the very material that makes up Shade's body drinks water as though it were dying of thirst and retains said water till it all dries up. But since there is no sun in the sky I'll have to jettison Shade lest its weight crush me. I'll just have to chance someone watching me for now.
I will return for the waterlogged covering once it's had a chance to dry. In the meantime, I have to find Blue Lightning, the name I've decided upon for the new creature on account of its blue luminescence and the way it flew through the storm and made flashes of light. First I replace Bloob, then I continue on my way avoiding the bigger rocks on the path.
I keep my eyes scanning the skies as I continue to move forward. I know I'm on the right path since Blue Lightning leaves a trail behind him. I only have to follow and I'm sure to encounter him again. But what do I intend to do once I've caught up with him? How do I intend to apologize and makes amends for what happened? No matter the case, I must press on and hope that the solution presents itself.
The rain lets up and the dark sky shows through with a beautiful moon. It's really quite lovely, the perfect backdrop to an evening constitutional and I'm quite enjoying it. So much so that I draw a complete blank on my mission, until I see the boy falling out of the sky like a falling star, leaving a kind of rainbow behind.
Directly before me stands a hillside with the sun just rising from its slumbering. I climb as quickly as my old body will allow, crest the hill and catch sight of Blue Lightning sunning himself while he beats his wings, which are now eight times his size, to remove the excess moisture. It's the first time I've seen him happy since he hatched.
I tread carefully so as not to startle the poor thing who likely curses my name for destroying his wings. Despite my best efforts I'm seen right away and he casts upon me an evil eye. I can't blame him. In the short time that he's been alive he's only known catastrophic pain at my hands and I doubt he'll care that it was an accident.
I move closer while keeping a respectable distance. I find a rock suited for sitting and I sit myself down. I let the morning hours pass while I wait for the little bugger to warm up to me. It doesn't help that his gaze is never so far that he can't keep sight of me and his eyes are no softer. So, I decide to employ a different tactic.
I reach into my satchel and pull out a small cage. I open it and let its lone occupant out. Mikin is a strange sort. Its body is almost completely composed of an elastic material that can stretch at will and snap right back to its ball-like form. In this manner it dances and cavorts all over the place, having a grand old time.
Mikin's playing and carrying on is so infectious that it breaks through Blue Lightning's shell and causes him to jump into the play, running and rolling like a proper quadruped. I can tell from my place that he is having a wonderful time and even I am tempted to join in the fun, but every time he looks at me there is still a hardness there, so I stay out of it.
Come the end of the day, with the sun just starting to set, I decide it's time to set off for home. I start walking away and am immediately accompanied by Mikin who dances all around me and is soon followed by Blue Lightning who still maintains a distance from me. Well, you can't expect everything to resolve itself all at once. I just have to take it a little at a time.
My heart jumps within my chest when I see the tower start to show over the horizon, I am nearly home. I have so much to be about. I need to collect my companions and return them to their respective places and maybe even show Blue Lightning to his new home. After I've performed that miracle I'll need to sit down for a hearty meal and a nap. Being a nocturnal person I have missed my rest period. Yes, things are looking up, but that's when the horror story starts in.
I first notice something is wrong when Mikin draws to a halt mid dance. It stands before Shade who has been cut to ribbons and there are pieces lying everywhere. A thick, black liquid exudes from all the cuts and spills out onto the road. I gather up the pieces as best I can and hope I haven't missed any. I know of several experiments I can try to restore it to its proper state.
I look to my tower where all my tools lay. I am not far now, but something else catches my eye. There is a person standing in front of the door and they are looking my way. With great caution I move forward and Mikin must have sensed my trepidation as it has taken to remaining just behind me.
"Ho there wizard," they call from afar with a voice that mingles the masculine with the feminine. "What have you brought me now?"
"Brought you?" I ask as I continue forward. "I haven't a notion of what you mean."
"You can't really mean to play dumb," they counter and give me a look. "After all, you've just become familiar with my handiwork."
My mind is awash with confusion till it settles upon the ruined Shade. "Are you responsible for my companion's sorry state?" I query as I stop a stone's throw away.
"Indeed I am," they declare and give a nod.
"Why?" is the only word that escapes my lips as I freeze in place.
"You forget yourself wizard," they announce and cross their arms. "You have dragged many a demon into our world and I'm here to put a stop to it. With your life if necessary."
I take the time to size up my opponent. They look to have a strong bearing about them and have sizable biceps protruding from a coat held in place with a thick belt upon which hangs a sword that favors a left hand draw and the legs that support this frame are equally muscular. And I know within an instant that I would not survive a violent encounter with this individual.
I make to speak, but catch sight of Mikin rolling forward at top speed. It rolls on faster and faster till it squarely impacts the leg of the offender and bounces right back. The swordsman looks down on the attacker before promptly stomping on it. Bits of the little mite splatter everywhere and a bright, yellow goo oozes out from the openings.
I shout aloud and shuffle forward as fast as I can. Without even looking I reach into my satchel and pull out another cage. I rip open the door and throw it as best I can which causes it to land within the proper proximity of the target, quite surprising me. I only wonder which of my selection I had blindly chosen.
A puff of green smoke rises into the air completely obscuring my opponent and giving me foreknowledge of who I just summoned. I call it Tenwurth and it's a kind of long snake that can excrete colored smoke out of its pores and can rise into the sky at will. I have no doubt that it'll be able to wrap its taut muscles around the stranger and squeeze them into submission.
The smoke clears with a rising tuft of air and my heart immediately sinks. The overwhelmingly masculine figure with hints of feminism has a strangle hold upon the snake creature which is all but limp at this point and their teeth are buried in its throat. The serpent is undeniably put off the fight and with it my hopes to resolve this conflict in my favor.
"Are you done, or have you any more abominations you'd like to throw at me?" the warrior puts to me while standing ready. "But I can assure you, you will not find Mauve the demon slayer easy to destroy."
I now have a name for the nightmare that currently inhabits my reality. Bad move telling a wizard your name. We have all sorts of nasty little things we can do with it, some of which I dare not mention in proper company. I set my staff squarely in front of me and bite off a chunk of my left palm. I smear the blood all over the bumps in my staff and mutter the incantation under my breath.
A spot in the ground opens up and a swirling whirlpool of malevolent energy manifests in the immediate area. And climbing out of this terrible blight is a mass of spined tentacles. They writhe and wriggle around each other as they fight over who's going to get the best bits. I rarely employ this particular technique as it can get very messy, but they have earned such ire and I send it on.
Mauve casts a stone into the pit. A bright pillar of light erupts from the depression and its immediate disappearance takes with it all the energies designed to destroy them. I'm simply at a loss for words as I quickly scan my mental library to find a spell that can help me at this time and there are many books.
Problem is, that spell took a lot out of me and I'm going to need time to recover, which means I need a barrier to keep my foe at bay. I look to my satchel. There's only one left. Sabin, a kind of ethereal being most useful for flying and moving heavy objects, but not very useful since I plan to make a stand, not flee for my life.
"You're not a very good wizard, are you?" Mauve chides me and flexes their muscles. "If you were, you'd know better than to use a signature spell against a trap magician."
My mouth goes agape.
"Oh, didn't I say?" Mauve continues and tilts their head. "I do seem to forget the details now and then. But no matter, you know what this means so let's not beat around the bush. You are my prisoner, or do I have to break out the cage?"
I shake my head vigorously. I know the cage all too well. I've employed it several times myself. Those who go in will feel the magic in their veins burn to nothing over an agonizing stretch of time where the fire is felt through every ligament and sinew. Most are thrown in to rot, or until their magic is completely gone.
"Here's how it's going to work wizard," Mauve laws down the law and takes a step forward. "You will close down your little portal and I'll stick around till you do. Is that understood?"
"Yes," I mutter as I sink inside thinking of all the innocent creatures they'll likely kill in the meantime.
"Oh ho, what is this?" Mauve starts in as they look to my side. "You've been holding out on me."
I follow the eye-line and find Blue Lightning walking forward. He passes me right by without giving me a second glance. He just walks right up to the trap wizard and stops a mere foot away. As I cannot see I can only guess at what his eyes are relaying at this very moment. I think they're probably intense.
Mauve draws their sword and points it at the little guy's throat. "And what have you to say, little one?" they proceed and exhibit all the signs of outward aggression.
Blue Lightning steps back, crouches down and leaps into the air. It soars ever higher until he's just over the trap wizard's head. He gives a tremendous blast with his outstretched wings and the gust is so powerful it nearly knocks his opponent on their keister. Needless to say the sword hit the ground.
The kid remains in the air while delivering the tremendous rush of air before falling atop Mauve's face with ripping claws. The warrior screams as the claws rip and tear. In a matter of moments it's all over. The threat is now nothing more than a disfigured mess lying on the ground, making the fight well and truly over.
I am absolutely horrified by the barbaric display and more than a little antsy about the boy nonchalantly licking his claws clean. I decide to steer clear of him and never take him for granted again. I collect as many of the pieces I can of the departed Mikin and Tenwurth who is still living.
I take all of these and return to my laboratory to do extensive study and experiments to resurrect my deceased companions which means a lot of long nights, but I can handle it. Last of all Blue Lightning takes a place atop the bookshelf and looks down upon me at all hours of the day. Except when he's sleeping, which is for short periods at a time. Cat naps really.
Under this direct supervision I labor, toil and sweat till I come upon the solution. A spring in the mountains of the shallow goblet, a short journey away, has liquid that can be mashed into a paste when you add a measured amount of dried thistle, and this concoction can be applied to the wounds and act as a life-giving paste. At least that is the remedy that has been inscribed in my collection.
I just hope I get the pieces right as these are going to be giant puzzles of squishy bits. It's a good thing I excelled at such strange hobbies as a child. Hours and hours I'd spend first smashing something, then trying to put them back together before I got into trouble, which I did a lot. But this time is going to be different. It's different because I don't have the option to fail this time.
I'm not facing down a beating or extra chores. These are lives at stake, lives that were dependent on me and I failed them. I left shade to fend for itself and I let poor Mikin be squished so unceremoniously and that's not including the damage I did to poor little Blue Lightning. Who knows, it may have even been my mistreatment that drove him to such a horrendous action.
Bottom line, if I'm going to be a wizard, if I'm going to be an emissary and guardian to a gateway into another dimension, then I need to be more than I am, more than I thought I could ever be. Maybe it's time to take a page from the grizzly tyke's book and sharpen my claws, which in my case would be honing up on my skills. One spell is just not going to cut it. I need to be able to cast multiple spells and of varying types.
I might not be so lucky next time and find myself consigned to the cage. I don't know what I would do then. I cast an eye to the sleeping boy atop my bookshelf, he's asleep but his left eye lid is only half closed, giving it a kind of always watching vibe. Maybe that's it, maybe that's the attitude I must adopt if I am ever to be a proper guardian to these my companions.