Slice of (magic) Life

Chapter 7 - Axle

Axle entered his room after taking a peak inside his dad's room. To his relief, he was still breathing. He looked like he was asleep with a bad nightmare. Axle lay on his bed, unable to sleep. So many things have happened ever since Elaine tried talking to him. Since then, Axle's relatively normal life crumbled like their school.

Does she know something about what's happening? Axle tossed and turned in his bed. He was too alert and restless from the events of the day. He had never seen or even heard of those creatures made of shadows. His dad never spoke of them to Axle before. Other than lecturing him about how ridiculous he sounded when he asked if fairies existed, Axle's dad pretty much declared that there were no other creatures in the world that were supernatural or magical in any way.

Maybe it's a new discovery? That was unlikely. There had been no more new discoveries about magic or the magical world in centuries, as Axle recalls from his dad's lessons. But even then, those things were as real and dangerous as the situation they were in right now.

Axle's body refused to give in to his tiredness, and he ended up walking around his room quietly while thinking. We're safe as long as we stay inside the house though. Dad's spells will stop them from coming near. That somewhat reassured Axle. He tried taking deep breaths to calm himself, but that didn't work.

Then he tried listening to some of his favorite songs, but not even the catchy tunes and upbeat rhythms could make Axle forget that his dad was hurt and monsters made of shadows have appeared all around the city.

Then he noticed something.

Why were the people at the school ruins just standing around a while ago? They seemed oblivious to the fact that there were shadow creatures roaming about the city now. Axle's mind did a little jump as he thought Could it be that those things are just after people with magic?

It seemed likely, but Axle wasn't gonna accept any theories just yet. Not until help arrived in the morning. At least, Axle hoped it would. He had only ever communicated through living things a few times with his dad for training purposes, and he didn't exactly know the person that his dad usually talks about.

Oh I hope you get here soon Miss Monique. Axle thought as he finally started to get drowsy from a slow and relaxing song that came up on his MP3 player. Axle fell into an anxious and dreamless sleep.

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Axle stood nervously right at the open doorway to their home, with Elaine standing there right beside him. He watched as the esteemed Mage descended with two high-class looking Magicians. Axle shielded his eyes as he craned his neck upwards at the three figures floating down. They indeed arrived in the morning, but to Axle, they might as well have arrived after lunch time.

"I came as soon as I got your uh... somewhat garbled message." said Monique while landing on their front porch with a flourish. Axle scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, "Sorry, it was an emergency and I've never really sent any magic messages that far before." "You must be Axle then, correct?" She asked, to which Axle nodded.

The older magician rubbed her hands together and asked, "Well then, may we come in?"

Axle and Elaine both moved aside from the doorway to let them pass, but they remained standing where they were with expecting faces. When Axle didn't get the message, Monique said politely, "The charms and traps your father set up... Could you please put them away?"

Axle made an OH sound and made all the magic protection spells accommodate the three newcomers. Once finished, Axle once again beckoned for them to enter the house. "How is your father?"