2023 Story Collection

The Isle of Dragons and The Land of Giants IX

Knox had joined his men that morning to train with the Dragons. He hoped it'd help him focus on something besides what had happened last night. Had that really happened? Was it all a dream?

"Oof," he takes a hard hit to the stomach from Fredor.

"What happened?" Fredor asks, relaxing his stance and wiping the sweat from his brow. "I've never been able to land a hit on you."

"I found something out that changes everything." Knox runs a hand through his long hair. "Fredor, I dont even know who I am anymore."

Fredor grabs Knox and pulls him aside to the edge of the snow covered clearing near the edge of pine trees.

"What happened?" Fredor asks again, this time his joking tone gone, "and dont avoid the question."

"Have you heard of the Land of the Magicians?"

"A bit," this surprises Knox.

"You have? I only heard of it for the first time a few days ago."

"My grandfather's circus would travel through the Land of Magicians and perform all across the land." He said.

Knox had remembered Fredors grandfather. He was the one who raised him. Fredor had told Knox of how no one knew how old the man really was. He looked not a day past 20 his whole life. Even the day he died.

"He told me stories of The Land of Magicians and their abilities." Fredor continued. "He said his first love had made him immortal to spend the rest of time together, but she died before she could run away with him. He was left immortal without her until finally he was finally able to die by another Magicians hand."

"Who was that Magician?"

"The First King," He says as if it was nothing.

"The First King?" Knox asks, practically choking.

"They were drinking buddies."

"What?"

"Remember how I told you after my grandmother died, my grandfather asked a friend to kill him as a favor because he couldn't deal with losing another great love?" Knox nods. "That was the First King."

Knox just nods in shock, trying to understand how that could be possible, but it makes sense. The details line up. "It is a small world."

"Why do you ask?"

I should just show him, he thinks to himself. Knox looks around for some bark or a piece of wood while speaking. "Turns out that old man I met when I was young that taught me about omens was the First King.""What?"

At this point, they'd travel a small distance from the other men, who were still sparring. Now, surrounded by pine trees, Knox finally finds a suitable stick.

"Hold this," Knox hands the Fredor the stick. "Watch it and be careful not to get burned."

"What do you mean don't get burned-ouch!" He drops the stick into the snow, holding his hand.

"I warned you." Knox picks up the stick and blows the flame out. Something he found out last night is that only he can undo his magic.

"How did you do that?" Fredor asks, a bit scared.

"I close my eyes and focus on the stick, imagining a flame at the end. When I open my eyes, it's there."

"But-what?"

"Turns out I'm a Magician." he smiles at his friend's shock. "Surprise."

"How?"

"Genetics, I suppose."