A Story By Chance

Day 20: The Spell

Dice: footprint, lightbulb, turtle, theater masks, eye, Earth (planet), cane, magic wand, sad face

Date: August 24th, '24

Now the real trick would be harder to execute. The wizard had practiced for many, many years to accomplish a feat none had ever tried before. He had dedicated half his life and then some for this day to be perfect.

It had been an idea first planted when he had been a young child, a morbid fascination that led him to create the greatest trick the Galaxy had ever known. He had to be patient, train hard. Many of his friends created for their graduation project, an innovative spell that would grant them the title of wizard. But he, he loved dismantling objects.

The wizard was an old man now, he walked slowly and upon a cane—an easy way to become underestimated—and was ready to set his plan into motion. He had spent his wizard years from planet to planet, performing before wide-eyed spectators who clapped at his basic tricks like babies. He felt ashamed of his performative youth. Alas, experience was experience and everything he had learned was useful to him now. This trick, this last trick would leave such a footprint of his grandiose, his power.

The day of the trick, no one was there to witness it. All the better, for it was not the magic per se that was important, but the aftermath: it would shake the Galaxy to its core, for it was a spell like none other. A curse.

The wizard did not consider himself evil. It was not evil what he was about to do. In fact, it would do the planet much good, for it had done nothing but become a bother to the rest of the Systems. This was merely a time-out, a moment for the people of Earth to reflect. After all, his nemesis had been born here. Oh, and her new home would come next. Earth was, after all, the lab test to see if his little spell would work.

He closed his eyes and readied himself. Magic was energy, something that came from the heart, the mind, the body. It was power coursing through the veins and nervous system like electricity. It was the same for all and yet different to anyone who channeled it. Some used magic wands, others incantations, materials, drawings, writings. Yet the outcome always came from the heart.

When the spell was done, he saw as clouds slowly gathered around the surface of what once had been called the Blue World. Now, it would simply be called the Gray Planet, for storms would ravage its surface, cleansing it from the many maladies that plagued it, in turn pestering the rest of the Galactic Systems. Did it matter that Earthlings had once promoted space travel and communications with their discovery of Harnessed Wormholes?

Now, they were sentenced to remain trapped inside their little planet, never to disturb anyone. And I took that personally.

It was time to visit a personal colleague of his, now.