Tangled in the Mystery of Magic

Home? Or somewhere unknown?

Alvin

"Welcome to the royal palace of Ahtohallan." the magician said and I paused to look up at the most jaw dropping sight in front of me.

Oh...My...God... It was so beautiful. Even an artist's imagination would not be able to capture the sight in front of me. It was surrounded by large turrets and huge buildings. The main building had splendid architecture. The entire palace was made of crystals which shimmered in the sunlight. It looked as if the palace was made of ice. And yet, the gardens around it told a different story. The flowers were in full bloom, like in spring and dotted with butterflies. 

"Wow!" Cleo said and I looked at her staring in wonder at the palace and I couldn't take my eyes off her. The sunlight shone in her eyes as she looked at the palace with awe, the wind gently caressing her hair. I couldn't believe that the person who was my friend, just another orphan like me, was the princess of Ahtohallan, unaware of her own legacy. 

My eyes shifted to the Magician and he too was looking at the palace but the difference was that Cleo's eyes shone with happiness, while his had pain and sadness in them.

I mean I would be sad too. Having to leave such an amazing home is so not appealing.

"If you have stared enough then can we go in and figure out what we really came for?" the dwarf asked angrily.

I turned to look at him "Its the first time seeing the palace and we won't even admire it? I mean taking your eyes off this thing should be deemed a crime" I said.

"Whatever... Its not my first time though." he said.

"WHATT??? You have seen the palace before?" I asked and he looked at me as if I was crazy.

He was about to say something but the magician intervened. "All magical creatures are the citizens of Ahtohallan. They get their magic from this place but it is not necessary for them to live here. They usually move out into the mortal realm and work as magicians, sorcerers and seers there. You see, you commoners have more value for magic than we do. I mean, you even fall for those petty illusions created by the cleverer ones and pay for being fooled! Here we dismiss these kinds of acts as petty tricks. So, they travel to your realm, make more money and earn more respect than they would have in this kingdom." he said.

"Now I get it why you became a magician." I said.

He shot me an angry glare and muttered something under his breath.

"Can we go in?" Cleo asked.

"Yes, we can princess so that---" he was cut short by the sound of running.

Cleo had already ran up to the gates.

"I wanted to tell her that it was not a very good idea. But she really doesn't listen." The magician sighed. 

I wanted to smack him on his head but he was too tall. My poor genes didn't even support this! So, I had no other choice but to tell him with words. "So why didn't you tell her so, you idiot?" I asked.

"I was trying to be sarcast--- Wait! What did you call me? How dare you call me an idiot? You are an idiot and no one here comes close to you. The thing I really don't understand is how someone as intelligent as Cleo could be friends with you. Did you charm her enough that she forgot your stupidity?" He countered.

"And I don't understand how someone so intelligent could share her genes with an idiot like you." I retorted.

"Will you idiots stop fighting and stop her for God's sake!" The dwarf yelled. 

Both of us stopped quarrelling and looked at him.

He really looked like he had lost his patience.