Magic

Chapter One

Magica studied the cloudless blue sky. Her purple eyes darted around looking for movement in the blue above her. She had been searching the skies for hours now but she was still waiting.

"Magica?"

Magica jumped.

"Drago! Do not sneak up on me like that. You scared me," Magica said. "I have been waiting for you and your dragon for quite some time now."

"Sorry, I had to walk. My dragon is sick," Drago said sadly. "That is why I wanted to talk to you. Will you return to Mirth with me and see if there is anything you can do for him?"

"Of course I will Drago," Magica agreed.

Magica travelled to Mirth with Drago. They arrived at Mirth around noon.

"This way." Drago pointed towards a large house with brick walls. Magica followed Drago into the house.

They entered a big room that was empty, apart from the sickly-looking dragon curled up in the corner.

Magica approached the dragon. He lifted his head slightly. After recognising her, the dragon let his head drop again. She crouched next to him and placed her hand on his muzzle, whispering words of magic under her breath.

Nothing happened. Magica closed her eyes and tried again. Still nothing happened.

"It is not working," Magica said standing up.

"What do we do now?" asked Drago, who had been standing in the opposite corner.

"I do not know?" Magica replied.

❇❇❇

A few days passed but the dragon's condition only worsened. Finally, the dragon died.

Magica had returned home and did not know of the terrible event that taken place until Drago showed up on her doorstep.

"Drago, whatever is the matter? Is it your dragon?" Magica asked the crying boy standing before her. Drago nodded.

"He died through the night," he sobbed. Magica moved forward and put her arms around him.

"It is okay," she said. When Drago looked at her, confused, unsure of how his dragon dying could be okay, she explained.

"He has just moved on to another world, to which you and I will one day travel to as well. And he still lives on, in our hearts and memories."

Drago smiled slightly.

"Thank you Magica. I feel a little better now," Drago said as he wiped his eyes.

Drago had some tea and cake before returning to his home in Mirth.

❇❇❇

A week later, Drago returned to Magica's home but he was not the same. Magica noticed that his brilliant blue eyes did not shine as they usually did.

"Hello Drago," Magica said.

"Good morning," was Drago's answer.

"What brings you to my house on this fine morning?" Magica asked curiously. Normally Drago sent a black bird – not a raven, though – to warn her of his arrival.

"I was wondering if you wanted to come with me, to see something I found in the forest?" Drago explained.

"Sure, I will come," Magica replied.

Ten minutes later, the companions were walking through the forest when they stumbled upon a tall, stone tower.

"This is what I wanted to show you," Drago said, jabbing a finger at the tower.

"It looks like an abandoned watchtower," Magica assumed.

"Yes," Drago agreed. "I want to explore it but I am not brave enough to go alone. It looks haunted. Do you want to come with me?"

This surprised Magica. Drago was not usually the superstitious type.

Magica hesitated, eyeing the tower.

"I guess so," Magica decided, finally.

The two friends approached the tower. Magica stretched out her hand to push the massive wooden doors open but there was no need, for as they approached, the doors creaked open slowly.

"Well... that is welcoming," Magica said, stressing the word 'is', as if she were trying to make herself believe it to be true.

She stepped forward cautiously. In the centre of the tower, a crumbling climb of stone steps led up to the floors overhead.

Drago strode passed Magica and started up the stairs.

"Drago! They do not look safe! Perhaps we should not go up," Magica advised.

"It is perfectly safe. Come on Magica!"

Again, Magica hesitated. Drago stood, watching her and waiting for her to answer. Finally, she made her mind. She started making her way up the stairs.

Magica and Drago were almost at the top floor, judging by the height they had climbed, when Drago put up his hand.

"Wait here," he said.

"But-"

"No buts," Drago cut Magica off and headed up the stairs.

Magica waited for what felt like an eternity. When Drago finally returned his eyes were misted over.

"Come," he said, beckoning for her to follow.

"Drago..."

"Come," he said urgently. Reluctantly, Magica followed Drago up the last of the stairs and then up an old, rickety ladder that led to the topmost floor.

At the top of the ladder was an open trapdoor with a rusty lock.

Drago climbed up the ladder and into the room. When Magica entered the room, Drago had disappeared. Magica turned a full circle and saw no one.

"Drago?" Magica called out, beginning to panic.

Suddenly, something hard hit Magica over the head. Magica saw a figure in a long black cloak walk in front of her.

"Well done Drago," the figure said in a soft but firm voice. Magica's world blurred and darkness consumed her.