MagiStream

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***

I laid on my desk, my head in my hands. The teacher was explaining the concept of triple conjunctive exponent intercept inequalities. Why did I have to have math last period? I thought. I looked over at Kara, to my right. Kara was a grade younger than me, but that didn’t affect our friendship much.

The bell rang. I put away my textbook and quill and walked over to join Kara by the door. We started walking.

“What are you doing today, Leisha?” Kara asked.
“Finishing up the quest. You?”

“Homework.” We giggled.

A pause. “How is that quest going?”

“Just about finished. I have the chimeras, and I need one more kitsune. I’m going to breed it today.”

“That guy running it is kinda creepy, isn’t he?”

“Oh yeah. You’re lucky you already have your wyvern.”

“He’s still an egg.”

“I’d come to your house, but I have so much homework, and you know, the quest…”

“Besides, you already visited him today.”

“Oh yeah.”

We walked the rest of the way in silence. We reached Kara’s house, and bade our goodbyes. I continued on, walking the rest of the way to my house. My kitsunes bred successfully, and I fed my creatures and hurried on to the creepy old guy’s hut.

I knocked. “Um… Mordcai? I think you said that was your name? Um, I have the, um eggs you, um, asked for…”

I tried the doorknob. It was unlocked. I entered, wary of my surroundings. The old man, Mordcai, has huddled around a cauldron, muttering a spell. I vaguely recognized it from my class period.

The old man stood. “Do you have them?”

“Um… yeah. I mean, Why would I be here if I… um…” I stuttered as Mordcai gave me a glare.

“You shouldn’t talk back to your elders.”

I stepped back. He stepped forward.

“You want something other than the Wyvern.” It was true. I was the last of my class to get a wyvern, and I thought they were a passing fad. But how did he know that?

“Umm… no, no, the Wyvern is fine… um…”

“If you get the wyvern, you will sell it for gold.” Also true. I was desperately low on funds. But again, how did he know that?

“No, no… um, I’ll keep it, um… cherish it forever, you know…” I faltered.

“Do not lie to me. I can see that you do not appreciate my gift. There is one other thing I can give you, worth more than the egg, but only the bravest can handle its strength.” What is it? A voltarian alphyn? I wondered.

“It requires an extra quest step. By tomorrow at sunset, you must bring me the most cherished creature within your keep.”

“Will I, um, be able to, um, keep it?” This guy is seriously missing a few marbles.

“Yes, but you may no longer sell it.” Ookay. This was reaalllly strange.

“You must also give me another five thousand gold, with which I will buy the spell ingredients.”


Comments? Critique?
If I get two positive comments, I will write chapter two.

Pretty well written so far, and quite a good start! I'm intrigued.

Thanks!

The next day, Kara and I were walking along the path to my keep.

“Hey Kara?”

“Yeah?”

“I know you like science, but why do you take a scientific viewpoint on absolutely everything? I mean, like, magic isn’t scientific.”

“Well, what I figure is, magic is just a science we don’t understand yet.”

“Why does your logic always trump mine?”

“Good question. Anyway, how’s that quest going?”

“The creepy old guy is making me do another quest step. He says something about how I don’t appreciate his gift.”

“It isn’t a gift if you have to pay 5k for it.”

“That’s not the point. The point is that he’s asking for my most cherished creature.”

Kara gasped. “Nainiyare? Do you get to keep her?”

“Yeah, but I can’t sell, trade, or release her anymore.”

“Weird.”
***

Nainiyare is a Nareun Quetzalcoatl. She got her name from an old spell book I found lying around the house. She isn’t questborn, or even first generation, but is still my favorite. I found her near her bed, resting peacefully. She chattered angrily when I woke her up. I slung her over my shoulder.

“C’mon, you. I need you for a quest.”

Nainiyare blinked in alarm.

“Of course I get to keep you. I’d never give you away.”

She nuzzled my forearm. A few minutes later, we arrived at Mordcai’s residence. I knocked. The door was open. I heard Mordcai rumble, “Do you have the things I asked for?”

I faltered. “Um, yeah…. I mean, yeah.” A gust of wind – magic, I realized later – pushed me through the door into the cauldron room.

“A fine serpent. What is her name?”

“Um… Nainiyare, um… sir...”

“Very good. Do you have the gold as well?

“Yeah. I mean yes.”

“Very good. Are you ready?”

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. He raised his hands toward me. I was prepared for a warm feeling, a glow, like in the other quests in which I’d been granted an egg. Instead I felt dizzy, and I saw gas seeping out from the cracks in Mordcai’s fingers.

“What are you…” I slumped to the ground, exhausted. I suddenly felt that this was the perfect time to take a nap, that it would be the best thing to sleep, that the dizziness would be gone in the morning. “Nainiyare…” The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was her, falling ungracefully into Mordcai’s arms. Then I passed out.

Aaww!!! What happened???

Good story by the way!

*gasps*
Very good! *wonders what happened to the quetz*

I awoke to an extreme pain in my head and back. I tried to look at my surroundings, but lacked the strength to open my eyes, let alone move my head. I heard the voice of someone – Mordcai. He came into my room.

“Is everything alright?”

I tried to say, “Of course everything isn’t alright. You have me tied to a bed. I can’t open my eyes. My parents are going to kill you while you sleep,” but at that moment, a stream of images washed through my head, drowning me in vividness. I saw a hypodermic needle, a glove, a table, saw flames and blood. And pain. So much pain. I tried to scream, but it came out as sort of a choking hiss. Then the pictures were swept away by an unseen tide, and I lay gasping on the bed. Mordcai hobbled over to a bedside table, picked something up, and placed it on by stomach. A feather. Confused, I drifted out of consciousness, grateful for the reprieve.
* * *
The images returned in my sleep. I awoke, screaming, and realized I could use my voice. I also no longer had restraints around my arms. I looked around for any means of exit, anything, and came upon a window. I ran, still screaming, and smashed it open with my shoulder. I fell.
* * *
“Hello?”

“Kara, it’s me.”

“OMG. We’ve been looking all over for you. Where are you?”

“At my house. Listen, Kara, I need you here right now.”

“Why?”

“I need you to see something.”

“Wait, Leisha, don’t go! Wait!”

OMG what happens next? *oh the suspense!* Your brill at writing storys i love writing storys maybe i should do one!

Bump.