Written by Kelsey Smith
Illustrated by Stellanie Abella
"The wizard had many obstacles ahead, and one of them involved a dragon. Though the dragon was the least of his problems."
The wizard leaned upon his staff as the elixir warmed his other hand. He had used all of the staff’s magic a short while ago for the elixir, yet that did not solve all his problems.
The wizard had many obstacles ahead, and one of them involved a dragon. Though the dragon was the least of his problems.
As he traveled deeper and deeper into the forest, the trees thickened and the terrain became tougher. The crystal leaves jingled above him more when the north breeze increased its fury. He braced on through the winding woods though the wind-battered his face. He was on a quest. A quest to save his friend.
The wizard stopped. The trees thinned and the sunbeams extended their hold on the earth, unwilling to let go. The wizard sniffed his nose. Pine. From the mountain. The edge of the forest was near.
He pushed forward through the grove, and he came across a person, five heads taller than him, marching back and forth in front of an iron gate. A giant. They patrolled the mountainside, protecting its inhabitants, even if it wasn’t for their own good. Now the village was destroyed because of a terrible plague his friend caught in his travels, and their objectives had changed into keeping anyone out at any cost.
Once the giant noticed the wizard, he leapt from the gate and landed right in the front of the wizard. He unsheathed his sword, aiming it at the wizard’s heart.
“Archibald. You shall not pass.”
Archibald planted his staff into the ground like a stake. He stuffed the sealed bowl of elixir in his front pocket. He had to be careful at what he said. Caligula, the Guardian of the Iron Gate, wouldn’t be helpful to the task at hand, especially since his friend caught the terrible plague and their history wasn’t on the best terms.
Caligula lifted Archibald’s chin by the tip of his sword. He glared his silver eyes at the wizard. Archibald’s heart started to race, but he took a breath. He needed to focus. He was bigger than Caligula. Sort of. Well, not really.
“Why do you not look me in the eye, old man?”
Archibald whacked the sword away from his chin. His grip on the staff slipped from his sweaty palms, but he tightened his hold.
“You would do well to respect your elders and wizards, Caligula.”
Caligula let out a loud laugh that scared the birds out of the crystal leaves. His sword swung up and nearly cut Archibald’s nose in half.
Archibald said nothing. He did not find the matter funny. His eyes focused on Caligula’s eyes, and Archibald did not let his flinch. The eyes were the window to the soul after all, and they could test your mettle in the face of something like this.
Caligula calmed down and balanced the sword on his shoulder. “Yes, but you are Archibald The Unmagical.”
Sweat beaded Archibald’s forehead. This was going to be harder than he thought. He knew he had no more magic.
“May that be. I am still a wizard whether all my magic is gone or not.”
“Yet all the magic in the world wouldn’t be able to let you pass me. I’ve heard what you did. A valiant effort, but it is in vain. The dragon is quarantined within the mountain. After sneezing and burning the village near the mountain into ashes, no one is allowed in. Not even a wizard. Excuse me, former wizard.”
“I need to see him. I have the elixir to heal him. His life is at stake.” He jumbled out the elixir. Holding it high, he held his breath. Hopefully, Caligula didn’t whack it out of his hand and break it into a thousand pieces. He used all he had left to create that.
Caligula did not let a single laugh. His face hardened into a stone. “Does it look like I care? ”
Archibald slid the elixir back into his pocket. Apparently, there wasn’t any way to get around Caligula without bodily harm, but luckily, he had a plan. “No. But it doesn’t mean that Theo doesn’t need help.”
“Theo? Oh.” He let out another loud laugh. Another flock of birds evacuated the canopy, heading south for an early winter. “You mean the dragon?”
“Yes, Theo. Do you not know what you are even guarding?” He walked closer to the giant and looked him straight in the eye. His palms were growing clammy again, and his hand slid down the staff.
“You think I am stupid?”
“Well…” Archibald rolled his hand, bluffing his answer.
“Ok. If you believe I am so unlearned…” Caligula stabbed his sword into the ground, letting it stand on its own. “Because we are not on the same physical playing field, we shall have a riddle battle. Answer my riddle correctly and you can pass me, but you may never return from the mountain. Incorrectly…”
“I’ll leave and never return.”
“Listen well. Wizard.”
I am nothing
I do nothing.
Magic sews
The fabric
Of my intentions
Yet never grows
true rectification.
Archibald opened his mouth to speak his answer.
“Any answer you have is wrong. A wizard is the only answer to this.”
“That’s not what a wizard is,” said Archibald.
Caligula ripped his sword from the ground and pointed at Archibald’s neck. Archibald froze. He blinked at the tip of the blade two inches from impaling his neck.
“My brothers called upon you to help them long ago in the Battle of Royal Gorge. They were vulnerable! They were sick! They were outnumbered! But you did nothing. They died, but you lived.” His voice cracked. “You lose. You are a true wizard. A monster. Leave.”
Archibald’s cheeks grew hot. It was all true. He avoided noticing that Caligula was about to cry, and said, “That is the biggest regret I have. Not doing everything to help them. A dozen enemies delayed my aid to them…unfortunately too late. Please let me help Theo. Give me the chance to do everything to help him.”
Caligula lowered his sword and put it back in his holder.
“If my…brothers were here today, they would want me to forgive you. They would want me to let you save your friend. I shall not make their memory in vain.” Caligula opened the iron gate wide open. “You may pass.”
Archibald bowed his head and sighed relief. “Thank you.”
Archibald passed Caligula and traveled to the base of the mountain. The village that once sprawled across the fields was truly burned to ashes. Not a soul breathed besides him. All the villagers left.
A little cave carved itself into the tunnel at the base of the mountain. He trekked down it, his footsteps ringing in the silent chamber.
“Who…there’s?” A low voice wheezed.
“Theo, it’s me, Archibald. Your friend.”
Archibald exited the tunnel and found rivers of sweat streaming down Theo’s amber scales. He propped himself up against the back wall of the enormous cavern. His breaths were harsh and sharp, his chest rising and falling too often.
“Arch…” He took a deep breath. “Leave. You saw what…I did to the village. I deserve to be locked here…forever.”
“No. You don’t. I’m here to help.”
His nose twitched and little flames fizzed out. Theo stretched his wings out and started to turn to fly to the back wall of the cavern. Away from him.
“Oh no. Arch. Run. I’m…I’m…go..ing to…sneeze.”
ACHOO!
Streams of fire burst from the dragon’s nose. Archibald dove behind a rock. The fire rushed beyond him and fizzled into smoke.
Theo’s wings buckled and he collapsed onto the floor. He coughed a fireball out and wheezed for a breath of fresh air into his lungs. Without constant air pumping into his lungs, he didn’t have much time left.
He had to get the elixir in him.
Archibald approached Theo. Theo coughed, and a ball of fire shot towards him. Archibald ran towards the fireball, twirling his staff. The fireball disappeared into thin air. He ran towards Theo, adrenaline rushing through his veins.
Theo curled up against the wall. His nose shook with another sneeze, but he held it in.
“Arch. Please stand back. Run. I could give this thing to you.”
Archibald walked up and tapped Theo on the elbow.
“Maybe. But I cannot let my friend die. I’m a wizard. That means I help the poor, the vulnerable, and the sick. I have failed in this before, but I am not failing again.” He gave a slight smile. He took out the elixir and twisted the lid off of the bowl. Steam rose from the golden soup, with carrots and celery floating around the noodles.
He offered it out to Theo, yet Theo raised his brows.
“Chicken noodle soup?”
“Magical chicken noodle soup. It can’t cure you completely, but it can save you.”
Theo took the bowl and sipped it down. However, he left enough for later. He wiped the broth off his mouth and grinned.
Archibald grinned. His mind cleared and his heart settled. When Theo’s breathing calmed and became less harsh, Archibald knew he would live.
“So the great Archibald The Magical figured out a way to save the dragon in distress.”
“It’s Archibald The Unmagical now.”
“Ohhh. You gave up everything to save me? Just to create this soup?”
“Yes. The plague you had is effective in its ways. Very effective. So much that without this elixir, it would have killed you. So much I had to give up all my magic.”
Archibald focus fell to the ground. He did give up everything to save him. Magical chicken noodle soup doesn’t come easy, nor does any other type of cure. It siphoned all of the magic out of him to make it. He was Archibald The Unmagical, but that was alright.
He sniffled and shook his head. He glanced back up with a smile on his face as he pressed his staff deeper into the ground.
“And you’re my friend. Magic is worthless unless you use it to help others. Trust me. An old mistake of mine reminded me of that today. No amount of magic can fix everything, not even erase a brother’s memory.”
“Thank you.” Theo cleared his throat. His nose moved, but no other fiery sneezes burst out.
“Anything for you. Just feel better.”
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