The Magician - Quips and Snippets

Hello all! Here goes my first post. I couldn't be more terrified about posting my writing for all to see, but here we are. I'm going to try and post something every day for 30 days (Thanks Carly Higgins for the inspiration). I may miss a day or two so I apologize for that. Take a moment, grab a cup of coffee, juice, water, soda, or anything that soaks your fancy and read a little fantasy.

THE MAGICIAN

Adrianne strut down the street trying to ignore the hustle and bustle of the Pier Folk around her. She never liked this place. It was always too noisy and full of drunk men looking for something no sane woman would ever give them. The dilapidated houses stank of rot and she couldn’t help but feel like the world was watching her everytime she entered into the disgusting streets.

Adrianne had grown up in a place much like the Pier. Perhaps that was what made her so evasive towards the area. Her mother had run off with some pirate and her father… Well he might as well have left her too. She spent her entire childhood begging for scraps on the streets. She vowed to never go back to that way of life. It had taken her years, but she had finally made it to the top.

Her heels clacked against the stones as she made her way toward the blacksmith. People like her didn’t mix with people from the Pier. That’s why she was watched so intently. They may not know her name, but her clothes shouted wealth. She didn’t make eye contact with any of those around her. To look into their eyes would give them power to disrupt her.

Just as Adrianne was slithering past some gruff seamen, her gaze fell into the alley on her right. She came to an abrupt stop as her eyes widened in disbelief. A boy with silver hair sat upon a rotten box surrounded by children. His face gave no hint to his age. She would have guessed he was young, but somehow she wasn’t sure. He was clad in blue with a sword laying on the ground to his side, but the thing that had surprised her were the blue butterflies twittering around his open hand.

In front of her very eyes she saw more of the shining blue critters fly from his right pointing finger. Two of the children around him laughed loudly as they chased the flying lights. The third had dropped her bear as she gazed in awe at a little ball of blue fire the boy had conjured in his left hand. The small girl reached her hand out to touch the little light.

“It’s cold.” The little girl said happily as she pulled away.

“Well, we wouldn’t want it to burn you now would we?” The boy said with a smile, “Would you like to hold it?”

The girl’s eyes widened with excitement as she held out her hands, but a shout from Adrianne stopped her in fear.

“What do you think you’re doing!” Adrianne yelled loudly.

The boy looked up with interest as the illusions surroudning him disappeared, “Just playing with some kids, milady.”

Adrianne clacked loudly toward the boy who registered amusement across his face, “Magic was outlawed two seasons ago.”

“Was it now?” the boy said with false surprise as he stood to meet her gaze, “I’d never heard of such a law! I apologize for my rudeness.”

“Don’t even try to feign ignorance, child.” Adrianne said angrily, “You know the law just as well as any.”

“You caught me.” He said with a smirk, holding up his hands, “Take me to your leader.”

“Are you making fun of me?”

“Of course not! I would never dream of stooping to the level of someone like you.”

“Excuse me?” Adrianne gasped.

“How about you leave before anyone gets hurt.” The boy said with the same smirk molded to his face. His eyes burned a dark violet as red fire lit in his palm.

Adrianne didn’t know what to say. She had never been so disrespected by a child. She was being threatened. She glared at the Mage, “You’ve made a powerful enemy today, child. Watch your back.”

Adrianne turned her back on him and started walking proudly away. She had never felt so enraged. The arrogance of Mages is what made the use of magic punishable by death.

“I don’t think I’ll need to,” the mage said from behind her, “you won’t remember any of this.”

There was a flash of light and a burning sensation tracing across her temples. Adrianne shut her eyes in pain, but as instantly as it had come the light disappeared. She looked up back to the street in front of her. What had just happened? What was she supposed to be doing? She couldn’t remember how she had gotten there. Was she in the Pier? She slapped her head remembering her mission to the blacksmith.

Starting off at a brisk pace, she tried to push away the pain sidling onto her temples. She felt like she was supposed to be upset about something, but couldn’t remember what it could be. Frustrated, she glared ahead ignoring the people bustling around.

She really hated the Pier...


art by Lap Pun Cheung