Forced Magic

by Jerod Lollar

  ”Goblins and gnomes have been at odds for generations. For that insult you have given them, you have earned our friendship and respect.”

  He got to his feet and walked up to me. He motioned for Fetch to stand next to me and asked us to kneel down closer to him. He took his thumb and licked it and wiped it across our foreheads. He smiled and with a look of satisfaction said. “There! You have now both been marked as friends of the gnomes. When you see one of us, ask for what you need and we will help. I must get back to work now. No telling what Tolback has done now."

  The droopy dog look had returned to Smith's face. I realized that Tolback had to be the troll. It seemed that Smith took on the job to clean up after the hulking beast. He showed us out of the tunnel and closed the bush behind us. I felt a little dizzy by all that had happened.

  Looking over at Fetch I said “Well pal. I guess we are unique. I don’t know about you but I just want to know what we are."

  Fetch nodded his head, and, as a car's headlights went by, quickly went into cameo mode.

  Chapter 25

  We walked quickly over to the Ramada. We were both anxious to see Michelle. I didn’t know if I should tell her what I had found out about Fetch and me or what Smith had said about Johnathen, and I knew I couldn’t say anything about the fairy. I had the feeling that Smith was trying to convince me that the fey might not be bad. That I might have just wandered out into the street on my own. The whole meeting seemed a blur, and the fact that it ended with Fetch and me now being friends to these little gnomes seemed strange. I did want to let the magic world know about us and I guessed that being friends to the gnomes didn’t hurt. I began to wonder if it was an accident that I stopped him from getting hit by that car. I remembered all the times I would see him looking in our direction, and wondered if his sensing we were near staged the whole thing in some way so that Fetch and I would expose ourselves to him. I checked the time and discovered we had been in there for a lot longer than it seemed.

  We walked up to the Ramada and saw the silhouette of Michelle standing there. Fetch threw caution aside, got out of cameo mode, and ran up to meet her. I ran after him and approached Michelle. She had her arms around Fetch. In one of her hands was a white light that she let go. It floated up about four feet and cast a light on us all. I got my first look at Michelle. She looked terrible! Her eyes were sunken in and her face was pail. She looked up at me and said in a weak voice. ”Hey Jack, it feels like it’s been forever." Then she fainted.

  I leaned in to see if she was still breathing. I took her hand in mine and felt how cold she was. There was a grayness to her face and even her tattoo seemed faded. Her eyes were rolled back in her head and she wasn’t responding to any attempts to bring her around.

  “Fetch, breathe your fire on her,” I said.

  Fetch, who was obviously very agitated by the state Michelle was in, looked at me with a concerned expression. I backed up and let him get close to her. His healing flame had not worked as well on others as it had on me, but, with her ragged breathing and glazed half lidded look in her eyes, I was afraid Michelle was going to die. Nodding in encouragement Fetch sighed and turned back to her. Leaning in he gently breathed a thin jet of multi colored flame that caressed her face. At first it didn’t seem like it was working, but, with a gasp, Michelle opened her eyes in the light of the floating ball. I watched as the color returned to her face. I was impressed by how much control Fetch had now with his flame. After a few minutes, Fetch stopped and Michelle looked much better, but I could tell by the way she was breathing that she wasn’t completely healed.

  I was angry, angry that Johnathen had allowed this to happen. What did he do to her? She looked at Fetch and said in a ragged voice, “Hungry, so hungry.” Fetch looked at me I nodded at him knowing what he was going to do. He jumped into the air and flew off. He was on his way to get food. I took off my shirt and made a pillow for her head.

  “What happened? “ I asked. ”How could Johnathen allow this to happen?"

  She put her hand up to my lips making me stop talking. “Not his fault. Tried a spell before I was ready. Not his fault. He didn’t know I was coming. I used a new spell to transport myself here. I guess I’m not that good at that type of spell."

  Fetch returned with his customary bag of burgers. He gently raised her up and got behind her, supporting her head. She leaned against him as I fed her a burger. After eating half way through her second burger she started to get a little stronger. She finished and grabbed for another one under her own power. After that one, she started to talk again.

  “I’m sorry. I got cocky. Johnathen has been teaching me how to use this kind of magic. It takes a lot of strength if you’re not born with the ability. It took a lot out of me.” She said in a horse whisper.

  She wouldn’t look me in the eye, and this gave me the idea that she might not be telling the whole story, but I didn’t want to force the issue just yet.

  “We need to get you out of here,” I said.

  I thought about finding Smith and getting her to his tunnel, but I didn’t want her to know about my new little friend just yet. Her feelings about the fairies might cause trouble if the subject came up.

  We stood her up slowly to see if she could stand on her own. She was shaky and weak but she made it to her feet. Fetch stayed to the right of her while I stayed on her left, wrapping my arm around her waist and walking slowly. We made it halfway through the park before she collapsed. I didn’t wait for her to try to stand up again. I scooped her up into my arms, and, at a quick pace, made my way through the park. She weakly protested that she was fine, telling me to put her down. I just ignored her and kept walking. I had made up my mind to call for an ambulance when we got back to the hotel. I had no idea what I would tell them. I just wanted to get her help. Later on maybe Johnathen could cast a pulse making those that helped forget. I was upset at Johnathen and myself. Things had been getting increasingly strange with Johnathen. I should have guessed he wouldn’t let her take a car to see me. I shouldn't have asked her to come.

  Chapter 26

  We made it back to our room at the hotel and went around the back way to avoid anyone seeing us. Fetch, in his worry for Michelle, couldn’t keep his camouflaged mode on. He would click back and forth like a light bulb, his silver scales flashing. It was a miracle that we were not spotted. When we got to the room, I gently put her on the bed. She was looking better, much better. Fetch laid his head on her lap and was humming softly to her. She was scratching his head letting him know she was ok. She looked at me and smiled.

  "It was my fault,” she said. “I know you want to blame Johnathen, but it wasn’t his fault. I tried to do a spell before I was ready, and it took more out of me than I thought it would."

  Michelle sat up a little bit. She was about to say something when there was a loud banging on my door. I rushed over to open it, thinking that someone must have spotted us on our way here. I looked though the peephole and saw Johnathen on the other side. I opened the door and Johnathen pushed past me, knocking me over, to get to Michelle. Grabbing him by the neck, Fetch growled, letting Johnathen know he was upset.

  I got up and went over to Johnathen who was at Michelle's side. I reached up and put a hand on his shoulder. There was a white flash of light and I found myself in the corner of the room entangled in a heap with Fetch. Michelle had jumped off the bed and crouched down next to me and Fetch and looked us in the eyes.

  She said, “Please don’t do this. Please don’t fight over something that I did. It was my stupid mistake. Not his, so please stop."

  Johnathen stood there staring at us, ready to cast another spell if he had to. Michelle was breathing heavily and her face was going pale. This was too much for her right now. We untangled ourselves from each other and helped her back into bed. I propped a pillow behind her head.

  I looked over at Johnathen. He had a strange look on his face. It was the same look he had on his face in the desert that day. It was if he was not re
ally there. He seemed to be fighting with his emotions. Not wanting to risk being blown across the room again, I kept my distance and asked”Are you ok?” He looked at me and slowly the glazed look in his eyes faded. I was really becoming more worried about him. His display gave me the idea that he might not be in his right frame of mind.

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pouch. “This will help her,” he said in a flat monotone voice. I looked down at Fetch. He was not too happy with Johnathen and didn’t look like he wanted to let him anywhere near Michelle. Michelle spoke to him from behind us on the bed.

  “It’s all right, Fetch. He wants to help me.”

  Fetch looked at her, then me, then back to Johnathen. He moved around to the other side of the bed and put his head on Michelle’s lap. He never took his eyes off Johnathen, giving him the message that even if Michelle allowed him to help, Fetch was not going to trust him.

  Johnathen went over to the sink. Filling a glass with water, he opened the pouch and took out a powder which he sprinkled into the glass. The water turned red for a second and then was clear. He brought it over to the bed, and, kneeling down, gave it to Michelle to drink.

  “I have to apologize to you. I have let myself get too busy again. Things have escalated since our little goblin encounter the other day. It is a dark time for people in the magic world. The two of you have put it on edge. I know this is not your fault but there it is.”

  Michelle had drunk the potion and almost immediately started to look better.

  "I have been trying to block the magic council in their attempts to find you. Everyone wants to meet you. Some want to study you, others want to destroy you. It has been a constant trial. I got home from yet another debate with them and found a note from Michelle. The transport spell is one that she was not ready for and I had a feeling she would come here.”

  He said a few words over Michelle as he waved his hands. She moaned softly, her eyes starting to close. Fetch growled softly at Johnathen. He looked over at Fetch and his eyes seemed over bright.

  “Do you really think I would hurt her?” he said in a soft voice.

  Fetch stopped growling, his eyes turned blue, and he looked down. Just the way Johnathen had said it made us both realize that he would never hurt her. I felt bad. He had been working so hard trying to give me a great start in this new world I had been thrust into. I couldn’t even remember if I properly thanked him for the money I now seemed to take for granted. I felt like it was my fault. I didn’t know how to apologize for all of this. I hoped that this wouldn’t ruin our friendship.

  Michelle opened her eyes. She grabbed Fetch's claw and Johnathen's hand pulling them across her stomach till they were touching. Michelle reached out her hand to me. I stepped forward and grabbed it. She then put it on top of the other's hands and then placed her hand on the very top, squeezing hard.

  “I can’t think of anything cornier to do than this guys. I'm sorry for what I did. Can we get over it and move on now?"

  We all laughed a little. It seemed to lighten things up. We pulled our hands apart and Johnathen went over to a chair by the window. He pulled the curtain open a little. We could hear some kids out at the pool splashing and playing.

  “I want a better world, Jack, a better place for all of us, one without war or poverty. Magic can help the world be a better place. I know it can. It makes me angry when those who believe they are in charge just don’t listen. Can you imagine a world where a child will no longer get sick? Where there is no cancer? Where everyone goes to sleep at night with food in their stomachs?”

  “Can magic do all of that?” I asked.

  “I believe it can. It just needs time and the right way to set it in motion. I think I can do that, Jack. I stumbled across some magic about fifty years ago. Magic the likes this world has never seen. It has taken me years to possess it, to harness it. I am almost ready to use it, and, when I do, I believe this world will be paradise. But the council and their backward thinking has stopped me at every turn."

  "There has been a great upheaval coming in the magic world. It was gaining strength before you and Fetch appeared, but it has gained even more strength since then. If I could convince the council that you have adjusted well to magic, that you are not controlled by the power, but have control over it. If I could show them you and Michelle and many others that have a spark like you, then we can show them the truth. If we can change the way they think in this part of the world then we can put a stop to all the feuding and fighting. We can stop the fey and their evil little tricks.”

  He paused and looked at Michelle. She had fallen asleep. She let out a little sigh, her face frowning for a moment like she was dreaming. It was good to hear her breathing easily.

  "I need to keep you and Fetch safe from the magic world for as long as I can. I think it’s time for you to go into complete hiding at my place. The council is asking too many questions about you, and it has now reached a point that you need to understand I can’t protect you. You have become too powerful. There are those who are using you as a symbol."

  I thought back to what Smith had said about the rumors concerning Fetch and me. I didn’t want any of this. I had to get a grasp on all of it.

  “I don’t want to hide, Johnathen. I’m tired of hiding. I’m tired of waiting to see what will happen. I never asked to be a part of this world. If magic can do all the things you a say it can, then I want to be a part of that, but I can’t spend my life hiding. Maybe if I show myself to the magic community they can see that I mean no harm. Maybe if Fetch and I can show them that we aren’t dangerous then the council will have to accept us."

  Johnathen looked at me, that dark shadow that passed over his face again showing just how old he really was.

  “It would be risky, Jack. They call you dragon survivor and Fetch is a dragon with a name. No dragon would ever take a name that people could call it with. A name is a secret thing to a dragon and only shared with other dragons. This makes people believe that you have some control over him, Jack."

  At these words Fetch scoffed. He had lifted his head up and his eyes glowed red.

  “You know I don’t control Fetch," I said. "I could never control him. I would never want to control him. Everything he does is his choice. I never forced him to do anything."

  Fetch put his head in Michelle lap at this comment. His eyes glowed red still. I knew Fetch wanted to show that he was independent, that he had free will. I knew that even if I didn’t show myself to the rest of the magic world soon, Fetch would do it on his own soon enough. I couldn’t help but feel that there was more to the story than Johnathen was telling. That there was something he was keeping hidden. To protect Fetch and me? Possibly. To protect Michelle? Definitely. I thought back to my new little friend Smith and what he said about wizards. I realized he was telling me that wizards were not always what they seemed to be. They kept things hidden. I thought of Smith and how I misjudged him. How, until I met him, I thought of him as some sort of janitor, cleaning up magic messes, but, I realized he was so much more. I realized that I wanted to learn more about the creatures in the magic world on my own, even the fey. Smith had put the doubt in my mind about the fairy luring me into the street. Could the idea that all fairies are bad be wrong? He even mentioned that a fairy was on the council.

  “Tell me more about the fairies," I said quietly to Johnathen.

  A moan came from Michelle’s lips as she slept. Even when she was asleep it seemed that the very word 'fairy' seemed to affect her. Johnathen looked at Michelle with concern on his face.

  “What else can I tell you that I haven’t said before? They are bad, evil. They are a hidden force representing all that is bad in the magic world. They have many believing they are innocent when they are not. They hold themselves apart from the rest of the magic community. They believe themselves superior to everything else. They ignore and cast out those who have impure fairy blood in them like they were animals, and they will destroy anyone who gets in their
way. If you want a comparison, they are like the mafia of the magic world. You have to believe me and accept this or when you do present yourself to the magic world they will either try to control you or destroy you."

  “But are all of them evil? There has to be some that are good. They can’t all be bad.”

  “They are, Jack.”

  It was Michelle. She had woken up. The color was back in her face. She still looked weak but she definitely looked better. She stared at me with tears welling up in her eyes.

  "You asked if I think they are all evil? Yes Jack. They are,” she said in a shaky voice, “and you better start believing it too, or they will kill you and your brother the same way they killed my family. You think your brother is safe from them, Jack? You start to believe some are good and they trick you into telling them about your life. They will discover the feelings you have for your brother and manipulate you, through him, to do what they want. Then they will destroy you, Fetch, and your brother the same way they did my family."

  Fetch, who had been sitting at her side this whole time, looked at me. Yellow smoke was coming out of his nose and I could see how confused he was about what Michelle said. As much as I cared about Michelle, and, even knowing that she believed the fey wanted to control or kill me and possibly my brother, I still didn’t want to believe they were all bad. After talking to Smith I couldn't help but feel that they couldn’t all be bad. This was a terrible time for this kind of debate. I knew, if I continued, I could lose the two closest friends Fetch and I had. If I risked telling them what Smith told me, I could lose them both. I had to find a way to get Michelle over to Smith. He seemed to be able to explain things better than I could. I hated to admit it, but, the only reason Michelle felt the way she did is because Johnathen told her the fairies killed her family. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to that story than Johnathen was telling. But, why would he lie about the fey? I was more confused than ever. I glanced at Fetch and saw the same look of confusion on his face.