“This choice is just too hard to make,” Eric said, looking at his parents sadly. “If I choose to stay back on Earth, I know that I’ll be happy with my family. However, if I stay here, I know that I belong. I want to live my life. Magia seems to be the best place to do so. If this is where I need to be then so be it. I want to stay too.” He then walked over to join the rest of the four.
The stepparents then burst into tears.
Mr. Hale slowly spoke with a heavy heart, “Once you leave Magia, every mortal with memories of Olivia, Vanessa, David, or Eric will forget about them and I am very sorry, but you are mortals and have memory of magic. We will have to erase your memories to keep you safe.”
The parents then walked over to their children and embraced them.
After wiping their tears, they all uttered, “We are ready.”
Hale nodded sympathetically. The agents then led the parents out of the room and shut the door behind them. The four never saw any of their stepparents again.
Chapter Seven
Hale’s Penthouse
The four were very downhearted that their adoptive parents had left them, but they were also a little frightened. Magia might have been where they were born, but it was still new to them. They didn’t fully trust Mr. Hale, but curiosity had gotten the better of them. They were starting to regret their hastily-made decision.
Hale then interrupted the four’s thoughts, “I know it must very hard for you. You must be afraid and confused and I promise you we will take care of all of this. But first, you must be exhausted. We will go to my home where we can stay.”
The four were indeed scared, but they had no choice but to trust Mr. Hale and follow the instructions he had given. Hale led the children out of the room and into another corridor. They kept walking across A.S.H. Headquarters and passed innumerable rooms. The headquarters really was as monumental as a city. Hale finally stopped in front of a set of automatic doors. On top of them was a sign: Garage. Next to the doors was a button. The doors opened and showed the garage which was very capacious. In it was a heterogeneous collection of unique vehicles. Hale led the four inside and took them near the edge of the garage where there was another car parked.
“Well, this is my car,” he said. “Please hop in.”
The car was shiny blue with a glass ceiling. It had normal tires and wheels, unlike the Hover-X-Velocity. It looked very small and the kids thought that it would be nearly impossible for all of them to fit. The four opened the door of the car and entered inside. The kids were shocked at what they saw. The car was much larger on the inside than it appeared from those standing outside. There was a wide white carpet on the floor and plenty of white cushioned seats. There was also a sizable glass table with four white chairs, a king-sized bed, a door leading to the bathroom, and a broad flatscreen TV. There was much space to walk around and it had everything you needed to live.
“At this point, nothing can amaze me anymore,” David said, nonplussed.
“You call this a car? Shouldn’t the term be ‘home disguised as a two-person convertible’?” Vanessa joked.
“I hope you will be comfortable. Feel free to watch something on the TV which has every channel in history or use the automated drink dispenser which can spout any beverage you desire,” Hale said from the driver’s seat.
All of the four sat in their seats and buckled their seatbelts. Mr. Hale then started the car and it moved forward. After several twists, turns, and Phyllis (who yelled at Hale for his car being too loud when she was trying to find her parking space), the vehicle finally came to the end of the garage. Hale then drove up a spiral driveway to the ceiling where the driveway suddenly ended.
Hale said open into a microphone in his car, and the ceiling above the automobile opened up. The car then drove up to the surface onto one of the roads of Crow City at night. Next to the car, Olivia marveled at a very tall skyscraper that was all lit up. Hale continued driving. Crow City was colossal and magnificently lit up at night. Countless skyscrapers were twice as tall as the ones in New York. The four looked up and through the glass ceiling, they saw a glamorous full moon shining brightly in the sky. As they kept driving, the children truly saw how sizable Crow City was. It was much more extensive than New York City. Hale kept driving until he finally stopped near a tall building with too many windows to count. He parked his car nearby and everyone got out. The four entered the building through a set of automated doors. Once they were inside, they saw how breathtaking the lobby was. The floor had a carmine carpet leading to the front desk. There was also a striking golden chandelier hanging from the ceiling. There was a grand staircase next to the front desk along with an ample elevator.
“Welcome back, Mr. Hale,” the lady at the front desk said.
She had auburn locks, pale skin, and light-blue eyes.
“Thank you, Lauren.” Hale looked at her badge. “I’ve never seen you around before, are you new?”
“Yes, and my name is Laurel. I need to fix this typo on my name tag,” Laurel responded.
“Been there,” Mr. Hale related, “before I was Vice President of A.S.H., I had a typo on my badge too. Everyone kept calling me Mr. Half.”
He then led all four into the elevator. Once they were all in, he pressed the button for the highest floor. The elevator started ascending until it finally reached the top. Everyone got out and stepped into a luxurious penthouse.
“Welcome to my home.” Hale smiled.
Everything in the apartment looked very modern and tidy. The floor was made out of white marble and matched the white walls. One wall of the penthouse was made entirely out of glass which allowed you to look out and see the magnificent view of the city. In the living room was a quartz chandelier which was hanging from the ceiling. Beneath the chandelier were two white couches facing a flat-screen television.
Near the right of the TV was an exquisite fountain that had water which magically changed color. The four watched, captivated, as the color of the water changed from clear to sky blue, to fiery red, to lush green, and finally a rich purple. The four were pulled to the fountain and as they walked closer, they found out that the water not only changed color, it changed the mood of anyone near it. None of the four could explain it, but when the water was a sky blue color, they felt more confident than ever before, like they could do anything. They didn’t know why they felt it, they just did. When the color changed into a fiery red, they felt anger which surrounded them like flames. As the red water changed to green, the feeling of anger also changed. The four no longer felt agitated, instead, they felt very peaceful and calm. As the green water slowly changed into purple, the four felt hopeful. They didn’t know what they felt hopeful for, just that they did.
Once the water changed back to clear, the four no longer felt any of the emotions they had been through when they were near the fountain.
Mr. Hale walked forward. “I can see that you have discovered what this fountain does. This fountain is called a Spiritus Fountain. To those far away from it, they might think it just changed the color of its water. However, it can change the mood of the people near it. It doesn’t do anything to you physically, but it gives you a psychological change that temporarily makes you feel a certain emotion.”
“It’s spooky how that fountain made me feel something,” Vanessa responded.
The four were very fascinated.
Adjacent to the water fountain was a grand piano. Around the living room were multiple plants in exotic pots. In the kitchen was a table, a marble countertop with a sink, and there were convenient white cupboards for utensils. Another room had a commodious indoor pool with a graceful artificial waterfall. There was also a glass spiral staircase that led upstairs. All of the four marveled at the penthouse, even David who used to live in one, but it wasn’t nearly as palatial as Hale’s.
“You have a beautiful home,” David politely said.
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�Thank you very much, I don’t usually have guests.” Mr. Hale smiled.
Suddenly out of the kitchen came a portly little creature. It had smooth turquoise skin and pointy ears. It had large green eyes and an even larger smile.
“Hello! Mr. Hale, you brought guests! We never get guests! I am so excited,” it said.
The creature had a raspy voice, but it seemed friendly.
“Everyone, I would like you to meet Ivy, she is a Figon. Figons are creatures which are known for their powers that allow them to fix any broken thing. Ivy is my assistant,” Hale said.
“I am just happy to help, sir,” Ivy said.
“Curious,” Olivia spoke, “so creatures with human intelligence really can have jobs in Magia.”
“That’s right.” Hale grinned.
“Wow, that must have improved life for a slew of creatures,” Eric replied.
“It sure did,” Ivy said happily.
“I’m glad.” David smiled.
“Ivy, please show the children to their rooms, they are very tired and would like to go to bed,” Hale instructed.
“Of course, sir,” Ivy said. “Please follow me, children.”
The four followed Ivy up the staircase onto the next floor. She led each of them to their rooms which were all identical. There was a king-sized bed with white sheets and two pillows on one wall facing another side. Olivia and Eric had balconies in their rooms. Next to the bed was a door leading to a lavatory. Once Ivy left, the four were left alone with their thoughts. Olivia was afraid, she felt more alone than she had ever felt before. David wanted to trust Mr. Hale, but he still didn’t. He also didn’t know who to trust or who not to trust. Eric was very sad, he had just lost the only family that he had known, the only family that loved him. Vanessa was cautious but excited at the same time. She had been longing for an adventure, and now she had gotten it. However, she too had her doubts about Mr. Hale.
Everyone was sad, scared, and doubtful, but they all wanted more answers. They were all also exhausted. They all got into their beds and it wasn’t long before they were fast asleep.
Once it was morning, each of the four slowly woke up and yawned. It was like a normal morning, the sun was shining through the window and the birds were chirping. Suddenly it came back to them. They were on a different planet.
Once the four walked down the stairs, they saw that Mr. Hale was waiting for them at the kitchen table. The kids then walked over to the table and sat down.
“Good morning, everyone. I hope you slept well and had a peaceful night of rest,” Mr. Hale said cheerfully.
“Good morning,” the four yawned.
Ivy then came over pushing a cart filled with breakfast. There were scrambled eggs, bacon, oatmeal, cereal, donuts, juice, and every other breakfast food items which the four could think of. Ivy set the table. The four didn’t know what to do. They still had their doubts about Hale, but they were starving. Their hunger took control of them. It wasn’t long before the kids began to stuff their faces. They felt as if they hadn’t eaten in a century.
Hale smiled and it was like he read their minds. “I know that you might not trust me yet, but I hope that you will be comfortable here and in time lose your doubt of me.”
The four wanted to trust Mr. Hale, he seemed like a very nice person, but they had plenty of doubts and questions that they desperately wanted answers to.
“I thought you said everywhere in Magia had magic. This penthouse is beautiful and all, but except for Ivy and the water fountain, nothing seems much different from Earth,” Eric observed.
Hale answered with a mysterious smile, “I would like to show you something after you finish eating.”
The children nodded. It wasn’t long before all of the food on the table was gone, the four were very hungry and they couldn’t wait to see what Mr. Hale wanted to show them.
Hale then took the four to the pool which was crow-shaped. The kids didn’t see anything special about it except for the shape.
Hale walked closer to the pool and kneeled down. “It’s alright Bill, you can come out now. These four are very friendly, they won’t hurt you.”
“Is he talking to the pool?” Vanessa whispered.
As of on cue, a fishlike creature started to appear. It had purple scales and small fins. It had a curved tail and round eyes.
“Everyone, this is my pet felwix, Bill. Felwixes are aquatic creatures with happiness-spreading powers. Anyone who swims in a body of water inhabited by a felwix will be instantly joyful. These are wondrous creatures, however, there aren’t that many left. Felwixes are also very shy creatures and they can turn invisible to hide. A felwix can teach us umpteen things about happiness. Happiness doesn’t come from materialistic things, it comes from inside our hearts. We don’t need anything to be happy, we can be joyful and optimistic if we choose to be. If you want, you can put your hand into the water. Then you can know how it feels,” Hale said.
Olivia, David, and Eric were hesitant, but Vanessa stepped forward. She kneeled down and gently put her hand into the pool. As soon as her fingers touched the surface of the water, she felt as if all of the sadness in her life was gone. Suddenly, the felwix swam towards her. The closer the felwix came, the happier Vanessa felt.
“Guys, he is right, I do feel happy,” Vanessa admitted.
“So you put your hand into the water, and now you automatically feel gleeful for no reason?” Eric doubted.
“Look, I can’t explain it. I just feel happy. It’s kind of like the Spiritus water fountain. Maybe you should all come over and put your hand into the water,” Vanessa said.
Slowly, the rest of the four stepped forward. One by one they all put their hands into the pool. Instantly, they all felt bliss that they hadn’t felt in a long time. Nothing else seemed to matter to them anymore. All of their other feelings had been silenced. Happiness prevailed in all of them. David stretched his hand out and Bill came towards him. David gently stroke his hand across the felwix and felt happier than ever. Bill made a whistling sound showing that he liked David.
“Aren’t you friendly?” David smiled.
After some time, they each pulled their hands out of the water and turned to face Hale. Right after putting their hands into the water, something told the four that Mr. Hale could be trusted.
Hale then led them back into the living room and to the piano. The four wondered what could be so special about the instrument, but knew they just had to wait for something to happen. Hale walked over and knocked on the top of the piano. Suddenly the keys started to move and the piano began playing by itself. The song the piano played was very alluring. It was moderately loud, had scads of major chords, and made all the kids who heard it very relaxed. The four were astonished.
“How is it doing that?” a surprised Eric asked.
“Don’t tell me that you have another creature hiding in there, pressing the hammers,” Vanessa jested.
Hale chuckled. “I am sure that you now know that this isn’t an ordinary piano. It’s an enchanted one. I had gotten it from a retailer that makes enchanted objects which all have unique abilities. This particular piano happens to be able to play by itself. All you have to do is go over and knock on the top of it. When you do, a song will play. The piano will play a different piece to every unique person that knocks on it. It is said that the song the piano plays is your soul song. A song that represents your soul and what kind of a person you are. Those who are optimistic will hear a very cheerful tune. However, those who are depressed will hear a sad song with numerous minor chords. No two songs are the same. I want you all to go forward and knock on the top of the piano.”
This time, Olivia went forward. She walked towards the piano and knocked on top of it. Once she did, the piano started playing a quiet song with a slow tempo. It was filled with major chords, but had several minor as well. It sounded very calm and peaceful. Nex
t, Eric went. He knocked on the top and a cheerful song started playing on the keys. It wasn’t a very fast tempo, but it was faster than Olivia’s. Like Mr. Hale’s, it was medium loud. It started with a horde of major chords, but then at the end, they all changed to minor notes. After Eric, David walked towards the piano. He knocked on the top. The piano then played a song that was just as quiet as Olivia’s and just as fast as Eric’s. However, it barely had any major notes. The start of the song started with many major chords, however, as the song progressed, a transition happened. The cheerful tune was replaced by minor chords which covered the music with despair. It was very desolate. Nevertheless, as the song was finishing, the minor notes converted to the majors and the merry tone returned. It was as if the major chords were trying to cover up the sadness of the minor tune in between. Finally, Vanessa went. She knocked on the top. The piano played a song with a tempo faster than any piece played before. It had an incalculable amount of major chords and barely any minor ones. The song was also played much louder than the other ones.
Once it was finished, Hale spoke, “It’s fascinating, isn’t it? What music can tell us about our personality.”
The four nodded in awe.
Mr. Hale then led them to a wall. Over there was a framed white canvas which hadn’t been painted on. The four found it odd that Hale would frame an empty canvas, but it was nothing compared to the oddities they had seen during their time on Magia. Hale then walked forward and something strange happened. Slowly, lines started to appear and form shapes. Colors started filling in those shapes. Before long, it was clear that a painting slowly started to appear. Once it finally finished, the painting captured the exact likeness of Crow City. The city was in the morning with a colossal sun shining brightly over it.
Mr. Hale said, “As you have probably guessed, this canvas is very similar to the piano. It shows a different painting to each person who looks at it. Unlike the piano, it doesn’t show us what kind of a person we are. It shows us something we desire and will receive in the future. It’s something we want but don’t have yet. Everyone wants something that we don’t already have and this canvas will show it to us. Do you want to see what the canvas will show to you?”
Crow Page 4
