by Moshe Harel
I concentrated on the stick and the grasses, not really making any conscious decision. The long blades wrapped themselves around the stick, forming a kind of rhomboid pattern and then wrapped around the thicker part making it into a padded handle. Some more concentration made it all turn into wood, of the same kind as the stick. The surface then started changing, losing its roughness and becoming shiny. It was now all the color of the inner part of the stick, which was light brown. Concentrating a bit longer made the color deeper and the markings more evident. I now had a perfectly shaped wand in my hand. It was very nice to hold and very nice to look at and the pattern created by the grass blades was now embedded in the wood, with all lines connecting at the tip. I waved it around and the tip started emitting colorful sparks as if to show it was happy to be with me.
Gran clapped her hands. “Very well done! You used your magic to make it all happen and ended up having a very powerful wand.” She then frowned a bit. “I deeply hope this is not a sign that you may need a lot of power in the future, but I’m glad you’ll always have as much power as you need at your disposal.”
She then explained the process to the others. I didn’t pay much attention, though. I was looking at my wand, wondering if and when I may really need it. I already knew that magic was basically only making things happen by applying your will. Some chants and movements were used as aids for concentration, but one didn’t really need them if one could concentrate enough on one’s own. Was I good enough for that? Was Brian? How could I know?
Gran brought me out of my musings. “Now, Sophie, you may hide your wand. You do it by simply making your will clear that your wand should stay within your reach and yet hidden until called. There are chants for that, but you can do without them.”
I wasn’t so sure, but I just nodded. I took my wand in both hands and thought of what I wanted it to do. A moment later it was gone. I was only holding some air between my hands. I felt some panic rising inside me and fought hard to contain it. Gran seemed to understand.
”Go sit near Brian and then take your wand. You just need to think that you want it.”
The empty seat was not close to Brian, as the seats were quite apart from each other. I wished to cuddle with him. To my surprise, the stone that served as my seat moved closer to his, making cuddling possible. I didn’t even think of how it happened. I was just happy to cuddle, to feel his love invigorating me. Once I felt comfortable, it became very clear to me where my wand was—just in front of me, close enough to grab at any moment. I extended my hand and took it.
It wasn’t about performing magic, nor about impressing others. I just wanted to have a good look at what my magic made out of a stick and some grass blades. I held my wand between both hands and turned it around. Had it been made by a craftsman, I would have said he was very good at his craft. The grass blades looked like veins, crisscrossing around the shaft and connecting at the tip. The wood had a kind of satin shine, like old lacquer on antique furniture, not too shiny and very comfortable to hold. Once I saw all I wanted to see, getting acquainted with my wand, I let it go, and it vanished immediately, although I felt it was just there, a minuscule distance beyond my fingertips for whenever I wanted it.
“It is very beautiful,” Brian told me, hugging me tighter, “just like you.”
I smiled and kissed him.
“Care to explain how you moved your seat?” Gran asked me. From her tone, I was sure she knew that I had no idea.
I shrugged. “I just wanted to sit near Brian, and then it moved. I used no spell nor anything special.”
Gran turned to the others. “As you heard, magic just reacted to her will, without even giving it a conscious thought. While that’s a mark of powerful magical beings, it can also be dangerous, causing unexpected events. You must all maintain control of your magic under all circumstances, or you may become a danger to others and to yourselves as well.”
She turned back to me. “Can you now move the stone to its previous position?”
I didn’t really want to do it, preferring to cuddle with Brian, but I knew this was all part of our learning experience. Besides, cuddling was not so good with the wings. They prevented us from assuming the really close position that I wanted.
I stood up and looked around to see where the stone came from. A bit of concentration made it move back there. It wasn’t really a big deal, as we had all learned how to move things magically during the first week of our club.
“Can you tell us what you did?” Gran asked me.
“I willed the stone back to the position it had been before.”
“How does this differ from what you did before?”
There was not much difference, really, except . . . “I did this deliberately this time, as opposed to the previous. I didn’t really think of what to do, then; I only thought of what I wanted, and let my magic act without really thinking.”
Gran smiled at me, making me understand that my answer was perfect. “Yes, the main difference is in controlling your magic deliberately. You need a certain kind of maturity before you can exert your deliberate control on your magic. That’s why young fairies are devoid of magic until they are mature enough to handle it. It’s also true about other magical beings, as letting their magic act uncontrolled at a young age is a sure way to wipe them out.”
Her tone turned more serious now. “Having magical powers means having a great responsibility. Magic can create or destroy, injure or heal, and it can be extremely dangerous when let loose. You must always keep your magic under tight control. We’re going to spend most of our remaining time in the club practicing methods of controlling our magic. By gaining that control, your magic will become much stronger and you’ll be able to do much more, as long as you keep it under tight control.”
She made sure that we all got the message and then smiled. “Let’s go a bit deeper into the forest. I think there’s a nice clearing that could serve us well for a camp.”
10 Pixies
Our stay in the magical realms was enjoyable. Gran had probably chosen an area as safe as possible and it soon turned into pure fun. We erected our tents quickly and collected some wood for the fire, and then the fun began. Flying all around our small camp, enjoying our freedom, drinking nectar from various flowers, or just absorbing some sun and getting a tan was all fantastic. As night approached, we lit some of the collected wood to make a small fire, where those who wanted could also heat the food they brought with them from the “normal” world. Only two seemed to want that.
Gran started telling us some legends and histories of our species. I cuddled to Brian and was listening only partially to Gran’s story. It simply felt great being there, especially with Brian at my side. I was almost falling asleep when I heard some giggles. They came from all around us, although none came from our group. Gran stopped talking. A moment later I noticed some flying figures. As they came closer I was able to see that they looked quite like us—same size, similar wings, human-like features—yet they all seemed to have purple skin and large, slanted eyes. Gran seemed very displeased and quite alarmed at their appearance.
They seemed to have a plan, as they landed among us, two near each one of us. I held Brian tightly, making sure that none of them could come between us. Gran grabbed her wand and moved it in sweeping motions, mumbling something I couldn’t hear. I saw the sky above us dim, as a translucent dome seemed to cover us.
“What are you doing?” one of the newcomers asked Gran, sounding worried.
“I’m just making sure that all my wards will be able to return home on time.” Gran barely kept her temper under control.
“We only wanted to give them some innocent fun,” the same one—probably the leader of that group—said in a moaning tone. It didn’t sound sincere to me, not at all.
“Well, if your Pixie Chieftain wants anything that concerns our group, she should first talk with me. Tell your leader that Fairlady Edith is willing to give her an audience if she asks for it, but cannot accept a
ny unilateral initiative.”
‘So, these are pixies,’ I thought. I wondered what the ‘Fairlady’ title meant, though. Gran had never mentioned it before.
The pixie—a very beautiful young female, although her purple color masked some of her beauty—seemed impressed, but not convinced. I assumed she had her orders and was not willing to anger whoever gave them, although she was clearly not willing to go into a confrontation either. Gran took a good look at another one, who looked younger. “Aren’t you Kathy?” she asked.
“Yes, I am. How did you know?”
Gran smiled. “I was the one who told you about being a fairy, although another became your mentor. Why did you join the pixies?”
Kathy looked defiant. “It’s much more fun that way. I can do as I like among the pixies, without all the restrictions fairies must think of.”
“Are you willing to give up your life as a woman?”
Kathy shrugged. “Why should I give it up? I can transform, even if others can’t. I can enjoy both worlds.”
Gran looked sad. “Have you thought about your children?”
“What do you mean?”
“If you stay here, as a pixie, you’re bound to get pregnant sooner or later and have a pixie child, who can’t transform. Are you ready to leave your child behind while you live in human form?”
Kathy lost some of her defiance. “I can have children as a woman, instead.”
“In that case, they’ll most probably be unable to transform, not being magical. You know this usually skips generations unless both mates are magical.”
Kathy seemed to think about what Gran said, but she had no chance to dwell on it.
“They have a male with them!” I heard another pixie cry in alarm.
“Two!” Brian called. I could now understand those subtle hand movements near his crotch, a moment earlier. His penis was now reaching his chin and looked as sharp-tipped as a spear. He hugged me tighter and winked at me as if promising that he wouldn’t hurt me, that it was all only for intimidating the pixies.
Finding the two males seemed to be the decisive factor. The pixie leader flew up and the others followed suit, leaving us alone. Gran waved her wand, making an opening in the dome, and the pixies hurried to get out of it. I thought Kathy looked back for a moment before hurrying out. After the last pixie flew away, Gran sealed the dome again.
We were all a bit puzzled by their sudden appearance and their quick withdrawal. Gran looked around, making sure that we were all fine and sat back in her place, sighing. “It’s not over yet,” she said, talking almost to herself. “They’ll try again, either during this visit or later in the future. We should be ready for them.”
“What are they?” one of the girls asked. “They look very similar to us and they also talk like us.”
“These are pixies, and you are right—they are a kind of fairies, a different race, one could say. They are slightly less powerful and very mischievous, but a fairy can mate with a pixie of the other gender and the children will be fertile. Biologically, we are the same species, but we differ magically. The pixies can’t transform into human form. They keep their males well guarded to make sure none of them can even think of finding a counter charm to regain the dangerous proportions. I suspect they also keep them quite busy, making most thought impossible.”
“Is that their natural color?” another asked.
“No. They are naturally pale, like most fairies; like all fairies before mingling with humans. They magically dye their skin to purple in defiance of the fairy rulers.”
“We have rulers?” Even I was surprised.
“Fairies are a free nation in this realm. Although they have no territorial boundaries, fairies have some institutes with traditions going back thousands of years. We shall discuss these next week.”
“What does Fairlady mean?” I couldn’t refrain from asking.
“It’s just one of the titles in the fairy official hierarchy,” Gran said dismissively. I was sure it meant much more, if only by the expression on the pixie’s face when she heard it, but Gran was clearly not going to say anything else about that matter.
The rest of our visit to Avalon was less eventful but much more educational. We dismantled our camp in the morning and then flew in formation, with Gran leading us to some interesting places. We saw (from a safe distance) a few dragons resting in front of their caves, puffing some flames once in a while. We visited the elf village. I thought they all looked like tall fashion models (of both genders), except for their elongated ears, which defined them as different from humans.
A short flight away from there, we spotted a goblin camp. We didn’t dare come close enough for them to spot us, as they didn’t look friendly at all. We also saw a small herd of unicorns grazing, their horns shining like pure gold. Gran warned us not to come near them, as those beautiful horns could become quite dangerous.
It was already lunchtime, and my muscles were a bit stiff from flying, when I felt a tug forward, as if my magic recognized something. I think the others felt it as well, since we all accelerated at once. It was a surprisingly fast flight that took us over a lake and then into a denser forest. We hurried forward, into the thickest part of the forest, when we suddenly came upon a clearing that contained several buildings.
I would have expected humble wooden buildings in such a place, but what I saw was anything but humble. It was a magnificent marble palace, unlike any I’ve seen before, surrounded by several smaller buildings, just as elegant. Their sizes were appropriate for us in our fairy form, yet the palace had more stories than any human palace. Its doors were wide enough to let us in with our wings spread, and we could even fly in.
Gran led us to what seemed to be a side door. It was just as wide as the main one, but not as tall and not as elegant. It opened as we approached. Gran landed a few paces in front of the door and turned to look at us.
“The building we’re going to enter now is the Fair Palace—the focal point of fairy culture and fairy rule. I’ll only give you a quick tour of the library and the museum. You can magically duplicate any book of interest and take it with you. Most of the artifacts at the museum cannot be duplicated, though, but you can take photos, using cameras and your phones, if you want.”
Gran had already advised us about that, so I’d packed a high-quality camera. I was now glad to have it.
We spent most of our remaining time there. Gran gave us a quick tour, first, and then let us roam the library and the museum freely. There was also a small dining room near them, where we could get a modest lunch. Most of us visited there, taking care of our physical needs, before returning to our subtler needs and visiting the museum and the library. Brian and I were fascinated by the same things at the museum, and most of the books that caught our interest were also the same. We took many photographs and duplicated many books. Luckily, we could also shrink them, or we could have never carried so many books back.
We then had dinner, consisting of various servings, all made of flowers and fruits nectar, some made into cakes, sweets, and other interesting forms. Once dinner was over, it was time to leave Avalon and go back. “We couldn’t come directly here, as this place is protected, but we can easily go back from here,” Gran said, creating a portal only a few paces away from the side door we had come in through.
A few minutes later, after we all made sure that we were properly dressed, we mounted the bus that was still where we had left it and made our way back to town.
When we next met, we all seemed to have a lot of questions about our visit to Avalon and some of the magic used there. Gran was expecting them. She listened patiently to all our questions and then smiled. “I believe that most of your questions will be answered before the end of the day. I’ll make sure to give the remaining answers before the end of the week.”
Instead of answering each question separately, she decided to go over our visit there and describe each step, elaborating on the magic used and how to direct it correctly.
&
nbsp; “Magical portals, while very impressive, are not too difficult to create,” she started. “One needs to first choose the location of the portal. While the place itself is not significant, it needs to have something solid that’s bound to stay there for as long as that portal is needed. A building, a tree, or some rock formation are good examples. I normally prefer to anchor my portal at both sides, making it more stable. I’ve chosen two trees to make the portal between them. Had it been a building, I could use a wall or a doorway. You then need to know where the other side would connect. Connecting to a previously known location, one can easily direct the portal to certain features, like a wall or a tree on the other side. It’s more difficult when you don’t know the place, as you then have to use your magic to search for the anchor on the other side. You then direct your magic . . .”
It took quite a bit of explanation to make us all understand how to create a portal, yet once we started exercising, it turned much simpler. We first created portals to our own bedrooms each. That was quite easy, as both locations were well known.
Gran then gave us some addresses in foreign countries, where none of us had ever visited. That took us much longer to master, although once done, the portal creation took just about as long.
“Can’t we have a permanent portal to connect between two places we often visit?” one asked.
“You can’t leave a permanent portal for several reasons. The portal uses your magic to stay open. The longer you keep it open, the more exhausted you become. Even a powerful fairy can only keep a portal open for an hour or so before becoming too magically exhausted to keep it active. Then there’s also the security aspect. The longer you keep a portal active, the more chance it has to be detected by unwanted eyes. It is unwise to let the non-magical, except for those who already know about us, see you use magic in general, and then, a portal may allow unwanted elements to pass through.”
