A Short Story: Mending a Rift - Part 1

(Yet another fantasy short story with magic and wizardry! Fantasy lovers rejoice! The rest of you, have patience!)

The ancient cart rattled on along the dusty road. On seeing someone walking down the road, the man riding the cart reined in to asked for directions.

"Is this the way to the Wizard Tower?"

Sharp eyes took in a tired-looking farmer and four huddled children. "Don't need directions no more, go over that hillock and you can see 'er for yourself."

"Thank you."

"You look mighty desperate, and I don't blame you. But sometimes the price is too high."

The farmer blanched but continued on his way. He glanced back at his precious children. Could he really give one up? Was it worth it? Then he thought about his wife, held up a foot from the ground as the hellish creature crushed her neck...

Retribution was worth anything right now.

---

Wizard Harvin was tired. He was tired of listening to stupid requests from nobles with petty schemes. There was no way the Tower could involve itself with any of them. What he wouldn't give for a...

Standing in his office was a commoner with four children, every one of them shining like full moons with the Power.

Harvin rubbed his eyes and bade them sit down. The farmer wasted few words. He came from a village far west, almost at the Selyssian border. Strange creatures had emerged suddenly one day and attacked their village, killing nearly half of the villagers including his wife. Weapons were no good against their hard shells and sharp talons. His family had only managed to survive because a passing magician had fought off the creatures, and counselled the entire village to leave before they came back.

Harvin took notes and called for additional counsel. The peasant's story bore checking out. Besides, if he was willing to apprentice one of his children to the Tower....
He had drifted in his thoughts when one of the boys piped up, "Begging your pardon, sir, but the attack was far from random. Wizard Verner said they were harvesting Desune's blood for opening a dee... demon... dimensional rift."

And the three wizards who happened to walk in at that point froze in the middle of their steps.

Harvin eyed the boy warily. "Tell the story again, boy. Fully and from the beginning."

---

"Wizard Verner popped into our village one day out of nowhere. Kepp - that's our Ranger - swears he was watching the roads and ne'er saw him coming, and that's impossible 'cos Kepp's got the best eyes in all of Hesnia."

"Anyway, he told us that he had come to investigate a... wrongness... in the hills northwest of our village. At this point Kepp became excited because he'd felt it too, and there was some places where the birds and little animals refused to go anymore, only we'd told him to forget it 'cos it had nothing to do with us anyway."

"But Wizard Verner said it was important, and it might affect the earth for miles around. Now, we're farmers and herders back in Eringvale, so now we became concerned and told Wizard Verner to take Kepp and poke around to see what was wrong."

"They looked around for a couple of days and I tagged along. Wizard Verner taught me a little magic, too. See?" The lad closed his eyes and recited a phrase from memory, then clapped his hands in front of him; a dull glow of light emanated from his palms. It lasted a couple of seconds before flickering out. The farmer winced at the demonstrationg but the boy glared back at him.

The Wizards exchanged glances. "Go on with the story, lad," said Wizard Harvin.

"Anyway, Wizard Verner looked more and more unhappy everyday, the more he saw. And then suddenly he stood up erect and cried, To the village! It's under attack!"

"Naturally Kepp and I were confused but we ran as hard as we could back to the village... and sure enough, there was this bunch of creatures attacking the village. They had talons instead of hands and I saw Blacksmith Jarvis swing a sword at one of them, it just reflected off the body like it was made of armor..."

"Them creatures were behaving strangely, though. Some people they cut with their talons like they were meat. Others they crushed the necks and dragged the bodies back with them.

"Soon as we came within range, Wizard Verner spoke a harsh word and an arrow of fire shot out from his hand to the nearest creature, but it bounced off like Kepp's regular arrows, although it were made of pure elly...ellymintal energy. Wizard Verner was deathly surprised at this, and threw a lightning bolt, and when that bounced off he blasted the earth to knock the nearest ones off their feet."

"Then he leapt over to a hillock - near thirty feet in one leap, mind you, and started tossing fireballs into their midst. That didn't ruffle them either, but it got their attention."

"At this point, Wizard Verner started some really complicated spell - as though he were calling something from heaven itself - and sure enough, a bunch of fiery rocks came streaking in out of the skies and punched holes through 'em creatures."

One of the Wizards leapt off his seat and yelled, "A meteorite strike spell! Without an apprentice to support and ground him! He's barking mad!"

Harvin quietened him down, "He was desperate, Regus. I might have done the same in his position. Continue, lad. So then Verner collapsed on the hillock as the creatures ran away?"

The boy looked puzzled. "No, sir. The creatures were still moving. And Wizard Verner was still standing. He the called up some green smoky stuff that got the wounded creatures all screaming..."

"Acid fog. After calling a meteorite strike! Amazing! So then he collapsed?"

"No, sir. A couple of 'em creatures were climbing up the hillock so I yelled at him to run, and he simply jumped down the thirty feet and landed like a feather. By now the creatures had enough and they ran, but they took some of our dead with 'em."

"That's when Wizard Verner told us to leave before they came back, and told my Da to come here if he wanted Ma avenged.." and the boy started crying. Everyone watched uncomfortably as he wiped his tears away and defiantly ended his report. "Then he gave me his ring to give you.." handing the ring over, "and said you would believe me if I said to you that stuff about harvesting blood and dimensional rifts and all that. And then he walked over to our bed and he collapsed like you said."

And with that, the boy leaned back like a deflated balloon.

Harvin held out the ring and said a word to trigger the illusion that identified the owner of the ring. "Winston Verner, Class of 682" the words floated up, circling a three-dimensional miniature reproduction of the Wizard Tower itself. That was to be expected. What was not expected was a monkey striking a salute from the arch-wizard's chamber.

Harvin smiled. "Verner's personal touch. There is no doubt about the veracity of the story now."

The Wizards in the chamber looked at each other uncomfortably, and one of them spoke, "I never thought I'd see the day when I say this, but I think we need help if we are to do this."

Harvin smiled his mysterious smile, "You're quite right about that. We need to bring in some professionals." He turned to the farmer. "Regarding your payment..."

"Take him," pointing to the boy who had given the story, "I think he actually wants to study in this God-forsaken place."

"...in cases like these," Harvin continued smoothly, "when the entire realm is affected, no payment is necessary and we thank you for bringing the issue to our notice. And if payment had been required, gold would suffice, but that would be waived if you are willing to apprentice one Talented child to the Tower. As it now stands, you can leave the boy here or take him with you if you wish. But he is strong in the Power - all your children are - and I strongly advise you to leave him with us. He will do great good to the realm one day."

"I'm staying," said the boy, crossing his arms.

And that settled one issue.

Now it only remained to stop a demon army and mend a dimensional rift....


To be continued.