I felt my heart racing as I ran through the dark woods, my feet pounding against the ground. I could hear the sound of dogs barking behind and on both sides of me, getting closer and closer. I tried to run faster, but my legs felt heavy like I was wading through molasses. Suddenly, a large black dog appeared from my left. It bared its teeth, growling menacingly. I bolted right, but a white dog skidded to a stop and snarled at me, rooting me to my spot. I spun back to the black dog it was snarling and standing there. As I was turning back to the white dog, a giant Sparky ran up and jumped on my chest.
Everything disappeared before I hit the forest floor, and I held my wand in my hand, panting.
I was confused and disoriented, trying to understand what had just happened. Then I saw the window glowing a strange color I wasn't used to. That made it click that I was dreaming and now was awake. The dream was so vivid, so real. It felt like I was actually there, being chased by those dogs. I tried to shake it off but couldn't stop thinking about it, holding my wand to my chest.
As I lay there, my breathing calming down, I could hear the sound of dogs barking in the distance. Sitting up, I put my wand away and leaned to the window. I was blinded by a white ball for a second, and it took me a second to realize it was the sun. I stared at the beauty of the sunrise.
Blocking it with my palm, I looked down and saw Uncle Paul leading the three dogs through the closed window. I sighed and muttered, "I really need to buy something to bribe them with...before they actually do chase me down and eat me."
Leaning back on the bed, I scooted to the wall and sighed, looking at my pillow. I wasn't fully rested, but I wasn't sleepy anymore. I shuddered at the memory of Sparky's drooling, snarling maw and decided that was enough sleep for me.
I got up from the bed and stretched my arms, feeling the stiffness in my muscles. New beds always gave me stiffness; nightmares didn't help either. Since the day was starting, I might freshen up before my morning routine.
I walked to the bathroom attached to my bedroom and waited for the lights to come on. After waiting a few seconds, I used the illumination spell in the area. After I had already done it, my eyes fell on the rectangle on the wall, and I remembered that light switches existed and how they worked.
I looked at myself in the mirror and saw the exhaustion on my face. I sighed and turned to the sink. I noticed a small package on the countertop containing a toothbrush and toothpaste. I picked it up and examined it. I knew it was for hygiene, and the words said toothbrush and toothpaste, but I would have to ask how to use it. For today, I would just use magic.
Using my wand, I used the sanitation spell on my mouth, hair, and skin. Then, I examined my face and washed it with cold water. That didn't have the desired effect on my exhaustion and didn't remove the puffiness of my face, so I used a mild heal spell to fix that.
Examining myself in the mirror and being satisfied, I exited the bathroom, disenchanting the ball of light on my way almost automatically.
I decided to stay in my room and do my daily magical exercises. It was still early, and everyone else was asleep except for Uncle Paul and the dogs. I'm sure they were all downstairs, and I wanted numbers on my side. I pulled out my grimoire from my backpack and sat on the chair at the table. I was blinded again, so I slid the chair to the side to stay out of the direct sun.
I opened the grimoire to the table of contents. I used that as a reference list to practice activating and deactivating the spells individually. I had learned most of these spells during my training at the academy. However, I still needed to practice them regularly to keep my skills sharp and my manna flowing easily.
This wand my parents got me for graduation was phenomenal. It was way more powerful and way more versed than my training wand or any wand I've ever made. I even had to flip to the magic circle diagrams for a few of the spells to remind myself how to activate it.
I didn't dare release any of the smells except the perfectly safe ones. My parents, aunt, and uncle would equally be disappointed if I blew up their guest bedroom. Or worse, their whole house.
As I was finishing up my magic practice, I heard movement and faint voices coming from downstairs. I listened intently and heard a chair scraping against the hardwood floor. Uncle Paul and the dogs couldn't be the only ones up this early. I thought about using detection magic to find out who it was but decided it would be best to just go down and see for myself.
I closed my grimoire and slipped it back into my backpack before standing up from the chair. I stretched my arms and legs before making my way out of the room and down the stairs. As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I met the eyes of Jax and Apollo and froze on the last step.
Before I could decide what to do, Sparky bounded to me. Panic flared up for a second but quickly died down, realizing his tail wagged aggressively and tongue lolling. He was barking in a cute, quite way, like he knew people were asleep.
Aunt Fraya softly laughed and said, "Looks like he wants to get picked up, John." I looked down at Sparky, who was wagging his tail and softly barking in excitement. I bent down and reached out my arms, and Sparky quickly turned around and lifted his front paws. I carefully scooped him up into my arms, and he turned his face up and licked my face once, as I scratched his scruff with my free hand.
Aunt Freya smiled at us and said, "He really likes you, John."
I walked towards the kitchen with Sparky in my arms, feeling his warm and soft fur against my skin. I heard a flipping of pages and saw Uncle Paul in a chair in the living room. He looked up and saw me, "Morning, John. Did you sleep well?"
I shrugged, "Sort of? I had nightmares of these 3," nodding towards the dogs in the room. "But I think that was my overactive imagination."
He snorted, "Yes, they are fine as long as you are introduced as a friend." he murmured, turning back to his book. "Heavens help you if you are not."
I froze, snapping my face to where Jax and Apollo looked with jealousy at Sparky in my arms. I looked in fear to Aunt Fraya, who smiled and comforted me. "You are fine. Remember I told them you were a friend." She lifted a pot of black liquid and offered, "Coffee?"
I shrugged in response to Aunt Freya's offer and said, "Sure, thank you. I don't know what it is, but I'll try it." She smiled at me like she knew something I didn't, poured me a cup, and added sugar and cream before placing it on the counter in front of me.
I carefully placed Sparky down on the floor, but he protested and sat on my foot, looking up at me with his big, brown eyes. I took a sip of my coffee and balked at the taste. I was in the process of putting the cup down when I suddenly felt invigorated. I took another sip. This time, it didn't taste as bad.
Aunt Freya smiled. "Might be the greatest discovery of the non-magical is the coffee in that cup." She picked up her cup, took a sip, and called, "Honey, do you want me to get breakfast going?"
I looked at Uncle Paul, "Yeah, I'll get the kids up when I finish."
Aunt Freya looked at me and asked, "Want to help me make breakfast? I'm sure it's a bit different than you are used to."
I nodded and took another sip of the fantastical liquid. "Yes, I need to learn anyway, it would be a good thing to learn before I decide where I want to go next."
Aunt Freya smiled and motioned for me to come closer to the cupboards. I started to move my foot, and Sparky fell off, protesting again my movement. Uncle Paul called him over, and Sparky approached and sat on his foot.
I joined Aunt Fray as began explaining where things were in the kitchen, the tools, the appliances, how to turn on the stove where the spice rack was. She pulled out eggs, bacon, and various spices. What surprised me was how many different spices and ingredients were available, some of them from the magical realms.
"Wow," I said, "I didn't know you could get ingredients from other realms."
She laughed softly, "Yes, I can pick them up from the enclave. But some of these are actually from the non-magical realm and the magical cultivate it also. It's a passion I picked up from your grandfather." her voice caught, but she recovered quickly. "Food is a great way to learn about others."
That phrase sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it. I decided not to ask her about it since it seemed to be a painful topic.
As Aunt Fraya continued to gather ingredients, she turned to me and asked, "John, do you think you can fry up the bacon and eggs? I'll prepare some toast and drinks."
I hesitated for a moment. I was a decent cook, but I've cooked on a stove with magic, not with... whatever powered this stove. "Uh, yeah, sure. I can give it a try."
Aunt Freya smiled and handed me a spatula. "Just do your best. Bacon and eggs are hard to mess up, and they will help you learn the basics of non-magical stoves."
I took the spatula and nodded. I heard Uncle Paul say from the other room, "I'll go wake up the kids."
I turned to the stove and stared at it blankly for a moment, trying to figure out how to turn it on. I noticed a knob on the side, but no markings or symbols indicate which direction to turn it. I began to feel a bit embarrassed. I was sure it was something simple.
Sensing my confusion, she approached me and said, "Here, let me show you." She pointed to a big knob above the griddle. "This is the knob that turns on the stove under the griddle. Just push it, turn it, and adjust the fire to the needed amount. The flame heats up the griddle." She pointed to the bacon she pulled out on the counter, "We probably need the whole pack today. And we like to cook the eggs in the rendered grease."
I felt a little relieved and grateful for Aunt Freya's help. I followed her instructions, and the stove came to life. I waited for the griddle to heat up to place the bacon down to fry it.
Aunt Fraya started moving about the kitchen, preparing toast, drinks, and condiments while humming a catchy tone I didn't recognize.
As I waited for the griddle to heat up, I could hear the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. Glancing over, I saw Jake enter the kitchen and stand beside me, rubbing his eyes.
"Good morning, Jake," I said, trying to sound as cheerful as possible. "Did you sleep well?"
He yawned and nodded. "Yeah, I did. When I finally went to bed. Thanks for those books. I read them way too late."
"I'm the same way," I said, gesturing towards the griddle. "If I get a new book, I read it all night. Unfortunately, I can't sleep most of the time. Thanks for bringing them."
Jake's contorted as he found a mug and filled it with coffee. "Me too. No idea why." He yawned, sipped his coffee, and smiled with closed eyes.
Suddenly, a messy-haired gremlin materialized next to Jake. It took me a full second to realize it was Julie. The gremlin said, "Morning! I read, too."
Jake tasseled her hair and said, "Unlike us, she can't wake up the next day."
Aunt Fraya stopped humming, handed Jake a platter of cups to place on the table, pointed to the griddle, and said, "Your griddle is ready."
I spun around and realized the griddle was smoking. I quickly placed the bacon down, and while the first side was sizzling, I broke and beat a carton of eggs in a mixing bowl Aunt Fraya placed next to the stove for me. Between beating the eggs, I flipped the bacon, and as soon as it was done, I pulled it off and poured the eggs in, scrambling them on high heat, making the egg curds extra large and fluffy. The bacon disappeared as it was placed on the table, and a large serving bowl was prepared for the eggs.
I delivered the eggs to the table where everyone was already sitting. As people took egg, bacon, and toast servings, Aunt Fraya took a taste. She said, "Yum, you are definitely Zepher and Beatrice's child!" I was filled with pride and pleasure at the appreciation of my skills.
As we ate breakfast, the only sounds in the room were the clinking of forks and knives against plates and the occasional sip of coffee. It was a comfortable silence, with everyone enjoying the food and each other's company.
After we finished, Uncle Paul stood up and stretched. "That was delicious, Fraya and John. Thank you," he said, looking over at her.
Aunt Fraya smiled in response. "You're welcome. John did most of the cooking."
Uncle Paul turned to Jake and me. "Hey, you two, can you help me load the SUV? We're going to the lake for lunch today."
"Sure thing, Uncle Paul," I replied, happy to have something to do after breakfast.
Jake finished his coffee and stood up. "I'll grab my things and meet you outside. Is that okay, Dad."
Uncle Paul shrugged. "Don't try to get out of working, but sure, we have time to kill."
As we walked out to the garage, Uncle Paul explained the plan for the day. "We'll meet up with some old friends at the lake. We'll have lunch there and maybe do some fishing, swimming, or usually just sitting around and relaxing in nature."
I nodded, excited for the adventure ahead. Uncle Paul pointed to various things that needed to get loaded. I used levitation magic to help pick things up and move them into the SUV quickly. Uncle Paul muttered something about this being helpful at work. We were done before Jake walked out of the house.
Jake emerged from the house, carrying a small backpack and a sac of spheres and disks, wearing his sunglasses. As he approached, Uncle Paul grinned maliciously and gave him a hard time, saying, "What took you so long, Jake? We're pretty much done."
Jake froze, looking back and forth between the still open trunk and the empty spots around the garage and replied, "I wasn't that long, Dad. Just needed to grab a few things! I swear I didn't take my time!"
Uncle Paul didn't let up. "How long did it take you to find your glasses? You sure you didn't lose your time."
I saw that Jake was starting to get really flustered from the teasing, so I spoke up, "Actually, I helped Uncle Paul out with some levitation magic to get everything loaded quickly. He didn't lift a finger."
Uncle Paul's face fell, and he feigned a fake offended facial expression, "Traitor! We could have had him going for at least another minute!"
I raised my hands. "I'm on his team..." I trailed off, seeing Uncle Paul glaring.
The three-way standoff was starting to get uncomfortable when Uncle Paul cracked first. "Yeah, yeah! You really did make it easy and quick." Turning to Jake, he added, "I'm just teasing. We good?" extending a fist to Jake.
Jake pouted for a second but then extended his fist and said, "Good." tapping Uncle Paul's fist simultaneously. Turning to the car, he asked, "How will we all fit? Or are we leaving the dogs?"
Angry barking emanated through the closed doors as if they heard their names mentioned.
Uncle Paul grinned like a toddler with a lollipop. "Nah, I have an excuse to take the Becky for a spin. And your mom can't even complain."
I was confused, but following his gaze, I saw another vehicle with two wheels.
Uncle Paul walked up to the door into the house, still smiling, and called out to Aunt Fraya and Julie that the car was ready, and we heard the sound of excited barking as the dogs. After a good 30 more minutes of waiting, everyone was ready, and we all piled into the SUV, except for Uncle Paul, who straddled the motorcycle like it was his most prized possession. Uncle Paul spent the whole time giving every detail of his Becky, but I was able to follow very little of it.
As we drove the short distance to the lake, I watched the scenery fly by, marveling at the area's natural beauty. This was further into the countryside, and trees stretched grew more dense on both sides of the road, their leaves rustling in the gentle breeze. Periodically, a farm or a cattle ranch would break the sea of trees.
Uncle Paul started behind us but quickly caught up, passed, and led the way on the motorcycle. The dogs panted happily in the back seat, their tails wagging in excitement between Julie and me. John was in the front, Aunt Fraya behind the wheel.
As we arrived at the lake, we saw Uncle Paul pulling into a parking spot near the water's edge. He hopped off the motorcycle and waved to us as we pulled up next to him. The sound of birds chirping and the distant sound of ethereal laughter filled the air from somewhere far away. The lake was crystal clear, and I could see fish swimming lazily just below the surface. Uncle Paul asked if we wanted to set up now or relax for a bit first. Aunt Fraya decided for all of us to unpack first.
I didn't have to use magic to unpack with so many hands, and we were done in 2 trips, setting up under a giant willow, its branches forming a canopy for our picnic. Uncle Paul said we might need a second table, so Jake and I pushed it over. The dogs just sat and watched us the whole time.
As we finished setting up the picnic, another car parked next to the SUV and motorcycle. I saw the Lycon family approaching, get up, and come to us, waving their greetings. They looked very human, with clothes and backpacks like any other family on a picnic trip. But I could sense the magic emanating from them. Uncle Paul and Aunt Freya walked up to greet them with open arms, calling out cheerful greetings. I stood a little in the back, not sure how to act.
After they finished their greetings, they looked at me and froze and became more timid, as if they were afraid of me. I could see the fear in their eyes, and it made me feel uncomfortable. I wanted to reassure them that I was not a threat, but I wasn't sure how to do it.
Aunt Fraya jumped in. "That's our nephew. He's staying with us for the first part of his saltatum." But for some reason, this didn't relax them.
I decided to be friendly and walked up to them, extending my hand in greeting. "Hi, I'm John. It's nice to meet you," I said with as big of a smile as my lips would permit...
They hesitated momentarily, but then the one who looked like the dad shook my hand tentatively. "I'm Jacob Lycon, and this is my wife, Sarah, and our daughter, Emma," the father said, introducing his family.
I could sense their unease around me, but I didn't want to make things worse. So I just smiled and waved at them, making a hasty retreat back to where I was by the grill, examining the strange black stones and only sometimes glancing at the Lycon family.
Everyone was talking except for Jake, who stood next to me and said, "So what was that about?"
I shrugged and sighed. "I told you the magical world wasn't all good. This is one of those things. I'll explain later."
Jake shrugged and sat down next to me, pulling his book out of a pocket and reading. I stood awkwardly to the side, trying to figure out how to be expected when I heard Julie's voice behind me. I turned around and saw her running up to her parents, who were talking to the Lycon family.
"Mom, Dad, can Emma and I go to the fishing dock to look at the water?" Julie asked, her eyes bright with excitement.
Aunt Fraya and Uncle Paul looked at each other and then at Jacob and Sarah Lycon, exchanging a silent conversation. Finally, Aunt Fraya spoke up. "Sure, you can go, but be careful, and don't go too far out. And if you see any strange creatures, come back here immediately."
Julie grinned and gave a quick nod, then turned to Emma and grabbed her hand. "Come on, let's go!" she said, pulling her along.
I watched as the two girls ran off towards the dock, their laughter and chatter carrying on the breeze. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy and loneliness. It didn't even take 2 days for me to miss my friends.
As the Lycon family seemed to be getting comfortable and settling into the conversation, mostly ignoring me, I suddenly heard the ethereal laughter getting closer. The sound echoed across the lake, growing louder and more vibrant with each passing second. Suddenly, a group of fairies appeared out of nowhere, flying across the lake straight toward the willow tree we were sitting under.
I watched in amazement as they zoomed past us, their wings creating a blur of colors. They were tiny, but their laughter was loud and infectious. When they reached our side of the lake, the others turned their heads as if just now realizing that the fairies were coming. They paused their conversation and looked like they were anticipating the coming of the fairies.
The fairies flew around the willow tree, playfully darting in and out of its branches. They were chattering and giggling, their laughter like music to my ears. Their laughs were interspersed with the ethereal laughing sound. They flew up to each person, greeting them one by one.
When they reached me to give their greeting, they froze, their voices and wings frozen for a second, causing them to fall a bit, before flying away from me and hiding behind the others, screaming, "There is a wizard here!"