SWNOVELS Chapter 21: Untamed Magic
Molly ran to the window, wiping off the soot to peek outside. Drawing in her breath in wonder, she whispered, “Father!”
“Jackson!” cried King Simon. “What is he doing here? We left him in the forest!”
He ran outside to greet Molly’s father, the others following. The Spungle fairy ran swiftly to him, throwing her arms about him. “Father! How did you get here? We have found no sign of the village officials or Jar-Ed who escaped from us by disappearing!”
“I’m sorry to have to tell you this, my daughter, but Jar-Ed is here and he has the officials. He found a way into Fielders Forest to let me know,” Jackson told her. “His magic has grown stronger since he took a wand from the mystic receptacle, a rare black wand.” His anger, mixed with concern, displayed itself on his lined face.
“He took one of the wands!” Molly yelled, distressed. “When is this madness to end? Those wands are not completed. I saw them myself. They need to be tested before they are used!”
“Where is he?” asked King Simon, his voice filled with the fury he felt. “We must stop him and put an end to this evil causing such havoc!”
Hoddi was nodding fiercely in agreement, his face flushed, his breathing quickening.
Just then they heard a familiar and hateful laugh, catching them all off guard. Jar-Ed had returned, invisible no longer. “Thanks for the magic, Molly. Guess I didn’t have to marry you after all!”
The group spun around, outraged by the sorcerer’s boldness and treachery. Another unpleasant surprise awaited them. Jar-Ed stood before them waving a small black wand. “Looks like I don’t need you anymore, dear Molly,” jeered the sorcerer, his face sinister.
Molly’s eyes went immediately to the little black wand in the horrid sorcerer’s hand. “The new ones must be tested before they are used and that one’s not even completely formed!” she cried, her heart sinking in fear. There was no telling what the mad sorcerer could do with the untamed, unfinished magical wand.
“Works just fine for me, my little fairy. “Just fine!” yelled out Jar-Ed, moving the wand in a circle. “Watch this!” Jar-Ed was clearly amused by Molly’s horrified expression.
Within a few seconds, the village officials appeared, one by one. As if in a trance they walked around in circles, their eyes glazed and bewildered.
Molly felt the red dragon tremble beside her. She knew he would do away with Jar-Ed quickly if it did not place the rest of them in danger. She could hear him stifle the growl that threatened to erupt. She patted his head, calming him as much as she could.
King Simon, took a step toward the evil Jar-Ed. “What do you want?” he asked, his jaw rigid with anger.
Jackson pulled the king back, whispering, “We do not know how long the magic lasts in that wand. We have never used black wands before. I suspect it contains more than a bit of dark magic. ”
Molly added, her face revealing fear, “There is no way we can know what he will do with that wand in the meantime. We should not wait for the magic to run out.”
They stood in silence, watching as the village officials begin to realize where they were. “Oh Jackson, save us! Don’t let this imbecile get away with this! He has caused us much harm!” The official was terrified.
The man’s plea angered the sorcerer who raised the wand and brought it down sharply. “You see, my friends, I have been practicing!” One by one, the villagers disappeared again. “Say goodbye to your father, my dear little fairy!” Jackson Spungle, disappeared as well, before he had time to protest.
“Father!” screamed Molly, and began to sob loudly, which seemed to make the evil sorcerer even angrier.
With another sharp movement of his hand, a flame spurted from the wand, setting the remaining building on fire. “I left the most important building until now so you could see it firsthand!”
The group watched in shocked silence as black smoke poured from the roof, billowing upwards. Soon, soot began to cover any surrounding area that had been left untouched.
Jar-Ed, laughing in glee, cried out, “I have fire too!”
The group cringed as the sorcerer turned and began to wave the wand threateningly at them. The ferocious roar that sprang from the throat of the large red dragon frightened everyone. His great wings unfurled and, with fire spewing from his nostrils, he began to fly straight up through the smoky sky.
Molly realized even Jar-Ed was frightened. Ran-Da, now descending, flew straight at Jar-Ed. The wicked sorcerer aimed the black wand at the fire-breathing dragon. “Get him away from me or that will be the end him!” the frightened sorcerer cried. He waved the wand desperately at Ran-Da. A stream of fire again spurted from the magical black wand.
Molly and the others waved at Ran-Da, shouting for him to turn back. “Stop! Stop!” However, there was no stopping the determined dragon.
Fire met fire and a loud, ear-splitting explosion occurred, shaking the ground. Before their eyes, the great red dragon vanished in a cloud of vaporous smoke.
Molly, along with King Simon and Hoddi, were the only ones left now. All stood perfectly still, unable to make sense of what they had seen.
“R-R-Ran-Da is gone Vanished in mid-air!” stuttered Molly. “Vanished in mid-air! And so is father!”
“In mid-air! Gone!” repeated Hoddi, his voice a mere whisper, his eyes wide and shocked.
King Simon, clearly horrified, wiped his eyes with the back of his hands as if Ran-Da and Jackson might somehow reappear. “How can a huge dragon just disappear like that?”
Having almost forgotten the threat to themselves from Jar-Ed’s little black wand, they turned quickly at his harsh laugh. Now that the threat of Ran-Da had gone, he walked toward the small group.
“What did you do with Ran-Da and my father?” cried Molly, her voice quivering with anger. Fearful of what might happen now that her protection had weakened, Molly was beside herself.
“How should I know where they went!” exclaimed Jar-Ed. “I just wave the thing!”
“What is it you want?” King Simon asked for the second time since the sorcerer’s reappearance that morning. “If you own the magic of the wand, what do you want with us?”
Jar-Ed stood before them, rubbing his chin with his fingers, showing no remorse for the evil he had dealt them. “I want access to all the potions,” he said, staring coldly at Molly. “All of them!”
“You are crazy! You can’t fool around with untamed magical wands! You don’t know how to control them! Spungle magic belongs only to us!” cried Molly, shocked by his demands.
Molly’s urgent words failed to stop Jar-Ed, however. He was once again mad with rage, waving the wand angrily at the three remaining searchers. “New one,” he told them, enjoying their terror. “Never tried this one!” Slapping the little wand against his thigh, then pointing it directly at them, Jar-Ed did not have to wait long to see the result.
A transparent, yellow cloud formed and moved slowly toward them. Frightened, King Simon grabbed both Hoddi and Molly, pulling them out of its path. “Run!” he yelled. They ran, the cloud following them rapidly.
Jar-Ed watched in fascination. “Now what kind of magic is this?” He laughed loudly as the three ran away, stumbling in their haste to escape.
Suddenly Molly fell to the ground. The yellow cloud was upon her before she could make any attempt to rise. She could see the others through it and called out to them.
“Keep running!” she yelled as King Simon started to tear at the cloud that held Molly captive. In a second he was drawn roughly through the yellow mist, not having time to escape it.
Jar-Ed sneered coldly, amused by their capture. “Only one left,” he hollered, entertained by their attempts to out run the yellow cloud.
“Run, Hoddi, run!” screamed the pair in their anxious concern for the safety of their friend.
Hoddi ran, his long strides easily taking him out of the reach of the sinister mist. To his dismay, however, the cloud suddenly began to grow larger until it reached the little man. It fell on top of him, capturing Hoddi with the others. The three tore at the cloud, trying to create an opening.
Jar-Ed arrogantly surveyed the struggle of his captives until they were exhausted. Now sitting warily, they nervously awaited what he would do next.
Jar-Ed brandished his wand again. Molly, covering her eyes, cried out. She trembled in sheer horror at the thought of disappearing. Within a moment, the cloud and its three captives vanished.