Spellbound

Standing fixed to his spot on the ground and staring into the heavy fog some distance from Azadarin’s log cabin was a hooded figure, fists clenched, eyes burning red in colour and the grass around him wilting as if all life was crushed out of it was...Zell Morkas Calarook. He has felt his creature that he summoned from the depths of the earth die at the hands of the Wizard he despised intently and now his anger was big enough to consume the world and all who walked upon it. The battle for the land and the earth had begun in earnest and this time, Zell was going to make sure the Blackwatch championed these fools who laughingly called themselves The Magic Guardians. The time to strike again was soon before they had time to re-group so Zell began to chant his incarnation and the ground rumbled beneath his feet.

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In the log cabin Nibbles spoke to everyone who was gathered around the purple fire quietly....

“I saw Zell Calarook on the outskirts of the forest...he didn’t see me at all but I saw him chanting a spell and I figured it would be something that was be conjured up to cause pain and hurt to you all...but I was hoping that you could maim or disable the creature enough so that none of you could be hurt by the creature from the depths that was summoned” said Nibbles resting her head first, on Nathaniel, then resting her head on Penelope.

“It is not over yet Nibbs, I fear that this is just the beginning of a long night for all of us, could you do me a favour and take a quick look around your usual haunts for me right now because I think the next attack will be soon and there will be more that we have to contend with please?”

“As you wish Aza” and having said that Azadarin opened the front door and Nibbles was gone into the foggy night air, then he returned his attention back to Nat and Pen in front of the fire.

“I need to teach you three more spells quickly. I know it is late or very early in the morning and you have both been through so much already but this is important and your lives and those of your family and the village folk are now at stake...are you up for this?” asked Azadarin taking out his notebook.

In unison Nat and Pen said ”Yes Azadrin" with great confidence.

“OK then...here are the spells you have to learn quickly and what they can do to your assailants...the first spell is REPENTA a spell to inflict excruciating pain...the second is PORTABUS a spell to hurl your assailant away from you causing them great pain at the same time...the third is a killing spell and it is...OBLITERIOUS. This spell should only be used when you have crippled your victim and wish its life to end. Now repeat them with me if you would be so kind and commit them to your memories”

“REPENTA, PORTABUS, OBLITERIOUS” said Nat and Pen together with Azadarin and he closed his spell book and stood up.

“Good I think you should practise these while I make sure the grounds of the forest are not being over run as I think they could be very soon...don’t hesitate to use these new spells because now YOUR LIVES DEPEND ON THEM” said Azadarin and he vanished before their eyes and then the front door opened and closed as if by itself.

Azadarin was now outside in the misty white fog checking his booby traps and alarms for encroaching enemies. Inside the log cabin both Nat and Pen, though tired, were practising their new spells, repeating them over and over by the purple fire in the dining room.

“REPENTA, PORTABUS, OBLITERIOUS” “REPENTA, PORTABUS, OBLITERIOUS” “REPENTA, PORTABUS, OBLITERIOUS”

The spells were lodging themselves into each of their brains along side the other spells they had just learned. Little did they know but they were going to use them a lot sooner than they thought. There was an explosion outside that lit up the inside of the log cabin along with Nat and Pen’s faces. The log cabin jolted under the strength of the eruption so Nat and Pen went to investigate. They were about to open the front door when it was kicked in from the other side by another angry Mhekak that began to walk inside the log cabin and tear Nat and Pen to pieces.

Mhekak’s were as tall as a human man with hands and sharp claws like a sloth, they were thickly set like a gorilla and when angry....very hard to stop. Their teeth were razor sharp and there was no escaping one if they got hold of you.

Both Nat and Pen said at the same time “REPENTA PORTABUS!!!” with as much venom as some one would defending their home and this Mhekak was hurled off the porch and back into the forest screaming out in agony as it disappeared into the fog. The log cabin itself was helping make the Mhekak’s visible by making a wind that extended away from the house by 50 feet. This made it easier for Nat and Pen to see who was coming at them because there wasn’t a thick fog entombing the log cabin it was clear as day light. They both ran around the porch hurling spells left right and centre at the approaching evil creatures and one by one they repelled them back into the forest.

Just then Nibbles appeared by Penelope’s side and said in a hurried voice....

“CHECK THE BACK DOOR PEN 3 OF THESE NASTY BUGGERS ARE ALMOST INSIDE THE LOG CABIN” and then she flew to see if Nathaniel was ok.

Penelope went back into the log cabin and straight to the back door. Nibbs was right, the back dood was almost broken in two and these creatures were almost inside. Little did she know that Nat was already around the other side of the porch and taking aim. As the back door was broken in both Nat and Pen let loose their own different spells and the 3 Mhekak’s burst into flames and were hurled back into the forest by the REPENTA PORTABUS spell thrown at them by Penelope, then it was back to the front of the log cabin to see if there was any one else trying to gain entrance there that wasn’t allowed. Nibbles was flying this way and that and then coming back to tell Nathaniel which way the next onslaught would come from and from which direction, gradually the numbers of dead and dying Mhekak’s grew less and Nat and Pen moved off the porch to see if Azadarin was ok.

As they went into the forest they both had plenty of practise using the OBLITERIOUS spell on the Mhekak’s that were in the throws of death. Nat and Pen just finished them off one by one then eventually they saw Azadarins white light and they ran towards it, Nibbles beat them there because she could fly faster than they could run. There, standing in the middle of a huge pile of dead Mhekak’s was Azadarin bathed in the white glow from his staff. He stance on the ground, resolute, his eyes fixed into the fog, scanning for danger. Upon hearing the running feet coming towards him he was about to strike both Nat and Pen down as they ran to him but Nibbles intervened and told him who it was and he pulled back instantly from killing his friends by accident.

“Azadarin there are none left alive at the log cabin, can we help you here?” panted Nathaniel as he came to a holt standing beside his teacher who looked obviously distressed at what had just happened and the death and carnage he had thrust upon the evil intruders.

“Every one of them is dead...there will be no more creatures tonight Nathaniel and Penelope...thank you for guarding my home” said a weary Azadariin back to Nathaniel.

“Aza your back door is well....truely broken now and needs fixing tonight” said an apologetic Penelope to her teacher and his response made her grin ever so slightly.

“I have been meaning to fix that door...now I have no excuse” said Azadarin gently stroking the fur of Nibbles sitting on his shoulder.

“Azadarin should we bury these creatures now?” asked Nathaniel gazing at all of the death that surrounded him.

“Yes...I will do it and do it quickly. From the ground they came and to the ground they shall return” with a wave of his most excellent staff, holes appeared from nowhere and each creature was laid out in the holes and covered twice as fast. Azadarin then said...

“The trees here will love this new fertiliser we are giving them” and he laughed to himself but Nat and Pen didn’t, neither did Nibbles. If they had not known the new spells Azadarin had shown them that very night it might well have been them that was being laid out in the graves instead. That was a scary thought and one that kept them very quiet for the rest of the night.

Every Mhekak was buried when Azadarin waved his staff so there were no dead bodies on the walk back to the log cabin just a silent thankfulness from all parties that they were still alive and could live to fight another day. Upon entering the house Azadariin fixed the back door and put several new locks and bolts on it then came back to make sure Nat and Pen were ok.

“Nibbs...I know you are tired but could you stand guard until sun rise so we can get some sleep and rest please dearest friend” said Azadariin to his talking furry bat.

“Certainly Aza, I’d be honoured” and she flew to the front door and was let out to comb the forest for anything that looked out of place then the front door closed all by itself, with little help from the powerful Wizard who was now sipping a hot chocolate and looking at Nat and Pen with pride in his eyes.

“I knew I picked you two because inside my heart it felt like the right thing to do. Tonight you have proven yourselves worthy to me and I am grateful you saved my home. There is still much to learn but so far you have turned out to be the best acquisition I have made in hundreds of years...even Nibbles said that as well and she is not easily impressed” said Azadarin sipping his hot chocolate and making the fire burn just a bit brighter and warmer.

“I think we should sleep if we can Azadarin...this is not over by a long shot and I want to learn more from you so as to better protect Penelope, you and my family in the village so I will excuse myself and go to bed now” said Nathaniel.

“Me to...goodnight Azadain” and Penelope walked up after Nathaniel and wished him a goodnight before hoping into bed fully dressed as did Nathaniel just in case there were any more unwanted surprises during what was left of the night.

Azadarin gazed into the purple flames of his beautiful fire and contemplated this evenings attack. The hot chocolate was good but he was stretched to almost his own magical limit. These two Wizards in training MUST learn more if they are to survive and more was to be shared come sunrise.

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“Now Zell...don’t let this hack of a Wizard get you down son...there are more ways to skin a cat that I know about so next time let me have a go at him because I am sure the outcome will be more to our favour ok...you rest now...I have some planning to do” said Zell’s mother who hobbled her way over to her cauldron and began a series of enchantments that filled the cave with an odorous smell of death and destruction. Zell slept while his mother concocted schemes to outwit her old foe...Azadarin. ..................................................................................

Nibbles flew back to the log cabin through the forest now safe in the knowledge of where Zell’s mothers hide out was from following Zell without his knowledge, he was too upset about all of his creatures being put to death to think that someone or something was following him. This was a big advantage and one that Azadarin would have to know hopefully before he went to sleep.