The Perfect Distraction
“Distance is irrelevant in this matter. Especially when you side with the unembodied.” He gave me a weak smile. “Nothing you need to concern yourself with, my friend.”
CHOICES is the first book in the Chronicles of a Hero fantasy series. This is the story of Wendell P. Dipmier, who I’ve been writing about since 1990. I hope you’ll join me on this new adventure….as I tell the honest, complete story of this amazing 17 year old, exclusively on Life of Fiction.
Paid subscribers can access the entire archive of this series from the beginning, along with other stories and every article I’ve ever written. If you aren’t a paid subscriber, you can access the archive for free with a 7-day trial OR earn a paid membership by joining the referral program!
NOTE: This chapter likely exceeds the max limit for emails…Gmail will truncate messages exceeding 102KB,…so if this cuts off in your email, make sure to read it through your Substack app or on LifeOfFiction.com.
<— Read Previous Chapter | Read Next Chapter —>
Chapter 6
So I had a basic plan.
It wasn’t the best deal, but hanging around for a month and getting home was a lot better than the alternative.
Besides, could you imagine me, in a fight? I’d had enough problems with Jeffery and his dogs. The last thing I wanted was adding some ‘Dark Lord’ to the list. Delnar led the way out and I followed him back up the billion-and-one stairs of the Key, in silence. I thought he’d be complaining or begging me to change my mind and stay.
Nope.
Not a single peep from the blueberry.
“You’re taking this well,” I said, “considering I just dropped a bomb on your plans.”
The High Elder didn’t turn around. “I have done what my duty demands of me. That is enough.”
Listening to him scuffle up the steps, I had time to consider my situation. Where am I going to stay? Wait, Delnar said I had a mansion…but, uh, that’s likely to be on the planet below. What am I going to spend my time doing? I wonder where the girls are. Do they come in an assortment of colors? Hmmm …I have this enormous diamond in my chest. Oooo, wait. It’s supposed to give me magic powers! I wonder what I can do? Can I fly? That would be SO cool if I could…
No.
“What?” I asked.
The High Elder stopped and turned. “Yes?”
“Uh…”
He waited.
“Never mind,” I quickly amended.
The High Elder turned and resumed climbing the steps in silence.
Weird. Maybe I can shoot lasers from my eyes? Or run at super speed?
No.
I stared at the back of the High Elder’s head, perplexed.
Well…can I…?
No.
“Why not?” I said.
The High Elder stopped once again and turned around. “Why not, what?”
“Why can’t I do anything with this gem? Aren’t I supposed to have magical powers or something?”
“Indeed, you are,” he said. “Your blood, combined with the gem, can make you the most powerful of all Mägo.”
“Mägo?” I asked.
Wizard.
“Wizard,” said Delnar in unison.
I stopped in my tracks, looking behind and then above me.
“Are you all right?”
Flustered, I asked, “S-so you mean I can, or rather will be able…to actually do magic?”
OH, YES.
The High Elder’s lips never moved. I’m not sure what my face did at that moment of shock, but I could feel my mouth swing open. Yanking the collar of my shirt forward, I stared at the Ithäri. A tiny light winked at me.
“Yes, she can,” Delnar said softly.
I looked up, even more confused. “She can, what?”
“Ithäri. You are wondering if she can talk to you,” he said. “Yes, she can talk…and she will, from time to time. When you need her. As for the magic, you will quickly learn there are many disciplines within the seven circles. You are one of very few who can master every one of them.”
I can do magic, as in REAL magic?
Yes, you can.
My hands trembled with excitement. “I’m curious about something, Delnar. Does magic only work on the world below?”
The High Elder stopped and turned. “You already know the answer to that, young Wendell. Dax traveled from here to Earth to retrieve you. His magic worked both there and back.”
Good point. I scratched my chin. “How long would it take for me to learn magic?” I did my best not to go nerdy on the blueberry.
The High Elder shrugged his shoulders and continued on up the stairs. “That would depend on you. You could learn a substantial amount before you left us.”
That was the best answer I could have been given. Learning magic while I waited, then go home as a mager, or moger….or…
Mägo.
Right, mägo. The idea occurred to me that this month could be a kind of summer camp experience. I mean, why not, right? Make a few new friends, learn some tricks, try some new foods, explore, and then go home with all sorts of marvelous stories. Of course, they would likely be stories to put me in a padded room, but then I could show some bone fide magic!
Yeah, this was a good plan. With my indignation diffused, I felt pretty confident. Since I had already been impaled, the worst part was over. I could do this.
“Can I ask another question?” I said.
The High Elder smiled to himself. “You may ask all the questions you desire. I do not know everything, but if I have the knowledge, it is yours.”
“What kind of magic are we talking about? Because I play a lot of roll playing games, and if it’s anything like that, I really want to know more.”
Delnar gave a quick glance over his shoulder, his brows crumpled in confusion. “I am not familiar with ‘role playing’, but I am grateful it has given you an eagerness to learn more,” he said.
“I mean, do you learn to throw fireballs and take over people’s minds, or…I don’t know, turn invisible?” Just the thought of doing magic had me want t squeal out loud. Four years in the RPG club certainly prepared me to be a wizard, even if I wasn’t actually a half-elf.
For the first time, the High Elder chuckled out loud. “The world of magic is quite large, young Wendell. In part, my own powers are restricted to this community and my calling as a High Elder. However, there are some who have power over flame and every other element. There are those who can breathe life into inanimate objects. There are some who speak with and command plants, while others can become the very beasts they converse with.”
I quickened my pace to get closer. “What did you call them again?”
“Mägo,” he said.
“Yeah, those,…they can actually change their forms?”
The High Elder nodded. “Two of our brethren upon the Council can transform into creatures of the land, air, and water.”
“Seriously?” I asked.
“Seriously,” he replied.
“Does everyone do magic around here? I mean, is it common?”
We reached the top of the stairs and walked across his office chamber. We walked to the far door where I’d originally appeared…on my face. “Mägo are not common, no,” he said. “Though it varies upon the race and culture.”
“Race and culture?” I said, “I’m not following you.”
Stopping to inspect, Delnar smiled at me reassuringly. “You’re following just fine.”
I chuckled. “Right. Good to know. Thanks.”
“Magic is more openly accepted among our people, the Evolu, and many of the darker races. Then there are the Kutollum…”
“Dwarves,” I replied without thinking.
The High Elder grinned widely. “Exactly. Very good. The dwarves are tolerant, and work their forms, but are not overly active in the arts. Then you have humans who either immerse themselves or shun it like a disease. It depends upon which continent you are standing on and what company you keep. King Robert III is a prominent advocate for the mägo, for example. He’s used their skills to enhance his kingdom, maintain peace, and defend his borders. King Borsilav allows the mägo to practice their arts, but only in the crown's service. For king Matamatafua, the ways of magic are a part of the culture among the islands.”
I followed him through the doorway and into the shadows of an immense hall. I looked familiar with the rows of pillars and all, but there was a measure of light. Small windows positioned high along the walls let in a measure of sunlight. With all this talk of kings and kingdoms, the whole ‘lord’ thing didn’t sound so bad after all. But that was ego talking.
“Uhhhh, where are we going?” I asked.
“We are soon to meet with the High Council pertaining to your arrival, and I want to show you something first,” he said.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Life of Fiction to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.