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“Gordinth, I’m glad Quirin saved the eggs,” Crispin said, watching the
dragons fly around the cave.
“Don’t forget Sindri and Claring and Gretel’s parents, Astrid
and Reyka. They were just as much a part of it as the others.” The wizard
laughed, watching Venec and Cardew with Jago and Rosenwyn. “I’m glad we
brought those two back this morning after Gretel left. Now we are
complete, except for little Jago and Rosenwyn.”
“You said you’d teach me some magic. Will you teach me now?”
Crispin didn’t want to wait.
“Very well, my boy. Patience is something every wizard needs.
From this moment on, you must learn patience. You must learn that there is
a time for everything. First of all, we need to get you a wand,” Gordinth
reached into his cloak and pulled out a long stick. “You can use this one.
I’ve got another.”
“It looks like a stick from an old tree. How many wands do
wizards get to have?”
“Only two. I was given the one you’re holding when I was about
ten years old, just about your age, I imagine. This wand,” he said,
pulling another out of his cloak, “is much more powerful. My father
presented this wand to me. It was the proudest day of my life. Never think
it’s just an old stick. Your wand is made from a branch of a julina tree.
There is only one tree of its kind in the entire world. It has stood since
time began. A wand made from a julina branch is a wand that is powerful.
Never forget that, boy.”
Crispin looked at the wand in his hand. He started waving it
around. “I won’t forget it. What are some magic words? I want to do
magic.”
“You need to work on that patience, lad, but I know you’re
excited. Let’s start with a simple levitation spell. Hold your wand up
like this,” Gordinth showed him how. “Now, look around and tell me what
you’d like to make move.”
Crispin looked around the cave. Nothing caught his eye until
he saw Lamorna. She lay asleep while the others played. “I want to
levitate Lamorna.”
“Very well. Wave your wand and as you do, say these words with
me. Antioca Contini Parloosi.” Crispin echoed his words.
Lamorna lifted into the air, floating about
three feet off the ground.
“There you go, boy. Good job. The trick is to
remember those words. The more you do it, the better you’ll be at
controlling it. Soon you’ll be able to make Lamorna move across the cave.
You can use this spell on an object, but anytime you want to levitate a
living thing, you must wait until it is sleeping. Spells like this won’t
work on people, wizards, or animals that are awake.”
“Okay. I’ll remember.” Crispin lowered Lamorna down to the
ground again by lowering his wand. “That was fun.” He spent the next hour
levitating rocks, fallen tree trunks and eggs from bird’s nests.
Gordinth sat and watched. His mind thought back to the day his
father, Sqirinth, presented him with the wand. He and Amtith stood side by
side, as brothers and as wizards. He’d never had a son of his own.
“Crispin, would you like to fly? Jago, how about taking us for a ride?”
“Wow! I’d love that,” Crispin said, putting his wand into his
pants pocket.
Jago understood, stood and walked over to the wizard. The
babies flew around in excitement, knowing something was going to happen.
Gordinth, it would be my honor to fly with you as my passenger and the boy
too. Climb on my back. The huge dragon sat down and laid its neck on
the ground so Gordinth and Crispin could climb onto his back.
Crispin grabbed onto Jago’s neck and pulled himself up. He walked down the
neck until he was in the middle of the dragon’s back. “Be careful,
Gordinth. There are a lot of spikes up here,” Crispin called to the
wizard.
“I’m too old for this,” Gordinth said and whisked his cape around him. He
disappeared and then re-appeared on Jago’s back. “Let’s sit right here, at
the base of Jago’s neck. Hold on to me and don’t let go, no matter what
happens. Do you understand?” Gordinth wanted to make sure they would be
safe. Let’s be off, Jago. Take us for a ride.”
Jago stood.
“Whoa!” Crispin shouted as the dragon moved around, struggling to stand.
Jago took a few steps forward and then unfolded his wings. “Wow! Look at
the size of your wings, Jago.” The spread filled the entire length of the
cave’s opening. Crispin could see through the leathery wings. He laughed,
watching the little dragons on the ground, running around underneath.
Jago flapped each wing up and down. A powerful whirlwind blew some of the
babies back into the cave. The leaves on the trees wave up and down in the
wind.
Crispin felt the dragon lift off the ground. “Wow! We’re flying. I’m
flying on the back of a dragon!”
No sooner had Jago taken off when Rosenwyn
followed. The little dragons flapped their wings and took off, not wanting
to be left out.
“They’re all flying now, Crispin. Look down,” Gordinth said, pointing at
the ground.
Crispin leaned over and saw Rosenwyn below them and the babies below her.
“Yahoo! We’re all flying.” Jago flew them down to the sea, darting over
the tops of the waves. Crispin thought of the huge waves that nearly
drowned him and grabbed onto Gordinth with a tighter hold. He saw whales
spouting spray high into the air. They looked much smaller from above than
he’d expected. They headed back to land, swooping above the treetops, up
the side of the mountains and across meadows and river-laden valleys. “The
babies look like a moving rainbow.”
Gordinth looked down at them and nodded. Take us to the top of Mt. Suriban.
Let’s show Crispin and the little ones our island. Gordinth patted the
back of Jago’s neck. The dragon obeyed, flying to the height of the
mountaintop. He landed near the edge of a high cliff. Gordinth climbed
down carefully, standing on Jago’s leg and then his clawed foot.
Crispin simply slid off, plopping on his bottom in the dirt.
Rosenwyn and the babies landed shortly after.
“Look at the island, my little ones. Have you ever seen such a sight?”
Gordinth grinned with joy.
“It looks big.” Crispin walked over to the edge and sat down, dangling his
legs over.
The baby dragons jumped off the edge. Delighted when they caught the
updraft from the valley below, they soared with the winds. Each of them
flew in front of Crispin and Gordinth, screeching with joy.
“Look at them. They’re having so much fun. They’re soaring like eagles,”
Crispin said.
“Would you like to learn another spell while they fly around?” Gordinth
knew the boy would agree.
“Yes. What spell is it this time?” Crispin pulled out his wand and jumped
to his feet.
“This spell is to make things invisible. Let’s make that boulder
disappear.” Gordinth pulled out his wand. “Bicto Zomani Xeler!”
Crispin repeated the spell. To his delight, the boulder disappeared. “Wow!
It vanished.”
“Actually, the rock is still there. We just can’t see it. You have a turn.
Make Rosenwyn invisible.”
Crispin waved his wand around. “Bicto Zomani Xeler!” Rosenwyn disappeared.
“Wow. She’s gone too. Oh, that’s right, she’s still there, just
invisible.” Crispin ran over to where Rosenwyn lay. He felt her body. “She
is still here. That’s a great spell.”
“Now turn her back.”
“How do I do that?”
“Perhaps you should have asked me that first.
Remember, you must think about things before you do them. To make Rosenwyn
appear, simply say, ‘Yabu Vindeli Topu’.” Crispin shouted the spell and
the dragon re-appeared. After he repeated the spell, the boulder did too.
“I’m going to go over there,” the boy pointed, “and practice making things
invisible. I’ll be back later.”
“Don’t be long. The babies have a long flight
home,” Gordinth said. He sat watching the babies gliding on the wind. A
dark spot, off to the right side of the island caught his attention.
“That’ll be where Darmantha is. He’s spoiling our beautiful island. Come,
Crispin; it’s time to get back to Luba.”
Crispin ran back. “I made all sorts of things invisible. I almost forgot
the spell to make them un-invisible, but then I remembered.”
“Later I’ll teach you how to make yourself invisible and transport
yourself to another location.”
“That would be great, Gordinth!”
“Would you like to fly Jago or Rosenwyn home
all by yourself?”
“Yes, I sure would. I think I can do that now.” The boy giggled with
excitement and delight. “I want to fly Rosenwyn home to Luba.”
Very well. Climb aboard. Rosenwyn allowed the boy to climb on her neck and
sit on her back.
“I’ll fly Jago. Come on, little ones. Let’s go home.”
Jago jumped off the edge of the cliff and joined the babies. He soared
around them and then headed for home.
Rosenwyn stood on the edge and jumped off.
“Arghhhhh!” Crispin held onto one of her spikes as they flew
straight down. “This isn’t funny, Rosenwyn,” he cried. The wind blew in
his face so hard, he couldn’t breathe.
She straightened up and flew toward Jago and the others.
Crispin sighed with relief. “That’s better. Thank you.”
When they landed back at the cave, Gordinth and Crispin left
the dragons with the babies and headed back to the village. “You’ve had
quite a day, my young apprentice. Let’s eat and then I’ll teach you a few
more tricks.”
“That was the most fun thing I’ve ever done. Thank you,
Gordinth.” Crispin hugged the wizard as they entered Luba. |
