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Thursday 27 September 2018

Chapter 14
Walking down the starlit path of the forest really brought out the beauty of Port Malocum. Brandon had spent so much time trying to find things that reminded him of home, but somehow the night made him see more than just what he recognized. It was not a dark night full of shadows and secrets, but a glittering new perspective of nature. This is what Earth needs more of, thought Brandon. Nature. No building could replace this. He smiled at a waving leaf, a perfect bead of water sat on its tip, illuminated by the blue moon.
“Striking, isn’t it,” Hal breathed. Brandon looked in surprise to see his face full of appreciation. Hal was never one for scenery. Brandon thought he was more of a serious mission guy. He glanced up to where Hal was looking and the stars caught his attention immediately. The dots of light were sprinkled over the dark sky, full of blue and purple splashes.
“Yeah.” Brandon’s face softened into a smile. “It’s a sight for sure.”
Their pace slowed as they admired the sky. After a while of quiet strolling through the forest, Hal turned toward Brandon. “Do you have something like this on Earth?”
“Uuh,” Brandon thought, scratching the back of his head. He felt an itchy bump on the back of his neck. He didn’t know there were mosquitoes here.
Now that it’s been mentioned, thought Brandon, I don’t think Earth has sights like this every night. Why did humans have to wreck nature? I’d trade my front porch light for less light pollution any day! We can’t even see the stars properly anymore!
“Not really,” Brandon replied sadly. “I mean, we’ve got the aurora borealis, but you can only sometimes see that in a special place.”
Hal shrugged. “You humans really have wrecked your world already.” He let out a sigh of laughter.
“Y-yeah, I guess,” Brandon agreed. He was a bit taken aback that Hal would make such bold claims about a species he knew so little about.
“I mean, what would it be like to live how a human does without nature? They kinda brought it upon themselves anyway,” Hal went on.
Humans really are missing out on a lot. Brandon realized. Just compare Earth to Port Malocum! But, what does Magi-Land have that’s so much better than Earth? They have a city too, mostly populated by creatures like Hal. But then again, the majority of the land they have is uncharted by anyone greedy enough to claim it.
Brandon had never really seen much of the nature in Magi-Land except for the coloured forests, plains, and mountains. Brandon’s chain of thought was interrupted by a sudden blow to the stomach.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to smack you,” Hal said without looking at the winded boy. “I just had to stop you somehow. I found the perfect place to spend the night.” Ha! Thought Brandon. I knew Hal couldn’t be just looking at nature! He was looking for a space to sleep!
Hal motioned to a small hill made of rocks. In it, there was a shallow cave full of dead leaves and sticks. A grassy overhang sheltered the entrance of the cave from any weather that could be coming.
As Brandon entered the cozy enclosure, he was reminded of a cat in its nest, a small circular bed for sleeping in. He thought that the cave almost resembled a nest.
“Okay, what’d you bring for sleeping?” Hal said in his usual down-to-business tone.
“Just two blankets, and a flashlight,” Brandon said cheerfully, though, the night had started making him tired. Hal nodded curtly. He began to lay down the tent on the dirty stone floor.
“What’re you doing?” Brandon asked.
“I thought maybe it could work at a mattress?” Hal said in uncertainty. He looked up at Brandon not waiting for approval, but letting him know that that was all they had. Brandon shrugged. “Sure.”
After the two travelers were settled on opposite sides of their makeshift mattress, they held their blankets tight, hiding from the chill of the night. “I’ll just put this here…” Brandon said softly, placing the flashlight in between them.”
“You scared of the dark?” Hal asked.
“Nah, it’s just for if you need to go to the bathroom or something in the night,” Brandon explained.
“Ah, I see,” Replied Hal.
For the rest of the night, they were silent, beginning the quest to finally fall asleep.

Friday 21 September 2018

Chapter 13
“So, I'm just going to… y-you know… um,” Brandon stammered.
“Well, I dunno, it sounds weird now. Does it? Sound… weird?” Ray made an attempt for a forced laugh, but it ended up making his words even more awkward.
“Nah,” Hal replied uncertainty. “You’re just asking us to… scratch your *ahem* rotting *ahem* bark.”
Somehow, the great tree in front of them blushed in a slightly reddish colour. There was a large chunk of bark on his back that was mushy, and almost falling off. Brandon prodded it with a tentative finger when, in disgust, he realized it had sunk right into the mush of Ray’s back like pudding. “Oh! I haven’t got that spot itched in such a long time!” He sighed with joy and satisfaction.
Brandon winced. Ray was already enjoying himself. “Just a little to the left, no, your right.”
Brandon pushed his finger in deeper, and found that half of it could be submerged in goop. Brandon began to itch, and cringed as parts of the rotting bark melted of Ray’s back. “Oooh! This is better than any day at the spa… I’ve heard it’s something like this.”
“C’mon, Hal!” Brandon urged.
“Nah,” Hal waved his hand. “I’m afraid it might make my hand mushy.” Brandon rolled his eyes. He had read up on creatures, that was not possible. Brandon knew that his colleague just wanted an excuse to stay away from Ray’s decomposing backside.
As Brandon scratched, the muck slid off like mud. At the end, when there was a small crater left in Ray’s thick trunk. Brandon picked some bugs from the now dry wood. “Ah, man, thanks!” Ray sighed with relief. “I don’t know what I would do without you! That’s been there for such a long time! It just might take a while to heal up.”
“Actually,” Hal started, “I might have something to offer…” He swung his bag over one shoulder and stuck his hand in. “Remember I had that cool…” He mumbled, rummaging around in his bag. “Thing… Where is it? … Ah, there we go.”
From his bag, he pulled a brilliant glass jar full of dazzling green liquid. It shone and reflected the sunlight all over the trees. Hal was holding it triumphantly in the air because he had found it, but Brandon thought it just looked pretty epic.
“What is it?” Ray asked, excited. Suddenly, his mood darkened. Brandon could almost see it smoking off Ray’s branches. “It doesn’t have anything to do with m-magic… right?”
Hal shook his head quickly. “It’s some plant fertilizer from Mag-” Hal stopped himself and grew a little bit pink. “I mean, my friend found it in his garden. He’s positive it’s all natural.” Then, he added in a low voice, “I wouldn’t be able to bring it if it wasn’t.”
Ray studied the glowing fluid for a few more seconds, and then said, “Eh, it can’t be too bad… Plus, my back is hurting like heck!”
Brandon regarded the large dent in Ray’s bark. “No kidding!”
The forest seemed to freeze at quiet as Hal pulled at the sealed lid of the glass bottle. The Pop! It made when it finally broke free sounded deafening. Ray carefully watched it as Hal poured a few drops gingerly onto the big tree.
The change was almost immediate. The fertilizer hadn’t even seeped into the wood when a bulge formed. Then, with impossible speed, the tree regrew until the area was smooth and seamless. An arm-like branch reached down to feel it. Ray let out a holler of joy. “Just like new!”
Hal smiled as rays of moonlight began to stream through the forest pathways. “Bye, Ray.”

Ray’s golden eyes glittered with joy. “Bye.”

Thursday 13 September 2018

Chapter 12
“He began to cut down the trees and poison any wild animal that got too close to the big village! That’s what made the forest go quiet. There are not quite enough animals to make a bustling forest anymore!” Ray exclaimed.
“Really?” Hal asked. They had been talking for a while now.
“Nah,” replied Ray. “It justs seems like no-one is as eager to get out and about anymore.”
Hal shook his head, “Oh, Coyote, why didn’t you walk in the footsteps of your own father.”
Brandon bolted upright in alarm. He would want Coyote to die in the hands of magic? He thought, feeling panicked. Hal looked at the mossy ground, shuffling his black, stick feet in the leaves. “I mean, he could have learned a little from his dad. Like, the magic might have come in handy.”
Ray’s branches bristled with eagerness. “That’s the thing!” He started. “He did learn a lot from his father’s death. Well, first, he was furious. He demanded to know where the magic had come from, but only his father and his loyal caretakers -The Jemons- knew. After the ferret creatures would not tell Coyote where their master had gotten the magic, he banished them. Creepy little creatures. Deceiving too. I wonder what they do with their lives now.”
Brandon shivered at the thought of them. “We ran into them on our way here. They seem pretty torn up and desperate about their old master.”
“No joke,” Ray agreed. “They did everything for him. Even manage his magic. Now, Lord Coyote Bomsile was smarter than to rely on magic and tiny mammals. He was aware of the risks and damage that comes with magic.” Ray paused in a melancholy way, listening to the distant chirp of a bird. “That definitely wasn’t a good thing.”
A crumpled leaf danced in the darkening sky. Brandon pursed his lips. The sun would set soon and he and Hal needed a better place to stay for the night. He would have to mention it sooner or later… just, Ray had been so nice to them. How could they leave him alone?
Hal’s eyes lit up. “Understanding that,  he could use magic in more effective or… dangerous ways!”
“He already has,” Ray said. “He’s not even been bothered by the simple tasks Lord Bomsile tested out. He has been diving right into the deep stuff. Creation, life, blasts of energy, those are all things he wishes to achieve. I just feel like it’s too much for him. Our new lord of the Lourdwarfs is not falling under the spell of magic. It seems like he’s been this power-greedy all along.”
There was another moment of silence. A small breeze brought in the scent of moist soil and sweet leaves. “Thanks.”
It was Hal talking. “Sorry that we can’t tell you a lot about ourselves, it’s complicated.”
Ray’s cracked lips formed a smile. “I’m not one to pry.”
“But, really,” Hal insisted. “Talking with you really helped. We’re trying to solve a problem… of our own.”
“Glad I could help!” Ray said cheerfully.
“I’d hate to leave you alone like this,” Brandon said. “But, we need to find a better place to sleep.”
“Don’t worry about me,” Ray said, though his eyes showed a hint of disappointment. “The animals kind of keep me company.”
“I do hope to see you again one day,” Brandon said sincerely. He patted Ray’s tough trunk and stood up. He was amazed at how comfortable Ray’s roots were. “You’ve been real nice to hang out with. Is there anything we can do for you before we leave?”

Ray took a moment to think. “Actually, there is one little thing…”

Saturday 8 September 2018

My sister made this awesome cover art for T.C.S.O.T.C!
Thanks!

I RENOVATED MY BLOG!

YES! GUYS! I FINALLY REDID THE BLOG!!!
I've been wanting to do that for like, half a year now. YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!! 😅 Thanks so much for sticking around and reading my stories!

Stories





Magi-Land 2 Archive (Story Discontinued)

Magi-Land 2 Chapter 1

Afloat Archive (Story finished)

Afloat Chapter 1
Afloat Chapter 2
Afloat Chapter 3
Afloat Chapter 4
Afloat Chapter 5
Afloat Chapter 6
Afloat Chapter 7
Afloat Chapter 8
Afloat Chapter 9
Afloat Chapter 10
Afloat Chapter 11
Afloat Chapter 12
Afloat Chapter 13
Afloat Chapter 14
Afloat Chapter 15
Afloat Chapter 16
Afloat Chapter 17
Afloat Chapter 18
Afloat Chapter 19
Afloat Chapter 20
Afloat Chapter 21
Afloat Chapter 22
Afloat Chapter 23
Afloat Chapter 24
Afloat Chapter 25
Afloat Chapter 26
Afloat Chapter 27
Afloat Chapter 28 (Story End)

The Coffee Shop On The Corner Archive (Story finished)

Coffee Shop Chapter 1
Coffee Shop Chapter 2
Coffee Shop Chapter 3
Coffee Shop Chapter 4
Coffee Shop Chapter 5
Coffee Shop Chapter 6
Coffee Shop Chapter 7
Coffee Shop Chapter 8
Coffee Shop Chapter 9
Coffee Shop Chapter 10
Coffee Shop Chapter 11
Coffee Shop Chapter 12
Coffee Shop Chapter 13
Coffee Shop Chapter 14
Coffee Shop Chapter 15
Coffee Shop Chapter 16 (Story End)

Magi-Land



Magi-Land Archive (Story finished)

Magi-Land Chapter 1
Magi-Land Chapter 2
Magi-Land Chapter 3
Magi-Land Chapter 4
Magi-Land Chapter 5
Magi-Land Chapter 6
Magi-Land Chapter 7
Magi-Land Chapter 8
Magi-Land Chapter 9
Magi-Land Chapter 10
Magi-Land Chapter 11 (Story End)

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Thursday 6 September 2018

Chapter 11
The tree’s voice was soft and woody, yet it had a light tone in it that drew Brandon’s attention. He settled himself in the bright yellow tree’s cradling roots.
“So, how long have you been here?” Brandon asked.
“When I was just a little sapling, there was a terrible wind storm that pulled me out of the earth and away from my family,” The large tree started. He let out a broken chuckle. “I was lucky to have landed propped up on that rock. (He waved his leafy branches in the direction of the big rock that Hal was sitting on) It took me years to right myself. But, over the many moons that it has taken me to grow this mighty trunk, I have heard the whispers of the weeds. I listen to the birds singing in the highest of my branches. I understand the cries of the crickets.”
Brandon smiled slightly in appreciation. What patience and concentration must be put into a skill like that! “So, what have you heard? Do they talk about the Lourdwarfs?”
The elegant tree grimaced, sending a rain of crumpled, redding leaves. “Yes, well, I usually only hear morning chat and giggles about the Lourdwarfs’ festivals and celebrations. But, the forest practically sounded like a giant pack of cicadas when they found out that the master was sick. It was not long before I heard about his death.”
Brandon shivered and looked over at Hal. They shared the same perturbed look of understanding. “That’s what the Jemons were talking about!” They breathed in unison. The Jemons had talked about their master, Lord Bomsile and how they hurt him. Thought Brandon. But, how did they hurt him?
“Can you give us more information on his d-death, um… sir?” Hal asked.
“Please, call me ray,” Ray said kindly.
“Ray?” Hal asked. “That’s an unusual name for a tree. Is it Ray as in rays of sun?”
Ray laughed, “No, actually it’s a well-known plant name around here. In trees, rays store and transport nutrients through the wood. I was named that when I was little, because my roots were so thin that I could easily be lifted by the wind and… transported to other places.”
Brandon adjusted his position in the immensely large roots that now grew so ample that they stuck out of the ground in places. He couldn’t imagine Ray with tiny, weak roots. “Guys,” he felt bad for interrupting. “The master’s death?”
“Oh, yes,” Ray said. “Lord Bomsile was a good man, a very decent ruler of port Malocum. It was weird. One day he started talking of magic. He said he had more power than he knew. He stopped sleeping at night, convinced that the magic he used could keep him from fatigue. It worked, as did many of his… experiments. He tried healing, growing (which was a good deal less successful), starting a fire, and many more unnatural solutions to things.”
“After a while though, it became too much. We all thought that magic would benefit us and keep us safe, but he started obsessing over it. He became more greedy and selfish. The doves say he had dark circles under his eyes and his hands (what he used to make and practice magic) were bruised and black. Lourdwarfs were never adapted to using magic… we just didn’t think it would turn out to this. He died.”
“And that’s when the forests became quiet?” Brandon asked, straining his ears to hear the rare chirp of a bird. “Like this?”

“No,” Ray said. His dazzling eyes glimmered with sadness. “That’s when Lord Coyote Bomsile began his reign.”