Elkin's Short but Magical Adventure

Elkin's Short but Magical Adventure

         Trees tower higher than birds can fly, and stretch much further into the distance than the eye can see. A dense shadow wraps itself around the interior of the forest, casting an almost eternal night. Solid shafts of sunlight rarely pierce the canopy above. Less inviting than a porcupines hindquarters, not many travel into the dark forest. Yet as foreboding as the forest seems, it is teeming with life. Birds whistle their song high in the branches of the trees, insects buzz and click, echoing their sounds throughout the forest. Frogs and toads croak loudly amongst colonies of toadstools. A thick moss and dead leaves carpet the floor of the forest in deep browns and greens.

         Deep in the forest, where many never dare adventure, as deep as you can go before you start coming out the other side, shrieks of laughter can be heard ricocheting off the wide bows of the tall trees. Travellers often mistake the laughter for banshees that laugh madly in the deepest parts of the forest. Tales spread from tavern to tavern of lights in the forest late at night, and the cackling of the banshees. However, the inhabitants of the forest know this not to be true, for this is where the elven children play. High above the playing children, wooden huts and bridges span the upper branches of the trees, this being the elven village known as Tallinnin.

         Below the village, five children play. Four of the five are running away from the fifth, pointing and laughing at him. The fifth child is called Elkin. He is quite used to being treated this way by the other elven children. Elkin turns his back to the other children and kicks a stone. He cringes in pain as he realises the stone is stuck firmly in the ground. He hops over to a nearby trunk, and sits down.

         "Its not fair Booboo," Elkin says, as if to no-one in particular. "All they do is laugh at me."

         Just to the left of Elkin, resting on a warm patch of steaming moss, sits a rather plump looking fly. He had been Elkin's friend ever since Elkin had fallen into the stinky swamp two years before. The moment Elkin had climbed from the swap, the fly had been at his side, and had never left him since. So Elkin had named the fly Booboo, and Booboo became Elkin's best friend.
         Booboo fluttered his wings as if in response to Elkin's words.
         "I only want to be a wizard and go on a great adventures, " said Elkin. "Its not too much to ask is it?"
         The consensus of the elven village is that elves don't leave the safe haven of Tallinnin. Elves don't go on foolish adventures and get killed, they leave that to the humans. It is a well known fact that any elf who had travelled beyond the boundaries of the forest had never returned. Passing travellers often brought terrible tales of orcs, dragons, creatures of dark magic and evil bandits that prowl the lands beyond the boundaries of the forest. Even these tales were not enough to sway the ambitions of Elkin.
         "I can learn magic," mumbled Elkin, still rubbing his toe and tears beginning to fill his eyes, "and I can go on great adventures."
         Tears began to roll down Elkin's cheeks, leaving white streaks in their path. Sniffing loudly, he wiped his tears away with the edge of his hand, smearing grime across his face, and re-covering the white streaks. He stood up and sniffed. "That's it Booboo," said Elkin rather loudly. "We're going to Karamai, the human city, to find a wizard to teach me magic, and then we are going on a great adventure."

         With that, Elkin marched eastward--elves have a good sense of direction--toward Karamai, the great human city. Booboo buzzed as if in distaste, and then leaped into the air, following Elkin closely behind.

         The mini band of adventurers, consisting of an elven child and a small but a rather plump fly, finally arrived at the walls of Karamai after a short and uneventful journey. After crossing the boundary of the forest, they had crossed the vast cornfields, passed Blueberry farm, finally reaching the dirt track that led to Karamai. The sun was beating down violently, as if it had a score to settle. Sweat poured from Elkin's face like a waterfall. Tall walls and a moat surrounded the city. The only entrance into the city was a drawbridge on which horses and carts travel back and forth. On entering the city, Elkin discovered that humans don't really like elves that much.
         "Excuse me..." Elkin tried to ask a passing human, of the male variety.
         "Out of me way," growled the burly man, shoving Elkin into a crowd of people.

         All he seemed to be get was grunted at, shoved out of the way, or completely ignored. He wasn't sure which method he preferred.

         Inside the city, people bustled about. It was market day in Karamai, and there was a lot of noise. People shouting, horses clip-clopping over the cobbles. People crowded the stalls of the busy market that sold everything from rotten vegetables to rusted armour. The people were far too busy, even for a little elf. Dust hung in the air, choking the atmosphere, the smell of freshly baked bread and cakes from a nearby stall mixed with the smell of manure, creating a rather unsavoury smell.

         Elkin had almost given up, when he spied a beggar sat outside of local tavern, called, The Rusted Dragon. A loud bawl of peoples voices, and the clinking of glasses could be heard coming from the door of the tavern. A strong smell of ale drifted out of the tavern. This smell mixed with another rather pungent smell of sewage. The tavern was closer to the homes of the humans than the market square. Humans are quite filthy creatures really, throwing their own waste, collected in buckets, out of their door, and onto their neighbours door step. The neighbour usually responded by throwing their waste back on the offending neighbours door step. So you can see the dilemma.

         Elkin pulled a coin from his purse, and showed it to the beggar. "Do you know where I may find a wizard?" asked Elkin.
         "Aye, in the castle ye may find one," replied the beggar.

         Thanking the beggar, and giving him the coin, Elkin turned and headed for the castle. Booboo lingered around the beggar for a few minutes before following Elkin to the castle.

         The castle gates were the only entrance into the castle. Two sleeping guards stood either side of the gates. Elkin frowned at them, before passing through the gates and toward the doors of the castle. A door to the castle opened, and a old wizard with a pointy hat stepped out of it. A minute later a rather delayed puff of smoke enveloped the wizard.

         "Bugger," coughed the wizard. "I really need to sort out that appearing from nowhere spell."

         The wizard was waving his hand frantically, trying to move the billowing clouds out of the way. "Now who may you be and what might you want little elf," asked the wizard of Elkin when the smoke had cleared a little bit.
         "I'm Elkin," replied Elkin. "I'm looking for a wizard."
         "What do you want a wizard for?" asked the wizard.
         "I want to learn magic," replied Elkin. "I want to be a great wizard."
         "You...you..." the wizard seemed to have trouble speaking, when suddenly he burst into fits of laughter. Eventually, after he had started to choke, the wizard calmed down and apologised. "I'm sorry me boy, but the idea of an elven wizard...you know..."
         Before he could finish the sentence, Elkin lowered his head, and started to turn away.
         "Wait!" said the wizard suddenly. "I could actually do with an assistant."
         Elkin turned back with a huge smile on his face.

         Elkin found out the wizards name was Dumbolf. He started work right away in the wizard's study. The place was a complete and utter mess. Papers were strewn all over the floor, spell books and crystal balls left lying carelessly anywhere and cobwebs containing large spiders hung from the rafters.
         "No wonder he needed an assistant," muttered Elkin glancing around the study.
         An hour had passed, and Elkin didn't seem to be getting anywhere with tidying up. He was becoming increasingly bored and frustrated when he came across what appeared to be a magic wand.
         "Booboo," yelled Elkin excitedly. "Look what I've found."
         Booboo was busy in the rafters, eating spiders and buzzed loudly in response.
         "I wonder if this could help me tidy up quicker?" asked Elkin.
         He waved the wand in the air. Nothing. He waved a little harder. Still nothing. He waved it as hard as he could.
         "Work damn you!" he yelled. There was a crackle, and then a very loud boom.

         He had tried to explain what had happened to Dumbolf. After noticing that Dumbolf had started to glow red, he decided to make a rather hasty exit. Elkin was standing outside the castle, below the now, smoldering, wizards tower.
         Elkin slumped to the floor, leaning on the tower.
         "I'll never be a wizard now Booboo," mumbled Elkin.
         Booboo, now a little plumper since the spider feast, fluttered his wings in response.
         It was then that Elkin noticed a wand lying on the ground next to the tower. "It must have blown right out of my hand during the explosion," said Elkin picking up the wand. "I'd best take this back to Dumbolf."

         Wandering back into the castle, Elkin noticed a rather odd thing. The queen was asleep in her throne at the far end of the courtyard. Sneaking up on her was what could only be, a dark robed assassin, with a rather large sword.
         "I must do something," whispered Elkin.
         Booboo buzzed frantically in agreement.
         Elkin pointed the wand toward the assassin who just happened to be edging closer and closer to the queen with each passing second. He waved the wand. Nothing. He waved it a bit harder. Still nothing. The assassin was almost on top of the queen.
         "Zap him you stupid wand!" yelled Elkin quite a bit loudly, waving the wand frantically, and waking the queen at the same time. There was a crackle. The wand glowed blue, then suddenly, a small bolt of lightening fired out of the wand. The assassin turned to see what all the commotion was about, just as the bolt hit him, sending him thrashing like a mad man, to the ground.
         "Guards!" croaked the queen, looking rather alarmed.

         Elkin was kneeling, a cold and very heavy sword was pressed uncomfortably against his neck, and to top it off his knees had started to hurt.
         "Arise Sir Elkin of Tallinnin," said the queen.
         As Elkin arose, cheers and claps could be heard from the crowd that had gathered to watch the reward ceremony.
         "Now boy, since you did us such a great service, is there anything you would like?" asked the queen.
         "Well...I..." stammered Elkin.
         "Spit it out boy," said the queen impatiently.
         "I want to be a wizard," said Elkin quickly.
         There was much laughter from the crowd. The queen raised her hand, and the crowd obediently shut-up. "If the boy wants to be a wizard," said the queen, "then so be it."

         After many hours of walking, Sir Elkin of Tallinnin arrived back in his forest home. He was wearing a green wizards robe, which was covered in white magical symbols, and a pointy hat to match. In one hand was a wand, and stuffed under the other was a book entitled, How to Use a Magic Wand, Safely. Trailing not too far behind was Booboo, flying pretty low to the ground and looking a little obese after overindulging at the reward ceremony buffet. He was now feeling a little bit ill.
         Trees towered above them, higher than birds can fly, and stretched much further into the distance than the eye can see. A dense shadow wrapped itself around the interior of the forest, casting an almost eternal night. Solid shafts of sunlight rarely pierce the canopy above. Less inviting than a porcupines hindquarters, not many travel into the dark forest. Yet, as foreboding as the forest seems, nothing could wipe the huge smile from Sir Elkin of Tallinnin's face.

THE END