Daniel's Early Days: A Young Wizard's Story

Ch. 34 Surfing-Before Daniel became a powerful Mage, he was just a boy. Follow Daniel from the beginning as he receives his powers, embarks on many adventures, and learns what true power really is.

34

Daniel’s afternoon was much less eventful. Since his mother insisted he keep up his studies even in the summer, he had to rush through the reading she had assigned him so he could get back to what he really wanted to be doing: practicing magic.

Before he left his room, Daniel shoved the nail ring into his pocket, he wasn’t sure he wanted his parents to know he now had his own way to keep the goblins at bay just in case he decided to test it on his own.

Although Daniel wanted to play with the fire spell, his mother stubbornly refused. So, his father suggested Daniel practice levitating while he manipulated the wind to lift him even higher. Levitating was already a thrilling activity, but with the wind buffeted him more than mere inches from the ground he could almost taste the exhilaration of flight. It was never more than a foot or two, but it was still exciting.

He had already learned how to glide while levitating, but riding the wind was altogether different. The wind lifted him up without his control and tossed him to and fro. At first, he felt inconsequential; like a fallen leaf that had no control over its trajectory. He was at the mercy of this supernatural wind. Then, determination welled up inside Daniel, and he refused to be thus. Instinctively, he threw out his arms to gain balance, while his father called out suggestions, like leaning into the wind. Feeling empowered only bolstered his ability, and soon he was riding the wind like a surfer would ride a wave.

Once Daniel felt comfortable controlling the levitation whilst riding the wind, his father proposed Daniel try employing the levitation spell and then calling up the wind on his own. This proved far more difficult, and he fell more than a few times. The level of concentration it required to carry out two different spells simultaneously was immense.  Eventually, he succeeded in riding the wind a short distance before abruptly lowering himself to the ground.

Wore out and semi satisfied, Daniel plopped down in the grass. “I’m done for now,” he announced breathlessly. His mother kissed him on top of the head then moved over to her garden to pick some herbs for dinner. His father joined him; they stretched out their legs and leaned back on their hands, watching the sinking sun.

 Pearl had disappeared over the trees at the start of practice. At first, when she had announced she was going to stretch her wings, Daniel wanted to object. He felt strange when she left him, hollow. Plus, he worried for her safety. She was no longer the fierce dragon she had been in life; her spirit was contained in nothing more than a tiny metal shell, and that made him nervous.

As he watched her small form shrinking above the tree line, his throat tightened uncomfortably. As soon as he called up his magic and that electric rush filled his body, Daniel could almost forget about his missing talisman, almost. The tension subsided considerably, but she was still in the back of his mind, periodically drawing his eyes to the trees. Now that Daniel was finished and weary, he sorely wished she had never left his side.

Still, sitting side by side in the soft grass with his father was extremely peaceful. The summer sun was dipping in the sky, but its warmth still permeated the air. Damp curls clung to Daniel’s neck and forehead. “It’s hot,” he noted, hoping his father would catch his drift.

His father appraised him with a sidelong glance before making a small sweeping motion with one hand. A cool breeze blew in gently tossing said curls and drying the skin underneath. “Lazy bum,” his father teased, bumping shoulders with his son playfully. Daniel curled up his nose at his father’s teasing, and Dez winked back.

The sun was morphing into that blood orange sphere that it becomes just before brushing the horizon, and Daniel knew he needed to find his grandmother soon. Before Daniel had left the house, he tried to locate her so that he could ask her what she had planned for sunset, but he had no luck. He wasn’t sure where on Earth she could be hiding, unless she had gone into the forest. That thought only piqued his curiosity further, and as the sun began its decent; Daniel began to feel impatient. What did his grandmother have planned for this secret rendezvous?

“Have you seen Grandma?” he turned to ask his father.

“Not recently, why?” his father asked, absently chewing on a piece of grass.

“She wants to see me at sunset.”

Dez turned toward his son. “Does she?” he asked his eyes twinkling. One corner of his lip twitched up into a smile. “Did she say why?”

“No, and I haven’t been able to find her either.”

“I’m sure she didn’t forget. Perhaps you should go inside and look for her,” he suggested with that same knowing smile.

Daniel caught his father’s tell, and could tell he knew something. “She told you what she’s planning?”

“No, she didn’t tell me, but I think I could guess.”

“What is it?” Daniel demanded excitedly.

“Oh no, I’m not going to be the one to spoil the surprise,” he stated with a grin. “Besides, your grandmother would kill me.” He stood up and brushed off his old blue jeans. Then, he reached down a hand to pull Daniel up.

“But, Pearl isn’t back yet,” Daniel objected. He couldn’t leave the yard until she had returned to him. Although their separation was much easier this time, he refused go inside without her.

Just thinking about how he had no idea where she was or if she was alright lodged an uncomfortable lump in his throat. Normally, he wasn’t an anxious kid, but something about that little metal dragon changed him. In a very short time, he had become attached to her; connected in a way that was beyond his understanding, yet.

He was beginning to worry needlessly when he felt her presence. It was a warm, consoling feeling; like a warm blanket. He knew it was her because it washed over him suddenly and didn’t coincide with what he was really feeling. Their bonding spell had remarkable side effects.

That’s when he heard her, in his head. “I am on my way Little One.” She was affectionate with him and protective; almost like he was her own little hatchling.

Daniel turned toward the trees, instinctively knowing exactly where she would appear. The warm glow of the setting sun glinted off her dark metallic shell in deep reds and purples. Her metal wings sliced through the air, but as she reached the yard she ceased flapping and held her wings aloft, expertly floating gently down to land at her favorite perch: Daniel’s shoulder.

A rush of relief flooded through Daniel and without thinking he reached up and rubbed Pearl’s snout. If she was surprised by this new gesture, she didn’t show it. She leaned into it. “I’m glad your back,” he thought. She didn’t answer, but Daniel could sense her contentment.

An exciting thought popped into Daniel’s head, and before he could stop his mind from going there the question had already formed in his thoughts. “Did you find the dragon eggs?”

“Who said I was looking,” Pearl said stubbornly. Ever since she had mentioned the possibility of dragon eggs Daniel had been trying to needle it out of her, but she refused to speak of it further.

Daniel turned back to his father who was watching them with some form of pleasure. He beamed at his father before he rushed back to the house.

His feet pounded up the porch stairs. Something told him to go in the front door, instead of the side. The screen door opened with small squeak, and what he saw didn’t look quite right.