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

Ch.1 (REVISED) 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.

"Give up the iron, boy," growled a voice in the darkness. 

Daniel froze, his entire body experiencing some kind of shocked paralysis, except for his eyes. He cast his eyes about the clearing for the source of the voice, but the towering trees seemed to be his only companions. 

The moon filtered down weakly through the canopy of leaves, dappling small patches of light. This did little to permeate into the inky shadows of the forest. Straining to hear any movement, Daniel swept his flashlight in the general direction of the unexpected demand. The beam of light revealed nothing but the usual forest foliage. The now unwelcomed silence became deafening, broken only by the pounding of his own heart. 

"Give up the iron," the voice suddenly repeated, "If, you want your friend back." 

Daniel trained the light on a dark shadow that he knew was not there a moment before. At first, he thought he was looking at a strange dying bush; all mottled browns and dark greens, with wiry twigs devoid of life. Then, the bristles detached from the surrounding shadows and a squat, dirty creature with wild bushy facial hair appeared: a goblin. 

Daniel had only met one other goblin in his life, and this was not him. He had the same dwarfed form, wide face, and hooded eyes, but he looked rougher somehow, almost sinister. Daniel pushed the thought away. His mind was racing from fear and adrenaline, and it was running away from him. 

"Where is he?" he tried to demand, but it came out more like a desperate plea. 

"He is here, with us," the goblin gestured around the forest almost like an invitation. 

Daniel kept his light trained on the goblin speaking, but his eyes darted left and right wondering how many goblins were actually out there. They were experts at camoflouge, and he couldn't actually see any, but he knew they were there. There unseen presence sent a chill down his spine that rushed ice water through his veins. 

Daniel fingered the nail ring on his finger nervously wondering what he should do. He couldn't give up his most surefire protection against these vile creatures. However, Jacob was his best friend. A cold sweat broke out along the back of his neck and around his hairline. Could he use what little magic he knew to protect both himself and Jacob once he gave up the ring?

"Show him to me," Daniel demanded, sounding more sure of himself than he felt. 

"As you wish," came the mocking reply. The mangy creature barked something in a strange, gutteral language that was clearly a command. A small commotion amongst the shrubbery quickly evolved into wild thrashing, and some disturbing muffled sounds.

 Jacob was thrust cruelly into the clearing, where he fell akwardly to the ground. He had a dirty rag stuffed in his mouth, and his hands were tied behind his back. His eyes found Daniel's and the terror mirrored there sent Daniel's stomach to his feet. 

Daniel tried to rush to his friend's side, but there was an strange flicker of shadows, and a surreal flash of darkness spread out sucking all light from the forest, or perhaps just from Daniel's vision, he wasn't sure. But, in the utter darkness he froze.

 His meager training kicked in, and he drew up his protective sphere on instinct. The flickering blue light of his magic banished the darkness and illuminated the clearing. The moonlight spilled into the clearing with a vengeance; its meager light burning uncharacteristically and momentarily blinding Daniel. By the time his eyes focused, he realized that Jacob was gone. 

Only the dark goblin remained. "What do you want?" Daniel asked. Without realizing it, Daniel had already slipped the ring off his finger. He knew they didn't actually want the ring. Goblins hated iron, that is why he wore the strange nail ring.

"You know what we want," the goblin smiled wickedly. "The forest always speaks, and you are no stranger to the forest are you, boy?" The dark creature leaned forward menacingly. "You know we have been watching you," he took a step back into the shadows, "And waiting...patiently."

"Waiting for what?" Daniel whispered. 

"Waiting for you, of course."

"Why?" Daniel had to ask, even though he already knew the answer.

"Why?" the goblin laughed mirthlessly. "For your power. We have big plans for you".

Author's Note

Daniel is a powerful wizard that becomes trapped in a magical realm hidden deep in the forest behind his house, but before that story, is another story: the story of Daniel’s childhood and ascension to power. Follow Daniel from the beginning as he receives his powers, undertakes many adventures in the precarious forest, and learns what true power really is.