As they wondered through the glorious long grasses of Ellenbor, Joe Mcshoots began dragging his feet, seemingly bored with their journey. “Skell, Lady, where exactly are we going?”
Magdalen pointed through the woods, to a small village at the edge of a clearing. “Dead ahead, not long now.”
Joe McShoots sighed. “Fine, I guess, but who we meetin’?”
Skellian laughed. “Now lad, what’s with all the questions? Have faith in the damn lady, would ya?”
“It’s no bother,” Magdalen replied. “Joe, the person we seek is in this here village, ya dig? We need this person to help us obtain something that will help us.”
Joe McShoots narrowed his eyes. “This all seems like a bunch of fetch quests and shit! Give me some more info, woman!”
Magdalen sighed. “Well, I guess you do really need to know some more information, young man. Well here goes. We are going to need some big ass dragons if we are to break into Tolov Kanrdradin. For my power alone is not enough to help you. Can I get you into the realm? Well, probably, but we’d most likely die within a matter of minutes, even with my super amazing powers.”
Joe’s eyes lit up. “Dragons? For real? Holy pine tree spindles, Skell, you hear that?”
Skellian coughed then pulled up his trousers. “Sure did. Dragons.”
“But not just any dragons, men,” Magdalen said. “Oh, no. We need Water Dragons. See, I have my suspicions about how this realm is going to be guarded, and if I’ve guessed correctly,” she winked to Kalp, “then these will be the only way to stop the Dragons of Dark.”
Skellian scratched his head. “Hold up. Wait. Dragons of Dark? How do you know they will be where we need to go?”
Magdalen loosened the shirt collar around her neck. “Uh, I know because … reasons, Skellian. Of course. Yes, reasons. Satisfied? Good. Now, we must enter that house there to find my old friend, the Dragon Keeper. See that big oak door, Joe? Good. Go and knock on it three times quickly, then one slow, then kick the bottom with your foot, then spin around and touch your toes.”
Joe looked at her with a raised eyebrow and arms folded. “I have to do all that?”
Magdalen tried to keep a straight face before bursting out laughing. “I can’t hold it, no, you don’t need to do that Joe. Just knock on the blasted door, will you?” She turned to look at Skellian. “What? Come on, it was only a joke, that’s all.”
Joe McShoots walked up to the large door and gave it a knock. Instantly he heard, “I ain’t buyin’, fuck off.”
Joe’s face flushed red. “Err … that’s a bit rude don’t ya think, bloke? Let me in, ya hear?”
The voice spoke again. “If you don’t get off my property within the next five seconds, I’m going to come out there and insert this fire poker up your arsehole.”
Magdalen nearly choked. “Joe! Back away, let me handle this.” Joe stepped away from the door and she stepped up to it. “Gerrad, open the bloody door, you old bastard you.”
A few seconds later, the door slowly opened. “Magdalen? But … why? How?”
“Time for that later,” she said. “I am aiding these fine fellows and we need to speak with you urgently. Can we come in?” She looked through the door and saw a large cook pot bubbling away. “Is that what I think it is, Gerrad? We’re coming in. I could eat a Leptode Farkar I’m that hungry.”
Gerrad sighed. “In you come then, good to see you Magdalen. Dunno if there’s enough food to go round though.”
Skellian put his hand up and smiled. “No bother matey, me and ol’ Shoots here aren’t hungry, are we lad?” He winked.
Joe frowned. “N-no. We are not…” Joe’s stomach rumbled.
After a few bowls of Gerrad’s famous stew, Magdalen lay back in her seat, hands crossed above her stomach. “So,” she burped. “Excuse me, fuck. Anyway, yes, why we are here. For some reason, this young man here, needs to obtain the Red Dragon-”
Gerrad rolled his eyes. “Here we go…”
“Quite,” Magdalen replied. “Anyway, Kalp brought him to me, and now I brought him here because I need your help, with me so far?”
“I think I’ve managed to work it out, yes.”
Magdalen shot him finger guns. “Good. Now, we need Water Dragons, and we need them quick. Can you obtain them for us?”
Gerrad rubbed at his eyes. “Mag, come on, I haven’t done any of this shit in years. Look at me, I’m old as shit! Don’t get me involved, please.”
Magdalen sat up. “You don’t need to get involved, you just need to give us the dragons, Gerrad, then you can go back to whatever you do on a daily basis.”
He sat back, hands outstretched on the arm rests of his chair. “Twenty three years, she’s been gone. Did you know it’s been that long?”
Magdalen put a hand on top of his. “I didn’t, I’m sorry.”
“If it wasn’t for that bastard adventure we went on, she’d still be here, Mag. You know THAT, don’t you.”
She nodded, staring down at the floor. “I haven’t forgotten her, Gerrad. I never will.”
Gerrad looked over his shoulder. “All I’ve got is that picture of her up there. That’s all. Nothing else. I haven’t even seen the dragons since before she died. I can’t help you.” He got up to leave the room.
Magdalen looked defeated. “It’s ok, Gerrad. I understand. Well, thanks anyway.”
Gerrad nodded, looked back at the picture, and said, “I just want to hear her voice one more time. That’s all. Show yourselves out.”
As he was leaving the room, he heard it. The voice of his love, coming from the picture hanging on the wall. Gerrad froze in his tracks, and spun around. The woman in the picture was moving, a misty blur swayed around her edges as she moved. “Gerrad, love,” she called, a smile from ear to ear.
Gerrad ran to the painting, put a hand up on her face and stroked it lightly. He semi-turned his head. “Magdalen, did you do this?” he asked softly.
Magdalen stood at the doorway about to walk outside. She turned and clasped her hands together awkwardly, while nervously shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “Soul transmutation,” she gave a nervous laugh, looking down at the floor. “I just wanted you to be happy, Gerrad. It ain’t her physically, but it’s the next best thing. That spell will always be in effect, so she’ll always be here with you.”
Gerrad exploded with laughter. “I can’t believe this! But, wait, why didn’t you do this when she died all those years back?”
“Couldn’t do it then,” Magdalen replied. “Trust me, I would have if I could. Truth is, this is a relatively recent power for me. It only works if I knew the person, and if there’s a good enough likeness to bind the soul to.”
Gerrad let out a small tear. “You don’t realise what you’ve done for me here this day, Mag. How in the world can I repay you?”
Magdalen tossed a nod back to Skellian, Joe, and Kalp, and then winked at Gerrad.
His face bunched up in a mischievous smile. “Let’s find them dragons, shall we?”
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