The Unexpected Quest, Tessa Langsdale [rooftoppers TXT] 📗

Once there was an enchanted, mystical land, called Agrathius. Its inhabitants were among almost every kind of mythical creature you've heard of. Oh, yes, there were fairies and goblins, wizards and witches, giants and elves......the list could go on forever. But in a small part of this land in particular, there was a young sorcerer in his home, trying to study spells. He was 24 felentars old (12 years old to us), but wanted to grow up and go on an adventure more than anything. He was tall, with slightly long hair, that got in the way of his eyes most of the time. "Ugh, I'll never get this spell right," Tarius said, while he was trying to conjure a spell that started a small fire. Tarius was in their front yard trying to set the spell on an oversized Cackle-Frisky-weed plant. He eventually got it to what he wanted, but since it burned to ashes, he had to find something else to practice magic on. After a lot of looking for something that wouldn't totally be destroyed after he did a spell on it, Tarius decided to take a break.
His family's house was two- stories high, brown shutters, (some slightly breaking off), most of it painted gray, and a crooked black door. Once he got into his kitchen, he saw his two brothers. The eldest brother of the three, Godric, was 32 felentars (16 years), very tall for his age, and had hair just like Tarius and the youngest brother, Patterson. Patterson, (or Sonny, they like to call him), was 7 years old to us, long and lean like the other two boys, and felt it was unfair that he had to be the littlest. Their mother was preparing dinner for the family. "Oh, do they always have to make your father work so late? I told him to be home an hour ago....." she went on mumbling to herself. "And Tarius, you'd have better gotten those spells done before your father gets home. He told you specifically, 'get them done before I get home'. If you want to be a successful wizard like your father, you'd better start following what he asks you to do."
"Don't give me an attitude, young man!" Tarius had been behind her, groaning and laughing with Godric about how stupid Dad's assignments were. "That goes for you too, Godric!!" Now all the laughing stopped.
"Guess we better go finish up those dumb spells," Godric said with a heaving sigh. "I've only got one more left that I can't get right. You know the one, Impreferio." Tarius told him.
Once they got outside, they started to look for something to practice on. The boys then heard a voice behind them.
They turned around and saw it was just Sonny. "Can I watch you guys practice magic? I won't be starting until next felentar, but I want to get a head start. See, I even got this," Patterson was holding out a wand. It was 11 and a 1/2 inches long, made with Carcusent Horn wood, and looked so new, that the sun’s glare produced a reflection of them on it. "Where in the name of God did you get that? You're not supposed to own one until next felentar, remember?" Godric blurted out.
"I stole it from Mum's 'extra wand' cabinet drawer. You know she has like, twelve other wands in there." Sonny informed them, as if they didn't already know that their mother had a drawer like that. Their mom was always afraid someone was going to break their wand somehow. Of course, the wands were very cheap, so they did not work as well as your own wand.
"Alright, sure, you can watch us. But you better not do any spells. You know how Mum is. She can tell if something's wrong in the blink of an eye. You know, motherly instincts," Tarius finally said. "Alright!" Sonny screamed out in joy. Once all of them found a good spot in the yard, Godric started to show Tarius how to do the 'Impreferio' spell.

The next day started off unexpectedly. Tarius' family, the Bansakers, were just sitting down to breakfast, when they heard a deafening crash outside. "What in the world was that?!" Their father, Luther Bansaker cried. Everyone ran outside, and they soon found out that their neighbor's house was being attacked and bombed. It was inevitably the Fensathians, the Dark Descender’s followers. All you could hear outside was bloodcurdling cries of fear and anguish, and bangs, crashes, and spells being screamed out amidst everything.
The two oldest boys and their father ran farther towards the commotion to see if they could join in the
ever growing battle.


And then it happened, all at once. One of the Fensathians had come out toward the three. “An’ what do you three think you’re doin’, trying to start an army against us, are you? Well, the Dark Descender will never be defeated!''
He pointed his wand at the neighbors’ house.
“Emblazio!” The house instantly burst into flames, it looked as if it were a sea of fire, burning any creature that dare to enter it. The cries became louder every second, as the crowd grew even more immense. Now the Pixie Warriors had joined the fight, shooting their tiny, yet effective, poison arrows. That’s when it happened. Luther was so into the fight, that he looked like he was a Fensathian. So of course, the pixies thought whoever looked bad, should get an arrow. Tarius saw the pixie and screamed, “NO!!”
But it was too late.
Their father was lying on the ground, arrow in his heaving chest. The boys threw themselves to the ground next to their father. “No Dad, you can’t die,” Tarius was trying to say through deep sobs. Godric had pulled out the arrow, but their father remained speechless. “NO! DAD!” They were both weeping now. Luther finally spoke, “Boys….don’t…..worry…go…” Their father’s last feeble words were precious to Tarius, yet he didn’t understand. Don’t worry? How could he not worry about their father dead, or what it would be like without him? Tarius looked up. Godric and their mother were running toward them, both crying.
Meanwhile, far, far away from where the Bansaker family was, the Dark Descender was looking into his stone basin that showed him any part of Agrathius and what anyone there was doing. His low, cold voice finally spoke, “My plan is finally coming together. The boy will be so fed up with me, that it is inevitable he will come to destroy me, or at least make a humble attempt.” He gave an icy laugh.

Publication Date: 06-20-2010

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