Running Out of Time (& Magic)

WRITER'S NOTE: The following passage is a 2-in-1 part with both the protagonist (Terrance) and antagonist (Gerlard) reflecting on Chapters 56 & 57 revised. Both chapters as well as these cast of characters can be found in "The Blacksmith's Nephew" and the rest of "The Rissindell Stories" book series! Please enjoy!

TERRANCE

I dreamed of my beautiful Princess Ruth once again! From what I slept, I have dreamt of that night she and I were dancing on her 21st birthday once more. It seemed like that dream was always occurring to me more often and more recently than anything else. By which, I or course didn't mind.

For the past decade of knowing her personally, that night will always remain special and memorable to me. Hopefully the same goes with her as well. I just gonna recuse her in order to find out. However, even if she didn't, I will still keep my promise to her, no matter what.

I finally woke up from my dream but felt really tired and exhausted for some reason. After readjusting my eyes and receiving a yawn fit for a lion, I found it very hard to get up this morning. I slowly sat up and looked around to find everyone of my friends still asleep.

Once I had gotten up and stretching my stuff legs afterwards, I took the opportunity to wake up all of my friends. The most stubborn one was Lemmy of course.

'Go figure,' I said this to myself mentally. 'Some things never change.'

Eventually they all woke up after a few minutes. They too were slowly getting up and felt as doozy from their slumber as I was a moment ago.

While everyone was getting themselves adjusted, I made a new fire considering it was a bit chilly in the Marvelous Jungle near the temple. Lemmy finally got up after being told to wake up five times that morning.

The red dwarf made a big yawn while sounding a like a whale before asking us the following :“Why does it feel like we have slept a whole day?” He even was getting the sand out from his eyes after asking such a question.

“That’s because you all were,” said a familiar yet sinister voice.

Everyone of us looked around to see who it was but there was no one present. Suddenly a flame emerges upward from the fire I had just built. By which, startled me at first but I quickly stood up making my stance.

There before us was the Dark Wizard himself in the flames from where the flame is. He looked at each other with the biggest smile upon his face. A smile that was unnerving to all of us.

“What did you do?” asked Reuben (The Lost King in Werewolf Form) as he slightly crouched forward with fangs and claws out.

“Why I simply casted a spell onto all of you and the whole jungle to fall asleep for an entire day,” explained the Dark Wizard calmly. He continued having the biggest smile on his face, acting like he did something to be proud of himself.

“Why would you do such a thing?” asked Arkcon feeling irritated and grumpy with the oversleep.

To that, Gerlard replied: “You all were cutting it very close. I didn’t want any guests coming early.”

“That is no fair. You’re cheating, you slithering coward,” said Maren with some annoyance. Mind you, she is hardly ever annoyed.

“Life isn’t always fair and life has cheaters. You might as well get used to it,” responded the Dark Wizard. He resume his monologue by saying: “Now…you all got one more day in order to save your precious Princess.”

“If you hurt her, I swear I’ll show you no mercy,” I threatened him with both of my hands cringing in front of me as I made two fists.

“Have no fear young lad,” said the evil sorcerer as the flames deceased making him smaller and shorter by the second.

Before he was completely gone, he mentioned: “She is perfectly safe and well. I shall see you all here tomorrow when the full moon is up in the night sky. Hope your dreams are pleasant before your arrival.”

With that, I replied with resentment: “Why you! Get out of our heads you bastard! That includes mine!”

“I can’t guarantee any promises naive boy…” and that was the last we heard from him for he was gone along with the fire.

After the flames disappeared, I stood there for a moment. I thought to myself mentally again: 'We have to quickly save Ruthie from this madman before it’s too late! Don’t worry my love, I promise we’ll rescue you from that vile villain!'

After giving myself a pep talk, I also found himself very lucky not dreaming about my parents. For if I did, the Dark Wizard would’ve known whom I was. And who knows what the villain would have done if he found out the truth.

Before thinking any more deep thoughts further, I quickly turn around facing my group of friends saying without any hesitation and stating the obvious: “We must hurry! We're late!”

GERLARD

Meanwhile back at the Dark Castle, I had just finished my peasant conversation with the precious "warriors". I stepped out of my chimney of illusion once more and held the crystal orb within my left hand on the way out.

Next thing I did was returning back to sit down on my throne. Eventually I watched the warriors find their way into the temple.

“Hahahaha yes!” I chuckled as he sat there on his favorite chair while looking into the crystal orb of mind. “Come forth and face me.”

I couldn't help but feel intrigued of that Terrance character there in the orb. “Just who are you?” I asked this to himself out loud. “And what are you to make of yourself?”

For awhile, I continue to stare at Terrance within that orb very closely. As I looked at the young man, I even couldn’t help but be puzzled about the squire.

The young man looked very familiar. As if I knew Terrance from somewhere! 'Ha, he's such a fool!' I cried laughing mentally.

Still though, I just couldn’t put his finger on it. It was quite an nuisance and it was all giving me a slight headache as of lately.

That slight headache became a full one. For the vision suddenly began to fade away from within the crystal orb.

“What? What is going on here?” I've asked out loud as my heart was skipping a beat upon seeing this.

Terrance face began to disappear as I, the Dark Wizard, then yells out: “No, no, NO! This can’t be! My magic is fading away! Tomorrow must come quickly! I have little to no magic left!”

Without skipping a beat, I quickly grabbed my staff and shouted out a spell: “Come forth my serpents, approach me and be present!”

Soon enough, my mages came slithering forth and arrived there before me as hooded figures. There were a dozen of them this time around.

I demanded the mages all at once: “I need you all to do me a favor! I want you to stall more time on our guests at the temple in the Marvelous Jungle! But don’t disappoint me or else you all will end up like your friends who had disappointed me last time! You all got it?!”

“Yes master,” said the twelve mages as they all bowed simultaneously to the Dark Wizard: aka me.

“Then go,” I said waved my minions away in frustration. The mages then went forth and slithered away as shadow snakes. They headed towards where the warriors were coming from.

Meanwhile I remained stationery on my throne with the most displeasing look upon his face. I looked at my crystal orb again but still nothing happened.

“This has no use to me now. Not until the full moon is at its highest. I now only got limited magic left in me. Might as well use it wisely,” I have said as I continued to remain sitting there on my throne with just a plain orb.

Eventually, I put the orb back into my robe pocket, but I did however check up on it every three minutes at a time. After a few times, I gave up on it entirely leaving the orb to remain there in his pocket. I even became so bored there without having any entertainment whatsoever. Really wish this magic wasn't so limited. I gonna need to change that, sooner or later.