Photo by Jez Timms on Unsplash
Long before my hands finally touched the sun's rays, I would hide behind a window and watch the world. Though I only beheld the isolated grounds surrounded by lush trees, rough roads, and small streams; an unthinkable place to walk through. My house was made of limestone, resembling an old castle slowly consumed by mud. I lived alone, surrounded by the nothingness that made my heart take root perennially.
I come from a family of magicians who secretly helped form society. Our magic contributed to the great discoveries of mankind. Since I was a child I was instructed to become one of the best apprentices, being able to perfect spells conjured by great sorcerers of the past.
I was to be the promise of magic in these modern times, I was destined to be the best wizard of all, but my insecurities took over my body and mind, and I sentenced myself to live away from a world that seemed to fear magic. I created my home with all my power, cloaking it in an invisible spell so that it would never be detected.
Since then, I only breathe the particles given off by my hundreds of books, while I pray incantations in dead languages. I only know study and renewal, and it was unthinkable for me to leave these ominous walls and wander beyond the woods.
One day, my fortune brought me something I never imagined.
As I watched out the window, sipping from my pumpkin juice mixed with rum, I glimpsed an inert figure on a rock beside a stream. It looked like a person lying there, and I immediately looked out to find out.
She looked injured, tired, and thirsty. Her legs were bruised as if someone had brutally beaten her. She was carrying a huge backpack and scout boots. "Maybe she's a lost camper," I thought.
I couldn't just leave her there, so I decided to take her inside and shelter her in a room. She was unconscious, I took advantage and used my magic to heal her wounds. I looked at her face and thought she was beautiful. Her hair was brown with a particular shine. Her skin was like the color of cinnamon and her plump body looked sensual to me. When I had finished, I left the room and let her rest.
I continued with my work in the library, sometimes forgetting to eat and becoming engrossed in my work. When my creativity was unleashed I couldn't stop, and I created wonders that could dazzle the world.
"It's so beautiful what you do," murmured a voice behind me. I stopped everything and was petrified.
It was her, she had already woken up, I became nervous at the sight of her.
"No, please don't stop, I'm sorry I surprised you like this. I want to thank you for helping me, if it wasn't for you, I don't know what would have happened to me."
I was speechless for a few seconds.
"... It was nothing, I couldn't leave you there either" I replied.
She smiled and looked around in amazement.
"Do you live here?" she asked, I answered in the affirmative. "It's a fascinating place. Sorry, my name is Sophie, nice to meet you, and you?"
"I'm Ethan," I replied squeezing her hand. She had a very sweet voice and seemed very friendly, it didn't take me long to get into trust.
I offered her food and we got into a more pleasant chat. Although I was beginning to feel comfortable with her company, I felt her strange, for I could not understand how someone could not feel a twinge of fear at even seeing the grim and creepy things in my house.
I showed her some of my magic, and she was amazed.
I showed her my library, and she embraced my books as if they were treasures.
I took her to my labs, and she was even more amazed by the things I was doing there.
Without realizing it, Sophie made me feel very special, for she was not afraid of magic nor did she reject its effects; on the contrary, she was enchanted like a child when she learns her first steps. She made me think that she was not a freak and that the world had changed.
I felt affection for her, more than necessary, and my little castle began to change. The walls abandoned their opaque and melancholic tone for a golden and shiny one. My library and my books changed their appearance, abandoning the oldness of their pages for new ones, whiter and more pleasant to the touch.
The colors vibrated, and so did the spaces because when illuminated they allowed me to contemplate the beauty of my house. During those days I did more magic, not to renovate, but for the good fortune of being able to do so.
But the day came when Sophie had to leave, and I felt how the heaviness of melancholy slowly tried to settle on my shoulders. It was a difficult day, but I kept smiling anyway. I took Sophie's hand and looked her straight in the eyes.
"Now I understand everything," I murmured.
"What are you talking about?" she inquired blinking several times.
"Sophie, all my life I thought magic made me special and that I didn't need anything else, but I was wrong, what I needed, was someone like you. Come and visit me always. The colors won't change when you come here again. Thank you for restoring my faith."
She laughed and walked away leaving me with a hug. From that day on, I vowed to use magic to change the world, when I am ready to step on its territories.
THE END
