image [https://i.imgur.com/MY1J5SC.jpeg]

Suds dripped into the sink as the toothbrush moved rapidly over her teeth. Natalie was careful not to stain her pink pajama suit with toothpaste froth as she brushed. When she was finished, she rinsed with water and even gargled. She looked at her short black hair in the mirror, then adjusted it with her hands as her father checked in.

"Nathan's in trouble," Natalie said, "He fought a wizard, but he got turned into a girl. Then he fell into a hole and got lost."

"Really, that's quite the story," he said, "Time for bed."

Norman chuckled a bit as he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. He bounced her in the bed, which made her laugh a little bit. The little girl's short black hair shifted gently to the side as her head turned. With a sigh, she began to drift asleep. Light pink sheets were tucked over her. Norman smiled, gave her a goodnight head pat, and turned on the night light before closing the door.

Norman wondered if Natalie had picked up a vision. The girl was getting more like her mother every day. He then went downstairs to wait impatiently on the brown sofa in the living room. Soon, the old grandfather clock registered nine o'clock and the doorbell rang.

It wasn't who he expected, Jody Fischer was waiting outside in a pink jacket the same color as Natalie's bed sheets. Norman took her jacket and arranged it neatly to the front of the others in the coat rack.

"You won't have much to do, Natalie is asleep," He said, "Thanks for stopping over on such short notice."

"That's all right," Jody said, "I brought a book with me. What's Nathan doing?"

"That's what I'm going to find out," Norman said.

"At this hour," Jody said, "Ummm... Mr. Mavenslick, I kind of had a fight with him and... I threw some pizza in his face. I left a bit early. I thought he stayed with the guys and went home."

"So, he's been out alone all this time," Norman said, "Thanks again for your help. I'll pay you when I get back."

"You're welcome,"

Norman pulled on a blue jacket with a beige collar and strode out the door. Jody waited for his car to pull away before closing it. There was time for a brief sigh of relief before she sat down on the sofa with a graphic novel. Such a strange family, she thought to herself; I wonder what Nathan's up to because his dad is going to end it.

Norman had acquired a slight ability to sense magical energy with the help of his wife, whom his second child had been named after. She had trained him in the art of discerning the signatures of certain attack magic. Powers that involved chemistry especially, such as igniting air to form fireballs, always had a distinct personal scent mixed with the smell of whatever was being scorched, a signature that almost every living being could detect when fresh.

Every type of magic, common and uncommon alike has a signature, Natalie had once explained. Signatures didn't have to come in scents alone, some were felt through the body. What people often described as getting the shivers, or goose bumps, was actually the passing of residual magical energies through the nervous system. Those in tune with what such sensations meant could glean a general idea of what type of magic they were sensing.

A technique known as Non-Vision allowed those who sensed magical abilities to read patterns formed by magic energies when their eyes were closed.

Norman shut his eyes and saw lilac sparkles forming almost flower like patterns. He was certain it was a signature, but whose and of what he was uncertain. Dissipated energy was creating the scent of burning leaves in the ground.

It was still strong enough to indicate somebody powerful had been here. There was that faint tingle in his fingers and a heaviness in the air that followed Nathan practicing his magical abilities. Norman pulled a flashlight from his belt and followed his senses further into the forest as the energy became stronger.

The faint light was soon shining upon part of Nathan's twisted bike protruding from underneath the broken stump of a fir tree. The fir smelt strong of fire from an ancient and powerful wizard, yet there was decay in the bouquet. This wizard was a bit too ancient for his own good, and from what Norman could tell, had come into a confrontation with his son.

The arrangement of lilac residue was brighter and moved into a more vivid arrangement when he closed his eyes. The scent of leather, and then there was a tingle through his body as if someone had undergone a particularly powerful transformation spell.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

What Natalie had said came to his mind. He wondered why there was no attempt to cover up such obvious signatures from other wizards. Unfortunately for Norman, the other signatures were so overwhelming that he missed the tell-tale dizziness that came from being too close to a recent portal opening.

The flashlight revealed torn shreds of his son's school uniform among the downed tree branches. This path was strictly forbidden for a reason, Norman thought, why was it so hard for teenagers to listen to their parents?

"Nathan! Nathan where are you? Are you hurt son?" Norman called.

"Nathan isn't here anymore," a tired voice answered.

Norman turned the flashlight on Dead-leaf, who covered his sensitive eyes.

"What did you do with my son?" he growled.

"That's for me to know and you to find out. Your boy was strong, so much so I had to take desperate measures to subdue him, but in the end, I prevailed through my superior cunning. There's nothing you can do. You have a younger daughter in need of constant supervision. If you spend too much time searching for your son, there would be no one to protect your little one. That's how terrible things happen my friend. Protect your youngest. Leave your eldest to me."

As Norman approached, the old wizard disappeared. A laugh was heard from the tree tops.

"Search for your boy," Dead-leaf's voice echoed, "Search for that which is forever lost and you will lose what you still have."

"Come back here you coward!" Norman called, "Coward! Fight me like a man! I'll earn my information. Coward!"

Norman hollered through the forest, but there was nothing in response besides the echo of his own baritone voice.

-----

The lights of Norman's van pulling into the driveway caused Jody to glance from her book. She put on her jacket quickly, placing the book underneath her arm as she waited for him to open the door. As he entered, Jody looked around pensively for Nathan, pondering whether she should ask why he didn't bring his son home with him. As soon as she started to speak on the matter, Norman dismissed her with a fifty-dollar bill inside a quick hand shake.

"Thanks for everything," he said, "It's late, you better get home."

She took a breath and nodded. Norman closed the door behind her as she left. The first order of business was checking on Natalie, and upon ensuring her wellbeing, then he returned downstairs to rest on the sofa. First, he checked his phone for messages.

For an hour, he laid on his back staring at the ceiling and looking at his phone. Around midnight he went to the back yard. A red shaded flash light was placed on a tripod. The red hued beam, though faint, was centered onto a carving of an eye in a nearby oak. For another hour, he stood on the porch waiting. The calm humidity of the summer night was broken by a hoarse voice from the shadows.

"You request my help?" it asked.

"Yes, I need you to return to Pozalm," Norman said.

"I can return with the first full moon."

"That's four days from now."

Norman tapped his fingers on the wooden rail, indicating his impatience.

"It is the only time I can return. What reason is there for this?" the voice asked.

"My son has been sent there against his will by a wizard. I need you to protect him, and then return him as soon as possible. Why haven't you been watching over him?"

"It is as I thought. It is as I thought then."

"Stop repeating yourself and get to the point. What are you getting at!" Norman snapped.

"I have watched him. The boy has undergone a transformation. He has become what you call the other half of your kind. I sensed Ambrosia's power at work."

Norman leaned over the rail, almost falling until he gripped it so hard his knuckles turned white. He knew it wasn't a joke. This creature, a golem known as a Groeble, was not known to joke, ever.

"No! What could she possibly hope to achieve by that!?"

"I believe the preservation of the Guardian line of Pozalm. The boy was the last human first born of guardian ascent. If he would have remained a male, the line would have died with him."

Norman grimaced, biting his lip before pounding the rail.

"There could have been another way. Ambrosia can't force her decisions on my son! It's not like he had even been given the right to decide."

"Wizards were involved. The pendant is in danger as well."

"Yes. If you find the pendant in the possession of anyone other than Nathan, take it from that person by all means possible."

"I do not wish to kill."

"As a last resort you must. You know what will happen if the wizards obtain it."

"I will do only what I must. I am a weak creature from my race. I do not hope to fail you. You do understand?"

"I appreciate your help. If I could go myself, I would. Please bring him home safely."

There was a brief rustling of the wind before Norman went back inside.

-----

The trees of the Worm Woods were hushed as they slept peacefully in the calm air. A squirrel ventured down the trunk of a knotted chestnut onto the dirt path below. As it began to bury an acorn, four thick slimy worms extended from the ground to wrap its limbs.

Five more rose to slap against the fury midsection with long bloated bodies coated in slime. The squirrel squirmed; squeals echoed about the trees as their prey sunk into loosened soil. A tiny geyser of blood spewed from the dirt followed by a chewing gurgle. A woman robed in brown watched from behind an elm. She approached the path and the worms rose to squirm at her feet.

"Why do you continue to disobey me? What happened to you? Why are you doing this?" she asked.

They climbed upon her toes. They slid up her body, banding together to form over her robe, and she stared calmly at them until she saw the coal worm. His slime was a viscous tarry hue that seeped into the slime of the others until it became a viscous gray.

She tried desperately to reach for the creature and rent it from the center of her robe, to separate it from the others, but her arms were covered with rebelling worms that tied her limbs against her sides.

The coal worm slid among the others to reach her midsection. A rounded mouth with sharp white teeth contrasted with the charcoal color of the body. It burrowed into the skin beneath her bosom. The maiden gasped as her vision went dark. Her eyes glazed as she sunk beneath the soil with the host of worms.