Micah or the end of Magic. Chapter 5.

Chapter 5.

 

A Dragon Calls.

 

Jek would not stay in Calizone’s cottage when daybreak came. As soon as the sky began to lighten, he slipped back into the forest to find shelter for the day and something to eat.

Calizone sat at her table and leafed through the diaries left by the witches who had come before her. She searched every page for clues about the strange behaviour of magic, but found nothing.

Around mid‑morning, the rooks nesting in the trees around the cottage began cawing and flapping their wings. Calizone closed the books and went to the door. The rooks were her sentries; no one could approach her cottage unnoticed while they kept watch.

For a moment, her cottage shimmered and changed into a ruin, broken walls, fallen beams, a roof half‑gone. Then, just as suddenly, it returned to its familiar, comfortable shape. Calizone shivered. The magic had vanished from the world again.

A tremendous gust of wind swept through the clearing, and a voice from above shouted, “Look out! I am about to fall!”

Calizone looked up. A dragon was flapping wildly overhead.

It dropped from the sky and landed with a heavy thud on the path outside the cottage.

Calizone walked carefully to her gate. The dragon stood in the lane, looking bewildered.

“Sorry about that,” it said. “For a moment I lost the ability to fly. I don’t remember that ever happening before.”

“There is something going wrong with magic,” Calizone said.

“Don’t I know it,” the dragon replied, hauling itself upright. “Hello. We meet again.”

Calizone frowned. “Have we met before?”

“Yes,” said the dragon. “A long time ago. I said then that I never wanted anything to do with humans again, but here I am.”

Calizone thought for a moment. “Das,” she said. “That was your name.”

The dragon nodded.

“Sorry,” Calizone said. “I didn’t recognise you. You’ve grown a great deal since then.”

“You haven’t changed,” Das said cheerfully. “Except you look a bit older.”

“Thank you,” Calizone said huffily. “I remember you now. You must have a very good reason for leaving the islands.”

“I was ordered to come by the Queen of the Dragons herself. I would rather not have, but when the Queen gives an order, one obeys.”

“So why did she send you?” Calizone asked.

“There is something wrong with magic,” Das said. “As you know, dragons fly by magic, and it is magic that keeps our islands hidden. No human can reach them. Or rather, no human used to be able to reach them. Yesterday, a fishing boat with four humans landed on Royal Dragons Island. You can imagine the fuss.”

“Yes,” Calizone said. “Humans on the island would be… upsetting.”

Das grinned. “I wish I had been there. The first thing anyone saw was a human walking up the beach. A royal dragon opened his eyes, saw the human, panicked, and screamed. That woke every other dragon. Not knowing what was happening, they all took to the sky.”

“That must have been an awe‑inspiring sight,” Calizone said.

“Indeed. The poor humans threw themselves on the ground and covered their heads. Not that it would have helped if the dragons had decided to breathe fire on them. Fortunately, the Queen took charge. She made everyone land again, well away from the fishermen. She tried to explain that they would not be harmed, but the humans were so terrified she couldn’t make herself understood.”

Calizone nodded. “Humans are easily frightened. And it isn’t every day you walk up a beach and find yourself surrounded by dragons.”

“And screaming dragons at that,” Das added.

“So, what happened next?” Calizone asked.

“The Queen shepherded the men back to their boat and pushed it out to sea. That’s when the next problem occurred. The islands are protected by a spell that stops humans from landing, and also stops them from leaving. Once a human is on the island, they cannot get off.”

“Oh!” Calizone said. “Are the men still there?”

“They would be,” Das said, “except that while the Queen was pushing the boat, the magic stopped again. Suddenly she managed to shove the boat far out into the water. Before it could drift back, the magic returned and the spell took hold again. The boat was a mile away, as it should be.”

“Good,” Calizone said. “But why has the Queen sent you to me?”

“She said the only person she knows who could disrupt magic like this is you. She wanted to know what you were doing.”

“I wish I knew,” Calizone said grimly. “It isn’t me. I had a wraith here last night, his people are dying because of this.”

“Well, you had better find out quickly,” Das said. “The dragons are furious. They are threatening to leave the island and burn the world. It took all the Queen’s power to stop them. She sent me to warn you that if any more humans land on the islands, she won’t be able to hold them back.”

“If I knew what was causing it, I would deal with it,” Calizone said. “It isn’t just dragons and wraiths at risk. The whole world is in danger, and not only from dragon fire.”

“I had better return and tell the Queen it isn’t your doing,” Das said.

He tried to lift himself into the air. Nothing happened. He tried again. Still nothing.

“It looks like I’m staying here for a while,” he said.

“You are welcome,” Calizone said. She returned to her cottage and resumed searching the old diaries for answers.

That evening, as darkness fell, Jek crept back to the cottage. Calizone let him in and wrapped the cloth around him again. He was worried about Das, but Calizone explained that Das was a sea dragon and ate seaweed, not wraiths or humans.

They had not been sitting long when Calizone suddenly stiffened. “It has happened again,” she said.

Jek shook his head. “I felt nothing.”

Calizone frowned. “I am sure the magic stopped.” She went outside. Das was curled beneath the trees.

“It happened again,” he said.

Calizone returned inside. “Are you certain you felt nothing?” she asked Jek.

He shook his head. “Not a thing. And I have felt it every other time.”

Calizone sat at the table, thinking hard. Jek opened his mouth to speak, but she waved him silent.

Then she clicked her fingers. “I think I know what it is. That cloth protects whoever is wrapped in it from magic spells. I wonder if it also stops any magic inside it from getting out.”

“If that is true, it would save my people,” Jek said. “If there were enough cloth to cover them all.”

Calizone shook her head. “It is only a guess. I must test it. May I have the cloth?”

Jek handed it over. Calizone wrapped it around her hand and pointed at the fireplace. Nothing happened. She tried again. Still nothing. She unwrapped her hand and pointed once more. The wood burst into flame. Jek shielded his eyes.

“Sorry,” Calizone said. She extinguished the fire with a gesture and handed the cloth back to Jek.

“We have been fortunate,” she said. “This cloth has been in the cottage for years, and no one knew what it did. When I discovered its purpose, I made it my business to find the rest of the roll. There should be a dress made from it waiting for me in Barford. I ordered it when it seemed likely I would be fighting another witch.”

“So, you will be safe,” Jek said. “But no one else.”

Calizone shook her head. “No. It means I can deal with whatever is draining the magic without being harmed. And I will send someone to search for more cloth for you and your people.”

When daybreak came, again Jek would not stay in the cottage. He slipped back into the forest to find shelter and food.