Fools Paradise

It's a bright and beautiful morning as Wittorf is walking alongside the country road. A couple squirrels cross his path to look at him. His beaming smile lit himself up like a firework. The squirrels continued their grand journey to fight the nut stealer as Wittorf made his way to the orphanage. He was going to see Lana who he had not seen in almost a month.

"I wonder if she would be amazed at all my new magical talents."

What were those talents again? Oh yea he can create a ball of energy in his hand. It was not much but it was far more than any of the other kids could manage and he was going to wow them. He makes his way up to the front doors of the orphanage.

A new sign had replaced the old decrepit one and it looked like it was hand crafted by 10-year olds. It was not the prettiest sign but it did the job and it looked like it was made with love. Who cares that Lana is not spelt with a Y those kids did their darndest and he was not going to ruin their hard work.

He opens the door and looks into the living room to see a bunch of kids surrounding a table. It looks like he came in right as they were playing a board game.

"I'm home!" he shouts from the door and immediately all of kids turn their heads in anticipation. They knew that voice anywhere. It was their friend Wittorf. The boy who was lucky enough to leave as a mage. He had finally returned home and they were excited to see him.

"Wittorf!" shouts a young scrawny boy no older than 10. His name was Sonny he was a nice young boy who always looked up to Wittorf. The boy smiled at him knowingly and asked. "So you're a mage now, huh?"

"You betcha Sonny!"

As he answers that Lana comes out of the kitchen with an apron on and a curious look on her face. She notices Wittorf is surrounded by the kids and runs over to greet him.

"Welcome home Wittorf."

"Thanks Lana I will be here for the next few weeks if that's alright with you?"

"Of course, Wittorf you don't even need to ask that question. There will always be a home for you here."

A short chubby kid named Bix scoffs at Wittorf. He was never very friendly with Wittorf and he always tried to one up him but today there was no way he could not be in awe of the power that is a mage!

"If you're a mage then show us some magic!"

It was his time to shine. His moment in the limelight. He was going to wow the kids and cement his rank as the coolest kid in the orphanage. He grins and extends his hand out and concentrates. Making funny expressions as he does so. The kids laugh at his theatrics and that just fuels his need to show off. A small ball of light appears in his hand as he closes his eyes and wipes some sweat off his forehead. Wittorf knew this was the moment he was waiting for. He was going to see the surprised and amazed expressions of all the kids around him. He opens his eyes and looks around.

What was going on. No one was in awe. Everyone was just staring at him with blank faces. Was this not the coolest thing ever. He can make light appear in his hand!

Bix starts to yawn dramatically "Is that all?"

Is that all he asks? I would like to see him do better. Why weren't they impressed? Did they suddenly become mages too? Are they able to do more grandiose spells? What was boring them so much.

"What do you mean is that all?"

Without missing a beat Bix points his finger behind him towards a young girl in the corner of the room. She was hidden out of view for the longest time until Bix pointed her out. She wore a hood but that did not hide her beautiful long pink hair and clear green eyes. She held a shy expression under that hood that Wittorf could see from here. Bix laughs "She can do that trick already, we wanna see something else."

"Who is she, is she new?"

Walking up slowly to Wittorf the girl looks at him. One of her eyes covered by her hair the other beaming with shy curiosity. She extends her hand outwards slowly.

"My names Ersa" She creates a ball of energy the same size as Wittorfs with seemingly no effort. It then splits into three orbs of the same size and begins swirling in her hands. Finally it ends with them all exploding into little bursts of yellow light.

That was the coolest thing he had ever seen. She needed to show him how to do that right now! He quickly grabbed her hand with both of his and looked deep into her eyes.

"You have to show me how you did that!"

The girl blushes uncontrollably and rips her hand from his grasp with a little 'Eeek' and runs out the door in a panic. Wittorf did not know what to do. A girl had never done that to him before. What was she so nervous about? Lana looks at Wittorf and smiles.

"I think it would be best if you went looking for her. It's already pretty late and she is still new to this area."

"Yes ma'am right away!"

Running out the door he ran down the road towards the town where he assumed, she left for. Wandering around town Wittorf calls out her name but he gets no response from her. Searching all the stores and stands he finds no hire nor hair of her. The day starts to fade into night as an exhausted Wittorf is waiting by a stand eating an apple.

A young man approaches him. "Are you looking for a young girl about yay tall with pink hair?" Wittorf knew immediately that was her. The man continues. "I saw her head into the forest just outside of town she looked panicked."

Thanking him for his help Wittorf bolted down the path towards the forest and started yelling her name once again. It's dark now and the animals are out and about.

"This is not scary." He thinks to himself. "I am totally not scared right now." As he says that an owl hoots nearby and Wittorf jumps nearly smacking into a branch. He looks up to see the owl and laughs nervously. "Ahh it was just an owl. Nothing to be scared of."

A scream can be heard in the forest closer to the center and Wittorf tells it's the scream of a young girl. He quickly runs to the location he heard the scream and sees a large menacing boar cornering Ersa.