Writetober Day 16 (Wild)

Here is day 16!  Leave your thoughts below!

Writetober Day 16

Wild

                “Vordmir didn’t win.  We are still here.”  Michelle stared at recently awoken enchanter.

“Your mind can not grasp the power that his corruption has.  All three of your rings have been tainted at their very core, the fact that Kyle is able to use that ring is absurd.  The logical explanation to him using it, is because Vordmir allows it.”

“Or because my grandpa allows it…”  Kyle quietly blurted out.

“What is this you’re on about?”  Welton stared at Kyle.

The room hadn’t changed overnight, Michelle and Tom found corners to call their bed and Kyle barely slept.

“I’ve heard a voice-”

“Yes!  That’s Vordmir.”  Welton cut him off.

“No, it spoke when I needed it to; when I needed to survive.”  Kyle was focused on his ring.  “You said it yourself, it’s absurd that my ring still works.  What if at its core, it wasn’t tainted?”

“What your inferring is that your grandfather was able to defeat the corruption.  Listen, Nathaniel was a great man, but no one is able to defeat corruption.”  Welton pondered the idea and then shook his head.

“Not defeat, but what if he pierced the core?”  Kyle locked on to the enchanter.

“It’s worth a shot.”  Michelle backed him up.

“I don’t work on hunches and shots.  You want to make this hypothesis?  You do the experiment.  Activate the rings magic.”  Welton grinned beneath his scraggy grey beard.

Kyle closed his eyes and focused.  He muted the world around him, allowing him to concentrate solely on the ring.  Michelle and Tom waited with bated breath, wishing for Kyle’s success.  He opened his eyes, defeated, but the eyes around him didn’t match his emotion.  Michelle’s eyes were wide in awe as she stared at the ring.  Matching her gaze, Kyle froze as he stared at the blackened silver ring on his finger.

“You are his grandson.”  Welton curiously stared at the ring as it slowly became fully black again.  Getting up from his chair, he began to shuffle around the house, gathering items.  “A more in-depth experiment is needed, the three of you are going into The Wild.”

“Like your backyard?  Or the jungle with that giant plant?”  Tom cut the tension.

“No, you fool!  The wild is a pocket of existence between this world and your world.  It was where I sent your grandfather for his first battle with the corruption.  If what you say is true, and some part of him is in that ring, The Wild may act as a strong resonator to active the magic shrouded by the corruption.”  Welton found the item he was looking for.

Michelle smiled at the enchanter showing excitement for the first time.  In his hands, he held a sphere that floated just above his hands.  The liquid material that made up the ball rippled and vibrated as Welton gently handled it into a pack.  To Michelle’s amazement, the liquid stayed shape and didn’t get the pack wet.

“This orb was a memento your grandfather took from The Wild.  He swore to me that it was a wonderous item imbued with insane amounts of magic.  Sadly, I have seen no such evidence, it holds no more magic than my standard quill.”  He thrust the pack into Tom’s arms.  “Don’t lose it.”

“What are supposed to do with it?”  Tom awkwardly held the bag in fear.

“Take it back.  It serves no purpose here.”  Welton made his way to the door leading outside.

“And where exactly is The Wild?”  Tom held the bag as far away from him as possible.

The old man ignored Tom.

“Kyle, you have a lot of your grandfather in you.  If he resides in that ring, The Wild will bring it out.  Go there, find your answer and return.”  The enchanter paused, a flash of sadness on his face.  “Once he passed, I lost all hope.  Return with that hope.”  Welton opened the door and ushered the three outside.

“What should we expect?”  Kyle turned back as he stepped outside.

“That is for you to find out.”  Welton grabbed his staff and slammed it into the earth.

Ripples leapt from his staff and began to form into a gash across the air in front of them.  The cut widened until it was large enough for a person to reach through.  A silver haze like mirror filled the tear in reality.

Kyle grabbed Michelle’s hand, and squeezed it tight as they locked eyes.  Like a million times before, with one look, she reassured him.  Tom clasped his hand on Kyle’s shoulder and squeezed.  The three stepped into the realm, disappearing from existence.

“Keep them safe old friend.”  Welton spoked softly.