15 Special Effects.

Real magic was something that didn't exist in the world, or so the people in the place I was born thought. They only believed in those magic shows that brought entertainment to their boring daily routines.

They will look at the host with a powerful and funny speech, some artificial lights will light the background, then his voice from the mic will shake the hearts of the audience and the auditorium will tremble in applause and cheering, the rest will be special effects. Then a well-trained performance and a charismatic entertainer will make the crowd laugh and forget their past and future and will make them focus on the present.

Though, some others believed in another kind of magic, maybe love, friendship, what about hope and wisdom. The magic of technology and science too, I was one of them though.

However, any belief in real magic, the one that only came from fantasy books and stories from the old days, with the wands and potions, the spells and summonings from another world, that kind of thing was impossible. I laughed at whoever tried to convince me otherwise.

"Miss Eli Viel," that was the voice of the old man that tried to convince me many times to go to hear his wild story. He was an old man in a fine and elegant suit, but his words nearly make me call the police and maybe the mental hospital. "Please, Miss Viel, please hear me out, I am not kidding."

"Master Johanson, I don't mean any disrespect, but I can't help you with your issue," that time my skeptic mind only believe in what my machines could do, nothing less, nothing more.

"Then… I beg your pardon, Miss," the old man with his fancy clothes and his golden cane nodded his head and at least five big men with black clothes and masks surrounded me. An innocent entertainer.

Even more, I was tired from the show, I just wanted to sign some autographs, then jump into the back of the van with my assistant telling me the schedule for the next week as I closed my eyes hiding the fact that I would be completely sleeping. Then when my feet touched the floor of the bedroom I would certainly fall into my bed in slumber. That was what I wanted, but I didn't get.

That day, the thing that I called magic, real magic, the most fraudulent word in the world, appeared before my eyes, and from then on, it never disappeared. Never. Not even after I died.

***

"Master, I don't feel right," the little squirrel in my bag called out to me and I knew that the other two squirrels were the same as him, though, they were so weak to even make a sound. "I think I vomited the cookies from before."

"Ugh…" I felt my mind going in circles too. My body hurt everywhere. The muscles, the bones, my nerves, and my head. I even had the feeling that I had a broken leg and a twisted finger.

"Master! Your finger!"

Oh, so it was not only a feeling.

"No worries… no worries, I can fix it," the sight was horrible and painful to watch. I can't see it, it was indeed twisted.

"You can cry if you want, Master," Lily patted in my shoulder as I was letting painful grounds as my other hand took out another sphere of elián flower pill.

I took it into my mouth and I glowed with a soft and warm light covering not only my body but the little squirrels too.

"How do you feel?"

"This is amazing, Master!" the three of them started jumping with full energy and happy laughs. "When are you going to teach us to do that, Master?"

"When you can pay me one hundred golds."

"What?!" two little squirrels said. Heh… did they think my teachings were for free? Humph.

"I already have ninety golds saved," the assistant Matty said.

"Oh, look at that," I signaled to the horizon to distract his gaze. "Is that a mine?"

"…"

We landed on what I thought would be the safest spot, hidden away from the piercing eyes of the soldiers, the knights, and any other prying eyes trying to enter that mine. I counted at least a dozen of thieves and more than a dozen soldiers on the woods on the other side of the river. They truly wanted to possess my magic.

What a shame… it is only mine and will only respond to me.

"Master, how are you going inside?"

"I need a rope," I said as I took the one I prepared from my bag, "and my cape," I adjusted the hood to cover my head, "and a distraction," I looked at the three squirrels.

"Ma… Master?"

"What? Didn't you want to learn?"

"…"