The Mage and the Airhead (Friesha's note 3)

"This is not good."

There is not a single fruit-bearing tree in sight. "At this rate I'll be very weak from hunger, too weak that I won't have the capacity to defend myself if humans see me." With a worried state of mind, I started dashing at random directions in hopes of finding anything worth value to be eaten. I started regretting not paying attention to food on the road.

"It's ok," I started taking deep breathes. "I can still survive for a few more days without food." Deep inside I was hoping food will show itself to me eventually. I started slowing down my pace as I walked while eyeing my surroundings. However the hunger would always capture my attention.

Slowly my mind shifted towards images of food. I started remembering the food prepared by my mother when she was still alive. Tracing back my memory, I was brought to my most favorite dish of all, the dish which I thought was heaven sent even the gods would worship it - Flamebelly Lizard kebabs.

Ah, I started visualizing everything about that dish. It's slight golden brown color with the lizard's belly still living up to its name, the sound of cracks on the first bite up to the smooth texture of the inside, the smell of lemon sets itself free from the belly exploding in your nose, (oh gods I love it) everything about its existence was an excellent piece of art.

The vision of Flamebelly Lizard kebabs was still imprinted on my eyes. After a few blinks I thought it would go away, but it didn't. The sight of Flamebelly Lizard kebabs was still on my eyes, resulting to me continuously blinking and rubbing it. But to no avail, the vision of Flamebelly Lizard kebabs (ah, I love pronouncing it) was still there.

That was when I noticed, "Ah, this isn't a vision." Flamebelly Lizard kebabs were really weirdly there in front of me; in the middle of the road, on a wooden plate, placed on a cut down tree trunk. To make it worse, it's still releasing steam as proof of being freshly cooked, and had a handkerchief prepared.

"This can't be trap, could it?" I mean this is too obvious. Who in the right mind would use Flamebelly Lizard kebabs as a bait to lure someone? (well o-of course I knew it was a trap to begin with). I examined my surroundings to see who could lay such a foolish trap. To make it worse, in front 'me', and to use my favorite dish of all.

I finally ended up looking upwards and saw an object swaying back and forth on top of a tree, an object one could probably guess as a cage made out of branches and twigs. Yet to me it looked more like a chicken coop after a horrible hurricane labeled as a cage. "Seriously? 'This' is a trap?" I began to question myself perhaps an understanding would occur from my head to at least say 'yes it is'. Perhaps the 'creator' of this trap is hiding somewhere, waiting for me to eat. "Just what kind of idiot would do this humiliation to my existence."

I started tracing the rope to which the 'cage' above was attached. My eyes carefully followed towards finding the end of the rope and after stepping exactly seven steps, there I saw it.

A human was asleep behind a bush laying face down on the ground. Looking closely at it, "Ah! It's you!". This dark brown hair was exactly the same as that human stalking me. Within his grasp was the end of the rope attached to the 'cage' intended to capture whoever would fall for that trap. This boy was completely snuggling the rope like a teddy bear while drool was tiptoeing down his chubby cheeks.

"No... no, no more kisses mother... hehe..." this rope-hugging, drool-dropping, trap-snoring human boy mumbled as he slept under my presence as if to insult my very existence.

However I thought this opportunity to quench my stomach's plead of hunger with my most favorite dish in the most easiest way possible (like a blessing from the gods) should not be bypassed. Leaving the snoozing boy behind, I went back to the Flamebelly Lizard kebabs waiting to enter my seemingly salivating mouth and without further ado, delightfully savored the meal prepared before me. I should probably praise him for at least choosing the perfect dish to prepare, as well as the perfect timing I required it to.

Wiping my face with the handkerchief, I thanked the gods for such a delight, stood up, and took my leave without even looking back (yes it was mean but you know). With a full stomach, I had my energy completely refilled. Like all living creatures, we mages need food for nutrition, but requires more than the usual amount a human could intake. This is to supply our body and mind enough nutrients for mage craft. Even the tiniest lack of nutrient could topple our balance in controlling the natural elements.

Continuous walking led me to a small brick road in front of the small forest path I took, yet since following a human-made road will surely lead to an encounter of humans, I decided to take another path through the forest.

However, at that moment, the weirdest feeling that I've ever felt came upon me. All of a sudden I felt very dizzy; my head was like spinning, my eyesight got very blurry, I felt no motion coming from my legs, and a strong feeling of fear enveloped me. I felt like I wasn't me anymore. That was when I saw from a distance what looked like horses coming towards me, with what looked like a carriage behind it. I already had a guess what this might be and to clarify, I tried to focus my eyes as clear as I can to identify what's coming, and yes they were humans. Human soldiers as if going to war. With a swords on hands, they were hurrying towards me, shouting to each other as they were coming closer.

"Dang it!" with the smallest strength that I had, I at least took a fighting stance to try and defend myself. Despite my wobbly body, I held my staff and at the right timing, smashed the tip of it to the ground. My intention was to crack open the ground and stop them from getting to me, yet my body was too confused on what to do. My eyes fully fixated on the ground as if I was not myself.

"Was it the food that I ate? Did he put something there?" My head was killing me for I could've sensed poison or something yet was unable to. "I don't have anything else to blame, but that boy." As I looked up, what greeted me was a strong punch from one of the humans which made me flew a bit before I hit the ground. The pain from being punched was hurtful yet not as equal as the pain I felt in my chest due to my naivety. How could I have let this happen? I just let myself be tricked by humans and this is the result. This is too frustrating.

Just then, as one of the soldiers was about to grab me, a small figure leaped out of the bushes and into the air, tackling the soldier down. Everything for me somehow went slow as I heard the figure speak in a loud voice, "That's my prey!!". The figure took out a wooden sword and started attacking the soldiers which were slightly confused but fought back. That instant, I took all of my strength and raised my staff on the air.

"Come forth, twister!!" I waved my staff in front of me and instantly a huge wind blew and whirled around me, carrying my weakened body up in the air. It also managed to blow everyone below away from me. That moment, the soldiers started using bows and arrows but to no avail, did not hit me due to the strong wind blowing them away. As I was being carried away from them, I heard a small voice shout, "Hey! Wait for me!!" When I saw that it was that small figure from earlier, I hastened my escape.

"I said wait you...!!" was the last thing I heard from him as I was being carried away to safety.