My family has a hobby of traveling all over the world, visiting abandoned places and old dig sites. Our next stop was Shenyang island on the Pacific Ocean close to China. My parents didn’t know why no one would take us there, they just kept muttering “Death to thee who go there.” The only way I understood them was because of traveling, my parents made me learn tons of different languages. We finally found someone who would take us to the island, but we would have to find another way off.
When we first arrived it looked like most other deserted islands that I have seen. My parents told me to look for the moss covered buildings that were somewhere on the island while I was exploring. I started up a mountain trail while looking at all of the plants and animals that were laying around. I saw a snake with it’s body thicker than a hundred year old tree and that is when I knew something was wrong. There was never a snake recorded to be that big, was there? There couldn’t have been. When I glanced back to where is was it was gone. “How can a snake that big get away so fast” I thought. I kept walking and came across something that looked like a bear bathing in the river. I crept closer to get a better look and saw that it was a monkey. The monkey turned and looked straight at me, bared it’s fangs, and ran off. I walked back to the trail and started running to find my parents when all of a sudden, the monkey dropped from a tree, hit me with it’s tail, grabbed me, and started hopping through the trees. When I woke up I was tied to a rusted chair and there was a man standing in front of me.
“ How did you end up finding my monkey.” he asked as he pulled the gag out of my mouth.
“ I thought it was a Chinese bear.” I replied
“Hmm” was all that came from him and he walked out the door.
When I was sure he was gone I broke the rope like I was taught in self defence class and went after him. I followed him down to a giant box that was covered with a tarp. He pulled the tarp off revealing a cage with a real bear in it. He turned and saw me and said “ I was hoping that you would break the rope, how would you like to learn how to use magic.”
His response left me speechless, all I could say was “ uhhh”
He laughed and said “ That’s what I thought you would say, lets call it a deal.”
He stuck his hand out and I shook it.
“Well you won't get to see your parents for a few years, but this is a rare opportunity that I’m giving you.
“Why don’t I get to see my parents?” I asked
“Because while they were walking by a cliff I showed them an image of you falling off.” he replied
“Why did you do that!” I screamed
“Because you already shook my hand sealing off the magical deal that gives you to me as an apprentice.
I hung my head and said “I’m going for a walk
“Ok, but be back before dark and if you're not I will send the monkey for you.”
I waved and started out into the forest. While walking I saw a lot more enlarged and shrunken creatures than I did walking in. There were giant Grasshoppers, praying mantis, snakes, beetles, monkeys, and in the water giant water skippers. There was also shrunken monkeys, snakes, fish, and many different kinds of bugs. I started walking back to the village thinking of my memories, good and bad, when I discovered a wall separating something from the rest of my mind. I fought to break it open, but couldn’t. I kept trying on the way back and finally broke through. Without even thinking I concentrated on a fish in the river next to me and whispered “Gigantic.” The fish grew to the size of a horse and swam to the shore.
In my mind it asked me “What is your bidding master?” I thought to myself “Bidding” then realized that by making it giant I gained control over it.
I told it “Making you giant took all my energy so you’re going to have to carry me up river, but make sure I don’t get too wet.”
“As you wish master” the fish replies while swimming to the bank. I hopped on and it starts swimming up river.
When we came upon the village I told it “Let me off here.’
It replied “As you wish master,” and swam to shore. I was so tired from using the magic that I went straight to the house that I was given and passed out on the bed. In the morning I went outside and saw him sitting on a chair on the porch. “How did you sleep” he asked.
“Fine, but I feel very sore.” I replied.
“And why is that.” he asked.
“Because I made a fish get big.” I said
“Why would you do that!” he screamed
“I didn’t mean to it just happened.” I said cringing back from his anger.
“I’m sorry, but I spent all night looking for you only to see you passed out in bed.” he said with an angry tone still in his voice.
“I’m sorry, while I was thinking I felt a wall in the back of my head and when I broke it a fish in the river turned into the size of a horse.” I whispered
After he calmed down he asked “Could you show me the fish?”
I walked down to the river and with my mind I shouted “Come.” The fish swam to the surface and right to the bank.
It asked “What is your bidding master?”
I looked at the man and said “Here is the fish.”
He looked more interested than angry while he looked back and forth from the fish to me. He said “Come with me.” then turned and walked off.
I followed him for a while without saying anything then I said “I never got your name?”
“I will tell you after I show you something.” he answered.
We walked in silence for about an hour until we reached the coast. He took me down a trail to the beach and continued walking. After another hour, we reached the entrance to a cave. We entered and walked in until it got too dark to see. He muttered something that I didn’t understand and a glowing ball of light appeared hovering over his right hand. We continued for what seemed like forever, then he turned off the light. I followed him by sound until we reached a chamber of glowing crystals. “From now on I want you carrying at least two of these crystals.”
“Why?” I asked
“Because they can store energy for reserves when you run out.” he replied
He took me back out of the cave then said “Find your own way back,” then he was gone.