Magic Battle

By Janet L. Davies

“Wanda, a dinosaur’s causing mayhem on Mainland, destroying homes, snatching people up, flying away with them. It must have magical powers. I need you to fly over there, find it, block any magical powers and send it far away.”

“Yes, Leader. Er, by myself?”

“Oh, it’s only one dinosaur. We have new dress fittings arranged. We have to keep up with what earth people are wearing, so we don’t look any different to them when they see us.”

Surely not all magical people had to attend the dress fitting at once. Wanda wouldn’t be able to. You couldn’t disagree with the leader. Wanda set off, circled the island and looked at the damage that had been done. Crumbled homes, shops with broken windows the stock spread across the road.

There was a loud roaring noise. Wanda flew over. A dinosaur stood face to face with a man, who was throwing stones at it. To Wanda’s surprise, the dinosaur backed up and walked away. She had to work out how that dinosaur could be transported to some other island. There were large boats in the harbour. If she could get it on one and fly along towing it, that would work.

She sat in a tree and had a think about getting the dinosaur into the boat. What did it eat, could she put some food on the boat to trick it into getting onboard? Wanda didn’t know much about different species of dinosaur. She could go into the library, look it up. Erm, she had a pretty dress on. What were girls her age wearing here? She looked at some people walking by, spotted two girls wearing jeans with holes in the legs. Couldn’t they afford new jeans, poor girls? Another girl had leggings and a leopard print top. Wanda magicked something like that on herself. She flew about looking for a library, and came across a butcher’s shop, with meat strewn all over the pavement. Didn’t dinosaurs eat meat? Well, no one would want to buy that now. The dinosaur must have done it, to get food. Wanda magicked some large joints up and carried them to a boat, picking one big enough to carry the dinosaur, not too big for her to tow. There was that loud roar again, people screaming. Wanda flew over and could see people being drawn up by something that looked like a dinosaur. The one she had seen hiding was still there. Was there more than one? The people were flown off to a distant island. She took note of where the island was and would fly across there, best if she knew more about dinosaurs first. She saw a library, landed and walked in; wings covered by the top.

“Could you tell me where there are books about dinosaurs please?” she asked a librarian when she couldn’t find them.

“Down this way, dear. That’s a diplodocus, causing all this trouble. I looked at a dinosaur chart on the wall in the children’s area.”

A diplodocus. Right, well she had better have a quick read, see if it liked any particular sort of meat, though she thought it must like people, as it had grabbed several and flown off with them. She must be quick; it might eat those people.

Hold on, the book said the diplodocus was a herbivore, it ate plants, not meat. Was it definitely a diplodocus? Wanda went to a quiet corner, looked around, then flew out of the window and whizzed around trying to find the dinosaur. There it was, sitting hidden in some bushes. It looked miserable. Wanda looked it over and looked at the picture in the book. Yes, it was definitely a diplodocus. Odd, why was it catching people and flying away with them? Wanda returned the book to the library, then whizzed off to the island the people had been taken to. No dinosaur about, people, working hard building a grand castle. She landed behind some trees, hid her wings and walked over to people carrying bricks to the building site.

“Where am I? I must have fallen, banged my head.”

“You’re a prisoner now. Didn’t that weird thing tell you what you’re here to do?”

“No, I don’t remember. What does it look like?”

“A dinosaur sometimes, then it can change into a scary wizard. Don’t try to escape. He gets angry, throws you about, with a spell.”

“Right, thanks. I need to rest, till I feel better.”

Wanda hid away, then took off back to Mainland. That sounded like the bad wizard who called himself Mighty Magic Man. The magical people had fought with him in the past. He was doing all this. Why was that Diplodocus there, did it work for him?

Wanda thought she would try talking to it. She could use magic to translate most languages, and certainly some animal speech. Hovering above the Mainland, she saw a dinosaur, drawing food up from a bakery. A woman was waving her hands in anger, a man trying to pull her away. Next, they were drawn up too and disappeared into the air. Could she catch Mighty Magic Man and destroy his wand? That would put a stop to his powers unless he had a spare wand tucked away. He was very crafty, so he probably would have. What was the diplodocus here for? She flew around and landed in a tree, above it. The dinosaur looked up and roared. Wanda translated it as saying  ‘Go away, leave me alone.’

“What are you doing here Dinosaur?”

“You speak dinosaur?” It looked very surprised.

“Yes.”

“I want to go home. That horrid man brought me here. I want my family and everyone here hates me.”

“Any idea why he brought you here?”

“He said I was to walk around, roar and look fierce. I think it’s so that people think it’s me doing all the damage and eating people. I only eat grass.”

“Yes, I know you do. I can tow you home on a boat if you know which way your home is.”

The dinosaur looked at her, not sure it could trust her.

“I have a secret, I can fly. You only have to get on a boat, I will fly towing it. I need to stop to that horrid wizard first, or he will come after us.” She flew down, to show him she was telling the truth.

“You have magic, like him.” The dinosaur looked scared.

“Most of us use magic for a good purpose. He’s having a castle built, taking people to work for him.”

“Everyone here thinks it is me catching people, to eat.”

“I know. I have to get his wand and destroy it. That will stop him. It won’t be easy. He’ll guard it well. I’ll tell people you don’t eat meat, and I’ll take you home as soon as I can.”

“Thank you. What do I call you?”

“Wanda, and you?”

“I’m Ploddy.”

“He’s coming back. I’ll go and try destroying that wand.”

She did have the advantage that he didn’t know another magical person was there. More roaring and Wanda could see Mighty Magic Man, disguised as a dinosaur, heading for builders, working on one of the destroyed houses.

Wanda waited till he was looking at the builders, then she flew up behind him, just as he got his wand out. She cast a spell on the wand, making it sizzle and turn to dust. The wizard shouted in surprise and anger. He wobbled about, turned back from dinosaur to wizard and stared at her. Fortunately, Wanda had landed and tucked her wings under her top. She looked around, like she wondering what had happened. The builders were screaming and running away. Had Wanda successfully removed the wizard’s magical powers? He rooted around in his robes and pulled another wand out. No, she hadn’t.

Wanda crept out of his sight and got ready to fire a spell at the next wand. How many had he got tucked away? The wizard raised his wand and turned around in a circle, rays coming out, like sparks. The builders wobbled about and collapsed on the ground. Wanda felt weak and wobbly. He had caught her in a spell too. She sat behind a pile of bricks and hoped he didn’t find her. She heard him walking away, going after the builders. She pulled herself to her feet and fired a spell at his spare wand. That one sizzled into ashes. He turned, looking very angry, and began to rummage around under his robes. Not a third spare wand. Wanda raised hers. They fired at each other at the same time. She fell back, he staggered about. His wand was still intact. He walked towards her and Wanda dropped her wand as she tried to stand up again. The wizard laughed and pulled at a nasty face, as he raised his wand, to cast another spell on her. She knew it would be a strong one, possibly enough to kill her.

Then a head with a long thin neck reached out and grabbed the wand off him. Ploddy, the dinosaur had the wizard’s wand in his mouth. The wizard rummaged around again. How many spare wands did he have? Wanda picked her wand up, fired a spell at the wizard, he fell over, and lay down, almost unconscious, though it wouldn’t last long. She dashed over and pulled his robe open. One more spare wand. Wanda fired at it and at the one Ploddy had snatched. They were destroyed. The wizard had lost his powers.

“Thank you so much Ploddy. You saved me.” She hugged Ploddy.

“Step away from that monstrous dinosaur.” A man shouted suddenly. He had a gun in his hands. Several more people were behind him.

“The dinosaur’s no monster,” Wanda said. “He’s the one who’s been causing all the trouble.” Wanda pointed at the wizard and stood in front of Ploddy to protect him. The man didn’t look convinced. The wizard sat up then and tried to find a wand.

“Where’s my wand? I had one left.” He muttered, feeling inside his robe. “I’ll get you, and that dinosaur. I’ll destroy the whole land. Where’s that wand?”

“Your powers are destroyed. You’re no longer a wizard. I think you will want to leave this island.” Wanda told him.

The wizard felt around, still looking for a wand, tried to fly and screamed in anger when he couldn’t. He went to punch Wanda. Ploddy grabbed his arm in his teeth. The wizard looked at all the people watching him. As soon as Ploddy let his arm go, he ran off.

“This dinosaur is a herbivore. He does not eat people or any meat. That wizard disguised himself as a dinosaur. Please put that gun down.”

“Oh, yes, we saw him help you, with the wizard.”

The people looked rather scared of Ploddy. They didn’t threaten him anymore.

“We have to rescue the people the wizard kidnapped. They’re on an island. The wizard was taking them to work for him. You need several boats. I’ll show you the way.”

“They are alive! We thought they must have been eaten, by the dinosaur.”

There were many tears of happiness as word went around.

“Where did you come from miss, are you a fairy?”

Of course, she’d given herself away.

“Let’s concentrate on bringing those people home.”

Heading to the harbour, Wanda asked Ploddy where he lived. It wasn’t too far away. They reunited him with his family, so happy to see him, then took the people home, greeted by cheers, hugs. Many repairs to do, but everything was safe. Wanda flew home. Everyone loved her outfit, including the leader. Some magical people were wearing jeans with holes in. It must be fashion.

“You dealt with the dinosaur?”

“It was actually he who calls himself, Mighty Magic Man. I dealt with him.

The leader was speechless. That was unusual.

- Total nr. of readings: 5,719 Copyright © The author [2020] All Rights Reserved. This story may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the author except for personal use.