Anika: The Magic Student

CHAPTER 2

A shadow moves in the distance. I hope they’re not as lost as I am.

Quickly, I hurry toward them.

I rub my eyes. Are my tired eyes going blind?

That is no human. They are the height of a toddler, have pale green skin, and glowing red eyes. Their teeth are as sharp as the daggers they carry.

What is that!?

I better go another way.

Joji’s calm, but I’m tense as ever.

I run from the Goblins. Heart racing. Palms sweaty.
My lungs run out of oxygen.

It doesn’t matter, I keep running through the green field and into the woods.

I run. Our lives depend on it. Then, we’re trapped.

In this sea of green, we’ve been swallowed.

My limbs shake as we hit a dead end.

Ancient trees stretch toward the sky, leaving nowhere for us to run.

I turn around.

Grrrrrr.

Standing before me are a small group of Goblins.

Their teeth pierce through their filthy wet grins.

We can’t die. Not like this.

I glance at Joji, and the light bounces off his soft skin.
My boy doesn’t deserve this.

The monsters approach. I size them up.

I tell myself I can take them. I have to.
If I admit the truth, that I’m too slow, too heavy, and too weak.
I’ve failed as a father.

I lunge forward, breath already heavy.
My legs are stiff from years behind the desk.
My body screams with every step.
No one will hurt my son.

They snarl, so I kick.
I don’t have the mobility, or skills to kick properly, but I throw with all my might.

Then, I push my body weight into them.
Before they can strike, I bulldoze through them.

Each breath feels like glass in my lungs.
My legs wobble, useless.
Sweat stings my eyes, but I don’t dare to wipe them. If I take my eyes off the Goblins for even a second, Joji dies.

They continue to stalk us, no surprise, considering I only pushed them over.

Faster. The only word I can think of.
My breaths deepen, legs grow heavier.
I pushed through the pain, until my foot nicked a tree branch, or something sticking out of the ground.

It was a blur.

As I fell, I instinctively rolled onto my back, cradling Joji in my arms.
The creatures rapidly surround us.

Their long, razor-sharp teeth, dripping with saliva.
Their stomachs growl.

Then a strong but feminine voice calls, “Goblins, stay back!”

A blurry green light follows. The surrounding trees overgrow wildly, rushing their branches toward the Goblins, devouring them easily.

She reaches her hand out, “Out here with a baby? Are you trying to be Goblin food?”

She tries to pull me to my feet, but she struggles, as my mother’s salad taunts me, rotting in my fridge.

“I…” My tongue feels like stone in my mouth.

I’m too scared to speak, my mind races beyond comprehension.

All I can do is pull Joji tighter, like if I loosened my grip for even a second, the forest would swallow him whole.

The woman’s hand glows over Joji’s chest. Her eyes widen, “The child… Who is he?”

In confusion, I raise an eyebrow, “Joji, he’s my son.” Then, “Oh, and I’m George.”

I reach my free hand out to shake hers.

“Anika, I’m studying at the nearby Magic Academy.” Then, “I felt a ton of mana around here, and decided to investigate.”

She steps closer.
“Notice anything strange around here?”

“He hasn’t woken up since we arrived.” I stammer, looking at Joji.

I’m too worried about him to even mention the Goblins trying to kill us, how she used magic to manipulate the forest, or even how clean the air feels and how vivid the nature looks. This is all very strange.

Suddenly, she giggles, excited, like she’s completely distracted by Joji’s charm. “Oh my, he’s so precious! So squishy! I want one.” She pokes his tummy, clearly enjoying the moment.

My heart is beating too fast to smile, but I’m happy when he spreads joy to others. “He’s the best, but trust me, make sure you’re ready before you have one. Be prepared for anything...”

Anika’s eyes squint, looking concerned. “He’s so cute… But I feel a lake of mana within him.” She pats his head. “Far too much mana for a baby.”

“Why on Earth would he have mana?”

She looks confused for a moment. “What’s Earth?”

Oh god, I really am in a different world… as if the magic and Goblins didn’t make it obvious.

She shrugs off my question, and points toward the horizon. “Follow me, I’ll bring you to my academy, my mentor can help. Then she adds, “And hurry… before the child is consumed.”

My heart continues to race, and my legs turn to jelly. I continue to walk, with Joji sticking against my sweaty chest.

He’s a heavy boy, my arms are sore. If I was holding anything else, I would surely drop it.