It's Just Magic

Roxanne Holmes

"Are you okay?"

"Edendir, wake up."

"What happened?"

"He just collapsed..."

"I'm a doctor, let me through!"

"He'll be fine, see, he's coming round already."

"He might be injured."

"His head's bleeding!"

"He's gone really pale..."

"Why did he collapse?"

"He actually teleported... wow..."

"That footage is so going online!"

"What was his name again?"

"How did he do the teleporting thing?"

"Is he alright?"

"His chest isn't moving anymore, is he dead?"

"Edendir, wake up!"

The urgent tones of Dylan's exasperated voice pierced the foggy veil surrounding Edendir's senses. He groaned and forced the mist further away, feeling his strength returning. Magic was absorbed from the very centre of the earth into his palms and he shot bolt upright, swaying on the spot, eyes wide with the sudden shock. His head was swimming and so were his eyes, amber tears uncontrollably rolling down his cheeks. The crowd surrounding him murmured and moved away, allowing the irritating doctor through.

The man snatched up Edendir's wrist and the elf growled, hand going gold and nails digging into the back of the man's hand. He cried out and slumped to the floor as relatively harmless poison entered his system.

Edendir stood up slowly, eyes burning with fire. Any remaining onlookers melted away until only the unconscious doctor, Dylan and the camerawoman were still around him.

"He's not human, is he?" the camerawoman said in a soft voice. Camerawoman was inaccurate - she was a teenager, like them. With scarlet hair tied up in a high ponytail and pretty blue eyes she had several other teenagers staring at her from afar, afraid to go near Edendir. The girl still had the camcorder on her hand and was crouched by Edendir's side, resting her hands on her knees. It was clear from her outfit that she had been going to the local gym, a tracksuit zipped up to the neck and trainers laced tightly.

"No, he isn't," Dylan said. "He's an elf."

"Thank you, Dylan," Edendir said sternly. Dylan shrank back and Edendir sighed, allowing magic to flow down to his extremities and then hit him directly in the heart. Doing so made him look human again but also sent him to the floor, all the strength pouring out of him.

"Like a Christmas elf?" the girl queried.

"No," Edendir said from the floor, glaring up at the sunny sky, "as in an actual, frightening, magic elf."

"So that teleporting was real, not a trick," Dylan stated. "So are all his tricks."

"You do realise that now you're going to have to stop me telling someone, right?" the girl said, raising a perfect eyebrow.

"I'll kill you if you speak to anyone," Edendir said in a deadpan, serious tone. The girl went quiet and then pulled the elf into a sitting position, holding out her other hand.

"My name's Roxie," she said, flashing a white-toothed smile. "And I promise I won't tell anyone, honest."

"Edendir," Edendir said, shaking her hand with a firm grip. "Known online as Jinx."

"I'm Dylan, if anybody cares," Dylan said after a moment of silence. Roxie jumped and laughed.

"Sorry," she apologised, nudging Dylan with her shoulder. "Hi, Dylan. I love your accent."