Welcome To Dreadwood

Wishing Amulet

Johnson was the most renowned blacksmith in the town. His family had worked as blacksmiths since the establishment of the town. It was now Johnson's turn to continue the family legacy, to forge various objects from iron and steel.

Every morning, Johnson would get up early. He would go over to his workshop and start forging his objects by first placing the metal over a blazing ember until it came to a malleable state. With a hammer in hand, he would keep striking the metal which lay on an anvil, creating a rhythmic clanging sound that would echo through the neighbourhood. Each striking changed the metal's shape into a tool, weapon, or work of art that would outlast generations.

Forging the metal close to the blazing ember, Johnson would be covered in soot by the end of the day. As the following day arrived, he could be found in his workshop again. This was his life. He would take only a single day off every week to rest his weary hands.

Today happened to be his day off, and he decided that sitting on the beach by the sea would be the best way to relax. So off he went to the beach, sitting on a folding chair by the sea. As he gazed out into the azure sea, something in the sand ahead caught his eye. It glowed a purple colour. Johnson walked up to it and moved the sand away from it with his hands. To his astonishment, it was an amulet.

The amulet was forged with perfection and had outlasted numerous generations. It seemed that this amulet had washed up on the beach, surviving the harsh environment of the sea on its journey here. Despite everything it had been through, it looked as if it were brand new.

The large gem at the centre of the amulet sparkled in the sunlight. It was a purple-coloured gem. Johnson was intrigued by this amulet. Brushing off the remaining sand, he placed the amulet around his neck. The gem in the amulet began to radiate a brilliant violet glow, its radiant light pulsating like a heartbeat. The violet glow slowly dissipated. Johnson found it curious.

Returning back to his chair, Johnson wished he could relax every day with his work being done by itself. He started to imagine the metal being forged on its own. How he wished it was true, but he could only dream.

With the sun starting to set, Johnson packed his belongings and headed home. He had renewed his energy for a long week ahead of forging more metal. He wondered if he would do that until his last day in this world.

As the sun shone in the early morning sky the next day, Johnson awoke to a rhythmic clanging sound. He wondered if he was dreaming. Splashing cold water on his face to awaken himself, he realised he wasn't dreaming. He headed straight to his workshop to witness the hammer striking metal and shaping it into an object. Just yesterday, he made a wish for his work to be done by itself, and here he was witnessing his wish come true.

Johnson inspected the amulet around his neck. Yesterday, it had glowed a purple colour after he wore it. Did it have anything to do with his wish? Was it capable of granting wishes? Johnson was now over the moon.

Johnson decided that since there was nothing left for him to do, he would idle the day away. He would go to a coffee shop and sip coffee for as long as he wanted without worrying about the time wasted. So off he went to the coffee shop.

Coming back home, he caught his reflection in a mirror. A few strands of grey hair had appeared on his head. He thought nothing about it, being in his middle age. Walking through his house, he tried to remember something important. As he couldn't recall it, he decided not to bother with it currently.

The week went by, and each day Johnson found his work being done by itself. He would be able to live a life without working ever again. But as each day passed, more of his hair grew grey, wrinkles formed on his face, his joints and back started to ache, and his memory started to deteriorate. He realised that the amulet was stealing his life force to grant this wish day after day. He needed to get rid of it. But one more day of his wish granted wouldn't hurt anyone.

It was the end of the week, and Johnson had woken up in the morning. Something wasn't right, Johnson knew that much. He tried to remember the reason for his rapid aging and memory loss. The more he tried to remember, the less he was able to recall. Staring at his own reflection in the mirror, he wondered when he had aged. Had he always looked like this?

Venturing outside his house, a neighbour approached him, asking if he was lost and what his name was. Johnson opened his mouth, but couldn't remember his own name. The neighbour asked where he was staying. Johnson failed to answer that also.

Seeing Johnson's old age, the neighbour took him to the retirement home where he was taken in by the people working there. Every question about his life the people working there asked him, Johnson failed to answer. He had no clue who he was.