Episode One

I stared at the ceiling watching the shadows shift as cars passed by the road in the front of my house. I’d left the window open just a crack, just enough to allow a cool breeze to flow through the room. My alarm clock flashed as another minute passed by. I shifted to my side closing my eyes in an attempt to fall asleep. Usually, the fresh air from my window was all I needed to find my way into a blissful rest, but tonight it wasn’t working.

I looked back at the ceiling. The shadow of my window sat just above my head outlined by the orange streetlight below. Cars were no longer passing by making the room eerily quiet. I listened for the sound of the wind outside, but it wasn’t there. Not even the sound of tree leaves taking on the soft breeze could be heard. It was as if someone had turned the mute on for the outside world. I closed my eyes once more hoping this would be the moment.

I felt my brain begin to melt. I thought of everything I would have to do in the morning. Make my bed, take a shower, finish up some English homework. I felt my body drift into a dream as it seemed to float off the bed.

The whole room lit up in a burst of light.

I leaped off the bed like someone had thrown freezing water on me. I looked around quickly trying to gain my bearings. The room seemed just as still as before. Then another flash. This time it was green. The entire room was being lit up as though someone was shooting fireworks. I hurried to my window and looked into the sky. There was nothing. The lights flashed again and my eyes dropped.

There was a small park across the street from my house. Tree’s ran all the way around it. Behind the trees, I could make out bursts of light shooting across the small field. They shot back and forth as if some other teens were shooting fireworks at each other. I looked around expecting my neighbors to be out yelling. Mr. Cammon could hear a mouse squeak in his deepest sleep. I was surprised to see no one.

Then it hit me. I was only noticing this because of the light. I had yet to hear the faintest sound. I hurried over to my drawer and pulled on an old pair of sweats followed quickly by a pink hoodie with the word, “Run” on it in solid black letters. I slipped through my bedroom door and hurried down the stairs. A few stairs creaked, sounding like airhorns in the silence. Thankfully no one else in the house noticed the noise. I pulled on my running shoes and checked my pocket for the house key. I opened the front door, cringing as it squealed. Cool air rushed past me as I hurried outside and pulled the door shut. I let out a sigh of relief.

It was a brisk night. Stars flickered in the black sky. Winter was only a few weeks away, the cool giving me a stark reminder of that. I pulled my hood over my head and hurried towards the lights.

Like before they shot back and forth, but now it looked the finally. Colors blasted all around, and in quick succession. The closer I got to the park the more I could feel the explosion of light. There was still silence though. It was a strange experience feeling the earth react to the lights but not hearing anything. My heart pounded against my chest.

Part of me wanted to head back home. Honestly, I was in no position to be spying on whatever was happening right now. This was a job for the police. Despite my mind’s hesitation, my feet didn’t stop. Each step brought excitement and anxiety. It felt like my body was being pulled into something beyond my control and I couldn’t stop it.

Moments later I was sitting behind a large stone monument. It was built by an eagle scout a few years earlier. Some sort of beautification project for the park. Right now it was my cover.

I pressed my back against the stone feeling it’s icy cold through my hoodie. Even the monument shook as the lights continued to splatter behind me. I was surprised more people hadn’t woken up and come out to see what was happening. The whole town was being showered with bursts of light. I couldn’t believe the police hadn’t been called. I didn’t know what was illegal, but I’m sure setting fireworks off at each other in the park would be.

I took a deep breath as I prepared to look past the monument. It took a minute to get over the curling in my stomach, but I finally pulled my head around.

I was surprised to see, not young adults, but two men standing on opposite ends of the field. In turn, they threw fireworks at each other. These were no ordinary fireworks either. One man would send a spirling flame, then it would be a deep green laser from the other, followed quickly by a burst of purple almost like a shield blocking the laser.

It was at that moment I realized they weren’t shooting fireworks at all. Each man held a small stick and the lights were emitting from these sticks.

Wizards?

That was my first thought, but these men did not look like wizards at all. The man closest to me wore a black leather jacket that ran down past his knees. His hair was long, probably a little past his shoulders, and clung to his face every time he cast light towards the other man. Beneath the jacket was a white t-shirt with deep perspiration lines. His pants were black jeans. The lights coming from his weapon were usually more like a laser beam from Star Wars.

The other man was even more out of place, especially to be considered a wizard. He wore a well-kept suit. It was fitted with the buttons undone to allow for some flexibility. His tie swung rapidly as he dodged some projectiles, and used the purple shield to deflect others. His hair was cut short, liked he’d just gone to the barber that morning. For all extensive purposes, he looked like he’d come home from work and was met by this mysterious wizard who attacked him.

The longer I watched the more I realized this was no light show. Both had faces of steel with sweat dripping from their chins. Both were precise in avoiding the other attacks. The battle went on for a while. I wasn’t sure how thrilling it would be, considering they were just throwing lights at each other, but the longer I watched the more brilliant it became. I wasn’t sure how the trees hadn’t caught on fire.

A few feet ahead of me was a tree. From there I would get a better view of both the fighters and maybe I could learn more of how this was all happening. I waited patiently until both fighters seemed to turn away then I hurried to the tree. Inches from the tree I felt a pulse shoot through me. Everything changed.

The silence broke as I heard one of the men scream. A loud bang nearly burst my eardrum as a light blue orb shot like a bullet from the man with the leather jacket. A nearly equally loud noise followed as the orb crashed into the purple shield of the suited man. I dropped to the ground covering my ears. The cool air was suddenly gone and I was surrounded by heat.

I looked up and saw the trees had caught on fire. Lookout out on the field I saw the grounds were mutilated. Dirt streaks ran deep in the space between the two men. A few trees were completely destroyed as though they’d taken the brunt of one of those bursts of light. Not only could I feel the earth shake with every attack, but I could also feel an energy in the air. I closed my eyes willing myself to wake up from the nightmare.

It was worse not seeing. With every shake of the earth and boom from closed ears, I wondered how close each attack was to hitting my hiding spot. I unplugged my ears and opened my eyes. The battle was more intense now. The men were slowly getting closer. The suited man was now casting light after light towards his enemy. The man in the leather jacket was smacking the light aside. Each burst would crash into the ground leaving a deep crater. Some flew through the air disappearing into the sky, and some crashed into the trees, destroying them or setting them ablaze.

In a few minutes, they stood close enough to touch. At that instant, they both attacked at the same time. The two lights collided inches from the tips of their weapons. The light in the center began to grow, fueled by the two men. The pressure was so great I could see each of them sliding backward, I could feel the energy blow like a storm towards me. I couldn’t look away from them.

Both men grabbed their weapons with their other hands. It looked like they were playing a game of tight rope, with a massive miniature sun. They each continued to slide away, the ball still growing. The man in the suit began to falter. I could see his arms shaking from the pressure, his knees beginning to buckle under the weight of the energy. The other man smiled.

The man in the leather jacket relaxed removing one hand from his weapon and then pushing back. The ball grew stronger now moving towards the man in the suit. I could tell the battle was coming to an end. I could still feel the strength of the energy push past me when the man in the suit looked up. He wasn’t looking at his enemy, he was looking at me.

I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t. His eyes reflected the bright orb that stood between him and his enemy. They weren’t showing fear, they seemed calm. Accepting even. He gave me the slightest hint of a nod then looked back towards his opponent with new vigor.

For a second I thought my presence was enough to keep him fighting, but something new happened. The man stood and moved his weapon away. His hand came up quickly and took its place. Immediately the sleeves of his suit were set ablaze. The other man seemed confused. The hand with the weapon began moving through the air in random motions. The other man began to yell. I couldn’t make out the words, but I could tell whatever was happening wasn’t good for him.

After finishing the motions he closed his eyes and I saw a pink light sit at the tip of the weapon. He moved it like preparing a sword to strike.

The next moment happened in slow motion. The man dropped his charred arm and swung his other hand up. The pink light swung past the bright orb and smacked the other man in the chest. The man in the leather jacket screamed as the light surrounded him then shrunk around him as it sucked him into a portal. At that same instance, the orb shot into the man in the suit.

The explosion shook the ground, the burst of light so bright I had to throw up my hands to block out the light. I felt a surge of energy push past me so hard it flew backward crashing hard against the monument.

I opened my eyes in a daze. I was sure I hadn’t passed out, but all the noises that had once filled my ears were silent. I looked around. The trees were all there, not set ablaze. The grass looked just as pristine as it had the day before. The only light was the faint orange glow from the street. I stood up looking over my body. Everything was intact.

I walked into the field. There was no sign of anyone. Whatever had happened with that blast had reversed all the damage from the fight. I pinched my arm. Now I was certain this was all a dream. I was still standing here though. I was in the park, in the middle of the night, just standing here. Maybe it was worse that I’d slept walked all the way out here and imaged a magical battle.

That had to be it. I just slept walked. Even as I thought it I couldn’t believe it was true. I started back towards my house and stepped on something hard. I lifted my foot and saw the stick the man in the suit had been holding. That’s all it looked like, a stick that had been pulled off a tree. It was only about twelve inches long, with rough edges. I reached down and grabbed what had to be a wand.