Yesteryear Fiction

A Brief History
By Caitlin Jackson



Before the 30 Golden Years of Peace, Meerth was plagued by one of the most powerful, malicious wizards of all time. His name was Drago.

Drago was said to be so malevolent, only pure evil could have created something of such magnitude. He would kill at random with a viciousness never seen before, and used the remains of his victims to enhance his dark magic. Burning crops, collapsing mines…he was a menace wherever he went. Many tried to stop the wizard, but to him they were nothing more than a mere annoyance, which he quickly executed.

The King of Meerth, had lost all hope of stopping Drago until one day a hooded figure requested an audience with his majesty. Desperate to find a solution, the King urgently met with the ominous presence. When the cloak was pulled back, the face of a woman was revealed. Raven-black hair with a few silver strands framed her perfectly constructed, marble-like features. Her eyes, like two ink pools, bore straight into the King’s soul. Fine lines enhanced the grim expression she wore.

The King stepped back in alarm as a feeling of ice ran through his veins. Without delay, the woman explained how her name was Jordonna, and she was The Sorceress from the Black Shadow Woods. She told the King she had a plan to defeat Drago.

“How?” the King questioned. “No one has even come close to killing him. What advantage do you have that none of the others had?”

A slight smile played across her lips. “The women in my family have always been more powerful than the arrogant men.”

An expression of incomprehension crossed the King’s face.

“Drago is my brother.”

* * *

Over the next few days, Jordonna prepared herself. Each morning she would seal a small portion of her magic in a clear jar and bury it in a nearby valley. After repeating the process for a fortnight, Jordonna knew the accumulation of abandoned magic in one spot would be enough to lure Drago to the area. Blinded by his hunger for power and magic, Jordonna knew her brother was not far off.

As expected, Drago showed up the next morning. The grass glittered like a field of fallen stars from the morning dew, the birds were chirping their high pitched melodies, and it was a perfect day for a battle.

“Hello brother!” she called down to her target from her higher vantage point.

Not the least bit surprised, Drago replied, “I was wondering when you would try your hand at stopping me.” He rolled up the sleeves of his lavish black robes in preparation. A look of amusement visibly showed across his neatly trimmed face as he continued. “I’m quite curious as to what your plan is. With half your powers in jars for the taking, I doubt you’ll even be the challenge I was expecting.”

Jordonna wanted to laugh at the thought of him defeating her “Don’t fret brother,” she reassured him, “I have a few tricks up my sleeves.”

Without warning, Jordonna felt a tight grip around her waist as she was hurled to the valley floor.

“There, a level playing field,” Drago smirked. Before Jordonna could get up, she was shoved by the invisible hand with a vice-like grip into a protruding boulder. Wincing, she tried to breathe as she continued to be thrown around.

Tired of the repetitive game, Jordonna gathered her strength, and not only broke free of the invisible hand, but sent a wall of power in her brother’s direction. The impact knocked him unconscious. Knowing this was her only chance, the sorceress worked quickly. Without much effort she wove a casing around Drago from the vines in the ground. Jordonna was acting fast, but unfortunately, not fast enough. Drago began to stir before she could complete the spell in its entirety. Making sure there was a bubble of protection around her, Jordonna began her final spell.

With closed eyes, she summoned her remaining powers, requested the help from Mother Earth, and called upon the ancient magic of her ancestors. While holding a pebble sized, red stone in the palm of her hand, she recited the incantations. It was one of the most complicated spells created. Layer upon layer of magic was woven together, so it would be impenetrable. Jordonna heard her shield deflect the bombardment of projectiles from her brother, but her concentration was unwavering.

Magic of every color swirled around her, growing in size with every passing moment. The pressure from the cornucopia of power began to weigh Jordonna down. Reciting the final word of power, she opened her eyes and shot the energy in every direction. Like a supernova, it exploded within the confines of the valley.

Suddenly, the light and magic stopped expanding, hovered for an instant, and just as vigorously flooded back to its epicenter. Instead of being reabsorbed by Jordonna, all of the power filled up the red stone. Once the process was complete, Jordonna fell to her knees in exhaustion. Never before had she felt so drained. Looking about, Drago was nowhere to be seen. Staring at the stone, she was amazed her plan had worked so efficiently. It took all of her powers to do it, but her brother, the most feared wizard of all time, was now trapped in the stone for eternity.

Riding once more to the capital, she presented the stone to the King. After having been warned of the tormented soul trapped inside, the King made sure to personally put it in the safest place he knew.

In return for her services, all she asked was for a place to rest. Lying on a comfortable bed, she sighed in relief. Magic, energy, and life now drained, Jordonna, Sorceress from Black Shadow Woods, closed her eyes for the last time.


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I have been very sick the past few months, but am very excited to be writing again. This story is part of a series: “Remember the Dead” (July 14th), “Hand of Time” (August 15th), “In Their Honor” (September 13th), and most recently “A Royal View,” (November 19th).