Once upon a time, there was a cave that held a great treasure beyond one’s wildest dreams. It is said that this cave held the treasure of all treasures, a magical cup that bestowed the blessing of a single wish to those that drank from it.
Many kings, rulers, and great men travelled the world in search for the cup, but none succeeded. Centuries passed since the first telling of this grand tale as fewer adventures sought the bountiful treasure, and eventually gave up. It seemed as if the story would stay as nothing but a legend, until two wanderers had stumbled upon this great tale.
The first was a young woman named Haku, who had long dark hair and beautiful brown eyes. The other was Dominic, a tall young man whose skin was as pale as a ghost and clothed in a sweater that draped past his mitten-covered knuckles.
Both had taken part in an amazing tournament that traveled through galaxies, different dimensions, and even time. The challenge that was placed upon them this round was to seek the magical cup, drink from its mysterious waters, and use the wish to escape from the fairy tale world.
Dominic, the first adventurer, was the first to set out for the cave when an old man approached him from the side of the road.
“Please help me good sir! My cart is stuck in the ditch along the side of the road and I am too weak to pull it out.” The old man cried, but Dominic did not stop for him. Although he found it strange that his presence had not affected the old man, he could not bring himself to help him.
The old man grew sad as the young traveler simply passed him by. He returned to his cart, digging away the mud from its wheels.
By chance, Haku had happened to travel down the same road. She had to catch up to him, or he would get to the treasure first.
“Young miss!” Called the old man as he waved his hand. “Would you be so kind as to help an old man push his cart out from the ditch?”
“Of course!” She replied as she jumped into the ditch. With a great push, the wheels groaned loudly and the cart began to sway. The mule let out a sharp, “Hee-haw” with glee as cart rose above the ditch and back onto the road.
“Thank you so much traveler! I know I don’t have much but please take this as a token of my thanks.” Said the old man as removed the small keg hanging from his neck and gave it Haku.
Although she refrained from alcoholic drinks, she graciously accepted the gift from the old man. “It was nothing,” she replied as she took the gift and tucked it neatly into her bag. “Well, I’ll be off.” Haku waved as she headed up the mountain path.
The air quickly grew cold with each step she took up the mountain. The snow blew around her violently as she pulled down the sleeves of her jacket and tightly hugged her sides. The harsh wind burned roughly on the sides of her cheeks and the tip of her nose as they glowed a bright red. Lifting a hand, a barrier of air swirled around her preventing the snow and wind from coming in contact with her skin.
Haku exhaled a foggy breath as she stared at her feet and noticed the tracks before her. The size was bigger than hers and seemed to trail ahead of her up the mountain. She followed them until the footprints suddenly stopped in front of a small cave. There seemed to be absolutely nothing around until she spied a strange lump on the ground. “Is that…a glove?”
She crouched down and reached out to touch the glove. “Solid? But that would mean.” Her eyes grew big as she quickly began digging around the glove revealing an arm and then a body. It was Dominic, buried beneath the snow.
“Hey!” She cried out quickly brushed the icy snow off of him and revealing a red scar around his stomach. “Whoa, how’d you get this?” She thought aloud as her hands glowed green and she placed them on the wound.
Dominic’s frosty skin slowly warmed to her magic, returning the color to his face. His eyes slowly blinked open as he slowly regained consciousness, flickering about as they finally settled on Haku. They slowly came into focus and her voice was all but noise in his ears as closed them again. “I must be dead,” he smiled to himself.
“Sorry to disappoint you, but you’re not.” Haku grins as she swings his arm around her neck and picks him up. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you somewhere safe.”
“Don’t…the cup…it’s a trap...it stopped my powers…” He responds weakly as she drags him over to the cave and sets him down lightly on the solid floor.
“Quiet now, if you keep talking you’ll undo the healing I’ve done to your stomach.” She scolds as she sits next to him and looks around the cave. There was nothing around them other than rocks, snow, and dirt that decorated the interior of the cave. “So uh…where did you find this cup anyway?”
“I…I don’t kn-“ Dominic is interrupted by a violent cough as turns over on his side.
Haku returns to his side and turns him onto his back when the glint of gold shines from the interior of his sweater. “Hey isn’t that…?”
Dominic’s hand grips her wrist tightly as he sits up. “You can’t…drink from this…you mustn’t! The wish…it’s a lie! This challenge…it was a set up to get rid of us! The losers!” He croaks as his coughing fit returns shaking his body violently with each raspy cough.
A small smile spreads across Haku’s face as she slowly pries the cup from Dominic and settles him against the wall of the cave. “It’ll be alright,” she cooed putting her jacket over him and walking over to a dripping stalactite to fill the cup.
“S-stop…you mustn’t.”
“Dominic. That was your name right?” She asks walking over to him. “It was nice to meet you.” She smiles as she lifts the cup to her lips and downs the icy water. It only took a moment till she could feel the poison rush through her body as darkness quickly enveloped the corners of her eyes until everything turned black. A strange silence and peace enveloped Haku in the darkness as she simply floated in the consciousness of her mind until a single streak of light pierced through.
A melodious voice resonated with the light as it spoke. “Your heart has been found to be of pure mind and consciousness. State thy wish.”
“Who are you?” She asked as she turned towards the light.
“It matters not whom I am. State thy wish.”
Haku put a thoughtful hand to her chin as she pondered upon it for a moment. “I wish…for Dominic to be saved.”
“You truly have a pure selflessness to those around you, Wandering Swordsman. I shall grant your wish.” The light quickly grew brighter and brighter until the darkness simply faded into the light as she tightly shut her eyes.
Drip...Drip…Drip.
Haku slowly opened her eyes as she looked around. She was not dead. She was still in the cave where she had dragged Dominic from the snow. “That’s right! Dominic!”
Dominic was sleeping soundly on the ground next to her as she quickly held up a glowing green hand. The poison was gone.
A soft sigh escaped her lips as she ran a hand through her hair. “I can’t believe it…It actually worked!”
“Oh you better believe it missy,” rang a voice behind Haku.
She whipped around to see a very familiar toothy grin. “O-old man! What are you doing here?”
The old man folded his hands together as he pointed towards the cup she had been holding.
Haku stared at the cup for a moment as she slowly began to piece things together. “W-wait…does that mean you’re…?”
The old man nodded as he walked into the cave and sat down beside her. “You truly are a selfless soul you know. Willing to throw your powers and life away to save someone you hardly known.”
“I couldn’t leave him to die like that. No one should have to die over something as stupid as this tournament.” She grinned lightly as she leaned against the wall of the cave.
“What are you going to do now then? You’ve used up your last wish. Aren’t you a tad bit worried?” He asked, leaning his face on his palm.
Scratching the back of her head, she looked towards the ceiling in thought. “I’m not too sure myself, but we’ll find a way. I’m sure of it!”
The old man chuckled at her response with a grin spread wide across his face. “Would you like to go back? To the place from where you came?”
Haku turned with a surprised look on her face. “Y-yes of course I’d love to go back! But I’ve used my wish already.”
A loud hearty laughter bellowed from the old man as he held his sides, “Oh young one, you still have much to learn about the world around you.” He breathed wiping away a tear.
“What do you mean?” She replied with a confused look on her face.
“Do good unto others, and it will come back to you.” He replied.
Haku scratched her head again trying to understand the old man’s words. “What are you saying then?”
“Come,” replied the old man as he stood up and took her hand. “It’s time for you and your friend to go.” A large swirling portal appeared behind him at the mouth of the cave as a bright light shone through it.
“Old man…I…” She began, but was cut off by a wave of the old man’s hand.
“Think of this as a gift for the kindness and selfless you displayed for me today.” He smiled as he folded his hands in front of him.
Haku smiled as she hugged the old man and kissed him on the nose. “Thank you,” she whispered as she swung Dominic’s arm around her neck and walked towards the portal.
The old man’s cheeks grew rosy as he grinned happily, but he quickly lifted a finger as if remembering something. “Oh! And before I forget!” He snaps his finger as a white light surrounds the two. “Can’t forget to return your powers back to you now.”
A smile spread brighter than ever across her face as she stepped into the portal and waved. “I hope I can get to see you again some time!”
“Farewell adventurers!” Waved the old man as he watched them disappear into the portal. “May your journey’s ahead of you be grand and the road be long.”
The portal quietly closed and the mountain returned to normal as the blizzard disappeared and snow gently fell from the sky around him. The old man slowly crunched through the snow to his cart smiling as he headed back down the mountain to the long dirt road.
The End
Moral: “Do good unto others, and it shall come back to you. In full measure and overflowing.”
Well this was an exceptionally difficult piece for me to write especially since my this was in the middle of my summer classes, when I had to drive home (9 hours), and take care of my mom who had broken her leg falling down the stairs; however, I somehow managed to write this in the end! I do wish I had started writing other things as a warm up before I had gotten into this tournament, but I simply couldn't wait. So I immediately jumped in head long without really knowing what I was getting myself into. I had chosen a hard ante and simply added the fact that she had received the alcohol as a gift. Alcohol in itself isn't a bad thing and just because one receives it, doesn't mean that one has to drink it. (however I most likely misinterpreted the ante...oh well) Upon writing this piece of mine, I had ran into some trouble with the actual storyline itself to the point where I had 7 fully written out stories, but all of them terrible. I scrapped each one and eventually returned to my original idea from the beginning and tried to finish that one with the best I could do. I wish to elaborate more, but I must sleep. I hope I can continue this tournament and will continue to write even more~!
Sincerely,
Nikx232
