Reading the Dice: Fantasy Edition

Story 10: The Imp's Wish

Dice Roll: imp, dragon, Icarus, winged shoe, cart, cage, ship, well, quill & ink

Once upon a time, Izai was relaxing in a grassy meadow, arms tucked behind his head. Butterflies of all colors flitted about above him, dancing delicately in the breeze as they mingled amidst the flowers. Birds twittered happily in the trees while the faint buzz of dragonfly wings added a droning counterpoint.

Izai sighed and stood, stretching before wandering through the meadow, into the woods, and to a cave.

The cave's mouth leaked smoke and reeked of brimstone. Izai paused, drawing in one last deep breath of fresh air before heading inside.

"Hey! Scaly!" Izai shouted at the coiled dragon, slapping the tip of its tail.

The dragon opened its amber eyes and regarded the imp for a moment in silence.

"Hey! Brittle claws! You just gonna stare at me or what?" Izai demanded.

The dragon sighed and drummed its claws on the ground as it replied easily, "I'm contemplating the issues of the day, imp. What do you want? And haven't I told you not to call me brittle claws? My name is Riddle Lawsle. My claws are quite solid and sharp—I can test them on you to prove it, if you like."

The imp jumped backward, holding out his hands. "Nope! I'm good! I finally got my fur to sit right again after getting all that beer out of it! Don't need your claws messing it up!"

The dragon sighed again. "What do you want this time?"

"Ah, well... I was wondering..." Izai paused, ears drooping as he bowed his head slightly and clasped his hands together before him. "...if you had anything that could make me fly? Maybe a potion or a magical trinket from your horde...?"

The dragon chuckled. "You're asking a dragon for part of his horde? You truly are a foolish imp. Why do you want to fly?"

"Well, you fly, good dragon... As do the valkyries. And the sirens. And the harpies. And Pegasus. As well as all the birds and butterflies, and other insects... It... looks fun." He clasped his hands tighter together, fingers rubbing each other. "And my teleporting frequently drops me somewhere mid-air, and falling so often isn't very fun..."

"Ah. I thought maybe you aspired to the castle in the clouds; I was going to offer to give you a ride." The dragon grumbled lowly in its throat while it pondered. Slowly, it turned around in the cave and walked down the stone corridor, pausing briefly to say, "Wait right where you are. I shall see if I have anything."

Izai paced in a tight circle, waiting for the dragon's return.

Riddle returned after a long while, scaly sides lightly brushing the edges of the stone corridor.

"Here, little imp, try these," the dragon said, setting a pair of winged shoes beside the imp's feet.

"Thank you!" Izai shouted excitedly as he instantly sat and began pulling the shoes on. He jumped back to his feet. "They fit perfectly!" He looked down at the winged shoes, holding out first one foot, then the other, turning them from side to side. "...how do I make them fly?"

The dragon chuckled. "I don't know. I couldn't ask the one I scavenged them off from—he was already dead."

Izai looked up at the dragon. "A knight?"

Riddle nodded. "A foolish fellow. Attacked a dragon clan during one of the annual meetings."

"Thank you, great dragon," the imp said, bowing lowly, "for deigning to share a treasure with me."