There were two men on the island.
One had been sent to make sure conditions were safe for others of his tribe to settle here.
One had been on the island for years and now had to convince the other to leave...
~~~
Sona had arrived on the island in his canoe the day before.
He'd slept and eaten some newly-caught fish.
He was ready for exploration.
He seemed to sense another's presence but couldn't be sure...
~~~
Demna was intimately aware of the other man's presence.
He stayed distant as he prepared his first stratagem...
~~~
Sona began with a tour of the circumference of the island, weaving into and out from the tree-cover to pick up signs of animal tracks that waves would obliterate.
He took his time and finished the tour just before sundown.
He'd taken note of five kinds of small animal and discovered three kinds of fruit tree.
He'd also stopped at noon, eating his fill of fruit.
Halting for the night, he built a platform above a fire---drying fish while discouraging innocent theft.
~~~
Demna drew on his powers...
He stayed distant as he projected the sound of a large animal charging through the trees near Sona.
~~~
Sona woke and rolled to a crouch.
He pulled a burning log from the fire and stood.
He listened...
The sound stopped then began again, nearer...
Strange...
Not real?
The sound stopped again...
Sona waited...
Nothing...
He pulled the dried fish from the platform and packed it away.
He built-up the fire, letting it begin to burn the platform.
He walked closer to the water and lay down to rest...
~~~
Demna began planning a more complex stratagem...
~~~
Sona woke to the water soaking his legs.
He waded further in and caught three fish.
He built-up the fire a bit more to dry off and cooked and ate the fish.
Then, he packed-up and began deeper exploration...
~~~
Demna began stirring up the insects and urged them towards the intruder...
~~~
Sona was thinking about the sounds he'd heard in the night and had just concluded they were nothing to worry about; though, he was much more alert---hearing a dull roar...
Suddenly, he was attacked by the largest swarm of insects he'd ever encountered.
They were in his hair and beard and ears, and up his nose, before he could do anything about it.
He quickly surveyed his surroundings and saw a fallen tree.
It was half dried-out but not hollow.
He went to it, enduring the bites and scratches, retrieved his fire-making tools, and brought the tree to a smoldering heat.
The smoke began to disperse some of the insects.
He stood in the cloudy heat for a few minutes then strode away, knowing the insects wouldn't follow him due to his smoky smell.
He stopped after a bit and thought---Unnatural---like the sounds last night...
He waited till the insects had completely dispersed then returned to the tree and quenched its burning.
~~~
Demna was cursing.
He had to approach the man more closely---use powers that needed proximity---proximity that had the potential to reveal his presence...
~~~
Sona was back to exploring and to thinking over the strange sounds and stranger insect swarm...
He found a plant that gave a sap that relieved the insect bites---though, some of the swelling would last awhile...
A wizard?
Heard of them...
Must start tracking...
~~~
The two men began a dance across and around the island---each possessed of powers the other lacked---Demna's other-worldly, Sona's quite practical...
~~~
After three days---days that had worn Demna to a frazzle and had let Sona map-out most of the island---the two men were very near each other...
Sona could smell Demna.
Demna was ready for his most powerful magic.
Crashing sounds in the trees...
Sona ready with the spear he'd fashioned the day before...
A large creature broke through the nearest trees, stood on its hind legs, and roared at Sona.
Sona stood stock-still...
The creature maintained its erect posture and began a constant low growling...
Sona still stood...
The creature, still erect, rushed him.
Sona aimed and hurled the spear at what he knew was the wizard's heart...
~~~
Years later, he told the tale, yet again, to his grandchildren---happy young beings, growing up on a magical island...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Strange Fantasies
Fantasy"...mysterious and fantastical story telling with an amazing and often thought provoking twist." ~~ Author, Jane D. Watson ~~ "I have to applaud an author that can make me consider the human condition while presenting me with dragons and spirits and...
