My “Success” Story

Calvin Sears, Age 13
Fortis Academy


Michigonia is in ruin. The Hue Ron River has dried up, and all the people who live here are feeling the heat. Literally. Our resident wizard Reynaldo up and left, so it’s up to me to find out where this noodlehead went.

I decide to turn left down the dry riverbank. As I make my way, clad in armor and carrying whatever junk Reynaldo left behind, I kill a grey sheep for giving me a dirty look. I clean up the wooly mess and arrive at a desert temple, which actually happens to be Reynaldo’s house. He left a note:

“Went to go find out about the water” --R

I venture about his humble… prayer temple, stealing goods and killing sheep, when I see a ladder leading downwards to a dark and ominous room. Normally, I don’t trust ladders, as I was once friends with a ladder who was a wild gossip. But, I climb down and I see a strange portal, the kind you hear about in legends or myths or hallucinations. Once I enter, I venture across a sandstone-and-glass path Reynaldo crafted, and it’s ONE BLOCK WIDE. It’s also hovering over a lake of boiling lava. Thanks, Ray.

A ghost floats out from the lava. I attempt to communicate by sign language, even though I can only make squares. It shoots a nasty fireball at me, the path explodes, and I die. I decide to nickname him Reynaldo.

I re-enter the portal a second time, and Reynaldo kills me once more. We probably have a blood feud going back millennia. Or not.

I try a third time, and face death by Reynaldo. Again.

Fourth time, a zombie pigman kills me. His name shall be Reynaldo.

Fifth time, I fall in lava. This lava lake will be called Lake Aldo.

I found a ladder in the Netherworld and climbed it, finding a chest containing two glowing books, called “HAH HAH” and “DANGER.” I learn, through my reading, that a man called winter-- or, a demigod, rather-- stole Reynaldo’s magic equipment and scattered it around. Thanks a lot.

I also find a thing called “Essence of Blueness.” Perhaps Saleswoman Victoria sells it at the knick-knack stand.

I fall in lava twice.

I decide to use the Essence of Blueness and now I find myself mildly depressed and craving a Chipotle lunch. One question I have: What is Chipotle?

After my depression subsides, I decide to hunt for the Essences of Moisture and Coldness, which I know now are needed, along with the Essence of Blueness, in order to get the river to come back to our land.

I try to burn up monsters with the Wood of Lava, but I have learned that magic fails its user in the Dark World of the Nether. As I creep into Reynaldo’s hut to access the portal once more, I notice a skeleton shooting at me from afar. Paranoid that someone sent him after me, I duck into his hut and ran into the portal. I take charge of my surroundings and 

Reynaldo the Pigman into Lake Aldo and run for my life.

Still panicked by the skeleton attack, I run as quickly as I can, finding chests along the way. Contained inside were the Essences of Coldness and Moisture. Overjoyed by my findings, I use my favorite spell, Domus Dolcis Domus, to teleport to my home.

I activate all the Essences I found, and become insensitive to suffering and ready for high-altitude baking. I activate the Wellspring Wand and begin returning water to the riverbank, washing away sediments and discovering golden ore, which shall help our village prosper for eons to come.

Squids decide to freeload in our river, but I make short work of them with my fabulous archery skills.

All was well in our kingdom except one thing… Where is Reynaldo?*

*the wizard, not the ghost

~FIN!