I by no means believed in legendary creatures. That’s, till I moved into the Oakwood Residences. My title’s Jamie, and that is the story of how my life turned the other way up – or ought to I say, took flight.
It began on a depressing Tuesday in September. I had simply moved to the massive metropolis for school, and Oakwood Residences was the one place I may afford on my meager scholar finances. The constructing was outdated, with creaky elevators and flickering hallway lights. However it was residence, not less than for now.
My condo was on the third ground, a tiny studio that hardly match my mattress and desk. As I unpacked my bins, I could not shake the sensation that one thing was… off about this place. Perhaps it was the best way the shadows appeared to maneuver after I wasn’t trying instantly at them, or how the air felt charged with an vitality I could not clarify.
It was my first week within the new constructing after I seen one thing odd in regards to the 4th ground. Each time the elevator doorways opened there, a gust of wind would ruffle my hair. Unusual, contemplating there weren’t any home windows within the hallway. I brushed it off as a quirk of the constructing’s air flow system.
However then got here the noises.
One night time, as I used to be struggling by a very brutal chemistry project, I heard it. The sound of hooves clopping above my third ground condo. Hooves? In an condo constructing? I attempted to persuade myself it was simply my creativeness, or perhaps somebody watching a western film with the amount turned up too excessive.
The subsequent night time, it occurred once more. And the night time after that. All the time round midnight, all the time lasting for about an hour. It was driving me loopy. I could not give attention to my research, and darkish circles started to type underneath my eyes from lack of sleep.
After per week of this nightly disturbance, I made a decision to research. I waited till I heard the acquainted clopping, then crept out of my condo and up the steps to the 4th ground. As I pushed open the stairwell door, that acquainted breeze hit me. However this time, I caught a whiff of one thing else – hay?
The hallway was dimly lit, with flickering fluorescent lights casting eerie shadows on the light wallpaper. I walked down the hall, my coronary heart pounding so loud I used to be positive it might give me away. The carpet muffled my footsteps, however I may swear I heard delicate nickering coming from behind one of many doorways.
All of a sudden, a door flew open. I jumped again, anticipating to see a horse. As a substitute, a bit of outdated girl peered out at me. She was tiny, barely reaching my shoulder, with wispy white hair and thick glasses that magnified her vivid blue eyes.
“Oh, good day expensive,” she mentioned sweetly, as if discovering a stranger lurking outdoors her condo at midnight was probably the most regular factor on this planet. “Are you right here to see Pegasus?”
My jaw dropped. “P-Pegasus?”
She nodded and opened the door wider. “Are available in, are available in. Do not be shy.”
In opposition to my higher judgment, I adopted her into the condo. And there, in what ought to have been a traditional lounge, stood probably the most magnificent creature I might ever seen. A white horse with huge feathered wings, its coat gleaming like freshly fallen snow underneath the delicate glow of a crystal chandelier.
I pinched myself, positive I used to be dreaming. However as Pegasus trotted over and nuzzled my hand, I noticed this was all too actual.
The outdated girl smiled. “He will get stressed if he does not fly each day. Would you prefer to take him for a experience?”
I stared at her, then at Pegasus, then again at her. “I… what? How? Who’re you?”
She chuckled. “Oh, the place are my manners? I am Mrs. Whimsy. I have been Pegasus’s caretaker for… oh, longer than you have been alive, I am positive.”
As if this example could not get any extra surreal, Mrs. Whimsy proceeded to clarify how she’d been entrusted with Pegasus’s care by the Greek gods themselves. Apparently, they thought he’d be safer hidden away in a contemporary metropolis than on Mount Olympus.
“However why right here?” I requested, nonetheless struggling to course of all the things. “Why a random condo constructing?”
Mrs. Whimsy’s eyes twinkled. “Oh, Oakwood is not random, expensive. Look carefully on the wallpaper.”
I peered on the light sample and gasped. What I had thought have been simply summary swirls have been really tiny, intricate drawings of legendary creatures. Dragons, unicorns, griffins, and sure, winged horses.
“The entire constructing is protected by historical magic,” Mrs. Whimsy defined. “Solely these with a contact of magic of their blood can see Pegasus for what he actually is. To everybody else, he appears to be like like a big white canine.”
I shook my head, making an attempt to clear it. “However I am not… I imply, I haven’t got any magic.”
Mrs. Whimsy patted my arm. “Oh, however you do, expensive. You simply did not comprehend it till now.”
Earlier than I may argue, Pegasus whinnied softly and pawed on the floor. Mrs. Whimsy clucked her tongue.
“He is getting antsy. Would you be a pricey and take him for a fast flight? I am afraid my outdated bones cannot deal with the experience anymore.”
And that is how I discovered myself, at 1 AM on a college night time, climbing onto the again of a legendary creature. Mrs. Whimsy opened a hidden panel within the ceiling, revealing a shaft that led straight as much as the roof.
“Maintain on tight,” she suggested. “And keep in mind, all the time return earlier than daybreak.”
With a robust leap, Pegasus shot upwards by the shaft. I clung to his mane, my abdomen lurching as we burst out onto the roof and into the night time sky.
Town sprawled beneath us, a glittering tapestry of lights. Pegasus’s wings beat steadily, carrying us greater and better till the automobiles under regarded like toys. The wind whipped by my hair, and I discovered myself laughing with pure pleasure.
We soared over skyscrapers, dipped low over Central Park, and even flew out to the Statue of Liberty. All of the whereas, no person appeared to note the flying horse and its rider. Mrs. Whimsy’s phrases echoed in my thoughts – solely these with magic may see us.
Because the japanese sky started to lighten, we reluctantly headed again to Oakwood Residences. Pegasus landed gracefully on the roof, and we descended by the hidden shaft again to Mrs. Whimsy’s condo.
“Did you have got an excellent time, expensive?” she requested, providing me a cup of scorching chocolate.
I nodded, nonetheless breathless from the expertise. “It was… unimaginable. However what occurs now?”
Mrs. Whimsy’s expression turned critical. “Now, you have got a option to make. You’ll be able to overlook all about this and return to your regular life. Or…”
“Or?” I prompted.
“Or you possibly can assist me maintain Pegasus. It isn’t a simple job, thoughts you. There are… others who would like to get their arms on him. Darkish forces that we should defend him from.”
I considered my boring courses, my battle to slot in in school, the life I had thought I wished. Then I checked out Pegasus, who was watching me with clever, mild eyes.
“I will do it,” I mentioned, shocking myself with how sure I felt.
Mrs. Whimsy beamed. “Wonderful! We’ll begin your coaching tomorrow night time.”
And that is how I grew to become the official Pegasus-sitter of Oakwood Residences. By day, I used to be a traditional faculty scholar. However by night time, I used to be the protector of a legendary creature.
Over the following few weeks, Mrs. Whimsy taught me all the things she knew about caring for Pegasus and defending in opposition to darkish magic. I realized the right way to combine his particular feed (oats blessed by Demeter herself), the right way to groom his wings, and the right way to forged fundamental safety spells.
However it wasn’t all enjoyable and video games. One night time, as I used to be taking Pegasus for his normal flight, I seen a darkish form following us. It moved too quick to be a airplane, its type shifting and writhing in a method that made my pores and skin crawl.
“Sooner, Pegasus,” I whispered, and he responded instantly, placing on a burst of velocity.
However the form saved tempo, drawing nearer and nearer. Within the moonlight, I may make out gleaming scales and razor-sharp talons. A dragon.
My coronary heart raced as I remembered Mrs. Whimsy’s warnings about darkish forces searching for Pegasus. I fumbled for the amulet she had given me, a small silver disk engraved with historical Greek symbols.
“Αποκρούω!” I shouted the Greek phrase for “repel,” simply as Mrs. Whimsy had taught me.
The amulet glowed vivid blue, and a shimmering barrier appeared round us. The dragon slammed into it with a screech of fury, then fell again, momentarily shocked.
Pegasus took benefit of the distraction, diving sharply and weaving between buildings. We misplaced the dragon within the maze of skyscrapers, lastly circling again to Oakwood Residences.
As we landed, Mrs. Whimsy was ready on the roof, her face pale with fear. “Are you alright?” she requested, checking us each for accidents.
I nodded, nonetheless shaking from the encounter. “It was a dragon. Similar to you warned us about.”
Mrs. Whimsy’s expression darkened. “They’re getting bolder. We’ll have to strengthen the constructing’s protections.”
From that night time on, our routine modified. Mrs. Whimsy intensified my magical coaching, educating me extra complicated spells and the artwork of potion-making. We bolstered the magical limitations round Oakwood Residences, weaving layers of safety spells into the very bricks.
My faculty life suffered. I used to be continuously exhausted, struggling to remain awake in courses and falling behind on assignments. However each time I checked out Pegasus, each time I soared by the night time sky on his again, I knew it was value it.
Months handed, and I grew stronger, extra assured in my talents. I may now sense magical disturbances, spot legendary creatures hiding in plain sight, and even carry out minor acts of magic with out assistance from amulets or potions.
However the assaults continued. Harpies tried to grab Pegasus throughout our flights. A chimera tried to interrupt into the constructing, solely to be repelled by our enhanced limitations. Every encounter left me extra decided to guard Pegasus and the key world I had stumbled into.
As the college yr drew to a detailed, Mrs. Whimsy known as me into her condo for a critical discuss.
“You’ve got accomplished splendidly, my expensive,” she mentioned, her eyes misty. “However I am afraid my time as Pegasus’s guardian is coming to an finish.”
I felt a pang of concern. “What do you imply? You’ll be able to’t go away!”
She smiled sadly. “All issues should change, Jamie. The gods have determined it is time for a brand new guardian to take over. Somebody youthful, stronger… somebody such as you.”
Me? Guardian of Pegasus? The concept was terrifying and exhilarating unexpectedly.
“However what about faculty? My household? My regular life?” I requested, at the same time as I noticed that my outdated life had ceased to be “regular” the second I stepped into this condo.
Mrs. Whimsy took my hand. “The selection is yours, expensive. However keep in mind, with nice energy comes nice duty. And nice journey.”
I checked out Pegasus, who nickered softly and bumped his nostril in opposition to my shoulder. In that second, I knew what I needed to do.
“I settle for,” I mentioned, my voice regular regardless of the butterflies in my abdomen.
Mrs. Whimsy’s face lit up with pleasure. “Oh, I had hoped you’d say that! Now, let me inform you in regards to the secret room on the thirteenth ground…”
As I listened to Mrs. Whimsy reveal extra secrets and techniques of Oakwood Residences, I noticed that my life had modified without end. Not was I simply Jamie, the extraordinary faculty scholar. I used to be Jamie, Guardian of Pegasus, Protector of Legendary Creatures, and resident of probably the most magical condo constructing within the metropolis.
And you understand what? I would not have it some other method.
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Diana Martin is the Chief Editor at Wulfenite Creations, where she leads a team of talented writers and ensures the publication of high-quality content on the latest in technology and innovation. With over 15 years of editorial experience, Diana has a deep understanding of the tech industry and a passion for storytelling. Her expertise lies in curating insightful articles that both inform and inspire readers. Outside of the newsroom, Diana enjoys attending tech conferences, reading sci-fi novels, and mentoring young journalists. Follow her work for expert analysis and in-depth coverage of emerging tech trends.