Thank you Leo!  And congrats to everyone else!  I look forward to reading the entries for the new prompt.

Also, what day will you be judging?

Magic is bad,

said Karl's mother, as she ruffled his hair playfully and told him to go outside to play with the others.

Magic is bad,

said the king, as he dropped the lit match on the pile of kindling, a young woman standing alone in the middle, going up in flames as Karl watched.

Magic is bad, 

said Alex, who had grown up too fast alongside Karl.

Magic was bad.

Karl didn't know many things. He didn't know why it was raining right now. He didn't know why the captain of the guards had said that there were sorcerors among them. He didn't know why Alex had told him to meet him at the garden at six.

But one thing, just one thing that he was sure of–Magic is bad.

Just like the captain had said–if there were users of magic among them, they would have to kill them. destroy them. 

Alex stood in the garden, as Karl slipped in through the gate, surrounded by the bushes of lavender. Alex was very pretty.

"Hey," Karl said quietly, the rain drowning him out, "Why'd you want to talk here?"

why are we here? 

Alex shrugged. "I thought it would give us a little more privacy. Anyways, I wanted to talk to you about something."

Karl nodded, completely focused. Alex was rarely so serious.

"Well, not exactly talk to you," Alex mumbled, his hands behind his back, "I actually wanted to show you something, and ask you a favor?"

why? what?

"Of course. You know I'd do anything for you, Alex," Karl smiled.

Alex was his friend, and he would always be his friend.

"Well then."

Alex took a deep breath, holding out his hands. Karl waited, the rain drumming on the castle beside them.

And all of a sudden–

Water, pooling, forming in Alex's hands. Circling around in droplets, to form a ball of water.

Alex looked up from the water to Karls' face, with a glowing smile. "It's magic!" he whispered, excited almost.

magic.

is bad.

magic is bad.

"No–"

As the water dispersed, and Alex reached for his hand, Karl violently jerked his arm back, looking up at Alex with wide, horror-struck eyes. "You're–you're–"

"I'm magic. Karl, it's not a bad thing! It feels–it feels so wonderful! I feel so light!"

monster.

"What?"

Alex looked at Karl.

Had he said that out loud?

"monster. you're a monster."

Alex's eyes widened.

"how could you. you'reamonster. monster."

"No, I'm not, it's not–"

Karl turned, and ran. He ran, his head spinning, spinning, whirling, dizzy, empty.

magic is bad.

He sank to his knees, rainwater seeping into his skin as the cold of it all sank in.

magic is bad.

Alex was magic.

alex is bad.

Alex was Alex. Alex who had always been there, on rainy days like this, to go splash in puddles and have fun and distract him from the biting cold.

alex is a monster. 

No no no. Alex wasn't a monster. He wasn't. He was Alex. He was kind. He was incredible. He was loving. He was Karls' best friend. He wasn't bad. He was magic. He wasn't bad. Magic wasn't bad.

hypocrite.

Karl dimly registered the rain, as his eyes focused on his reflection in the puddle. His head was underwater. He couldn't hear anything. His hands were cold. He was cold. cold. cold cold cold. karl was drowning. drowning. he couldn't breathe.

alexwasmagic.

alexlied.

hypocrite.

ican'tbreathe. 

---

I tried not to make it too long, but I don't know how this'll go XD anyways, have some sad stories will you? XD 

Here's my story for the magic prompt: The magican

Sweat was dripping down my face, my breathing was heavy, and I was starting to get dizzy.

"When am I supposed to use it?" I yelled.

"Wait. Wait... NOW!"

In an instant I clapped my hands together and two glowing triangles appeared on them. Sora seemed amazed, but the traingles felt like they were seering my hands. "Sora! These things are burning my hands off!" 

Sora didn't respond, too amazed to help. It felt like somone had dumped a bucket of lava onto my hand. "SORA! SORA!" I cried. Finally, they snapped out of their daze.

"Wha- Oh shoot!" Sora ran over to their bench, grabbed a charm, and fired it at my stomach using a wand. It felt like a hurrican was happening in my organs. I gasped for air, and Sora poured a bucket of water over my head. Ahhh. That felt good.

They helped me out of the chair, and held my arm while I stumbled up the winding staircase of our wooden workshop. Sora layed me onto the bed, and put the covers over me. I couldn't believe my anger with what had just happened.

"Sora, what in the fiery depths of-"

They grinned. "Wait! I have to go get you a snack!" Sora said, and they ran back down the stair case, their short tan hair bopping up and down. Darn. It's really hard to get mad at Sora. 

They appeared a couple seconds later with a plate of crackers and cheese and a mug of beetle cocoa. Sora put it on the bedside drawer, and layed a quilted blanket over me. 

"Nice try. I-" *cough* "Am still really mad at you. " I said, still partly out of breath. "Who told you it was a good idea to try magik transfers on me?" 

Sora shrugged. "I dunno, just thought it might give us another act for tomorrow's show." They sat on my bed, and I could smell the smokey wood off their outfit. Sora looked me right in the eyes, and her green pupils almost glowed. "If you really are so angry, I'll give you tomorrow off." 

I rolled my eyes. "Fine. But don't go trying the spell yourself!" 

Sora shook my hand, and stood up. "Number one, I'm the one who employed you and is your boss, not vice versa. Number two, don't worry, I won't try the spell."

"Good." Sora waved goodbye and walked out of the room. I was drinking my beetle cocoa when I frowned. Sora never listens to me. Of course they are going to do the spell. I have to save them.

After a couple hours of planning, the sun started to set, and I turned on my lamp for some midnight reading. Eventually, I became too tired, so I turned the light off. Sora gently opened the door and wished me goodnight. I angirly responded. Snuggling in my bed covers, I drifted off to sleep. 

All night I had nightmares about Sora doing the spell and hurting thierself in front of a big crowd. When I woke up, I knew what to do. I noticed a small letter on my bookshelf from Sora, saying she had already left. I quickly got dressed, brushed my hair, ate a bagel sandwich, washed my teeth, and grabbed a couple charms. 

Slamming the door, I headed into town as quickly as I could. I saw all the towns people gathered around the gazebo. Running over there, I blended into the crowd. "And, for my show-stopping first trick, I'll do a magik transfer!" The crowd started loudly cheering and clapping. Sora closed their eyes, and grabbed a small blue ball. They popped it into their mouth, and their eyes started glowing.

I ran over to the gazebo, and right when Sora's palms were getting triangles on them I threw the charm at Sora. In a burst of blue smoke we bothe were launched into the air. I felt the air on my cheeks and then... bam. We both landed on a large and soft blue glob on the groubd.

I opened my eyes and saw Sora standing over me. "What were you thinking? The only reason we aren't flattened right now is because of me!" But to my surprise, the townspeople were all laughing. Sora looked around, and started to smile. "Well, actually, not bad." They grabbed my hand and we both stood up in front of everyone. "Thank you everyone!" Sora exclaimed, still holding my hand. We both bowed, and the crowd went wild. We both had big smiles on our face. Maybe we should become a stand up comedy routine instead.

The end.  

Topping again! 

(Btw, Im trying to put both of the prompts on the same story so this is basically the second part)

She needed a way out. They were coming. From far away she heard the sound of metal boots marching, on and on. She needed to go. As soon as she reavealed herself as alive, the queen, came to get her. Formerly her arch-nemesis half sister, they had not been on good terms since childhood. She snapped back to reality, and looked aroun for something. Anything to whisk her away. But, she only found a painting of a grassy field, basked in sunlight. She would have to try it with this. First she extended her fingers and.. nothing happened. The door fell down. Soldiers came in,and they imediatly saw her.¨Thats the one!¨ they yelled. But, with all her strength left, she held up her neckalace and fell into the painting.

I'm an outlaw, considered illegal by the great country of California. That's why no one can see me tonight. If they do, I'm dead. 

I sneak along the wall, then up the stairs. Before any of the guards notice me, I speak to their minds. I put a new image in their heads, one that would have been the reality a moment before. An image that does not include me. 

I slip past them and get to the door. It's locked. Amie didn't give me the combination, so I once more enter the guards' minds. "Combination" I wisper as I present each with the door. 

One guard finds it immediatly: 97463. When I enter this code, the door unlocks and I swing it open. I make my way down the dark palace hall, into the small room where I know Tristan is waiting. 

"Kaylen," he says when I enter. "Here at last." 

"No, it's Harper." 

"Oh," Tristan says gruffly. 

"Look, I'm sorry your girlfriend couldn't be here, Oh Great Prince, but my life is on the line here and I would like to get started!"

Tristan gives me a dirty look but gets to work. He hands me a dagger, which I refuse. I have much more powerful weapons. 

He arms himself, and opens the secret passage. We walk for a long time, until we are blocked by a wall. Tristan pushes the door open with his powerful arms.

We do our job quickly, and soon we've found the sword. Tristan gasps when he sees how it glows in the darkness, how it seems to radiate something powerful. Magic, we call it. Sorcery, they call it. And Tristan, well, no one really knows what side he's on. 

But I hope he'll choose us.  

”It just won’t work.”

You can see the sadness, desperation, in her eyes. She’s been miserable, ever since...

”I’ve tried and tried and tried.”

”Try again.”

He thinks he can help. My magic can’t be helped. It’s too far gone.

”It doesn’t work.”

”figure out a different way.”

She won’t try again. Her world is crashing down around her.

”I-“

”Don’t say another word. Just keep trying.”

His voice is always calm, no matter how bitter, sad or angry I get. He’s always there with a word to urge me forward.

”I’ll try once more.”

- - -

Purple sparks fizzle up out of Aza’s hands. Clay stands nearby, urging her forward with a caring gaze.

”This is exactly how it happened last time. It sparks with hope and then fades back.”

”Try harder. Find a way around it. You can do this, and if you can’t... I’ll always be there for you.”

Suddenly, bursts of purple light shoot from the elf’s hands. She stands in amazement before she looks over at the human. He smiles.

”I told you I’d always be there.”

Aza smiles as tears come to her eyes and embraces Clay.

- - -

I finally trust him. I know that he’ll be there to urge me on. Ever since the dragon attacked and I lost three in our party, the only ones left me and Clay, I was deep in depression, anger and sadness. magic finally faded out. I though that was only a fairy tail, but it wasn’t.

We’ll fight that dragon. Together. 

- - -

A few months later, this invitation was sent to all in the town of Phandalin.

You are invited to the wedding of Aza (elf) and Clay (human). .... 

Okay, here's my entry. Titled "Bracelets."

Leah jumped down from the tree, an orange in hand. Her flats thudded into the dusty road.

“See, it’s not so hard!” she said, cheerfully peeling the ripe fruit. “You try!”

I laughed nervously. “Yeah, I don’t think so.”

“C’mon, it’s not like you’re gonna fall or anything! And anyway, it’s only like a six foot drop.” She pulled off an orange section and bit into it.

“That’s… kind of a big drop.” Even if Leah and I hung out every day after school, she had never seen my bracelets. My long sleeves concealed them. I wasn’t about to cast aside my veneer of normalness now.

Leah flipped her red hair off her shoulder, her own bracelets flashing. Of course, hers were purely ornamental, bright pink and in full view. Real sorcerers kept our iron wristbands hidden, out of shame, but they were quite the fashion trend outside our community. If you had no magic to suppress, it didn’t matter if everyone saw.

She was saying something. “Sorry, what?” I asked.

“I said, are you gonna do it or what? I have to be home in half an hour.”

“Okay, fine.” I’d have to do it. My sleeves would conceal my bracelets anyway, like always.

The climb wasn’t too hard-- just a scramble up the lower branches and a stretch to a nearby orange. I hopped down, grateful that my secret hadn’t been revealed. “Okay, you’re right. That wasn’t so bad. So can we-- wait, what are you looking at?” I followed Leah’s gaze in a line.

Directly down to my exposed bracelets.

“Are those… iron?” she breathed. My throat grew dry, and my hands flew to my wrists.

“What? No!” I yelped, pulling at the ends of my sleeves. “I mean, they’re fake! I can’t afford real iron!” I laughed desperately, hiding my hands behind my back.

“Yes, they are,” Leah said, confidently, shortly. My heart sank. She knew what I was. “You have iron bracelets. You’re a witch.”

I took a step back at her accusatory tone. “I promise you, it’s not what you think. Just water control. Nothing dangerous.” I couldn’t believe it. Just like me to be so careless. Now I’d lost the only friend I’d ever have.

Leah shook her head. “No. Just… look here.” She began scratching at the surface of her own bracelet. I stood and watched, mesmerized. Finally, she finished her job and displayed the band.

Beneath the layer of pink paint lay a glint of metal. Real metal.

“You too?” I looked into her eyes and saw something new there.

Leah gave me a smile. “Plant growth. Yeah, me too.”