Wizzy for Atari Lynx by Karri Kaksonen, WhiteLynx
Book of Suvi
They call me Wizzy. I love the land of Suvi. As the name states it has a lovely summer weather all year long. Well, almost. There is a short winter when everything is cold and dark. All sensible people stay inside most of the day reading books or doing their chores. There is not much point in going outside when it is freezing cold.
The spring is also kind of overrated. People are happy to get rid of the winter. But it is nothing compared to the summer. In summertime the nature is alive and the land provides you with delicious food and beauty.
Fall on the other hand is the worst. Wet and rainy most of the times and it get chillier every day.
Wizzy was interested in reading about magic and the wonders about other lands.
She strolled to the castle in hope to get some new books from the library. When she approached the castle a lad she had not seen before greeted her:
Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered,
you won't fight your way to the castle of the land of Suvi.
Only true heros or the noble can enter.
On your way...
What a strange greeting. But I know this story!
I have fought my way here
to the castle beyond the Goblin City
to take back the child you have stolen,
for my will is as strong as yours
and my kingdom as great.
You have no power over me!
The lad was laughing. Good point he said, but the king has visitors today. The library is closed.
Too bad, perhaps I go for a stroll in the park. There has been news that a spider was spotted in the park. In the old days there was no spiders in Suvi. The sorcerer kept the spiders away with his magic. But lately there has been spiders roaming around the castle and the sorcerer has not been seen. He lives on an island west of Suvi but the bridge to the island has not been working for years. So we have had to learn to deal with the spiders ourselves.
This could be a good day to go and pick up some acorns. Spiders just hate acorns and you can even kill them by hitting them hard with acorns.
The castle
I can hardly believe it! The lad outside the castle told me that the king himself invited me. Obviously they were happy with the pest control I offered. Who would have thought that killing a spider was such a big deal?
What should I wear? How do you address the king? Naah, who cares
Well inside the castle you could smell the delicious soup the chef was cooking. And singing, unfortunately.
Dum, de dum, de dum,
The wiz is just a bum,
hiding dum-ti-dum...
Hmm. The Swedish chef does not seem to be a big fan of Sorbus*, our sorcerer in exile. He vanished a few years ago when the spiders appeared and made the bridge to his island vanish as well.
Gossip says that he was bitten and got scared of spiders.
(*For readers unfamiliar with Finnish alcohol Sorbus was the cheapest stuff available made of rowan berries. The hangover was legendary. Sales ceased in 2010 due to better drinks. The drink Sorbus and a Ring Sormus differs by just one letter. So Lord of the Rings got twisted into Lord of the Drink. But that is another adventure.)
The island is just west of the castle. It is a tiny island with a small wizards hut, a wishing well and a small forest. When the bridge existed people used to visit the wishing well on Halloween to see the image of their future sweethearts. But since the wiz got scared the island has been mainly off-property.
The castle itself is just like a medieval castle. Floor decoration describing the war-heroes. Pac-man and the ghosts are covering most of the main floor. With Batman and a giant wizards hat on the southern part of the castle.
So you are the witch that killed the spider
said the king. He was a nice chap and he offered me a small workshop in the castle. So I got me my own space at the wizards hat! The shop was sparsely decorated but it had a huge store of acorns. I picked up them for future use. You never know if you need them for some spiders.
The dungeon
At the southwest corner a bard was singing about heroes never seen again. I listened for a while to his advice.
"Beware of the dungeon! You will die
Don't go there
Many heroes have tried
No one survived
What a pathetic bard. This is probably just a trick to keep visitors away from the wine cellar. So I went downstairs to the scary dungeon.
Well, not so scary. A few spiders were lurking below. But nothing a determined witch could not handle.
The bard looked pretty confused when the hero returned alive.
Here comes the hero!
The slayer of the beasts!
Many heroes have tried
Wizzy survived!
The sorcerer
When Wizzy finally made her way to the sorcerer Sorbus was outside his hut picking rowan berries in clothes that had seen their better days.
Pay no attention to the man in a robe picking berries outside the hut of the wise and mighty sorcerer Sorbus. It is just an illusion.
After saying this the illusion quickly scurried inside.
Perhaps I give him a few minutes to gather his dignity.
Knock, knock. Wizzy is requesting audience to the wise and mighty sorcerer Sorbus.
After a while
You may enter
The hut appeared bigger on the inside. Books and potions were everywhere and there was a smell that revealed what the berries were used for.
A toast perhaps? For the valiant witch that cleared Suvi from spiders.
The taste was not so bad. But I still just took a few sips.
Tomorrow is Halloween. Have you thought of picking flowers for the wishing well?
If you get me some beer and a lamb chop from the chef the magic will be even stronger.
Halloween and food. This is not what I came here for. But perhaps it is better to play along. So I thanked Sorbus for the drink and hurried away to get the beer.
Halloween
Picking flowers was tedious stuff as I had to compete with all the fair maidens in Suvi. For some strange reason they were also looking for the prince. I wonder why. He is probably just a spoiled brat.
When I went in to the castle for some snack the bard said:
So, you believe in magic as well. Did you know that the magic gets stronger if you dance naked around the well.
Oh geeze, guys.
I went back to the well and looked into it while the flowers dropped in the water one by one. Slowly a face stared at me from the well with blond hair. She looked very familiar. She was dressed in a bear skin from the waist down and she was yielding a mighty sword. But why is she topless? Is this the magic of that pervert Sorbus? I started to go towards his hut when all the gates of hell opened.
Devils screaming and attacking the guards. I tried to do my best to protect Suvi. After a minute they vanished as fast as they had arrived.
I ran in the castle as quick as I could. The king and Sorbus was there.
The prince was captured. He was outside the castle in disguise as an ordinary lad.
Obviously the prince was hiding from the bunch of fair maidens hunting for him. I felt almost sorry for the poor chap.
Sorbus took me to the side and said. Wizzy, I am too old to protect the kingdom. Please take my magic and rescue the prince. This rift opens only once each 1000 years on Halloween. But there is another path to the dark place through fire and ice.
But how can I leave Suvi? I dont have a boat!
Sorbus laughed and gave me a broom. This thing can do more than just sweep floors. You have to concentrate and really feel your identity unite with the identity of the broom. Breath deep and feel the source flow through your veins. Then press the Inner Button.
I took the broom.
So I just press the Inner Button? I asked.
Sorbus looked at me again.
No, you concentrate and become one with the broom. Then you take a deep breath and feel the source flow through your veins. Then you press the Inner Button.
There and back again
So I packed my things and started on my journey.
Which way should I go?
Sorbus smiled.
It does not really matter. Just enjoy the trip and dont let us down.