Hugo

Hugo sat by the porch of the cabin, his feet dangled, nearly touching the grass. He was taller now, more firm and stady, he didn’t swing his feet back and forth like he used to, and that made him wonder what was the sudden change? But he had no desire to question further, after all it was still morning.

He sipped on juice made from honey fruit, that Jonny Bard had left at their door step. Jonny watched Hugo from his window, he was far to curious for an old man. Or a wizard, he does magic, complicated magic.

Many people claim that Bard had a wife long ago, but she died during the monster's ruling, she was swallowed when she tried shaving their daughter. Now Bard locks himself up and helps kids who are in need and have no parents, just like Hugo.

Hugo's shadow sat besides him as its own moving entity, Hugo named him Oguh, though it was a silly name, to him it only made sense.

"We are running out of tomatoes to sell." Oguh broke the silence.

"I've noticed, i suppose we'll have to get some more." Hugo thought for a long moment then spoke again. "We could steal them from the Harrison garden, though last time I nearly died."

"That is exactly why it is a terrible idea." Oguh retarded.

"I'll ask Jonny to make us a potion so we can have a chance this time."

"Jonny will want something in return and we have no money."

"I can offer him my tooth, wizards love those kinds of thing."

Oguh didn’t like the idea, but had no choice but to comply, they had no other option or they would starve. And so Hugo opened a small box he kept all of his trinkets and took out a old baby tooth that he kept, then walked over to the old man's house with his shadow close behind.

The old man saw them coming and hid all of his beer cans underneath the gap in his floorboards. He opened the door before they could knock and brushed his long white beard with a slight grin. He was already intoxicated, but leaned against the door fram to steady himself.

"What is you doing here? Ain't I given you honey fruit?" I burped out.

"Old Bard we came here for a invisibility potion."

"You got sliver?"

"No, but-"

"THEN SCRAM!" he spat.

"But i brought you my tooth, it's still healthy."

The old man yanked the tooth from the boy's palm and inspected it. "How old were you when it fell out?"

"Merely seven years old."

"And how old are you now?"

"Thirteen, Bard."

He humed then tucked the tooth in his pocket. "I'll take it, but i don't usually do favors for kids. Get in."

The two walk into the old man's house, it was bigger than their cabin, messir too with wrappers on the floor, multiple rats seated on the couch and wooden coffee table. Oguh scrunched his nose in disgust while Hugo simply smiled. Bard walked them to the basement, where multiple potion bottles were carefully settled in raws of color. Hugo stared in awe as Bard picked certain bottles.

"Now do not touch none, or it will explode." He warned as he began to make the potion.

"Bard how did you become a wizard?" Hugo asked.

"I went to the school of wonders."

"School of wonders? Where is that?"

"Up the mountains of golden city, but it was shut down after the war of monsters and Magic benders."

"The mountain isnt that far, i would walk there and make it within two days."

Bard suddenly got a wicked idea. "I dare you to do that, climb the mountains and bring something from the school to prove that you did go and bring it here, and as your price i will give you a spell that will help you quickly grow healthy crops."

Hugo perked up at the challenge and turned to look at his shadow who loved the idea of free food. With a grin they both accepted and walked out of the old man's house with only a saddle full of bread, water and a simple map of the city and off they went, with no idea that the old man knew that dangerous monsters would wait up in the mountains to devour the child.

Bard had grown sick of feeding the child and thought the he was better off dead. And so he watched as Hugo walked to his doom with no remorse in his heart, it died along with his wife and child a long...long time ago.

"Oguh, what will we plant first when we come back?"

"I would love jelly crisps, crunchy out and soft jelly in." He paused humming and the mere thought. "And how about you?"

"Sea chips, when you chop them up and add tomatoes and sour fruit...id die right there."

They continued to walk while speaking of all the meals they could make when they returned, not realizing that they are being followed. And a bandit came from behind grabbed Hugo and placing his flaming hand near Hugo's face.

"Hand over the saddle and no one gets hurt."

Hugo trembled, he should have known that the city was full of thieves. He called out to Oguh but even he could do nothing, he could never touch human flesh or he would float right through them. Just when Hugo was to hand over the saddle, a woman covered by a scarf yanked the man in the air temporarily paralzing giving Hugo and Oguh a chance to run near the riverside. They ran until they couldn't anymore and just collapsed to the ground. The woman followed close behind and watched as they gasped for air.

"Wh-who are you?" Hugo managed to gasp out.

"I'm Naia, the champion of the magic benders."

She removed her scarf revealing her long purple her, her dark chocolate skin, purple eyes and a tatoo of all the elements on her arm...she really was...magic.