Twelfth Birthday
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Morning awoke a girl up bright and early to greet another day in the Silent Ruins. Sunbeams blinded her in a rude awakening, so she grumbled and buried herself deeper within the twisted nest of blankets. Marlene was her name.
“Cold feet are the worst.” Violet eyes fluttered as she muttered. She curled knobby knees to her chest in an attempt to get warmer. Usually, she slept in until her belly ached. She cracked an eye open to peer at the calendar hanging on the foot of her bed. Today’s date was circled in red, and then she remembered why she needed to get up.
“Oh right. I have to get ready for tonight!”
There weren’t many days that Marlene found exciting. Today was the exception as it was a special day. It was, in fact, her twelfth birthday. Birthdays only came once a year, but Marlene could only be twelve once in her lifetime. She was determined to make the best of it. Surely Grandfather Sequoia would remember her birthday this time.
Marlene was beaming as she leaped out of bed. Her excited footfalls echoed across the wood panels. Throwing a robe on, she made a beeline for the kitchen without making her bed. She lit the charcoal stove to prepare tea and breakfast. She set the table with whittled plates and utensils. Her star themed mitts set down a piping hot dish of fried sage mushrooms and redbelly eggs, and five root rice porridge. After washing up, she tied a napkin around her neck and sat down. An earsplitting yawn escaped from her mouth as she enjoyed her first meal of the day.
Marlene’s treehouse was shaped like an egg, built around an umbrella tree as its branches served as a canopy to shield her home from hurricanes and giant predators. Inside it was a two floor dwelling. Her bedroom on top with the kitchen and workshop on the bottom. Shelves displayed knick knacks Marlene dug up from her scavenging. Such as old toys and bent utensils.
A cuckoo clock chimed at 10:05, interrupting her mid-bite. She guzzled the rest of her fruit juice in one go and peddled away the dirty dishes to clean later on.
“Oooh!” Stretching her arms to the air, she bounced to her room barefoot to get ready for an outing - her hazelnut hair rippling behind her in a thick cascade. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she began to clean herself up.
Marlene was slightly overweight, packing a few extra pounds in her tummy. Her nose too flat, her face too freckled, her chin too squared - of all the things she loathed about herself, it had to be her hair. It was an ultimate hassle that constantly annoyed Marlene to near insanity. She didn’t mind scavenging, or farming, or even struggling against wild animals. It was her own hair that proved to be her greatest enemy.
No matter how she tried to cut or tame it, it would grow back within days with a hairy vengeance. If she didn’t oil it on a daily basis, it would be a bushy, tangled mess that caught onto trees and brought home a nest of mud clumps, bugs, and other unwanted visitors. Tying it up into a bun gave her headaches and left her neck groaning for the rest of the night. One time, she was so frustrated that she took a pair of scissors and hacked her hair to pieces. The weightlessness of having short hair was liberating and drove her to tears of relief. Of course, it didn’t last long. By the next day, her hair had grown back to its bulky size. She had given up on extreme measures since then. On the plus side, at least she wouldn’t go bald anytime soon.
Marlene found the best way to contain her ridiculous locks was to split it into pigtails - that way, the weight was evenly distributed.
After tackling her hair into submission, she washed her face and threw on her favorite outfit. Yellow overalls, a navy button up and purple boots. They were getting too small for her, as she was starting to stretch out the fabric. Still, she would never forget the joy and pride she felt the moment she unearthed these during one of her excavations. It was very rare to find clothes, especially in her size. Grandfather Sequoia helped whenever he could with his massive vines, but he wasn’t as resourceful as he once claimed to be.
One time, she had remarked that maybe he wasn’t strong enough to begin with since he got tired easily and slept for days on end. Sharp as a whip, he reprimanded her in a rumbling, croaky voice.
“Watch your tongue, girl! Back in my day, youngsters were more respectful of their elders! Before the age of machinery and magic, they tilled and toiled the land with nothing but metal tools and grit! They didn’t complain! You could learn a thing or two from them!”
Marlene had thought to retort that she would if they were here to teach her but wisely decided to keep her mouth shut lest she incurred one of the tree’s long winded tirades.
In any case, perhaps the old tree would give her clothes this time. It would make for a better present compared to the odd gifts he gave her during the previous years - not that she didn’t appreciate the thought. But his tastes were too… archaic for her liking.
“Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me. Happy birthday, dear Marlene…” Singing aloud, she tied the purple ribbon around her collar. Just as she was about to leave her vanity until realizing that since today was her birthday, she should wear something special to commemorate the occasion. Inside her top drawer was a colorful collection of hair accessories. She buried her hand inside the pile and retrieved a pleasant surprise.
“My velvet ribbons! I thought I lost them!” Marlene exclaimed in delight, bringing the fabric to her hair as she examined her reflection. She bound them around her pigtails into bows. She smiled seeing how they matched her eyes. It was like they were picked out especially because they brought out her favorite thing about herself.
“Picture perfect.” She complimented her reflection with a wink. Then she bent over backwards to stretch. “Ahh! That’s the spot!” She did some handstands and pretzel stretches to energize her body and mind. “Okay, now I’m ready!”
Throwing her gear into a knapsack, Marlene rushed out the door and climbed down the ladder. She wasted no time hiking through the wilds until she reached one of the ruins. In lieu of rubble and overgrowth, fractured skyscrapers and broken highways hide away a treasure trove of artifacts just waiting to be found.
Among the wreckage, Marlene searched for a good place to start. She traversed a gravel bridge of metal vehicles and rusty signs. A pack of bear hounds were scavenging up ahead. Black ears perked upon hearing her approach. Honey brown eyes watched her as she stood still. Her heart fluttered with nervous energy sensing their power within these beasts. Wrinkly pups climb onto all over their parents with tiny, doughy paws. Marlene noticed a certain star-faced bear hound. An old friend of hers - they were once litter mates. Marlene was adopted into her pack before she could even walk. Under the watchful eye of Grandfather Sequoia, they grew up as inseparable pals until one by one, the rest of their siblings grew up and left.
The rest was history.
“Star,” She called out softly to the female giant. “Remember me? It’s me, Marlene.” She carefully lowered her stance in submission. “We used to play together all the time. You taught me how to wrestle with the best of the boys.” She giggled. “Does your maul still pack a punch?”
Hearing her voice, wariness sparked in Star’s eyes. She crossed the distance in slow, cautious movements. She growled at first and let out a ferocious roar - belting Marlene’s face with hot, fishy breath that made her eyes water. Star exerted her towering form on both hind legs, staring her down. Marlene fought down the urge to run away screaming. The twelve year old remained as still as a statue, avoiding the bear hound’s eyes to show that she wasn’t trying to threaten her.
An eternity passed until Star finally relaxed her stance and parted her mouth to reveal a canine grin. She pawed at Marlene’s chest and gave her a wet, slobbery kiss. Marlene heaved a sigh of relief as her knees turned to water.
“For a second I thought you were going to eat me!” Marlene laughed, hugging her as best as her arms could allow. The bear hound was so large it was like trying to hug a mountain. “Wow, look at you. You’re all grown up!” Marlene marveled and rubbed her behind the ears. “I can’t believe we were the same size once. It feels like it was only yesterday you were teaching me how to forage and climb trees… even though you were the first to leave the litter.” Nostalgia filled Marlene as she hugged her furry neck. The bear hound shoved her head into the crook of her shoulder to snuggle. Marlene was comforted by the creature’s earthy smell, and it made her heart swell.
“I really missed you…” Marlene whispered, her voice thick with emotion as she fought down a sniffle. Finally they let go, and Marlene glanced at her pack. The biggest of them was her mate. He was just as grizzly as her, if not more so, and rougher around the muzzle. Yet he was gentle as he groomed the cubs.
“So this is your family now.” Marlene said in awe. She felt proud of her as though her friend’s accomplishment was my own. “It looks like you found a good bunch. I’m sure they’ll keep you safe, too.” Star grumbled in response as Marlene stroked the length of her back.
“Do you remember what day it is today?” Marlene asked. Curious brown eyes regarded her. “Today’s the day everyone found me in these ruins. It’s my twelfth birthday!” She expanded her chest with pride, grinning from ear to ear. “I’m going to have a party tonight. Do you want to come?”
Star tilted her head at Marlene before snuffing. She gave her one last nudge before bounding off into the forest with her family following close behind. Marlene felt her stomach sink in disappointment as she waved them goodbye.
“Aha… I’ll take that as a no. Maybe next time then! See you guys!”
Marlene’s heart ached from jealousy as she watched them disappear into the wild, followed by a pang of loneliness. She trekked onward to bury these feelings before they could fully submerge. She stopped at a sizable mound of junk and debris.
“Alright, time to dig!” Rolling up her sleeves, Marlene readied her shovel to begin a hard day’s labor excavating a colorful, glass stained building buried part way within the earth’s bosom. “I wonder what kinds of things I will find today! A book? Machinery? If I’m lucky, I might even find a new issue of Magnus the Marvelous Magician!” According to the sign a stone’s throw away, this place was once a city market. The last time she found clothes was within the rubble of what was once called a “fashion boutique”. How exciting!
“One, two, three.” Counting aloud, Marlene began a day’s work of shoveling to find treasure. Her arms trembled each time she hit rock. Sweat dripped down the nape of her neck and soaked into her clothes.
For as long as she could remember, these ruins have been her whole world. Surrounded by insurmountable mountains and endless waters, there was no way to bypass and explore whatever was on the other side. Not for a lack of trying. Marlene tried many times to venture what was on the other side. She tried scaling the mountain, floating off to sea in various rafts. She couldn’t count how many times her old guardian sent the animals to her rescue. Without them, she would’ve drowned or fell from a terrible height. Worse yet, she could’ve died.
Her last failed attempt was when she tried to fly away in a makeshift hot air balloon. Her crash landing in the wooly reeds was the final straw for the inhabitants.
When Grandfather Sequoia made it clear how worried they were for her and that she was strictly forbidden to leave, she threw a fit and demanded to know why. He simply told her that the world beyond was dangerous and it wasn’t yet her time to understand. Of course, this only raised more questions for Marlene, but no matter how much she badgered him for details, he refused to divulge her hunger for knowledge. She’d been furious with him for days, refusing to speak or even visit him. Within weeks, her temper finally cooled and she reluctantly went to see him. He only greeted her in a solemn voice and asked about her day. They hadn’t brought up the incident since then. Marlene knew that the old tree was set in his ways, and that nothing she could say would convince him otherwise. The only choice she had was to wait until he was ready to tell her everything.
And so, her fantasies of having grandeur and glorious adventures like Magnus the Marvelous Magician were, unfortunately, put on hold. It didn’t help that she ran out of creative ideas. But! This didn’t mean that she’d given up. Far from it! She was simply biding her time until the right opportunity. That’s all.
She owed her guardians some peace of mind after all they’ve done for her. Animals have played with Marlene since she was small. They taught her how to hunt, forage, and swim. They even helped her build her treehouse when she was too big to fit in dens. Not to say that Grandfather Sequoia had been a slouch. After all, he was the one who taught her how to read, write, meditate… and so on.
As she grew big, she came to realize the differences that set her apart from the inhabitants. While she still visited her old friends from time to time, it no longer felt the same. Marlene knew it was because whenever she saw the animals among their own kind - raising families and protecting each other… she felt as though she were out of place. Like a piece that didn’t fit the big puzzle that represented this small patch of land.
Still, it could have been much worse. After all, these wilds have been providing her food and shelter. Resources were abundant to last for many years to come. Marlene was grateful to her friends. Yet lately her heart flew away with the clouds. Oftentimes she wondered what could have been if only she could fly. Then she could go wherever she wanted.
Beyond this simple, laborious life on these ruins - Marlene wanted more. Ever since she came to know what loneliness was, her wonder and longing grew with each passing day.
After hours of digging and finding nothing but unsalvageable junk, Marlene’s luck turned around.
Clunk.
“Oh, what’s this?” She dislodged a dirt-covered object out of the wreckage. It was a long and tubular brass object with glass on both ends. It was divided into three moving parts that could extend and minimize with ease. Curious, Marlene looked through the eyepiece and staggered back at how everything from far away appeared within arm’s reach. She tried it again, this time on her own hand. She was amazed to find the cracks and ridges looked like canyons.
A chirp alerted her, and she screamed when a monster’s face popped into view- oh wait, it was just a belch bird. One of her grandfather’s, to be exact. He must have sent it here to call her. She put down the tube to scold the creature.
“Don’t sneak up on me! I thought I was under attack!” The bird pecked her forehead in response, making her yowl in pain. “Hey! Now, that’s just rude. I ought to pluck your feathers for that!” She grumbled, rubbing the red spot. “So, what does the old tree want? If he wanted my attention, he could have sent a less obnoxious messenger… like a bunny.”
Ruffling its fine blue and white feathers, the bird’s beady black eyes glared at her before burping in her face. As she waved away the stench of his foul breath, the bird snagged a brown lock in its beak and gave it a sharp tug.
“Ow! I was just joking! No need to pull so hard - agh! Alright already, I’m going! I’m going! I already know the way! Ugh, this is exactly why everyone thinks birds are the worst! You screech in the mornings, you have brains the size of walnuts, you poop on everything - ow! Shoo already!”
After a struggle of being half-dragged by the avian messenger, Marlene finally made it to the center of the ruins where Grandfather Sequoia awaited with an audience. All the animals, big and small, who lived in the ruins were present. Some she hadn’t seen since she was a baby. The sea of animals parted to allow Marlene through. Atop a stump stood a giant tiered marble cake made with nuts, berries, and spices. Despite its massive size, there were exactly twelve candles lit at the very top.
“Everyone… you’re all here.” Breathless, Marlene was at a loss for words. She dropped her things in shock as a familiar fuzzy head nudged her forward. It was Star. Laughing, she knelt down and wrapped her arms around the hound’s furry neck.
“I can’t believe it! Here I was, planning to invite all of you to my house, and you turned it all around in the best way possible!”
Leafy vines coiled around Marlene’s waist and lifted her to the top of the glazed cake - face to face with her guardian. Pale and aged as winter down to his very roots, he was the protector of the Silent Ruins, looking after every creature that lived in his shadow as though they were his children - including Marlene. No one knew how long he had presided within the isolated land, only that he was the oldest being of everyone.
“Ho ho ho. Happy birthday, my child.” The elder tree husked, his laughter echoing throughout the dense foliage. “Now, make a wish.”
Closing her eyes, Marlene took a deep breath and blew out the candles. Everyone burst into cheers as she descended back to the grass. Embarrassed but pleased, Marlene bowed over and over before cutting the cake. The cheering subsided as Grandfather Sequoia used his vines to cut the cake into clean slices - enough for everyone to share.
Marlene spent the rest of the day enjoying her party. She caught up with animals from her childhood and met their new families. She danced with Star’s cubs. She even painted a mural across Grandfather Sequoia with a pigment box presented to her as a gift from Leroy, the owl hawk. She never experienced a day full of such laughter and joy, and it was a birthday she would never forget.
Night fell, and soon the cake was gone. The animals left one by one until it was just Marlene and Grandfather Sequoia. Tired but content, she sat before him atop the same stump that once held the massive cake. She was surrounded by gifts, such as flowers and firewood and unusual objects dug from the excavation sites. Her favorite was a pile of comics from different series. They were worn and faded, but thanks to them being wrapped in plastic they were still salvageable. She couldn’t wait to read them later.
“What a day!” She let out a yawn, stretching her arms to the moon as the giant tree chuckled.
“Indeed. I hope you enjoyed yourself.”
“I sure did!” Marlene said. “Thanks to you and everyone, this was the best birthday party ever! I’ve never gotten so many presents before. Not to mention that this is the first time I’ve seen everyone in one place!” Beaming, she looked up appreciatively at her guardian. “Thanks a bunch, old coot!”
“Ho ho ho! It warms these old roots of mine seeing you so happy, dear child.” The old tree cried. “There’s just one last thing. I’ve been saving it for a long time now. I believe you’re old enough to hang onto it now.”
“Another present?” Marlene’s eyes lit up. “But I already have a lot… you don’t have to give me anything else.” She tried not to look too eager as she said this. “B-But if you insist on me having it then I guess I can take it.”
“Oh, I insist.” The old tree said kindly. His branches came alive as he presented a wooden case wrapped with a simple white ribbon. Marlene felt a strange pull towards the gift as her hands hovered over it.
“It’s yours, Marlene.”
Confused but curious, the girl took the box and unfurled the ribbon. She was nearly blinded by a flash of light. When it receded, she was in for the unexpected surprise of her life. Floating before her was a white wand about as long as her forearm. She felt a pull to reach out and take it into her hands, and a shocking current ran through her very bones. Sleek and light to the touch, it couldn’t have weighed more than a feather. At the very tip was an intricate purple crystal that felt warm to the touch. Marlene felt a strange sensation passing through her body as she could’ve sworn she saw it pulse with life.
Yeah, right.
“Fancy stick.” Marlene joked. “What am I supposed to do with this? Poke you?”
“It’s your wand, Marlene. Carved from my very own bark with its core powered from the heart of a star.” Dull brown leaves shuddered as he sighed. “It recognizes you as its mistress. From here on out, you can use magic.”
“Magic?” Marlene repeated in disbelief. “What do you mean, magic?! You’re saying I’m a magician?!” She brandished the wand as though it were an ax, causing the tree to cry out.
“Foolish child! That is a sacred artifact powered by magic! If you wave it around so carelessly, you’ll blow us up to kingdom come!”
“W-What?!” She squeaked. “Tell me things like that sooner! And you thought I should have this?” A nervous gulp. She heeded her guardian’s warning, however, and lowered the wand as delicately as she could. “I thought that stuff was make-believe. You’re telling me I could’ve been casting fireballs and flying this whole time - you just didn’t bother to tell me?”
“My child, I did not know if the Gift truly flowed through your veins.” He remarked. “When a baby is born, do they already know how to speak or walk? When you wish to make a cake, does flour or sugar alone make it so?”
I hate it when he gets all mystical and roundabout, Marlene sniffed.
“When magicians are born, some might already awaken their powers. Others don’t manifest until a later age.” He explained. “In your case, you must work hard and learn how to use magic. You haven’t shown any signs of being able to use magic… until now.” He nodded to the staff in her hands. “For this wand to recognize you - that proves your latent magical abilities have finally awakened.”
“Alright already. I get it,” Marlene huffed. “Even so, why didn’t you tell me all this sooner?”
“Because you are impatient and stubborn,” The old tree mused. “Since you first learned to crawl, you would wander everywhere without letting anything get in your way. Your curiosity to explore the outside world was hard enough for these old roots of mine to handle. Had I told you sooner, you would’ve stopped at nothing to charge out of these ruins without thinking of your own safety - even if it cost you your life. It would’ve been too dangerous for you to venture out on your own without being able to defend yourself.”
Marlene wilted, knowing he was right. Still, she was unhappy he hid these things from her. He might have been trying to keep her safe, but there were some truths she felt she deserved to know sooner. She couldn’t help feeling that she was robbed of being able to make important decisions in her life.
Noticing her dismay, the old tree softened his voice.
“When you’re young, it’s harder to see anywhere than what’s right in front of you.” He said. “I realize it’s difficult, but please try to understand where I’m coming from. As you know, the gift of magic is a blessing… but there have been those who call it a curse. Because of that conflict, humans and magicfolk warred for power over many lifetimes. Their conflict came to a bitter end when ambitious sorcerers tried to summon an evil cosmic entity to win. Doing so nearly destroyed our world and all life on it. Your father sacrificed his life to seal it away. However, our planet is now fractured and divided by black rifts.”
Marlene gave pause.
This was one of the few times the old tree was willing to talk about her parents. Whenever she asked about them before, he always acted like he forgot what they were talking about or fell asleep in the middle of her questioning.
“You once told me my papa died trying to end the war peacefully.” Marlene said. “So… he was actually a magician all along?”
“Your father was a hero. One of the noblest wizards I was privileged to know. He was kind, brave, and a bit of a goofball. And so polite! Always respected his elders!” He said. “Though he was just as pigheaded as you were! But that only matched how big his heart was.” He looked at her with amber eyes full of nostalgia. “You take after him in many ways. I feel as though I’m looking at him when he was a mere sprout! He was a handsome lad. You take after him in looks, but your freckles and eyes are just like your mother’s.”
“Really?” Marlene breathed, fascinated. “Then what about my mother?”
“Oh, miss Nora! She was just a normal woman whose time was cut short,” Grandfather Sequoia sounded wistful and sorrowful. Compared to how he reminisced fondly about her father, he was outright lamenting for her mother. “Quiet but curious. She was quite pretty! Very ladylike indeed,” His eyes drifted over to her then, and Marlene sensed he was making a rude comparison - to which she swatted him for. “Ahem! W-where was I! As I was saying, she was graceful, humble… but her insatiable curiosity could be a troublesome thing! Landed her in hot water more than once. It was inconvenient for her that she didn’t have powers,” He recalled with amusement. “Her friends and your father needed to come to her aid several times.”
“She sounds very beautiful,” Marlene murmured with admiration and a hint of jealousy.
“Nora was that and more,” He affirmed. “But she thought herself ugly when she was a child. Hideous, even. She despised the way she looked and tried in many ways to permanently transform herself. Your father, as a teenager, was self-conscious and shy. He struggled with a great many things and wasn’t the flamboyant hero everyone knew him to be,” He then casted her a knowing look. “Beauty and attractiveness are different things. Do not confuse the two.”
“Even if I don’t get what you’re saying, I know I lack in both.” Marlene sighed, pinching her belly fat and tugging at a wayward curl. Judging from Grandfather’s praise, it was hard to believe that she was the daughter of such an enchanting woman. Nora sounded perfect - if not a scatterbrain at times. Both her parents sounded wonderful. She only wished she would have known them. She changed the subject so she wouldn’t feel so bad anymore.
“So, this scepter is mine for keeps?” Marlene asked, caressing its spine.
“Oh, yes. Your parents wanted you to have that scepter when your magical powers awakened.” He chortled. “Somehow, your father knew you would grow up to become a mage. He infused his own magic into the wand and hoped you would grow up with a pure heart - that’s why the scepter is white.” He told her. “As for the crystal, it’s one of a kind. A heart of a star - a gift from your mother.” There was something strange in the way he said that, but Marlene didn’t think to ask about it. “They made that scepter with their love for you… and it contains a powerful protection spell to keep you from harm. That is their way of watching over you from afar.” The old tree sighed. “May you honor their memory every time you cast a spell.”
“I-I will!” Marlene felt the need to be formal all of a sudden. She straightened her posture. “Thank you, Grandfather Sequoia. Mother and father… wherever you are.” Then she bowed. “Thank you all for looking after me up until this point.”
The giant tree hummed his approval.
“It seems you’ve matured a bit. Now you are ready to carve your own path in the world.”
“You mean… you’ll finally let me leave the ruins?” Marlene didn’t dare hope too much.
“Tomorrow morning, you will be escorted by an old friend of mine to attend Wishwell Academy - a school dedicated to teaching children magecraft.” He said. “Consider this my blessing to you. May you grow up to become a marvelous mage in your own right, Marlene Hull.”
“I’m going to school?! That’s a place where kids like me go and make friends and learn cool things! That’s what you told me, right?!”
“Indeed.”
Elation burst forth like a tidal wave as Marlene let out a whoop and hugged the tree as best as she could. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! A school that teaches magic?! This is going to be so amazing! I’ll finally make friends with people, cast amazing spells, meet exotic animals, go exploring… it’s gonna be so great!” She squealed, unable to contain her excitement. “Oh, I wish tomorrow was already here!”
Grandfather Sequoia watched her with warm pride and amusement. As happy as he was for her, he was also a touch worried. He needed to give her more than a few nudges towards her treehouse to get her to sleep as it was very late. She barely listened to him in her excitement.
“Tomorrow will be here soon enough, child. Your instructor will arrive at the crack of dawn. Now go and rest.”
