They taught him the magical arts, but only how to use them to kill. He can call down lightning from the sky, freeze his enemies in place with ice, and summon fire from nowhere. He spreads pain and death for the glory of the Empire and the terror of its many enemies.
He looks out across the battlefield and sees other wizards healing the wounded and summoning wondrous creatures. He envies them. He wonders what it’s like to use magic to help people.
All he knows is how to destroy. He vows that someday his masters will regret teaching him.

“Witch Hat” by kellyhogaboom is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Everyday Drabbles © 2025 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.