PULP & POPCORN

Page 44
The Magician paid them no attention. He produced a small box from one of his
seemingly endless number of pockets and set it on his open palm, then removed the lid.
He took another box from within, but somehow, the second box was bigger. The third
one, removed from the second, was bigger still.
Noel began to laugh as the Magician produced a series of larger and larger boxes until
finally he lifted out a box so big he could barely hold it. He dropped it with a heavy sound
and pushed it across the polished floor of the court so it was in front of Noel.
Quickly, the Magician backed away.
The lid of the box was torn loose as the head and long neck of a dragon exploded from
the box, whipping around to face Noel with a roar. People around the room began to scatter,
shrieking, and the dragon let loose several blasts of flame, forcing people to crowd into the
corners, cowering and afraid.
Only Noel stayed where he was. Even when the dragon came back around, Noel
refused to move. He did not believe the Magician was there to hurt him. Even so, the
dragon opened his mouth and poured a lethal stream of fire over the king, enveloping him
completely.
People cried out in horror, but that turned to cheers of surprise and wonder when the
dragon stopped and it was revealed that Noel was unscathed. If anything, he looked amused
now by the display.
The Magician made a small bottle appear in one hand with a flourish and threw it high
into the air, where the dragon caught it, snapping closed its jaws with a tiny crunch. In one
instant, the entire dragon transformed to water, collapsing in a wave to the floor of the
court.
Instead of pooling, though, the water seemed to be absorbed into the ground, quickly,
completely. With that, all signs of the Magician’s magic were gone.
For a long moment, there was only silence, and then Noel stood and began to applaud,
and the entire court followed suit.