On a hunch, Anders returned to the character’s house where the game first began. There, waiting for him, stood the spirit of the good wizard, who had died in an epic battle in the opening cut scene. He hovered over the floor, waiting.
GREETINGS, ANDERS. The text unfurled across the screen. I’M GLAD YOU FOUND YOUR WAY HOME IN TIME. THE QUESTION IS, ARE YOU NOW PREPARED TO WIELD THE CRYSTAL MIRROR?
A yes/no dialogue popped up. Anders selected YES.
VERY GOOD! the wizard responded. IN THAT CASE…
The wizard held up a crystal mirror in his hand, a translucent geode with pixelated edges angled like a parallelogram. The television screen warped and wobbled. Anders was momentarily impressed to see such a vivid rendering on an old console game. A moment later the rangy, wildly grinning spirit of the wizard materialized in front of him in the dim light of the basement.
Anders lurched to his feet.
“Well done, young Anders!” The tip of the wizard’s pointy hat wobbled as he nodded. “Very well done, indeed. I believe this belongs to you now.”
“What the—”
Stunned, Anders could do nothing but drop his controller and accept the crystal mirror.
“The crystal mirror’s magical ability is insight. It allows you to see that which others do not. With it you can uncover the dragon’s lair, drive the beast from it, and rescue the Princess Nadine.”
Anders blinked. “Sorry?”
The wizard didn’t seem to hear him.
“Perhaps you’ll find a use for this as well.” The wizard removed and held out his hat, a tall, cone-shaped affair, midnight blue and patterned with starbursts. His hair was thinning beneath it. “Good luck, noble warrior.”
“But the princess. Her name—it’s not…”
Without another word, the wizard warped, faded, and vanished.
Anders looked down at the crystal mirror, felt its solid weight in his hands.
“Nadine,” he finished. “What just happened?
“Anders!” his mother called from the top of the stairs “You’re going to miss the bus!”
Anders stuffed the translucent geode into his backpack, scrambled up the stairs and bolted through the house without making eye contact with his mother. It was only as the door slammed behind him that he realized he was clutching the wizard’s hat in his hand.
