6. The Wandering Wisp Incident
Eryndor's week of rigorous training continued, though he approached each lesson with his signature blend of half-hearted effort and boundless mischief. He was a little over seven years of age and it was a beautiful day, just as he was beginning to think things couldn't get worse, Archmage Kaelith summoned him to the castle's arcane laboratory.
"This," Kaelith said, holding up a jar containing a faintly glowing wisp, "is a captured wandering wisp. A harmless magical entity, provided you don't provoke it."
The wisp flitted inside the jar, its light pulsating like a heartbeat.
"Your task today is simple," Kaelith continued. "Channel your mana to calm the wisp and attune to its energy. It's a test of focus."
Eryndor stared at the wisp, intrigued. His system chimed in with impeccable timing:
[New Task: Annoy the Wisp Until It Reacts. Reward: +1 Creativity Point.]
Eryndor couldn't help but grin. "Annoying it, huh? That sounds way more fun than calming it."
Kaelith sat cross-legged nearby, muttering a spell to monitor Eryndor's progress. Eryndor, however, had other plans.
First, he poked the jar. The wisp flared slightly, its glow intensifying.
"Easy there, little guy," Eryndor whispered, tapping the glass again. "Let's see how feisty you really are."
Next, he attempted to infuse the jar with his mana— not to calm the wisp, but to amplify its energy.
The wisp's light exploded into a brilliant flash, momentarily blinding Kaelith.
"Eryndor!" Kaelith barked. "What did you do?"
"Uh... nothing?" He said jokingly.
Before Kaelith could reprimand him further, the wisp shot out of the jar, zipping around the room like a rogue firework.
The wisp darted through the air, knocking over shelves of potions and scattering spellbooks. Eryndor scrambled after it, dodging a falling cauldron that narrowly missed his head.
"Catch it!" Kaelith roared, his beard bristling with fury.
"I'm trying!" Eryndor yelled, leaping onto a table in a futile attempt to grab the glowing menace.
The system chimed again:
[New Task: Capture the Wisp Using Only a Spoon. Bonus Reward: +1 Dexterity Point.]
Eryndor snatched a spoon from a nearby table, holding it aloft like a sword. "All right, you little troublemaker, prepare to be spooned!"
The wisp seemed to sense his intentions. It zipped toward the door, phasing through the wood and into the castle corridors.
"Great," Eryndor muttered. "It's loose."
For a moment he considered the worst possible case scenario but as usual his carefree nature took hold again.
The wisp's escape quickly became everyone's problem. It zoomed through the dining hall, where Elantha and Celyndor were eating lunch.
"Is that a wisp?" Elantha asked, blinking in surprise.
Celyndor, ever the serious one, stood up. "Eryndor must be involved."
Sure enough, their younger brother came skidding into the hall moments later, clutching a spoon like a madman.
"Out of the way!" Eryndor shouted, sliding across the polished floor with surprising agility.
The wisp darted around the chandelier, sending a shower of sparks onto the table. Elantha shrieked, while Celyndor grabbed a pitcher of water and threw it at the wisp.
Unfortunately, he missed. The water hit Eryndor instead, drenching him from head to toe.
"Nice aim, brother!" Eryndor sputtered, shaking water out of his hair.
Celyndor shit him and annoyed glance. "Can't you be serious for once?"
Eryndor simply smirked and said. "I'll try."
The chase continued into the servants' quarters and eventually into the bathhouse. Eryndor burst in just as a group of maids were enjoying a rare moment of relaxation.
"What in the name of the stars—" one of them began, covering herself with a towel.
"I'm not here for that!" Eryndor shouted, waving his spoon. "It's the wisp!"
The wisp, apparently amused by the chaos, zipped into the air, sending steam swirling in every direction. The maids screamed and scattered, slipping on the wet tiles as Eryndor tried— and failed— to corner the mischievous light.
In the confusion, Eryndor slipped and landed face-first in a tub of soapy water.
[New Task: Escape with Dignity. Reward: +1 Reputation Among Servants.]
Eryndor stood up, soap bubbles clinging to his hair. "Ladies, as much as I'd love to stay and chat, I have a wisp to catch!"
The wisp finally cornered itself in the royal throne room, its light pulsating wildly. Eryndor approached cautiously, spoon in hand.
Kaelith appeared moments later, panting. "Eryndor, if you don't capture that wisp right now, I swear—"
"I've got this!" Eryndor interrupted, leaping forward with an acrobatic spin. He managed to trap the wisp under the spoon, pinning it to the ground.
The wisp flared one last time before vanishing in a puff of smoke.
Kaelith groaned, rubbing his temples. "You are the bane of my existence."
"Mission accomplished!" Eryndor declared, twirling the spoon triumphantly.
By the time the chaos settled, Eryndor had earned a new reputation in the castle: the prince who could turn even the simplest task into utter pandemonium.
His system chimed in one last time:
[Daily Summary: Tasks Completed – 2. Rewards Earned – Dexterity +1, Creativity +1, Reputation Among Servants: Neutral.]
As Eryndor returned to his room, soaked, bruised, and thoroughly exhausted, he couldn't help but grin. Sure, things had gotten a little out of hand, but wasn't that what being a prince was all about?