The Tower of Forgotten Spells

In the heart of an ancient, whispering forest, where the trees gnarled like the arthritic fingers of forgotten giants, there stood a legend as elusive as the mist that danced between the trunks at dawn. It was a legend of the Enchanter’s Tower, a spire of stone and spellwork that pierced the heavens only when the moon devoured the sun’s light during a lunar eclipse.

On such a rare celestial event, a motley crew of adventurers—Vesper, an indigo-cloaked sorceress; Joric, a bard with a lute strung with the silver hair of a siren; and Nyx, the thief whose fingers were as deft with locks as they were with the dark spaces between stars—traveled towards the part of the forest where reality seemed as thin as a faerie’s wing.

The moon began its slow dance across the sun, and as the last sliver of light threatened to disappear, there came a deep, grinding sound, like the earth itself chewing on its own teeth. Before them, stones rose from the soil, stacking themselves with the elegance of a spell long whispered. The Tower, made of midnight and lost tales, stood defiant against the backdrop of the eclipsed sky.

The trio crossed the threshold, and the door—carved from wood older than memory—closed behind them with a resounding note that seemed to sing of ages past. Inside, the air was thick with magic, dust motes floating lazily around them, glowing faintly with speckled enchantments.

“You could read for a thousand years and still only scratch the surface,” Vesper murmured as they entered the vast library. Shelves heavy with books stretched up into the shadows, their titles shimmering in languages that hummed with old magic.

Joric strummed his lute, the notes quivering in the air, “Best start with the A’s, then?”

Nyx, who had been silently scouting the shadows, hissed softly, “We haven’t the leisure of a thousand years. Dawn will steal this place back into the earth, and us with it, should we tarry too long.”

They split up, each taking a direction that seemed to summon them. Vesper descended into the verses of spellcraft, her fingers tracing the archaic symbols that danced before her eyes. Joric found himself drawn to a tome as large as a grave stone, its melody ensorcelling his soul. Nyx, meanwhile, flitted through the darker corners, nimble fingers prying secrets from between tightly bound pages.

As the night waned, and the moon began to retreat from its veil, the spells began to sing to them. Not in whispers but in choruses that filled the air with the promise of lost magic now found. Vesper uttered incantations that turned her breath to frost and her words to winter’s bite.

Joric, with his lute, plucked a tune that had not been heard since the world was young and stars sang to one another across the void of space.

And Nyx? Nyx found a small, unassuming book, its cover plain and unadorned. Yet within its pages lay the spell of Binding Time—a spell to tether moments, to hold the dawn at bay.

With a thief’s grace, he brought the spell to Vesper and Joric, and together, by the light of a fading lunar glow, they spoke the words that few had ever dared to whisper.

Time paused, a reluctant breath held by the world around them. As the first light of dawn reached like desperate fingers toward the tower, it found itself caught, tangled in the net of their combined spells. The Tower stood steadfast under the sun’s gaze, a monument not just to power, but to the audacity of those who dared wield it.

When they finally emerged, the sun high and unyielding, the Enchanter’s Tower remained. Rooted in place by magic old and new, a library vast and endless at their disposal—till the end of their days and beyond.

For what is a day, really, to those who have stolen time?

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Story Club Questions

1. What do you think each character brought to the quest in terms of their skills and personalities?

• How does the setting of the forest enhance the mythical nature of the Enchanter's Tower?

• Discuss the symbolic significance of the lunar eclipse in the story.

• What might the Enchanter’s Tower represent in the context of the narrative?

• Did the characters' actions reflect their growth or change by the end of the story?

• How does the element of time function as both an obstacle and a tool?

• If you could add one more character to the group, what sort of abilities or traits would they have?

• What do you think will be the long-term consequences of stopping time for the adventurers?

• How does the use of magic in the story compare to other fantasy tales you’ve read?

• What themes do you think the author intended to explore with this story?

Historical Notes

The concept of an enchanted tower dates back to various myths and folklore, where towers symbolized places of isolation, wisdom, and mystery. Lunar and solar eclipses have been seen as powerful omens throughout history, often associated with divine intervention or the influence of magic.

Further Reading

• The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

• A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

• The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

• The Once and Future King by T.H. White

Related Movies and TV Shows

• The Lord of the Rings trilogy

• The Witcher (TV series)

• Merlin (TV series)

• The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

• Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (TV series)

Activities

• Write Your Own Enchanted Legend: Create a short story about a mythical structure that only appears under specific magical circumstances.

• Design a Magical Tower: Draw or use a digital tool to design your own version of the Enchanter's Tower, including incredible rooms and mysterious artifacts.

• Magic Spell Exercise: Write out instructions for a new spell that could be included in the adventure. Describe its effects and requirements.

• Lunar Eclipse Viewing: Plan an evening to observe a real lunar eclipse, and discuss the story while watching the celestial event.

• Character Cosplay: Choose one of the characters and create a costume representing them. Share your interpretation with your book club.