It’s time for this week’s Song Title Challenge.

Write a short piece of fiction, around 300 words, using the song title as your story title but don’t listen to the song.  You can pick your own genre or use the one suggested to me.  Remember to link back to this post so I can find yours.

If you would like to suggest a song title for a future post, you can do so from the challenge page.  You can also leave a suggestion on the Facebook page.

As I’m celebrating another year I’ve managed to not join the choir invisible (you can congratulate me in the comments, though if you really want to make my day, take part in today’s challenge) I’ve picked my own song. I googled song titles containing the word “birthday” and settled on The Magician’s Birthday by Uriah Heep. Given the occasion I allowed myself a few extra words.

Enjoy.

The Magician’s Birthday

A whistle pierced the air and Suraya flattened herself against the stone wall of the corridor. Light flooded through the windows, followed closely by the boom of the rocket exploding. The crowd in the courtyard cheered.

Fools, thought Suraya. She couldn’t believe how easily the townspeople had been enthralled with a handful of potions and a couple of parlour tricks. For weeks the only topic of conversation had been the magician’s birthday. But the celebration gave her the opportunity she needed to get into the castle.

A practitioner herself, Suraya had known Dastor instantly for what he was – a sorcerer – and he had known her. When her mother’s amulet vanished she’d known it could only be him.

The castle was deserted. Apparently Dastor was as cocky as he was vain. He clearly didn’t believe anyone would pass on the opportunity to gaze at his magic lights in the sky and hadn’t posted any guards. Suraya didn’t mind. It made her task easier.

The door to Dastor’s study was locked. Suraya focused on the lock. “Analak.” She heard a click, and opened the door. The room was empty. She moved to the centre, closed her eyes, and extended her power, searching.

“Looking for this?”

Suraya spun round. Dastor leaned against a wall, the amulet dangling from his fingers.

“That is mine!” Suraya flung out her hand and sent a fireball straight at him. At this distance it was impossible to miss, but where Dastor had stood a moment before there was now only a burning tapestry.

Before she could recover something pinned her arms to her side. Her legs snapped together and her mouth clamped shut. Dastor chuckled and materialised in front of her.

“You took your time. I was starting to wonder if you’d ever show up.” He gestured at the tapestry and the flames vanished. “Impressive. You are powerful, even more than I expected.”

Dastor reached out his hand and caressed her cheek. Suraya tried to recoil, but whatever was holding her would not give. “We are going to achieve remarkable things, you and I,” he said. He leaned in as if to kiss her, but then drew back. “We’ll continue this later, my dear. I have to attend to my guests.”

The door creaked open. Then he was before her again. “Oh, yes,” he said. “This is what you came for, isn’t it?” He hung her amulet around her neck and left.

For a few moments Suraya struggled against her bonds. If she could just move a finger, whisper a word, but statues had more mobility. Outside the crowd cheered once more as a rocket exploded overhead, while Suraya stared at the undamaged tapestry.

Copyright © 2014 Herman Kok

And here’s this week’s song. It’s rather long, but quite marvellous.

Also, Uriah Heep! Why has no one ever told me about these guys?

• Fiction
• Song Title Challenge