Long ago, lived a kind wizard named Daniel and his apprentice, Phoenix.
Now a wizard could never be considered ordinary, but in this case, it Phoenix who was special. He, after all, was a chicken so everyone called him Pho-Pho.
Once, during a battle between the legendary Kir the Tanner and the Last Dragon, a drop of dragon’s blood fell on Pho-Pho.
He mistakenly thought that this had given him magic skills. While some would’ve been happy about this, Pho-Pho’s dream was to be a warrior, not an apprentice.
On this day the dragon was doomed, but just as Kir was about to deliver a mortal blow the wizard stopped him. This, after all, was the last dragon. It’s magic was majestic and rare and for that it would be spared, but for it’s past deeds, it would be punished.
Daniel turned it into a calf. Into the calf, the wizard put the good side of the beast – Dragon’s Light, while it’s dark half – Dragon’s Shadow - he left in the cave. This calf was to live a kind and docile life. In its new life, this calf-dragon would need guidance.
As the son of Kir, Nicky was expected to be brave and bold, but instead he turned out kind, meek and generous. As a result, he was judged and bullied. He never complained though. Frustrated, Kir took his son into the woods to search for Daniel, hoping the wizard could help.
Daniel was happy to help. He introduced Nicky to his calf. The boy, loving dragons, but having no idea of the true nature of this animal, suspected nothing and the two became inseparable.
Nicky named him Draco. They headed into the forest to explore. The wizard ordered Pho-Pho to keep an eye on them. As Nicky and Draco walked deeper into forest, a loud shriek startled them.
They followed the sound to a tree, hanging from which, was Tricky, a young goblin. Nicky freed him from the magic trap.
It was a trap set by a blood-thirsty ogre named Crook.
Crook was very angry as he returned empty-handed back to his mistress, the Marsh Witch. She’d ordered him to capture Tricky, whom she needed for a horrifying rite. The witch almost killed Crook for failing her.
She’d been angry for so long that she’d forgotten why she was angry in the first place. It was nearly time to perform her rite and she still needed the four children necessary to do it. The Marsh Witch tried using her magic to find Tricky, but he and Nicky were safely hidden behind the Dragon’s Light charms.
Tricky wanted revenge on Crook and asked Nicky to help, which was amazing because Tricky had never never asked anyone for anything. Up until now if he wanted something he would have just stolen it… ANYTHING! After being kidnapped by bandits as a baby, Tricky had barely escaped. He knew nothing of his family and because he was a thief, he had no friends.
Tricky was fearless and untrusting. He even battled with the squirrels, showing them disrespect by stealing their nuts and whatever else he could lay his hands on. Needless to say, it was a constant confrontation! Despite all of this, his heart was warm… he was merely trying to survive!
To survive, he could use his bandit artifact, the Panty Nooky. Anything and everything could be hidden in their magic pockets, including the moon. They couldn’t, however, help him to get out of a magic trap.
Tricky led his new friends to the Yaga Backwoods. It was the only place he could find a stinking mushroom, the smell of which would bring the ogre to its knees.
Tricky found the mushroom but plans changed when the three were nearly captured themselves by the furious bouncer Crook.
Lucky to escape, Tricky offered to lead his friends home, but they couldn’t find wizard Daniel because the Marsh Witch had interwoven the forest paths.
They tried moving through the tree tops but ended up falling into Blue Lake. Tricky hated water but they were pleased to meet the little mermaid, Ivy.
Ivy, a mischievous girl, whose pretty smile hid sadness. The lake was her jail. Because of the evil Prophecy she was cast out from the Underwater Kingdom and under control of the mysterious Guard Of The Lake.
In the middle of a yawn she spotted Tricky, Nicky and Draco. Nicky was charmed and promised her a bouquet of poppies. Tricky decided to use Ivy’s knowledge to learn how to deal with the squirrels, whom he’d battled for years.
With diplomacy, Ivy told Tricky to make peace.
The price of peace was high and cost him three bags of nuts.
The squirrels also wanted to celebrate the peace in the majestic Five Oak.
But Tricky denied them because it was there he’d stashed his Nook.
The squirrels raided his Nook anyway.
Later, while cleaning up the mess, Nicky noticed a Fire Flower sign that Tricky’d drawn long ago. This was a magic flower that bloomed once every thousand years and could reveal buried treasures. Unfortunately, the Marsh Witch needed it too.
She’d learned in her magic books that a drop of blood from each child spilled on the Fire Flower would make it fulfill any wish. According to lore, there was a magic knife that could point to the direction of the flower.
It was said that the knife was hidden in a secret cave, whose walls were marked with the sign of the Fire Flower.
Wizard Daniel had once mentioned this sign to Nicky. He’d said it was in the Dragon’s Cave. The three set out for the dragon’s cave, where the wizard Daniel had left its evil side - Dragon’s Shadow.
Once there, Tricky and Draco, being magical beings, were blocked from entering by the Locking Charms. Nicky would have to get the knife, alone.
Upon entering the cave, the evil of the dragon’s shadow flew into him. Nicky found the knife but emerged from the cave with a darkened soul.
Finally holding the knife, Tricky could only think of the Fire Flower, but Nicky angrily demanded that they look for the poppies he’d promised Ivy. Tricky was furious.
Surely, a treasure hunt was more important than poppies. Nicky left in a rage, ending the friendship. Draco ran after Nicky. Watching this in her well was the Marsh Witch. After a good sleep on the forest green, Nicky and Draco awoke. Nicky’s mood seemed lighter as he looked for poppies. After finding enough he made a lovely bouquet.
Draco thought the flowers looked tasty and he ate them. This enraged Nicky and he drove Draco away! But as the calf turned to run, the evil Dragon’s Shadow leapt out of Nicky and into him.
The boy instantly awoke as if from a nightmare. All he could think of were poppies and a mermaid. He gathered another bouquet and headed to the lake where he was met and captured by the Marsh Witch!
Draco, having forgiven Nicky’s outburst, sensed trouble, but inside him the dragon’s good side and bad side were battling. Would darkness or light prevail?
Perhaps they would unite. Draco changed back into a young dragon. All he cared about was Nicky. This love for his friend had pushed the evil away.
The Last Dragon, reborn, rushed off to save his friend!
Chicken Pho-Pho could no longer stand idly by and decided to get help from Ivy’s father, the ruler of the Underwater Kingdom. The Water Lord immediately put aside his work and ran to help his beloved Ivy, whom the Marsh Witch was trying to coax out of Blue Lake.
Ivy would be the third child in her spell but capturing her from the lake was hard. The Marsh Witch decided to use Nicky as bait. Ivy asked the Guard Of The Lake how she could free Nicky.
The Guard Of The Lake told her that as Water Princess, she only had to leave the water for the destiny of the world to be in her hands and that the jail was only in her mind. As a sorceress, she needed only to wish and she’d be where she desired.
Tricky was led by the knife into the Pagan Shrine. There among the stone idols, the Fire Flower was in blossom. The Marsh Witch needed to stop Tricky and readied herself to do so.
Draco planned to rescue Nicky but before he could, he was caught by the Witch. Draco would be the last child she needed for her spell. She ordered Crook to bring Nicky and Draco to the Pagan Shrine.
Ivy magically arrived at the Pagan Shrine and tried desperately to awaken the good buried in the Marsh Witch’s soul. The Guard Of The Lake had revealed to her a secret. The Witch was in fact, her mother.
Once a loving woman, she’d turned to hatred and darkness when she discovered that they wanted to throw her daughter into the Abyss because of the Prophecy. Heronimus flew in to help, but his magic wouldn’t work. The Marsh Witch began her spell.
The Fire Flower was in bloom. Tricky snatched the flower, but a whirlwind born of black magic was gathering above the Shrine and the Witch, who’d stepped out of the magic circle, was being sucked into it. Tricky stared at the flower that would make him rich beyond compare, but looking at Ivy, his heart softened. Love and kindness grew within him. He handed her the flower. The Prophecy could now be realized.
The world was hers to rule, save or destroy, but all she could think of was saving her mother. Through her purity of heart and her capacity to love, the Water Princess had saved the world. Her mother, once lost in darkness, had come to the light again. Love had once again conquered all.
When the Water Lord arrived he found only his long lost wife and a daughter who finally knew her power and was free to go where she wanted, provided she had her parent’s permission, of course!
Finally Nicky had a real Dragon and Tricky realized that having possessions doesn’t make you rich, having friends does. Even Heronimus was suddenly gifted with wizardry. As far as Pho-Pho, he remained simply a chicken.
But even he realized that it’s not what we look like that makes heroes of us, but the warmth of the light that glows inside. Through his travels, experiences and belief in himself, Pho-Pho finally attained his magic apprentice skills and can transform into anything he desires! Now he’s an almighty Phoenix, though a very small one.
Казка з татом Микита Кожум'яка Антон Сіяніка Никита Кожемяка Антон Сияника Niki Tanner Anton Siyanika Nicky Tanner and the Fire Flower
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