Chapter 1: Arrival in Astoria
The magical land of Astoria had been a dream of Everett's for as long as he could remember. It was a place filled with spells, enchanted creatures, and fantastical landscapes. Witches and wizards roamed freely, practicing magic as casually as anyone else might use their phone. For Everett, who had grown up in the mundane world of smartphones and Wi-Fi, Astoria was like a living fairytale.
Now, as the plane descended toward the glowing city below, a bubble of excitement rose in his chest. The clouds parted, and for the first time, he saw the spires of the magical capital reaching into the sky, their surfaces shimmering with enchantments that pulsed in every shade of purple, blue, and gold.
"I can’t believe I’m actually here," he muttered, his face pressed against the airplane window.
When the plane touched down, Everett quickly grabbed his backpack and practically bolted through the terminal. The airport itself was unlike any he had seen before. Sure, there were typical rows of chairs and duty-free shops, but they floated in mid-air. Signs flickered with magic, updating flight schedules without the need for screens, and there were even witches and wizards casting spells to help with luggage.
As he stepped into the bustling heart of the airport, Everett realized how real this world truly was. There was magic everywhere.
He pulled out his phone, the one piece of mundane technology that still worked in this magical realm, and checked the witch escort app he had downloaded out of curiosity. *WitchGuide: Explore Astoria With Your Own Witch Escort!* the tagline read.
“I guess I’ll need a guide,” he mused to himself, scrolling through the various profiles.
There were experienced witches, veterans of guiding tourists through the mystical lands of Astoria, but Everett found his attention drawn to the newer ones. Then, he spotted her profile. Evanora.
Her profile picture showed a young witch, maybe around his age, with wavy red hair that looked slightly frazzled. Her green eyes sparkled with excitement, and she wore the classic witch's robe, though it looked a little too big for her, giving her an endearingly clumsy appearance. Her bio read: *New to the business! I’m excited to guide you through Astoria...once I figure out how to fly my broomstick properly!*
Everett chuckled.
"Well, I guess everyone has to start somewhere."
Without thinking too much, he clicked to hire her as his escort, ignoring the fact that there were more experienced witches he could’ve chosen. Maybe it was the adventurous part of him that liked the idea of exploring Astoria with someone who didn’t have it all figured out yet either.
Within seconds, he received a message from Evanora: *I'll be right there! Look for the witch in the black hat with a green ribbon!*
Everett shoved his phone back into his pocket and wandered over to the pick-up area. People from all over were stepping onto broomsticks or hopping into enchanted carriages pulled by magical creatures. The sight made him feel like he had stepped into a fantasy novel. But before he could get too swept up in the wonder of it all, he heard a loud crashing noise.
THWACK!
Everett turned just in time to see a young witch tangled in a row of airport signs. She was upside down, hanging precariously from her broomstick, which was wedged in the metal frame above. The pointed hat with a green ribbon fell off her head, fluttering down like a leaf in the wind. A small crowd had gathered, murmuring among themselves.
“That’s probably my escort,” Everett mumbled, rubbing his temples with a sigh.
Sure enough, as the witch finally disentangled herself, she landed on the floor with a thud, her broomstick clattering down next to her. Flustered, she jumped to her feet and dusted herself off, looking around frantically for her hat.
When she finally spotted Everett, her face turned a deep shade of red. She stumbled over to him, trying to fix her robes which had become slightly askew in the crash.
“H-Hi!” she said, still catching her breath. “You must be Everett. I’m Evanora. Your, um, escort witch.”
Everett tried not to laugh but couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face.
“Yeah, that would be me.”
Evanora smiled awkwardly, her embarrassment clear. She fumbled with her broomstick, holding it tightly as if it might escape again.
“I, uh, I was trying to land,” she explained, her voice full of nervous energy.
“But the broomstick—well, it has a mind of its own sometimes. Still getting the hang of flying it. No big deal, though! I’m totally fine. And ready to be your guide!”
She spoke so fast that Everett barely had time to respond.
“Yeah, I saw,” he said, still holding back a chuckle. “You’re okay though, right?”
“Right!” Evanora said with an enthusiastic nod, though her cheeks were still flushed. “Totally fine. Not my worst landing, if I’m being honest.”
“Well, that’s reassuring,” Everett said, and this time, Evanora cracked a smile too.
She quickly grabbed her hat, which was still lying on the ground, and plopped it back onto her head. The broomstick floated a few feet off the ground, wobbling slightly as if trying to rebel against her control.
“So, uh, how’s this going to work?” Everett asked, gesturing at the broomstick.
“We’re both supposed to fit on that thing?”
Evanora bit her lip, glancing at her broomstick.
“Oh, totally! It’s made for two. I mean, it’s a bit temperamental, but I’m sure we’ll be fine.”
The broomstick gave a slight lurch as if it disagreed with her statement.
Everett looked at her uncertainly, but she waved him over.
“Come on! You’re in Astoria now. Gotta travel like the locals!”
With a deep breath, Everett nodded.
“Alright, let’s do this.”
He climbed on the broomstick behind her, gripping the edge nervously. The moment he settled in, the broom jerked upward like a startled cat, causing both of them to wobble dangerously in the air.
Evanora yelped, clutching the broomstick tighter.
“Easy, easy,” she muttered under her breath, trying to regain control. The broomstick dipped suddenly, sending Everett and Evanora crashing back to the ground, both tumbling off in a heap.
Everett groaned, rubbing his head as he sat up. “Well, that went great.”
Evanora looked equally disheveled, her hair sticking out in odd directions from her hat. She gave a sheepish smile. “Okay, maybe that wasn’t the smoothest start. But we’ll get there, I promise!”
Everett couldn’t help but laugh, shaking his head. “This is going to be an interesting trip, isn’t it?”
She beamed at him. “Absolutely! You’ll never forget it, that’s for sure.”
With some difficulty, they both managed to get back onto the broomstick. This time, Evanora muttered a few spells under her breath, and the broom finally seemed to settle down. Slowly, they rose off the ground, wobbling slightly but staying airborne.
Everett clutched onto Evanora, his knuckles white. “This thing doesn’t have seatbelts, does it?”
Evanora giggled. “Nope! Just hold on tight!”
As they wobbled higher, soaring out of the airport and over the city, Everett couldn’t help but feel a mix of exhilaration and terror. Below them, the vibrant streets of Astoria stretched out in all directions. Witches and wizards walked about, casting spells casually, while magical creatures wandered freely. Enchanted buildings shimmered with energy, their windows glowing with mysterious lights.
“So, what’s the first stop?” Everett asked, trying to focus on anything other than the fact that they were teetering precariously in the air.
“There’s a cute little lodging house not far from here!” Evanora said brightly. “It’s got the best enchanted beds in the city! Plus, they serve breakfast that literally floats to your table.”
Everett raised an eyebrow. “As long as we don’t crash into it on the way.”
Evanora blushed, steering the broomstick carefully. “No promises.”
They zipped through the sky, Evanora managing to avoid any more catastrophic falls for the moment. As they flew, Everett felt his nerves start to settle. Maybe this wouldn’t be such a disaster after all. In fact, he was starting to enjoy the chaos.
And so, Everett’s journey through Astoria had officially begun—with a clumsy witch by his side, a rebellious broomstick under him, and a growing sense that this trip was going to be a lot more memorable than he had ever expected.