The Dragon Within Me: Book Three Of: the Wizard Within Me

By Arnie Grimm

First there was The Wizard Within Me. Then came along The Curse Within Me. Now, here is The Dragon Within Me. This trilogy will take you inside the magical world and allow you to discover the unseen magical world that exists around us. Read them in order. Read them out of order. Youll enjoy each book no matter what order you read them in.
It was crystal clear that Zimmer Wardcrystal had a long enduring grudge with the magical world. What was unclear to all was what Zimmer Wardcrystal had unleashed this time and went completely out of control.
What did Simon Norman Lavinsky get himself into when he went to Zimmer Wardcrystal the ghoul? Was it really Simons lucky day when he joined forces with the entity known as the Black Dragon? The wizarding world knew all too well the only way to kill a dragon is to cut its heart out. That is exactly what JayCee Mnter wanted to do to Simon, if they could only catch him.
Nothing could stop the Black Dragon from removing magic from the world. Read the final book of The Wizard Within Me trilogy, to see if Penelope Candlewick and JayCee Mnter can stop this latest foe of the magical world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jan 29, 2013
• ISBN: 9781481710534

Arnie Grimm

Arnie Grimm and Wazoo the Wizard have conjured up a thrilling tale of dark magic that has a lasting effect over time, better known as a lingering curse after death. Arnie Grimm is once again listening to his imaginary friend Wazoo the Wizard tell stories while sitting in the Poison Apple Tavern. Does that mean Arnie Grimm is sitting there in the Poison Apple Tavern listening along with the other patrons of the Tavern while Wazoo spins his tales? Of course the Poison Apple Tavern and the town of Broomstick only exist in Arnie Grimm’s mind, says Arnie Grimm. Ha ha ha ha, laughed Wazoo the Wizard in the background knowing the magical world really exist and Arnie Grimm is drowning deep in the middle of it.

Book preview

Chapter One

The Deathly Deal

O n a two lane paved highway, if you were not paying attention you would drive right by the town’s sign. This is a town where magic is the norm, not the exception. Witches and wizards hide their existence here from the rest of the world by not hiding at all.

In the middle of this town is the Hidden Quiddity Potion Shop owned by two sisters, Agnes and Harriet. Together, these two sisters had their fingers on the pulse of the magical world.

If something caused a disturbance in magic, Agnes and Harriet wouldn’t hesitate to investigate the cause. Did I forget to tell you, Agnes and Harriet are witches.

Oh, who am I you ask? I’m your storyteller. I am Wazoo the Wizard. Welcome to the town of Broomstick.

My story doesn’t start in Broomstick with Agnes and Harriet. This story began about seventy years ago in a small unknown town of Pruntyville, West Virginia.

Lucy Pride was dead, burnt to ashes by her black magic. With Lucy’s magical amulet destroyed, her soul was doomed to the darkest pit of the underworld.

Milford Pride knew he had to make a deal to get his wife’s soul out of the underworld. It was a deal that no wizard or witch would ever do.

It was a rare deal even for Zimmer Wardcrystal, the ghoul. To get hold of a witch girl as a servant was the ultimate deal.

Milford and Lucy Pride were the parents of a very young witch. They named her Mary. After Lucy caused her own untimely death, Milford had the chore of raising Mary. Sadden with grief over Lucy’s death, Milford did the unthinkable, he made a deal with the ghoul of all ghouls.

One night Milford told his daughter Mary to stay in her room. Keep quiet and do not to come out until morning.

Mary and her father lived in a small three room shack in the woods. There was no way to keep secrets hidden. Through the slits in Mary’s door, she could see her father and another man.

Standing there was a short man with a pointy nose wearing a hideous checkered suit with a brown derby.

I’m not comfortable with doing this deal of collateral. Getting a soul out of the underworld on a promissory note of receiving an amulet after one’s death is almost unheard of, said Zimmer Wardcrystal.

You said almost unheard of, stated Milford Pride.

Yes, almost. It has only been done once before and the results were deadly, said Zimmer.

That is the deal I’m offering. My daughter and my amulet after my natural death for Lucy’s soul to be released to Nirvana now. said Milford.

What you are asking for is worth a great deal more, stated Zimmer Wardcrystal.

Will you do what we are agreeing to? questioned Milford.

I think I should at least get your daughter now. I could use a personal servant, suggested Zimmer Wardcrystal.

Will you do what we are agreeing to? Milford questioned again.

Yes, she will be freed moments after you sign the promissory note, said Wardcrystal.

Then you will get your payment when the time of my death comes, no sooner, and no foul play either to get it sooner, said Mary’s father to Wardcrystal.

Wardcrystal with his back to Mary’s door said loud enough for Mary to here, At your death she will hand over your amulet and come with me, with no questions asked? Then sign here, said Wardcrystal with a crooked smile.

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Mary Pride was an introverted witch. As the years passed since that night, Mary studied witchcraft and magic from hand written books she would come across through books at rummage sales and used book stores. She did learn useful protection magic from her father.

Mary’s father Milford wasn’t a dark wizard. Still, he was into making magic that would make your skin crawl. Milford taught Mary at a young age to do some dark magic to use after his death.

Even years later after that night, Mary never did find out exactly what her father’s deal was about with Zimmer Wardcrystal. She did know that there was no way she would ever give up her father’s amulet or be a servant to anyone, especially to a ghoul such as the likes of him.

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A young man in his twenties crossed paths with Mary Pride. He didn’t know she was a witch. It was a sad day for both of them.

In the small town cemetery there were two burial services going on. The young man was attending a funeral of a childhood friend that was killed by a drunk driver and Mary was burying her father.

The late afternoon burials concluded with the sky turning dark with rain clouds. Shortly thereafter, the skies opened up and it began to pour.

Mary stood in the rain at the foot of the newly filled in grave. The young man noticed that she didn’t have an umbrella. He strolled over to this young woman and offered her the sanctuary of cover.

I’ll be happy to stand here with you until you are ready to leave and allow me to escort you to wherever you may go until you are out of the rain, said the young man to the rain soaked woman.

Your very kind, but that won’t be necessary. I just haven’t really figured out what I should do next and I was hoping that my father would give me some guidance, remorsefully cried Mary.

I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but your father isn’t going to help you anymore. Everything that he has taught you up to now is all you have to make your first decision on your own. Asking for his advice now is like tears on your cheeks in a rainstorm, said the young man trying to bring her back into reality.

Mary allowed the young man to walk her from the cemetery to her shack in the woods. She thanked the young man at the door for his kindness.

I didn’t even ask what your name is, said Mary.

It’s Ivan.

Mary responded in kind with just her first name since it wouldn’t matter after she shut the door. Again thank you Mr. Ivan, for escorting me home. The door slowly closed and Ivan could hear the deadbolt slide into place.

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Late in the night an eerie glow shown out of the small window of the little shack. Inside was the young witch working feverishly on an enchantment to protect her and the shack from terrible intruders.

A bee’s wax candle was mounted in a pewter skull holder with a small flame illuminating the room. Mary had her shadow book open and was evoking a spell while she pendulated her bone handle magic wand. Two shallow bowls sat on the table. One was filled with purified spring water and other with freshly dug graveyard dirt.

Mary chanted, Fiery wall of protection, election, direction. By Dragons light on this night, I call to give me might to protect all that surrounds me. So mote it be.

Early that next morning, Zimmer Wardcrystal knocked on the door of the shack since he couldn’t just pop in unannounced. Touching the door burned blisters on his knuckles, this angered him even more.

Listen you little witch, I came for what is rightfully mine, said Wardcrystal while wrapping his hand in a handkerchief.

I don’t owe you anything. I did not make the deal with you. Why don’t you go to the cemetery and demand payment from him, yelled Mary through the door.

I will get what I came for. No one ever cheats Zimmer Wardcrystal, never. I can wait until you are unprotected and I can get you. Think about this. Unlike me, you won’t live forever. Then I will get your father’s and your amulet together, cursed Wardcrystal at the door.

You will never find them and my heirs will have their power, swore Mary.

I will make sure you will never have any heirs, said Wardcrystal as he finally left the doorstep of the little shack in the woods.

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Mary Pride had nothing she could call her own except her shadow book, her bone handle magic wand and a brownish grey hooded cloak that belonged to her mother.

Mary never knew what had happened to her mother’s magical amulet. Now Mary’s father had made a deal with a ghoul to trade his own amulet away. Mary’s father never told her what it was about and was angry at her dead father for it.

Mary swore to herself that no one was getting what was rightfully hers. She didn’t make the deal and when her father past away, she felt no obligation to anyone, especially to a ghoul.

Mary had to be careful and she always looked back over her shoulder as Zimmer Wardcrystal was lurking nearby.

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As it turned out, Ivan became Mary’s only friend. He wanted it to be more. I hope our relationship will grow into mutual love for one another, said Ivan one day.

I want to love you and have a family, but I—I can’t, cried Mary. The warning from Wardcrystal was enough to keep her from ever trying. I don’t want anything terrible to happen to you.

What is it that you are afraid of? I can help, said Ivan.

No, no one can help. It’s a secret I must take with me to my grave, explained Mary.

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Mary kept her secret of being a witch from Ivan although he suspected something was very strange about Mary. Maybe that is what attracted him to her in the first place.

It seemed all of Mary’s life she couldn’t catch a break. Struggle was her middle name. Until one very special day when Mary was gazing into her crystal ball and saw what turned into an opportunity.

She saw the future of Zimmer Wardcrystal. He was chained down on a stone table. Mary had only read about these trials and really dismissed them as being fabled stories to keep young witches in line.

She stared intently at the vision in the ball. Zimmer Wardcrystal was sliding down to the underworld right in front of her eyes and there was no pleasant cover up. Mary sat there after the vision had faded. The realization came to her. Zimmer Wardcrystal will never haunt her again after this image had come true.

I don’t know when, but that doesn’t matter. Now I know what to do to have the life I want, said Mary aloud.

She pulled out her shadow book and began to copy down spells that she needed to work with. After many weeks, her plan was set. Her spell was designed in three parts to avoid detection and interference.

The first part was a pact with Ivan to live out his life to his death. Mary had to finally tell Ivan what she was and what she must do for both of them to have the life they want. This wasn’t easy for her. She was very afraid of driving Ivan away.

Ivan lived in a one room apartment on the south side of town. Ivan was a freelance handyman. There was nothing he couldn’t fix. It was his love for Mary which kept him from moving away.

Mary went to Ivan and asked him for the first time to come to her little shack. Even though Ivan had been there many times over the years, she had never asked him to come inside. He knew something was going on that made her act very different.

Like Ivan’s one room, Mary’s little three room shack didn’t have much to offer except a very modest living.

The kitchen was a pot belly wood burning stove, a metal sink made from a drum and a single cupboard. Inside the cupboard was set of three plates, bowls and cups.

The main room had a table with three chairs. In the corner was an old mattress that Mary’s father slept on.

Mary’s room had the one double mattress bed on springs.

When Ivan came into the shack he saw laid out on the table very strange things.

Sitting in the center of a table was a pewter candle holder that was in the shape of a skull with a bee’s wax candle placed in it, a box of wooden matches, and lying on a piece of cloth was a long thin sewing needle.

On the right side of the table was a magic wand with a bone handle. Sitting next the magic wand was Mary’s leather bound shadow book that to Ivan looked like a diary. The shadow book was open to a section of handwritten instructions.

There were two wooded chairs sitting on the same side of the table.

Mary was dressed in a brownish grey hooded cloak that belonged to her mother. Ivan was feeling goose bumps running up and down his arms with chills down his spine.

Sit here Ivan, said Mary offering the chair on the left. She sat down in the chair on the right and took hold of Ivan’s hands. Finally, she worked up the courage to speak.

Ivan, you are my only true friend. You have always wanted us to be more. But my life would not allow it and after what I have to say, this may even end our friendship.

Ivan started to say something, but Mary put her hand on Ivan’s lips, Stop, let me finish before you commit to anything you can’t back out from.

I am a witch, Mary blurted out. I have magical powers to do things that you couldn’t possibly imagine. If it wasn’t for this ghoul that my father had dealings with, we could have had a wonderful life together raising a family.

Mary paused and took a breath to compose herself.

That is not to be. You do not have to understand any of this. However, I do have a way for us to be happy if you trust me, explained Mary while staring into Ivan’s eyes.

He sat there trying to sort out all of this. Finally, Ivan could find only these words to say, You are very pretty for a witch.

Mary felt relieved after telling her story to Ivan. She explained her plan to Ivan with strange details of what he must do. Wear this protection charm for the rest of your life. Never take it off. Don’t talk to or allow a ghoul named Zimmer Wardcrystal to get near you. He is a short man with a pointed nose that reeks of the back room of a mortuary.

Then she explained, "Live out your life without remorse of not