Story 2: Magical creatures showed up at my door (Fantasy)

Story 2: Magical creatures showed up at my door

The scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the kitchen as I sat at the table, savoring a perfectly buttered slice of toast. It was a quiet Saturday morning, the kind where the world seemed to move a little slower, and I relished every second of it. The soft hum of the refrigerator was the only sound keeping me company. I had just settled in, planning to do nothing but enjoy the peace.

Then came the knock.

I frowned, glancing at the clock. It was 8:30 in the morning. Who would be knocking this early? I got up, still chewing my toast, and made my way to the front door. As I pulled it open, the sight that greeted me was… unusual, to say the least.

An elf, tall and slender, with pointed ears and emerald eyes, stood at the forefront. Beside him was a wizard, his long white beard flowing down to his chest, and he held a crooked staff that looked like it had seen better days. Next to the wizard was a goblin, short and hunched, with green skin and a mischievous grin that showed far too many sharp teeth for my comfort. And then, to top it all off, a kangaroo, its head cocked to one side, eyed me with curiosity.

"Good morning!" the elf said brightly, his voice melodic and far too cheery for this hour. "We’ve come as requested."

I blinked. "Requested?"

The wizard nodded, adjusting his hat, which threatened to slip over his eyes. "Indeed. We received your invitation. A most curious one, might I add."

"I—what invitation?" I stammered, utterly confused. "I didn’t invite anyone."

The goblin snickered, nudging the wizard with a sharp elbow. "Told you it was a mix-up. She’s clueless."

Before I could protest, they all barged in as if they owned the place. The elf strode past me, gracefully avoiding the clutter of shoes by the door, while the wizard muttered something about “charm deficiencies” as he stepped inside. The goblin, not bothering with politeness, immediately made a beeline for the kitchen. And the kangaroo? It hopped in after them, glancing around my living room as if assessing whether it was a suitable place to lounge.

"Wait! You can’t just—" I started, but it was too late. They were already making themselves at home.

The elf was inspecting my bookshelf, his delicate fingers trailing over the spines of novels. "Ah, I see you’re a reader. Fascinating selections. No tomes of magic, though?"

The wizard had plopped himself into my armchair, tapping his staff on the floor with an air of authority. "Do you have any tea? Or perhaps something stronger? A wizard's thirst is not easily quenched."

In the kitchen, I could hear the goblin rummaging through the cupboards, muttering about the lack of "proper goblin fare." The clatter of pots and pans indicated that he was having no trouble helping himself to whatever he found.

The kangaroo, meanwhile, had positioned itself on my couch, its large tail draped over the edge. It stared at the TV with mild interest, its ears flicking occasionally as if waiting for someone to turn it on.

I stood there, dumbfounded, trying to process what was happening. "I didn’t invite you!" I repeated, louder this time.

The elf turned, his expression serene as if my protests were nothing more than background noise. "Of course you did," he said, pulling out a scroll from the inside of his tunic. He unfurled it and held it up for me to see. "It’s all here. Clear as daylight."

I squinted at the parchment, trying to make sense of the elaborate calligraphy. Sure enough, it was addressed to "The Elf, The Wizard, The Goblin, and The Kangaroo." My name was scrawled at the bottom in a handwriting I didn’t recognize.

"I didn’t write this," I said, shaking my head. "Someone must be playing a prank."

The goblin snorted from the kitchen, emerging with a sandwich in hand. "Does it matter? We’re here now. Might as well make the best of it."

The wizard raised a bushy eyebrow. "If the lady didn’t summon us, then who did?"

The elf tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps it was fate. Invitations aside, we are clearly meant to be here. The signs are all there—look, the weather, the timing, the… um, alignment of energies."

I had no idea what he was talking about, but before I could protest further, the kangaroo let out a low grunt, which I took as a signal of agreement with the elf.

I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Alright, fine. You’re here. But what do you want from me?"

The wizard leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "We’ve come to embark on an adventure, of course. And you, my dear, are the chosen one."

"Chosen one?" I repeated, incredulous. "For what?"

"To lead us on a most daring quest!" the goblin said, chomping down on his sandwich.

The elf smiled, his eyes twinkling. "It’s all in the invitation, but worry not. All will be revealed in time."

I stared at the motley crew standing in my living room. An elf, a wizard, a goblin, and a kangaroo. In my house. Claiming I had invited them on some sort of quest.

This was going to be a long day.

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