The Testing of a Wizard - Viktor Gitin

class="p1">LIZY – But do you really need anything from me now?

GELO – (Putting his hands around her waist) Yes, I do! A kiss for example.

LIZY – Do you think you deserve one?

GELO – Am I guilty of something?

LIZY – You men are all so self-confident! You’re assured that just because you haven’t done anything bad, you can get everything you want. But now you will have to earn it! (Runs to the side) You want a kiss – catch me!

GELO – (Joyfully) You think I won’t catch you?

LIZY – Only if you don’t use your magic!

GELO – And here I don’t even need it.

They Run around the stage. Gelo tries to catch Lizy. She avoids being caught.

LIZY – You won’t catch me!

GELO – I will!

Gelo catches Lizy, hugs her and they kiss passionately. Fadrius walks on stage. At first, he looks at them puzzled, then he walks to the other side. They don’t seem to notice him. He shows a rainbow of expressions, from a smile to a frown. And then starts to cough very loudly. Lizy and Gelo are startled and move away from each other.

GELO – (Awkwardly, moves from one foot to another) S-S-Sorry, teacher… We didn’t hear you come in… We were … just….

FADRIUS – I saw you – just!

LIZY – (Looking sheepishly down) If I’m not needed here, I think I’d rather go …

FADRIUS – Don’t stay on my account!

LIZY – Thanks. (Running off)

FADRIUS – I hope, what I saw wasn’t the only thing you were doing while I was away?

GELO – Of course it wasn’t, teacher. I re-read carefully the manuscript of «Great Magical Achievements». And learned two new spells of wind.

FADRIUS – Wind? Perhaps, that’s why all your feeling and thoughts are all over the place!

GELO – Teacher, forgive me. I was distracted just for a few minutes. Before that I was working really hard with your tasks.

FADRIUS – Don’t defend yourself. A Wizard who gets distracted for even one minute is not a Wizard at all. Those who distract him can use him as a weapon.

GELO – But Lizy is not an enemy! She is the Lady in Waiting of our Queen, and my fiancé.

FADRIUS – That’s not the point! The point is, that you could be under somebody’s influence. You could become a slave of emotions and feelings. But for a real Wizard, that is intolerable.

GELO – But how can you live without emotions? After all we’re humans.

FADRIUS – In the first place we are Wizards! And a Wizard’s emotions should be controlled by his mind. And the mind should only be controlled by logic and rationality. And if your mind was to be controlled by someone else, even for just a short moment there could be irreparable damage. You are a Wizard, and in your hands, there lies special powers. And only you should have the power to control them. And nobody else!

GELO – But it’s impossible to live like that. It means that you couldn’t open yourself to nobody, and you couldn’t trust anybody completely…

FADRIUS – Us Wizards are bestowed with many great powers. And it is well known that those who have great powers should have greater responsibilities. We are paying a great price for our gift.

GELO – Teacher, but Lizy and I love each other.

FADRIUS – Get that rubbish out of your head! You shouldn’t love anybody. That’s the price for gaining such a power. Love is only permitted to normal people. Love is a sign of weakness. Love is forgiveness of mistakes. You are supposed to be strong and wise. But the strong and wise are not permitted to make mistakes and be weak.

GELO – But how can I create goodness without love?

FADRIUS – Goodness – is a concept of relativity.

GELO – I don’t understand what you mean?

FADRIUS – What might be good in someone’s eyes might be bad and harmful in another’s. A fire in a furnace of a blacksmith is goodness and a blessing. A fire in a larder where food and vegetables are kept will be destructive and damaging.

GELO – Then how can one distinguish, one from the other?

FADRIUS – In time I will explain everything. But for now, remember the most important thing. When you become a real Wizard, you will gain great power. And a great power doesn’t need emotions. Power demands a strong mind!

GELO – What about Lizy? You mean I will never be allowed to marry her?

FADRIUS – Of course, I wouldn’t recommend you being tied down by marriage for the rest of your life. But if you can’t help yourself – marry then. But not under this stupid thing called ‘love’. Do it under the name of the basic instinct to reproduce. Understand?

GELO – In all honesty – No…

FADRIUS – Don’t worry, with years you’ll smarten up. In the worst-case scenario, you will grow up and understand it. But now there are more important things at hand.

GELO – I’m listening to you attentively, teacher.

FADRIUS – In a moment the Queen will come here. Quickly clean up after yourself, and wait close by, while I talk with Her Majesty. You will be needed soon.

Gelo starts to clean up the papers on the table. The Queen comes on stage. With her appearance Gelo bows and goes off stage.

FADRIUS – I’m glad to see you are in good health, my Queen.

QUEEN – What good health, Fadrius! The treasury is empty! Things are going from bad to worse!

FADRIUS – Does that reflect on your health?

QUEEN – Very much so! Because of everything I have a morbid migraine.

FADRIUS – You need to unravel and have a good time.

QUEEN – With what money?! It’s over half a year since the last