Highly Commended Story - The Elixir of Life

“The Elixir of Life” by Parisa Maksamphan, Wellington College International School Bangkok, Thailand, is the Highly Commended story in the sub-junior category of the first biannual Short Story Contest 2019.

Parisa (Ella) is an intelligent Year 4 student who studies at Wellington College Bangkok, Thailand. Her hobbies are playing the keyboard and violin, which she enjoys learning with her mother. She enjoys reading and her favourite authors are JK Rowling, Roald Dahl, Enid Blyton and Rick Riordan. Parisa actively enjoys gymnastics and one day hopes to represent Thailand in the Olympic Games. She is a member of the school choir and loves to sing a range of songs. Among her favourite lessons in school are English, History and Design and Technology.

The Elixir of Life

Once upon a time in Happyville, there was an old wizard named Aldor, who had the secret recipe for the “Elixir of Life”. The potion granted eternal life to whoever drank it. Forlum, the richest man in the village, owned the land with a small, flowing waterfall, the only source of fresh water in Happyville. Forlum had a wicked desire to live forever and become the most powerful ruler in the land. He threatened Aldor that he would refuse to share his water to the villagers in 30 days if Aldor did not make the Elixir for him. Aldor did not want to let the villagers suffer so he agreed to do it. He had 30 days before the villagers would die of dehydration.

Aldor was forced to go on a difficult quest to find the specially two rare ingredients needed for the Elixir: a dragon scale and a Phoenix feather. An 11-year-old girl whose father was also a wizard and mother a human had also heard about Forlum and his plans for the village. She had a pure heart and a special gift that made her understand and talk to animals. She volunteered for the difficult quest. Aldor agreed, knowing her power would come in handy.

Aldor and Holly flew to the North on Aldor’s Pegasus and eventually found the dragon hiding in a cave. After listening to Holly’s story about the poor fate of the villagers, the dragon willingly gave Holly a scale and offered to bring them to meet his Phoenix friend in the South. Upon hearing the story, the Phoenix also gave Holly a feather.

Aldor and Holly rushed back to Happyville. While Holly was preparing all the ingredients, she accidentally cut her finger and a drop of blood from her pure heart was mixed into the potion. Aldor recited the secret magic spell, “Maximus Fortilumioso!” and the Elixir of Life was finally ready! As the clock struck midnight of the 30th day.

Forlun had grown inpatient and visited the wizard. He barged in, grabbed the potion and drank it. Suddenly, he transformed into a younger and stronger man! What he didn’t know was that the Elixir had changed his heart too. Instead of being wicked and cruel as before, he had become kind and generous. He now shared not only the fresh water but also his wealth with all the villagers. Everyone lived happily ever after.