The Attack of Ganhai Mountain by Jason Richard (fox in socks read aloud txt) 📕

ice, and so we cannot climb it. We are also few in numbers now. Common sense dictates that now would be a good time to retreat."
Leevan had been expecting that, as a few of the soldiers around him had. They all nodded amongst each other as if to say "that's it, we're done," but general Hevman wasn't finished.
"However," he spoke. "It is not in me to withdraw so easily. I cannot foresee a way through this, but our magicians might." He looked straight at Leevan, who nodded as the general continued. "I want our magicians to see if they can figure out a way up the mountain. After that, we need a spell that can assure our victory. If these two criteria are met we shall march again. If not, we shall retreat. Magicians, you have one day. Dismissed."
The army dispersed. Leevan looked at the other magicians grouping together. A few angry looks told him that they didn't want any part of him.
"They seem pretty hostile," said Normir, his one eye blinking.
"That's fine," said Leevan. "I'll figure out my own spell."
"I'm sure you will," said Normir, smiling. "I'll leave you too it."
Normir walked off and Leevan went to look for some privacy. He preferred to practice magic alone, mostly so he wouldn't be seen making another ridiculous spell. However, this time he was determined to come up with something useful. Something that could be used more than once. He turned a corner around a boulder
And found Kemra crying.
She tried to quickly wipe away here tears when she saw him. She smiled, but her face was still wet.
"Oh, hello Leevan," she said brightly, even though she had obviously been sobbing.
"Were you crying?" he asked.
She suddenly became downcast. "Yes. Vonor is dead."
Vonor. He had been nice to him. Leevan understood why someone would cry for him, and wished he had known that eagle man better.
"He was your friend?" he asked.
"Yes." she sniffled. "He was."
"So why are trying to hide this? No one would think twice if they saw you crying for a friend."
"Well" she sniffled again. "People seem to feel better when I smile at them. It lifts their spirits. After everything that's happened...I want to help any way I can."
After a pause, Leevan said. "That's great."
"Thank you."
"Hey!" said a woman's voice. "Kemra? Is he making you cry?"
Leevan knew that voice. It belonged to a redheaded magician woman who looked kind of scary. In fact her magical talent was supposedly just that. If you looked into her eyes she became the scariest thing you ever saw. Leevan didn't turn around."
"Oh no Jaxia," said Kemra. "He's fine. Thank you Leevan."
She smiled, Leevan thought for real this time, and walked off. Leevan kept thinking. Kemra was doing whatever she could to help this army out. Leevan felt he needed to do the same, especially after the general's decision. The next time Kemra smiled, it would be because they had won.
Leevan rubbed his hands together. He had a spell to invent, and he would have to invent it soon.

Chapter Ten
I've done it!

Leevan paced back and forth. He was getting anxious. He still couldn't think of a spell. making people fall up the mountain? No, they would still have to pass through the magical traps, which they couldn't afford to at those speeds. Flying? No, that enchanted fog would leave them wide open to attack from Hurvun's lightning. Magic stairway? Teleportation? None of it would work!
He had no way up getting up the mountain, and either could he think of something to protect them from lightning. That kind of attack would eventually destroy any defenses he could come up with. The only way to protect against it when it shot from his eye
He tripped and fell. He looked but didn't see what he had tripped on. He felt around and found that rock he had managed to turn invisible before. He almost threw it in frustration!
"You stupid!" but he stopped and looked at it. Making the rock invisible because it didn't want to be thrown around wouldn't work on much else, but it was a start. The only way to beat the lightning, as far as he could tell, was to not be seen. Maybe an enchanted fog, but he couldn't think of how to cast such a spell.
He had only one choice. True invisibility.
The trouble was his spells either wouldn't work, or he couldn't think of how to perform them, and it was the same for getting up the mountain or turning invisible. It was maddening! The thing is he knew it didn't matter if he or the other magicians thought up the spells. They needed one to get up the mountain and one to beat Hurvun. It didn't matter where it came from. But to see another smirk on Maelin's face
He had to think up a spell. Besides, General Hevman was counting on him. In a way, there was someone else counting on him. His father
He pulled out his amulet. It was a symbol of his the order of the sun, which the amulet was shaped like. He remembered when he first got accepted a magician there. He was only twelve, but he was beginning his journey in magic. He promised his father
"I'll be the best magician ever father, just you wait!"
His father chuckled, "You see that boy over there."
Leevan had looked and seen Maelin for the first time. His was with his own father, who looked rather scary with his sharp eyes and goatee.
"That man," said Leevan's father. "Expects his son to be the best. You see how scared that boy is of his own father?"
It was true. Maelin looked nervous, especially when he met his father's gaze.
"I don't ever want you to look at me like that. You hear me? Don't try to be the best magician here. Be the best you can be."
Leevan nodded.
Back in the present day, holding that invisible rock in one hand and his amulet in the other, Leevan thought. He didn't have to make both spells. Just one. The other magicians could figure the other one for all he cared. He just needed one.
He looked at the rock, trying to think of something. He scratched his arm. His cloak really was itchy. And ugly too. He would rather not have to look at it. And maybe...it wouldn't want to be looked at!
That's it! All he had to do was convince his cloak it didn't want to be seen! He spoke the magic words and his cloak disappeared but he didn't.
A linen shirt with long sleeves and long linen pants might not seem very embarrassing to you, but as far as Leevan was concerned he was in nothing but his undergarments. He let out a yelp and said magic words to convince the cloak it would rather not be known as the cloak of someone who went out in public like this. The cloak faded back.
Leevan calmed down, and then sat down. He was getting closer. He knew it. He could make anything ugly invisible. That was a start, but he wasn't very ugly himself. And there was no way his amulet was ugly. It was the only attractive thing he had really. His cloak was definitely a start though. It was so ugly that Maelin and the others rarely let him be seen with them. As attractive as their cloaks were, they didn't want to be seen with his ugly brown one. A pauper magician's cloak.
Attractive, and not wanting to be seen with something so ugly?
He had another idea. It was his last shot. If it didn't work, he was sunk. He convinced the amulet that it didn't want to be seen with such clothes, or someone who would wear them, and that it would be better to go unseen. He spoke the magic words, put on the amulet
And disappeared.
He took the amulet off and reappeared. It worked! It really worked! he could only use it wearing ugly clothes, but he had a spell that could beat Hurvun! He had a spell of his own that could be used more than once!
He ran out to the rest of the army and shouted at the top of his lungs, "I know how to beat Hurvun! I know how to beat him! We just need to make our clothes really ugly!"
Everyone looked at him open mouthed, as if he was crazy.

Chapter Eleven
No Respect.

"In order for the invisibility spell to work," said Leevan to everyone, standing at the foot of the mountain. "We need an attractive object with ugly clothes."
In the crowd Leevan spotted Maelin whose robe was still tattered and dirty from the fall earlier, as was everyone else's clothes. Of course with Leevan's you couldn't really tell much of a difference, but still.
"As I can see from Maelin's usually clean and colorful robes," said Leevan. "That shouldn't be much of a problem after that fall."
Maelin sneered.
"In any case this can protect us from Hurvun's lightning, as he cannot blast something he cannot see.
"Well done Leevan," said General Hevman. "I think that will work. I'm already picturing how we can use it to storm the castle. Now, did you come up with a way up the mountain?"
Leevan shrugged, "I'm afraid not sir."
"Alright! Magicians, we still have until tomorrow. Keep thinking. One half of the puzzle is complete."
Everyone dispersed again. Leevan got approving glances from the soldiers, and even some of the magicians nodded at him. He was feeling better. Finally! He had a spell to call his own! He saw Kemra smiling at him, nodding to him, and Normir patted him on the back saying, "Good job Leevan. Even if we do retreat, we can always use that spell next time."
Leevan was feeling pretty pleased with himself. Now he would work on the other spell they needed. Maybe this time the other magicians would let him.
He approached the group, standing in a circle, but Maelin saw him and sneered.
"What do you want?" he said.
Leevan froze. He said, "I thought I could help with the other spell."
"He probably could," said Kemra.
"I don't see a problem with that," said Jaxia.
Leevan gave them thankful glances, and they nodded. Kemra was as nice as ever, and Jaxia was nicer, though somehow still kind of scary.
"I think," said Maelin. "That you've hogged the glory enough for one day. You're spell probably won't even work against Hurvun anyway knowing you, so why don't you let us think up this spell alright?"
Leevan was confused, "Hogged the glory? I was just"
"Go play with your rocks!" said Maelin irritably. Leevan got angry. Maelin was of course referring to that rock Leevan made invisible with a spell that wouldn't work on anything else.
"Maelin," said Kemra. "Why are you doing this?"
"Why shouldn't he?" said Bendon. "So the guy found