Draserraney

*****WPC OCT 2024 Entry*****
When Carl Suis, a fresh zoology graduate, lands an internship with MECCP (Mythical and Endangered Creatures Care and Protection), he expects to work with exotic animals—not be magically whisked into Mythica, a realm brimming with dragons, mermaids, and other magical creatures.

What starts as a dream job quickly spirals into chaos. Feeding creatures is the least of Carl’s worries as he tackles ecosystem meltdowns, interspecies feuds, and cultural clashes straight out of a fantasy fever dream. Forget the myths—these creatures are nothing like the books said.

With Mythica’s fragile world teetering on collapse and MECCP’s future at stake, Carl must rely on his zoological skills, quick thinking, and unexpected allies to save the day. But in this unpredictable land, survival means embracing the wild—and the wildly hilarious—at every turn.

Can Carl protect this magical world, or will his internship be his last adventure?

A Zoologist’s Guide to Surviving Magical Creatures

The badge was still glowing, and I squinted at it, trying to figure out how to make it stop.

"How do I unshine this thing?" I asked.

Agnos raised an eyebrow. "How should I know?"

"Yes, but I didn't create the Gleipnir. Besides, you're the badge's owner. Don't they come with instructions?"

I groaned. "I just found out it could merge five minutes ago!"

Agnos said, shaking his head. "How do you keep stumbling into these things?"I looked down at the Gleipnir Badge, its surface still glowing faintly. "Uh... need help. Any of you please tell me that you know how to turn this thing off."

Landvættir raised a stony eyebrow. "Turn it off? It's a badge, not a lamp."

"It's blinding me!" I protested, squinting at the glow.

Landvættir leaned in, examining the badge. "Maybe you can unmerge it. Press something."

The Price of Memory