Life is a gift...accept it

In the dark dungeon of the five wizards, King Donn stood waiting for the advice of the skeletal quintuple magicians as they brewed their potions. He had consulted them to ascertain his luck on the upcoming merger with the Kingdom of Fyre.

"Thou must solve this riddle before thee can receive thine answer". The chief wizard advised.

"What be the riddle"? Donn asked.

Life is (Adapted: Mother Theresa)

a gift...Accept it ☑ ✔

an adventure...dare it ☑ ✔

a mystery...unfold it ☑ ✔

a game...play it ☑ ✔

a struggle...face it ☑ ✔

a beauty...praise it ☑ ✔

a puzzle...solve it ☑ ✔

an opportunity...take it ☑ ✔

is sorrowful...experience it ☑ ✔

a song...sing it ☑ ✔

a goal...achieve it ☑ ✔

a mission...fulfill it ☑ ✔

"That is a really long riddle, sounds more like advice than a puzzle". Pouted Donn.

"Better get going then". Head wizard ordered.

Donn scratched his head.

Heck, they gave me a puzzle. That one is easy. I already solved the puzzle part by knowing it is a puzzle haven't I. And so his scatter-brained thoughts began to unwind. ☑ ✔

Donn ordered all of his subjects to bring him a gift. The palace grounds were awash with colorfully wrapped gifts. ☑ ✔

He had a great adventure opening all the gifts. It took him days. ☑ ✔

The queen tried to solve the mystery of the presents, and Donn explained the riddle slash puzzle. Queen Mela rolled her eyes as she walked away. Why, she had married him on a dare anyway. Donn placed a checkmark at 'mystery, unfold it'. ☑ ✔

Heck, Mela was a beautiful woman. He had been shocked when she said yes. Perhaps she planned to murder him in his sleep one day. Ha haha. He must remember to praise her with flowers, jewelry or something. ☑ ✔

Happy, he invited his court jesters to sing. ☑ ✔

The songs were so terrible, Donn invented a game called "Off with their heads". Promptly ordering heads of jesters to roll. ☑ ✔ and ☑ ✔

He struggled hard to maintain his riches while twisting everything so people never knew where truths started and lies ended. He was a master at struggling not to laugh LOL out loud. ☑ ✔

Donn had already attained his goal of being King of God knows what, He had taken the opportunity to shove his ideas down everyone's throat, and boy did they swallow it all. Gobbled it up like good little puppets. He tried to feel sorrow. In the end he decided that sorrow would look completely fake on him. Still, he could just look the part. He must remember to look sad when he faced the wizards. ☑ ✔ ☑ ✔☑ ✔

Finally.

They had sent him on a mission, which he had more than fulfilled. He had worked hard at putting those check marks on the long tiresome list.

So...Mission completed. ☑ ✔

Donn happily returned to the wizards with the list. They dropped it into the cauldron. They stirred, skeletal fingers conjuring up an American flag.

The wizards looked at each other in complete surprise and consternation. They watched in horror, keeping their faces in shadow, as people cast their lot to the devil who understood nothing of real depth.

"Don't worry Donn. Your disciples will crown you with a diadem of precious jewelry. Your victory will be complete and shattering".

Donn smiled as he was handed the keys to the Kingdom of Fyre. The wizards went back to stirring the cauldron, fervently hoping for a different outcome.

But alas! ☑ ✔

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