Mayana held Kiresula’s hand as they walked towards the West Gate. The [Guard] looked bored until his eyes fell upon the glitchling.

“Hello Mayana, hello stranger, where are you going?”

Mayana answered: “Kiresula and me are going to the Rainbow House. Are we allowed passage?”

The [Guard]’s eyes opened wide. “This is what happened to Kiresula?! It’s a shame! She was so pretty!”

Mayana answered sharply: “She is still pretty! And I am still her wife!”

The [Guard] stepped back from the sudden shift in tone: “Of course she is. Passage granted! Have a nice trip!”

As they walked down the path through the forest, Mayana ranted: “That sleazeball has been hitting on me since forever!”

Kiresula nodded: “Not just on you. He has been hitting on anyone who the [System] declares female. Including mom! It’s disgusting!”

Mayana shuddered: “He has been hitting on Mum Haditera? Wow! The audacity!”

Kiresula agreed: “I know! She has been married for about as long as he has been alive! If that doesn’t tell someone to stay clear, what does?”

Mayana shook her head: “I think few things deter him and those which do cause a lot of pain.”

They talked for a while while following the path to the Rainbow House. Kiresula felt it before she saw it. The feeling of mana in the air seemed to finally be present again and it originated from a particular direction. Moving through the forest towards that direction led them two towards a simple wooden house. On the door, the words “Rainbow House” were inexpertly carved into the wood.

Mayana looked at the building dubiously: “Is this it? It looks… shabby.”

Kiresula couldn’t disagree: “It does. But I get a feeling of mana from here, that reminds me of a spring.”

Mayana shook her head: “I don’t get anything from it. The area seems magically inert.”

Kiresula put her right hand to her heart: “Possibly broken magic. It would explain why the church doesn’t interfere with them.”

Mayana nodded: “I am going to stay clear, if you don’t mind.”

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Kiresula agreed: “I was about to suggest that. This feels pretty strong to me. Like, enough to cast with.”

Mayana raised an eyebrow: “I thought glitchlings can’t cast magic.”

Kiresula didn’t respond, instead, she moved her hands to cast [Light], one of the most basic spells and one she knew very well how to cast. She felt magic congregate in her chest, then release in a ball ahead of her. She looked at its location and there was no glow. Despite her being able to sense the magic ball, it didn’t seem to glow.

Kiresula heard a scream of pain and only then realised that it was Mayana who screamed.

She dispelled the spell and realised how suddenly the world became less colourful. She hadn’t noticed how, during the casting, everything turned brighter and more colourful, but she noticed how muted and washed out the colours were after the spell. She looked at Mayana who had covered her face with her hands: “What happened?”

Kiresula responded: “I tried to cast [Light], but instead of lighting up things, they became more colourful.”

Mayana shook her head: “No, suddenly, everything was just covered in… I am not sure what it was but it hurt when even glancing at it. Please dispell that stuff!”

Kiresula hugged her wife: “I did as soon as I heard your discomfort. It is over!”

Mayana removed her hands from her face and opened her eyes: “I have no idea what you did, but that was… scary! That was no [Light], that was something completely weird.”

Kiresula pressed her closer to herself: “I will never cast around you anymore! I don’t want you to feel pain!”

Mayana hugged her back: “It was not your fault! You didn’t know what would happen!”

“Excellent form! Great magic control!” a glitchling voice shouted.

Ending the hug and turning around, Kiresula saw Kshi standing in the now open door giving a thumbs up.

“So, you found out the secret?” Kshi asked.

Kiresula made a confused noise.

“Let’s come in then, I’ll tell you!” he made an inviting gesture. “Manaya…, no, Yanama…, your wife should better return to town! Magic tends to be a bit unstable around here and I don’t want you to glitch as well!”

Mayana nodded: “Kirey, I hope you don’t mind, but I would prefer not to become affected by broken magic.”

Kiresula took no offence to that: “I get that! Someone needs to maintain enough [Endurance] to get us home.” she joked, then she followed Kshi inside.

The inside of the house looked pretty austere: A dirt floor, that obviously was used as a bed given the indentations, walls that were used as a repository of knowledge with a lot of engravings. In the middle of the room, the remainder of a fire glowed, ready to be awoken again for the night. The roof opened to let smoke escape. The corners held clay pots of what probably was preserved vegetables. Some glitchlings sat on the wooden benches around the fire and seemed to be involved in crafts. All of them wearing ill fitting, sometimes threadbare clothes. Kshi introduced Kiresula to the group: “Hello, this is Kiresula and here are Mak, Kju, Tvik, Styuq, Qari, Ziyik, Shla, and Sidik. Welcome to the Rainbow House.”

Kiresula had issues noticing the differences between these people. She would normally do an [Observe] to get their main classes and their levels, but she had a very good idea what this information would show even without it.

“Hello, nice to make your acquaintance. I see that you made your knowledge about Glitchlings available for everyone?” she pointed to the walls.

“Yeah,” Qari said proudly, “You have a lot to learn!”