"Hmm, it’s a damned situation we have here...", yawned Luke, trying not to fall asleep.

On the other hand, Angela was winding through her head, looking for a reason as to why Mark was taken, and a way to get him back.

Luke, aware of her distress, leaned back in his chair, still not caring.

"Don’t worry, this guy isn’t the type to do crazy bullshit. He’ll be alright."

Angela sighed, taking Luke’s words for granted. After all, he’s closer to Mark and knows him better than she does.

"What should we do now? We can’t leave without him, so I guess we have to spend some time here."

Luke’s eyes crept open. He had an idea.

"We earned some money, a bit more than we need. He ran off on his own, let’s do the same."

"Are you sure it’s alright?"

"Why not? You saw his gear, what’s stopping us from buying things."

Said and done, they were on their way, going through the city. Houses everywhere, children laughing, people minding their business, going on about their lives. It was peaceful.

"I could get used to this way of living.", spoke Luke, surprising Angela.

"Well, they have to. An entire war is going on, yet everybody tries to live their normal life."

"How long has this war been going on for?"

"Way longer than I can remember. They happen to obtain momentary peace, yet it all falls apart, and the cycle repeats."

Luke shrugged, "Damn, they must suck at war."

"Do you want to see it?"

His face strained, ready to decline, yet his curiosity got the best of him.

"Are we going to the frontlines?", he questioned in a voice fit for a crazy person.

Angela stared at him with blank eyes, "Of course not, you idiot. There is a type of magic which allows you to show what is going on in a certain place...", she stopped, then switched to the most cynical tone possible, "I’m not explaining it all..."

Luke, annoyed at her comment, tried the same thing. "Then where are we supposed to see it?"

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Angela, starting to get even more annoyed, gave him his answer. "I’m not sure, I guess an inn or something must have one of these mana visions."

"Well then, let’s find one."

It is no wonder that in such a city they found what they wanted in a breath’s time. An inn, similar to the brothel they had built, yet livelier. Everyone was drinking together, cheering and yelling, all while looking at something similar to a modern day screen.

"A TV?!",yelled out Luke, confused beyond limits.

Angela, confused as well, asked: "Do you guys have such a thing in your world?"

"Yes, yet it’s more science than magic."

"Sci-what?"

Luke saw an opportunity and took it. Trying to mimic her voice from earlier, he went: "I’m not going to explain it all now."

Her face reddened, having noticed what Luke did.

"-sigh- Let's just look at the vision."

The two of them made their way through the sea of people, barely fitting. A few times, Luke was almost hit by a flying mug, yet they managed.

Their eyes were taped to the vision, staring at the armies straight up, clashing into each other. A frontal battle without a plan, soldiers straight up killing each other, a bloodbath in its full beauty.

Luke, now aware of something, said without hesitation: "Now I know why this war never ends. These guys have no strategy at all! HOW CAN YOU SEND THESE GUYS TO THEIR DEATH LIKE THAT!?"

A mysterious figure, sipping on his beer, turned towards Luke, and in the friendliest tone possible, asked away: "Young man, perhaps you know of a different way? Not that there would be an efficient one, ha hah..."

Luke, activating his smug poker face, turned towards the one asking, and kept ridiculing, "Even a donkey can do it better. I bet I can do it with my eyes closed and lose fewer men than the ones doing this."

It was then that reality hit Luke, whose luck was about to drift towards the unknown. The figure of the man took a bit of a sinister turn, like a gambler about to make the best bet in his entire life.

"Son, what about a little bet? If you do what you said you could do, and if you manage to win the entire war, you can lead the army and get as many benefits as the kingdom can, and if you fail... I might as well sharpen my axe."

Luke, gulping hard, tried to show despair, yet his facial muscles twisted like they had a mind of their own, showing the same expression he did a few times when talking about money.

Angela, frustrated and scared for a second, came to reality.

"Hey, who are you to say all these things?"

The man stood up, ready to make his introduction.

"I am Sulvey, General of the Kingdom of Raganon. Here, I even have this badge.", pushing a shining golden shield the size of his hand in Luke’s eyes.

Angela, now aware of what they had gotten into, felt fear building up, yet it went away just as quick. "Why am I feeling so safe all of a sudden?", thought Angela, somehow being more afraid of not being afraid.

"Now, no need to be so afraid. I am an old man who likes to make a bet from time to time. Life sure is boring, so I try to lighten it up a bit.", followed by a calm smile, yet something hidden beneath that smile could be felt. A sinister aura overflowed them.

"Fine then, let us go, I want to end this silly war and go to sleep.", yawned out Luke, unbothered as usual. Perhaps Angela was the only normal one to be seen, yet being normal in a world of abnormal people makes you the odd one out.

They went out, heading for the army headquarters. Time for Luke to show off some of his skills he had from the other world, skills that were baked for these sort of situations.