I woke up very early in the morning after just a few hours of sleep. The air felt damp and cold, but my blanket provided a cozy refuge, so I pulled it higher to cover my head. I shifted to my other side, attempting to return to sleep, but the persistent call of nature left me with no choice. With a reluctant sigh and a frown, I had to leave the warmth of the blanket.

As I rose from the sofa, I noticed that Tom and Mike were in the bed, each having their own pillow and blanket, unlike the last time we were here. I rolled my eyes and shook my head in disbelief, reminiscing about that eventful night.

I let out a big yawn while stretching my limbs, trying not to make too much noise.

The previous night, I had been the first to hit the sack, dozing off almost as soon as my head touched the pillow. I had opted for the sole available sofa along the wall next to the fireplace, a new addition to the shack's furniture that I was grateful for, likely thanks to Hew's parents.

The room wasn't entirely dark; a faint light seeped in through the windows. It seemed like dawn was breaking outside, or maybe there was a full moon casting its glow.

I got up slowly, being careful not to wake my companions. Once out of bed, I moved on tiptoe towards the bathroom. With a gentle push, I opened the creaky wooden door, trying to avoid the usual squeaking noise. I switched on the light, which emitted a feeble glow. The light flickered briefly and then went out; it seemed the battery had run empty. Fortunately, there was a small window in the bathroom, so I wasn't left in complete darkness. After taking care of my needs, I braved a very cold and invigorating shower in the compact, square shower cabin next to the toilet. The water, which had been lukewarm the previous evening, was now ice-cold, but I found myself more resistant to it.

Under the frigid water, I pondered my situation. I wasn't pleased with how things had unfolded. I would have preferred to wait longer before revealing any of my magical abilities to anyone. I mean, I didn't really know them well enough to be certain I could trust them to this extent.

I pondered White Flower's memory-deleting spell once more. I would have gladly used it, as it would have spared me all these afterthoughts, but... Was it really so dangerous now that my magic had changed its 'color'?

A deep sigh of despair escaped my lips. I knew that employing the spell on them would likely leave their minds somewhat damaged. The only question was the extent of that damage. It is not without reason that White Flower has added a small healing pulse at the end of the spell.

Yet, it didn't sit right with me to experiment on them. Moreover, by now, it might already be too late to use it effectively, as it only worked on short-term memories right after the incident in question.

I shook my head and shifted my thoughts to another pressing matter that occupied my mind: my spell repertoire, particularly White Flower's spells, as I am White Flower, isn't it? I was technically a caster, equipped with abundant mana, but White Flower's spells presented a conundrum.

She had painstakingly honed her magic and perfected her spells over a lengthy process of trial and error that spanned decades and, in some cases, even centuries. Reflecting on her journey brought a whirlwind of memories to my mind. After all, she had lived for several centuries!

I chuckled, thinking about that. Does this mean that I am centuries old? I shook my head: forget it, for now, Lores!

Back to my spells, the way she had learned them meant that I couldn't simply pick up scrolls and learn new ones without risking my foundation's destabilization. My future options were significantly limited: I had to continue to learn spells the hard way, through self-experiments, and, of course, reading books about magic if I could find them.

Although the transformation in my magic's color had rendered my healing spells ineffective, at least temporarily, it hadn't had the same impact on most of my other spells.

I noticed something intriguing – some of the camouflage spells had morphed into transformation spells. Instead of overlaying a virtual image over me, these spells had actually altered my appearance. I was still wondering if this change was due to the change in the type of magic or the increased casting power I now possessed. Or maybe both.

I found these spells fascinating and felt fortunate to have access to them. However, transformation spells are not only cool but also quite risky. They have the potential to go terribly wrong.

For instance, I considered myself very lucky that the spell that conceals me from view did not obliterate or destroy my body, transforming me into thin air. That's the shit that can happen with transformation spells; therefore, I wanted first to get my hands on some books on transformation magic and read them before delving deeper into these spells.

Unfortunately, White Flower's complete inventory, including a couple of books on the matter, had been obliterated in that last supernova in the Death Node. Legendary items, unique books, rare materials, all that shit had been transformed into dust!

Oh, well. What can I do now? Wait and hope I'll find somewhere such books.

Also, the exceptionally high healing spells that could even rebuild limbs were not completely useless, as I learned to use them to repair things. That's still something. At the moment, I tested it only for non-enchanted items, but that was still useful.

Spells like Lightfire were functioning well. These complex spells required a combination of various types of magic to be effective, and my current magic color seemed to be working fine in this regard.

I hadn't yet tested any of White Flower's combat spells, which mainly consisted of elemental magic. They should theoretically work, but I needed to experiment with them to be certain.

On the darker side of magic, her death bolt spell was surprisingly low in level. However, her possession spell was on par with some of her higher-level spells. I was hesitant to use that particular spell, though, as it resulted in the death of the possessed unless I were exorcised.

She didn't know how to end possession in a way that would spare the host's life. At least she was honest with me about that.

At some point, I might attempt to refine this spell to allow the host to survive after possession without requiring external assistance, but I wasn't quite ready for that challenge yet, or rather, I did not have the stomach for it, thinking at how many cows, horses, bears or other animals I would have to possess and destroy in test attempts.

I stepped out of the shower, dried myself off, and put on the same clothes I had worn the previous day. Wearing the same sweaty outfit made me a bit uncomfortable, but I didn't have much choice. I made a mental note to bring a pyjama and a clean set of clothes with me for our next meeting at Hew's shack.

Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I saw a face that was both familiar and foreign. Some parts of me recognized it as mine, while others didn't. I would need to get used to thinking of Dolores' face as my own.

I chuckled as I examined my nose, which was still a bit crooked since that injury. It was clear if one looked closely and it was my own fault for not healing it immediately after Lola's car accident.

Now, I could fix it relatively quickly, but as I mentioned, I didn't want to experiment with transformation spells.

In the end, the image I saw in the mirror seemed fine, even though I was wearing the T-shirt Hew had given me the day before. It was a plain, typical white T-shirt made of good-quality cotton. However, it had been so clean when I received it that the bright white almost hurt my eyes. Now, though, it had a few greasy spots on it, which was a bit disheartening.

I sighed upon seeing those stains. I briefly considered washing the T-shirt, but then I'd have to find a way to dry it. There was a hairdryer, but the power wasn't working.

Transforming into my horned self, I closely examined the stains. After a moment, a happy grin crossed my face as I looked at them. My magic could distinguish the difference, and I could definitely sense the stain. It should be possible to remove it.

Recently, I had realized that I could make things happen without the need to verbally cast a spell. This discovery opened up new possibilities for combining and inventing spells. So, I willed the stain to vanish, and a gentle wind swept through the bathroom.

That was it. I blinked, annoyed. The stains were still there, unaffected. I guess this spell wouldn't work for cleaning up these stubborn stains.

Uh, OK, I could have used it yesterday to clean the dust from me; I'll need to remember it for next time.

Maybe it would work if I tried combining it with other elements? I need something that can obliterate these stubborn stains.

After willing it to happen, I stared in despair at the burning T-shirt in my hand for a moment before letting out a yelp and dropping it into the sink.

Once I extinguished the fire, I examined the tattered, wet, and partially burned T-shirt with a sigh.

Well, that was a total failure. It's a good thing I didn't burn down Hew's entire shack! What should I do now?

Stolen story; please report.

I raised an eyebrow, considering my options. Theoretically, I should be able to mend the shirt, but it would still have those stains, not to mention the new burn marks. Why not just create a completely new one?

I attempted to do just that, but... nothing happened.

Why? Why was I able to create intricate motherboards, but not a simple T-shirt?

It took me some time to figure it out. My healing magic couldn't create a completely new living being. However, I could regrow limbs. The motherboard had been considered by my magic as a kind of limb for the PC. It didn't entirely make sense, but perhaps my magic needed a starting point, something to build upon.

Scanning the room, I spotted a small pair of scissors. They might do the trick. I cut off a piece of unharmed fabric, then focused on it, slowly and methodically reconstructing the entire T-shirt around it. The result was a pristine, bright white T-shirt, free of any stains.

With the T-shirt in my hands, I celebrated my small victory with a victory dance, nearly skewering it with my horns.

Alright, Lores, cool down. This is a handy workaround! Maybe eventually, I'll figure out how to create it directly without needing a "starting" part. But for now, this workaround works just fine.

Dolores' stain-cleaning method – I could expand my wardrobe even further!

While I was at it, why not mend my own blouse? It looks so much better on me than the T-shirt!

A few minutes later, a smile played on my lips as I saw myself in the mirror, donning my repaired blouse. Yes, I definitely look better in it, even with my horns!

I transformed back into my Dolores self, left the new, gleaming white, unstained T-shirt in the bathroom, tossed the tattered remnants of my experiment in the garbage bin, fastened my belt, and exited the bathroom barefoot.

Upon leaving the bathroom, I cast another glance at the boys. Both of them were still sound asleep, undisturbed by my bathroom experiments. Mike was sprawled on his back, snoring contentedly, while Tom lay on his belly, occupying most of the bed and only partly concealed by the blanket. I couldn't spot Hew anywhere. Scanning the relatively spacious room, there was no sign of him.

As I strolled by the window, faint sobs from outside reached my ears. Curiosity piqued, I tiptoed to the front door, gently pushed it open, and spotted Hew sitting on a wooden bench, his back to the cabin, clutching his knees.

The air carried a chilly bite, with dew glistening on the grass like tiny pearls in the soft morning light. Further down the hill, a gentle mist caressed the ground, weaving between trees and bushes. To the east, the sun was poised to ascend above the horizon, casting a rosy hue across the delicate clouds.

I inhaled a deep breath, savoring the crisp, forest-scented air, and paused to absorb the entire picturesque setting.

Yet, as I drew nearer to Hew, it became apparent that he was in tears. He must have been aware of my presence but didn't turn to acknowledge me.

I was unsure of how to respond. Eventually, I settled onto the bench behind him, contemplating whether to offer a comforting hug. Although it seemed like the right thing to do, I felt a sense of awkwardness. Instead, I arched an eyebrow, placed a hand on his shoulder, and gently inquired, "Good morning, Hew! What's troubling you?"

He didn't appear to mind my casual tone. Amidst his sobs and sniffs, he burst out:

"What's wrong? What's wrong with me! My pa always told me to check the weapons, never keep them loaded, and never point them at anyone, even when I know they're unloaded! And what did I do? What did I do? I played with that weapon last time; I forgot it was loaded! I brought that loaded weapon here without even checking! I couldn't have been more foolish and irresponsible! You saw the outcome; my stupidity nearly got you killed! If it weren't for that miracle, you'd be dead because of me! I can never forgive myself for what I did!"

I pondered what to say. I let out a sigh.

"True, but all you managed to do was shred my blouse. There's no need to cry over it; I already fixed it, see?"

This caught his attention, and amid his continued sobs, he turned to look at me.

"You... you... you really did that! How?"

I chuckled, relieved that I could divert his thoughts away from self-blame.

"I have my own tricks. Now, don't be too hard on yourself," I remarked with a casual shrug. "Consider it a lesson learned. Lessons are valuable when they prevent something bad from happening, right? You'll know what to do next time."

He nodded, then rummaged through his pockets in search of a handkerchief to clean his nose. Finding none, I offered him mine. I had just taken one from the cabin as I had dearly missed having it the previous night after eating the roast and having to clean my oily hands. I wanted to be prepared for breakfast! We still had some roast to chew through.

"Are you angry with me?" he inquired while cleaning his eyes.

I shook my head but voiced my concerns. "I am, in a way. It was a serious accident that could have endangered one of us. What happened forced me to reveal abilities that I did not even know I had. I'm not certain that was a good thing. If news of this gets out, I could find myself in a lot of trouble. I can envision many people wanting to study how to become bulletproof, and I'd be the unwilling test subject."

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and attempted to shift to a more positive note.

We talked extensively, and I shared many things with him, including the story with Dreamland. In the end, why should I keep that part of the story secret if they already knew about me?

###

As we sat down for breakfast and the other two joined us, our conversation circled back to witchcraft and Dreamland.

"So that's why Dreamland was destroyed because it enabled the unlocking of these, let's call them, magical genes?" Mike pondered.

"That's my assumption," I replied, "but I am not sure if it was destroyed."

Tom, fork in hand with a piece of meat, looked like he was about to speak, but Hew cut him off.

"Wait, does all of this have anything to do with Bounty County?"

I hesitated for a moment, biting my lip as I considered what to say, then nodded.

"Yes, I think so."

A few moments of silence followed.

"I can't quite wrap my mind around it," Hew shook his head, "Why would people who can do some spells suddenly feel the need to take over and destroy a county?"

That had been a question that had been bothering me as well, and I had only one explanation.

"The real question is whether it was those people who did it," I mumbled.

They stopped chewing and turned to look at me. Tom swallowed hard and asked, "What do you mean? Who else?"

I raised my eyebrows. "NPCs. Humans can be just as cruel, but I think there were NPCs who did that..."

If I could bring Alice and the Lynx out of Dreamland, perhaps someone else had done it too with other NPCs. Then, it might have escalated. If the wrong characters were taken out of there and given free rein... I remembered again what I'd heard from the soldiers I healed.

"That's why you said you aren't sure Dreamland was destroyed?" Tom asked while Mike spoke at the same time.

"How could NPCs act in the real world? Even if you would make them as holograms, they would not be able to touch things!" Mike wondered.

I shook my head. "Not as holograms. As real persons, or whatever they are," I said, taking a deep breath. "It's possible, and the more I think about it, the more I fear that this is what happened."

"That... that..." a shocked Mike stammered, "that would explain why the desperate measure to burn all PCs was taken. But how could this happen?"

I shook my head. "I don't know."

"Do you know? Did it help?" Hew asked, "I mean, without PCs, at least there will be no more NPCs, right?"

I shook my head once more. "No, I don't think it really did anything other than cut us off from that access to the game world. That world exists now, somehow in... I don't know what fucking dimensions. Call me crazy, but I believe it exists."

"Are you sure?" Tom wondered. "That's too crazy, even for me."

I took a deep breath before saying the next words. "I was physically there, and I can guarantee you that NPCs from there can be brought here and exist."

I stopped short of telling them I did bring somebody. Maybe them knowing about Alice and Tina and thinking they are NPCs wouldn't be wholesome. It felt like betraying them.

Speaking of betraying, in the silence that followed, I decided to ask them to keep things for themselves and not spread rumors about me.

"Please, guys," I implored, "don't tell anyone else about this. If word gets out, my life could be in danger. If you reveal this, it would be like selling me out as worse than a slave. Please, I'm begging you not to do it."

I should have started with this plea. Could I trust them with my life? I hadn't known them for very long, and I was essentially placing my fate in their hands.

Mike expressed doubt, saying, "It can't be that bad, can it?"

This time, Tom spoke up on my behalf. He sighed and nodded. "Yes, it really can be that bad, and I see it that way. Here's an idea: let's make a pact that we won't betray her."

I chuckled, but Tom was quite serious. He went on with his idea.

"Come on, repeat after me: 'I swear that I will not betray Lores...'" Tom began.

Mike shook his head and suggested a revised version, "I swear not to reveal anything about her magical abilities to anyone else unless she approves it."

Tom nodded and extended his hand to Mike, saying, "That sounds better. Hew, Dolores, place your hands over ours!"

I rolled my eyes, considering it somewhat childish. But Tom was insistent.

"It's important, a symbol we should remember," he insisted.

Initially, I thought about stopping them, but then I decided to let it happen. There was no harm in this symbolic gesture, and it might help them remember. The others agreed; everybody repeated Mike's sentence, and I placed my hand over theirs.

"May those who break this pact be cursed!" Tom declared.

The others nodded in agreement, and I did the same. As we completed the ritual, a dark cloud seemed to form over our hands, splitting into three smaller flecks that resembled dark birds before they appeared to enter their chests.

Seeing that apparition really shook me to the core.

"Fuck!" I blurted out, and they all seemed taken aback.

As I looked at them, I realized that they hadn't witnessed what I had, and I was beginning to doubt the authenticity of my own eyes. Would they genuinely be cursed if they ever betrayed me? And what would that curse entail?

Mike furrowed his brow and asked, "What's going on?"

Tom, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, chimed in, "Is that the curse? Care to elaborate?"

I shot a glare at Tom, then sighed.

"Well, if you ever genuinely feel cursed or if anything strange happens, don't hesitate to give me a call, okay?"

Tom added, "So, you mean if we betray you and get a taste of this curse, you'd come to our rescue? How magnanimous!"

I shrugged in response.