The door rang as a couple of kids entered. The cashier eyed them carefully as the youths browsed the products.

She wouldn't have minded them as much, but Tracy couldn't trust the two that easily. Teens especially. A lot of them were troublemakers that wanted to feel special, to be unique. Or simply they thought that the world revolved around them and that they could get away with it.

Around this place, she couldn't afford to be careless.

Only when they left with some snacks did Tracy relax.

Nothing eventful happened after.

Time was spent stocking shelves.

She was alone since her fellow employee was a no-show. And the owner of the place was busy in their office.

So everything could only be done by her. Mop the floor, restock the shelves, do the inventory, and so forth. As of now, she was the backbone of this convenience store. And honestly, she was proud of it.

There were some perks with this particular job of hers.

"Hey, I gotta close up early!" Suddenly, her manager walked out of his office. "Daughter has an appointment early in the morning, so I'll have to leave for tonight."

"I can watch the fort while you're gone, boss."

"No need, today is a slow one, and it isn't like we're gonna lose too much money."

"Well, alright!"

"Oh, right! Left a treat for you in the break room."

"Thanks, Ricky!"

Ricky was a middle-aged man. The pushover kind, but Tracy didn't take advantage of the fact. He was a good guy that needed all the help he could get.

She hurried to swap her employee red vest with her hoodie. Tracy checked the table and noticed a pack of beer ready to be taken. This was a perk of her job. Ricky always pleased everyone, his own staff especially. Even if it made him look like a chump.

The bottles clinked together as she picked them up.

It was a brand she hadn't heard of before, but Tracy wasn't picky, all she needed was the feeling.

After saying goodbye to Ricky, Tracy went straight home.

This town, Goldcrest, was a dangerous place. All types of scum hid in the corners and shadows. They waited for an opportunity, for any vulnerable targets.

Tracy didn't trust people easily, especially so when the sun was down.

Her apartment building soon towered over her, a rundown place with a few abandoned rooms. The landlord just didn't bother anymore.

Tracy's place was decent at least, though she hadn't seen her neighbor's before.

Enough size for a single person, and she wasn't the interior decorator type, so her apartment was left the way it was after the last owner.

Not much to dwell in.

Tracy had plans for tonight, and it was about her little treats.

Dinner consisted of a couple of plain sandwiches she made this morning. A good old slice of ham in both, complemented with ketchup and mustard.

Everything was the way she liked it. Just her, dinner, and drinks to wash it all down.

Sadly it all stopped there when someone knocked on her door. Disgruntled, Tracy got up to answer.

And just as she was about to enjoy the night off, a certain undesirable character was at her door.

"Hey, Tracy! Guess who got two tickets to Jam's!"

"For the last time, I ain't going anywhere with you."

He pouted. "Aw, come on. It's gonna be fun! Drinks are free, and the music is good!"

"I already got free drinks, no need to go look for more." She argued.

"Yeah, but are they good enough? They got the drinks that would hit you hard."

"I'm looking to relax, not party." He stopped her just as she was about to close the door.

"Tracy, get out of there for once and see the world. You're missing out on some awesome stuff."

"Like what? If I'm looking for something I'd look for it. Right now, though? I'm gonna enjoy a couple of sandwiches and some TV." With that, Tracy closed the door.

But after a few steps, the knocking started.

Tracy growled as she marched back to answer. "Damian you deaf- Jessica?"

It wasn't her annoying neighbor, but her sister, Jessica.

"Hey, what are you doing here? And what's with that get-up, some kind of cosplay?"

Her sister Jessica was dressed like a fantasy witch, complete with a large brimmed pointy hat. Purple in color which seemed to be the main theme of the whole costume. What really added to it was the cat that was on her shoulders. It looked so real as if it was indeed alive. Well, why would it? The thing had strange eyes that didn't belong to any normal creature.

"Sister," Jessica said. It was strange for her to address Tracy that way. "This is an important matter, and I do believe that we should converse in private."

"Jess?"

Jessica said nothing and pushed her way in.

"What the hell, you can't just walk in here! And weren't you on some camping trip with your friends? Does mom and dad know about you being back in town?"

"No to all those." Jessica glanced at the coffee table where Tracy's food and drinks were. "You're here early. Usually, you would be working until midnight."

"I'll be the one asking the questions here, brat! What are you doing here? Is it a school problem? It's the costume, isn't it? God, are you getting stalked or something? Tell me who it is and I'll call the cops."

"Unnecessary," Jessica, or by this point, Purpura had deemed the situation unfit to call the authorities. Of course, because it wasn't the kind you'd call for. "Sister, I have no time to pretend. We are in dire need of help, but not the kind your puny mind believes."

Before Tracy could push further, the door flew open and another person walked in with something massive in his arms.

"Jess, what is this? Hey!"

The shirtless man kicked her coffee table across the room, luckily she caught her sandwiches.

He laid the giant onto her couch once cleared of any obstructions.

"Last chance, Missy! You tell me what is going on with you, shirtless, and the basketball player!"

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Tracy wasn't exaggerating about that last one. This man in a fancy robe and armor could be at least ten feet tall. He could barely fit in her couch and his legs went over the armrest.

"Our situation has us at a dead end, so I must request that you house Lord Vanzyr until we can start rebuilding."

"Rebuilding what!? You still haven't explained who these guys are!"

"Are you sure Jessica's blood relative is our only option?" The cat spoke in perfect English.

"Woah, how did it do that?" Tracy's priorities changed the moment a talking cat was added to the equation. "Did you make it, Jess?"

"Make me? If anything, I was the one who made Purpura! Mortal, do not underestimate me, for I am Alexander Kincaid, the Scourge Chemist of Koruk Uzgobog! You will do well to respect me!"

"Wow, did you get a voice actor for that? It sounds so real and honest."

"Sister, I know I've been ignoring you a lot these years, but I request that you allow us to stay here until we've gathered our bearings."

"Jess, right." Tracy remembered the situation. "Just tell me what is going on, please."

"There's something I haven't told you before, a secret I kept for the past few years now. I am not your sister, Jessica, I am Purpura Gladius. Awakened by Alexander Kincaid to follow the will of Lord Vanzyr!"

Tracy could only stare at her sister oddly. Purpura's claims were so absurd that Tracy was worried. Jessica didn't have a fever or anything, and she seemed responsive enough.

"Did you hit your head?"

"A proof of my power is required I see."

Before Tracy could even question, Purpura's eyes lit up with an intense blue. The whole room shook as if a stampede was running by the building. Tracy's eyes widened when she witnessed her furniture start to float.

"See now, sister! This is the true self! I am Purpura Gladius, the Witch of Vanzyr!"

Only for an explosion to erupt.

Tracy stared at the remnants of her apartment, reduced to smoke and ash.

And something far worse suffered the same fate as her home. Her sandwiches.

She fell to her knees as she wept for her dinner. The only thing she looked forward to this day, gone.

And there was only one guilty of this heinous crime.

"That was my dinner!" Tracy wrapped her hands around Purpura's neck.

"You dare- okay, that hurts actually." Purpura's face started to change in hue. "Sister, I cannot breathe."

"Aren't you gonna help her?" Alexander asked Morgan.

"You're just a Frankenstein of genres!"

"Forget that I asked."

"Sister, it's getting darker…"

"I used my allowance for that good ham, and you just had to blow it up! When this is over I'll turn you into ham!"

As the two fought over the loss of one, Vanzyr was lost in the abyss.

His mind brought him somewhere no light could ever guide him.

He wondered about where he was, and why he was there in the first place.

"Strange, isn't it?"

Vanzyr glanced at a mirror that appeared from nowhere. The reflection was off-colored. Added to the fact it spoke to him, Vanzyr concluded that this wasn't a mirror at all.

"We were always clever," His reflection chuckled as he crawled out of the object. "Our eyes cannot be deceived so easily!"

"Who are you?"

"Are you blind?" His head was not attached to his body. "I'm the past."

"The past? Then my suspicions were correct. This isn't some kind of loop…"

"Right you are! Now, to avoid confusion, you can call me…"

"Ego,"

Ego smiled beneath his helm. "Try not to lose your head with this one."

Vanzyr arched his brow. "Very humorous…"

"Well, let us continue at another time, it seems to be that you're waking up."

"Wait! I have questions!"

"You can answer that yourself, after all, I'm you."

The shadow was chased away as the light returned to his eyes. Vanzyr shot up from his sleep but went unnoticed by the others.

"Are you sorry!?"

"Please forgive this humble soul! I did not mean to commit such heinous crimes!"

Tracy scoffed at Purpura's apology. "And enough with the ye old language! Talk like a normal person!"

She felt a heavy hand upon her shoulder so she snapped at them.

"What do you want!?" Only to be silent the moment she laid eyes on the owner of said hand.

Vanzyr towered over them all, his head nearly touched the ashy ceiling.

See, Tracy had an interest in history, so she couldn't help but notice the type of helm Vanzyr wore. And she was truly enamored by the piece of glorious metal.

"Is that a Corinthian-style helmet?" She was in awe of such amazing craftsmanship. So much that Tracy hadn't realized that she pulled Vanzyr by the gorget and brought him down to her level. "And this chestplate! Is that hole from an actual durability test!?"

She couldn't control herself as she inspected his gear closer. Though it was a bit of a mix, she couldn't deny Vanzyr's choice of armor was amazing. From his shiny chestplate with golden accents and trims to the spectral flaming plume of his helmet. Overjoyed by the historical armory, she was ignorant of the killing intent that Morgan exuded.

"Such impertinence!" Alexander was appalled by Tracy's disrespect.

"It's alright," Vanzyr told the chemist. "Mortal, I am Lord Vanzyr of house Zokius, former Arch Wizard of Valor, the Deceiver of Whitefall, and Master of Darkness!"

"Cool,"

"Cool?"

"Yeah, cool." Vanzyr was quite disappointed by Tracy's reaction. He expected some excitement from her, but he was only met with a disinterested girl who was focused more on his armor.

"Do you not comprehend the situation, child? I am a being of great power, and yet, you are somehow… casual about it."

"I'm not really into magic, but your armor on the other hand? I'm very interested in historical weapons and armor." Her eyes switched over to Morgan. "You…"

"This product is off the shelf!"

"Come on, let me see that just for a second!"

Morgan raised his sword defensively which only made things worse. "Everybody has a gimmick, and I'm Gordon Ramsey!"

"Is he always like that?"

Vanzyr sighed. "Please take this seriously, child, I require shelter while I… study my situation. There's a problem that needs to be dealt with."

"Wait, you said that you're a Master of Darkness, right? Are you evil?"

Vanzyr's eyes lit ablaze. "Is that a problem?"

"Honestly? I don't care." She admitted. "Besides, my sister works for you, so I'm sure my family and I are safe. But I am curious about the damages you've made."

"Am I hearing things wrong? What could I have broken?"

She raised her hands at the ruined apartment along with the culprit behind the destruction.

"Hm, well, as the master of Purpura, I will accept full responsibility."

Alexander shed a tear. "Our Lord, so kind and reasonable!"

"Alright, you guys can stay. Still gotta ask the landlord first thing tomorrow morning." Tracy said. "But, someone better clean this up."

Vanzyr was faced with a feeble problem. So his solution was to send the ash and dust elsewhere. And before they knew it, everything was clear of filth, and Tracy was taken aback by how much better her apartment was before they showed up.

"Woah! How did you do that!?"

Vanzyr smirked. "I can bend the will of all elements! If I so wish, I could send the ocean to the moon!"

"Amazingly done, my Lord!" Purpura said.

Alexander watched with a proud look in his eyes. "Truly, not even the smallest speck is beyond your power!"

Vanzyr waited for a moment as he basked in their praises. He then realized that something was missing. "Wait, where is Morgan?"

"He left a few minutes ago," Tracy answered.

"Ah, yes," Alexander hummed. "Just like Purpura, Morgan has a life and a family to return to. He is always busy with his personal life."

Vanzyr nodded. "Ah, I see… How old is Morgan? His body, I mean. He is shorter than I remembered."

"He is sixteen, still in high school," Purpura explained. "Oh no! I have school tomorrow!"

Purpura rushed to the exit once she realized how close to midnight it was.

"Sister! I must ask that you take care of Lord Vanzyr! Please give him your utmost respect or suffer by my hands!"

"Don't just run off like that!" Tracy wanted to chase after Purpura but knew that there was no point to it. "Great, drop off some weird magical cat and an old wizard then leave as soon as possible."

She turned to the dark lord and the talking cat.

"Alright, house rules: Don't make a mess, don't bother the neighbors, and don't take my food, they're mine."

"You need not worry, child, we shall honor the host," Vanzyr assured him. "For now I must speak to my lieutenant, Kincaid."

"Fine, I'm going to bed." Tracy made sure she hadn't forgotten about her beer bottles.

Alexander waited for Tracy to be out of the room before he faced his master. "Something is bothering you, my Lord. Pray tell, I am willing to hear your woes."

"They are so young… Morgan and Purpura I mean."

"They are the reincarnation, so there's no telling what their appearance would be."

Vanzyr remembered every single detail of the two. They were both of similar age. But their powers were still the same as he recalled. The two were just two sides of the same coin, with Purpura being the power of the mind while Morgan was the body.

His strength was unmatched, and his fury alone could turn the tide of battle.

"You know of this, correct?"

"Of course, I have sent Morgan to battle those pesky girls and Mia ever since he awakened. None could compare to his wrath. Well, none but Himiko."

Vanzyr cupped his chin. "One of Sam's friends I assume."

"Indeed, and quite the fearsome one too. Only a few of my minions ever posed a threat to them, but Morgan would be enough to keep her at bay. My Lord, what exactly is your plan?"

"I… There's something wrong here, Kincaid. Tell me, were you a cat from the beginning? Before my defeat at the hands of the Wizard King, you were a humanoid arachnid. That is what I remembered as clear as day."

"What does this mean then? I was reincarnated into something else? That is a bit strange, for I remember it differently. As far as I can recall, I have always been the same, even after I returned to the living."

"So did the others…" A memory flashed in Vanzyr's mind. "One point… you were my clone."

"So you are saying that we are in some kind of loop? Also, that lucky wretch."

Alexander was always the brains of three; mostly the reason why Vanzyr chose him as his right-hand man… well, cat.

"Does this mean you've been resurrected before?"

"Yes, and every time I awake, whoever is the hero vanquishes me no matter what. My most recent defeat… I remember battling with Mia's hero. But something strange happened. It was as if… my eyes were ripped open. One moment all was as it should be, the next, I was assaulted with faces that I can't recognize. And names that are alien to me. Do you know who Ivory is?"

"Can't say I do, my Lord."

"Until we can solve this matter, I will postpone my plans of world domination. Until then, I am curious about the strange box." Vanzyr said as he pointed at the television.

Meanwhile, as this was happening, Mia waited outside of Vanzyr's castle, eyes glued on her phone.

She wore a goofy smile with a hint of red on her cheeks.

"Oh Ronaldo, I truly know how you feel!" She gushed as she tapped away on the screen.

Just then, Sam emerged from the entrance and joined Mia in the courtyard.

"Hey, you're back!" Mia tucked her phone away and smiled. "Guess the job is finished? Well, kid, it was great working with you! This is where we finally part ways and enjoy a saved world!"

Mia summoned a couple of luggage bags and a pair of sunglasses. She looked ready for a tropical vacation, sadly it just wasn't meant to be.

"Wait, what do you mean he isn't there? How'd you miss a ten-foot-tall guy decked out in armor and a fancy robe? That's strange… Wait, this isn't right! I should be halfway to Tahiti by now! Go find him so we can live a peaceful life!"

Sam crossed her arms.

"Yeah I know I have responsibilities, but we've been going at it for a few years now! I deserve a vacation. You didn't notice all the hard work I did? Now you're just making me feel bad. Ugh, let's just go look for him, he couldn't be far."

Mia sent her belongings away as she soured a little.

"You know what? Let's go home. Better to just sleep it off and worry about Vanzyr tomorrow."

Mia channeled her magic and opened a rift back home. Once through, the two started their way back to Sam's place.

"Yeah, guess it is kinda late. Did you do your homework? Good. Hey, we should celebrate destroying another Vanzyr's bases! Tomorrow night, I'll set up a pizza party and call the girls. Maybe we can spin the story and try to get that Mike guy-"

Sam flicked at Mia's forehead with her fingers.

"Fine, business associates only," Mia said as she rubbed the pain away. "Weird, I can't find even a single trace of Vanzyr. Do you think he's planning something? Well, of course he is. I remember back in the day when the Wizard King first fought him. You should've seen how bad things were; the world was falling apart I tell you. But in the end, good always wins."