October 10, 493 U.C.

On the other hand, the instructor of my next class had given up. She told us to watch the news and put it on the board. The Council of Lords was meeting. It seemed the policy was happening live. I watched with my head lying against the hard, glass desk. Everyone else watched from their desks. Most were feeling happy that it had ended with relatively few casualties. I wallowed in the fact that thousands had died, and it had been my fault.

“We can keep the city on Vuln?” someone asked.

“Of course,” Jethildra said. “We don’t wish to drive humanity away. We want more collaboration and cooperation. However, we will be overseeing the rest. You will be allowed a city on Fael. That seems most fair. And we will work on policies with your people. We will also install a city on Starb per that agreement. We will work together regarding laws and defense. As to Earth? If all are in accord, we’ll set up a guardian city and take jurisdiction to protect both species. If you don’t wish that, getting magical aid will be much harder.”

“You are not authorized!” Peter yelled. “We will protect our own!”

Jethildra sighed. “If you wish to keep us out, that is up to you.”

“Human policies?” someone asked.

“We are willing to take over if you wish,” Jethildra said. “It would be wise.”

“No! Humanity will dictate itself.” Peter glowered. “You will have no say over Earth or my territory.”

“The territory on Starb was forfeit,” Jethildra said. “That is now our domain.”

“What about the false claims you’ve made regarding awakening?” Peter yelled.

I poked my head up and looked at the screen.

“We’ll be getting to the bottom of that. Make no mistake, we will learn exactly how that is happening. Care to tell us now and save us the trouble?” Jethildra’s eyes blazed as she said it.

Peter’s face was bright red. “A guardian aided us in doing it. It seems that you are indeed turning us into fae. They have enough to do it without you.”

“Who?” Jethildra demanded. “I need a name now.”

“No. I won’t be revealing that.”

“Of course, you won’t. It just further shows your guilt. But rest assured, we know of your treachery.” Jethildra’s eyes blazed, glowing a vibrant yellow.

That look was terrifying. She was livid. And I did it. That did not help my mood. I slumped back down, smearing my face on the desk. Depression surged through me.

The group continued to bicker. I looked at my phone. Dad’s going to be so pissed… What do I do with him? Dread filled me as I considered it. There was really only one option at this point. I’m going to have to send him to jail. They did it. I know they did it.

“Ela, did they do this? Did they plant the bugs?” I asked her.

“Yes,” Ela replied. “Be very careful today, Casey.”

“What does that mean?”

“They might kill you.”

“Dad wouldn’t—“ The thought died as soon as it started. Scenes from my early childhood flashed through my mind. Dad hadn’t wanted me to die, but he certainly hadn’t been that concerned.

I swallowed the growing emotion and slowly started working up my courage.

My stomach interrupted that, gurgling angrily out to the masses. With a sigh, I pulled out some snacks and ate while I sat there. The experts were debating all sorts of things. Students chatted and watched the news. I looked over as Daniele scooted closer.

“Doing alright?” Daniele whispered, giving me a once over and likely checking for wounds.

“No,” I whispered.

Daniele frowned. “I could talk to them?”

“I need a way to be safe.” I paused and changed plans. “Ela, can you get a contract saying they won’t hurt me?”

“Sure!” Ela chirped back.

With that, I looked back to the news and grimaced. The wreckage and property damage was in the billions. The camera showed it everywhere.

“Casey?” Daniele probed. “What’s going on?”

“I’m just trying to find the way through this where I don’t die,” I murmured.

Daniele went quiet again. She was probably trying to figure out an answer.

I spent the rest of class and the rest of the day doing the same. Most of the school was far too distracted by the mayhem to notice my glum behavior. Several students looked depressed and sad. I fit right in.

I finally emerged from the school and looked up at the sunny sky. I’ll just talk to Dad. I’ll send him to jail if he knew. I prepared myself while I walked.

Anxiety grew, building in my throat at the thought. I began fighting with it, and Daniele said something.

I was too distracted to notice. My insides began squirming, and my eyes watered. We walked up through the airlock.

“Casey, why don’t you come to my place?” Daniele asked, nudging me hard.

I shook my head. Not yet. Now or never. My eyes started to water. “I can’t do that yet.”

Daniele grabbed my arm. “You need to do that. I can see you shaking.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

I gave her that empty smile. “It’ll be fine.”

“It won’t. You’re literally crying.”

“Just wait here, Daniele. I’ll be back,” I said robotically.

I turned and walked up to the door. After several breaths, I opened the door and walked inside, nearly running into him. He was standing right there. His face was red, and his eyes bulged.

I met his gaze. “Dad, please. You said I could help.”

“Give me the cards,” Dad ordered, slamming the door behind me.

I looked into his eyes. “Did – you - know? Did --”

A bang echoed through the room, and pain exploded in my chest. The world ceased moving. Looking at him, I saw the gun.

A numb shock spread through my body. I reached down and grabbed the bullet that had entered my body. With that act came a whole lot of pain and a whole lot of rage. I furiously threw the bullet out of spacetime and grabbed a healing potion.

I drank it while looking at the man who’d raised me. There he was, about to kill me. “Who even are you?” I muttered while wiping away the tears from my cheeks. “What sort of dad would do this to their kid?”

I continued crying while the reality of it sank in. As that reality hit, I was left with that numb, empty feeling again. No, none of it made sense, but I no longer cared.

With a flick, I sent a teleport at him and let a moment of time pass. The teleport spell shot forward. Blood exploded from his chest, and I ceased time once more.

I stared at the scene in complete shock. He had a bullet hole in his chest. Realization slammed into me. I threw that bullet… Oh, God. My stomach churned, and I threw up, dry heaving after not eating much for the day.

Slumping down, I started crying again. A hand reached out and patted me on the back.

That was when I looked up and saw Death.

“Just here to collect,” Death replied. “Don’t try going backward.”

I continued sobbing. “I’m a monster,” I choked out.

Death scoffed openly. “Hardly. He’s lucky.”

That pulled me out of my newest emotional mess. “What?”

“Don’t worry about it. Come on, Casey. That man was a piece of shit.” Death reached down and stood me up. “You know that.”

I turned and looked at my scene. There he stood, blood splattering out of his pressed suit. I felt my stomach churn once more.

“Yeah. Stop looking at him,” Death ordered, spinning me away. “You’ll do something foolish. You’ve always been too kind-hearted.”

I slumped on the floor, feeling a mix of emotions that I didn’t know what to do with. Death grabbed me, and we appeared elsewhere.

I looked out at some planet. There was an entire field of dead people. Two humans with white hair were aglow with magic.

“Those are monsters, Casey.” Death moved us again.

I looked at my grandfather’s home. Part of me wanted to clean up my mess, and part of me just wanted to leave.

“Want me to do it?” Death asked with a crooked smile.

I jerked up and looked at him. “What? Really?”

“Nope. But some people would. You know how to tell them.”

I looked at him and felt exhausted. The emotions were taking their toll. “Why are you here, Death?”

“I told you. I don’t want to clean up the mess. I’m fixing that problem forever, but it’ll take some time.”

I nodded. “What are you doing to magic?”

“Let’s not ruin the surprise.” Death winked at me.

I turned to him and wondered about the woman I’d seen. “Do you talk to everyone like me?”

“Liani? We’ve met.” Death laughed. “She knows the rules, as do all those like you.”

“Do you come to them in times like this,” I asked, wiping my eyes.

Death shook his head. “No. They were warned, and they aren’t fun.” He patted me on the back again. “Now, want to do this? Go full vengeance?”

I looked back at my grandparent’s house. “I never was the vengeful type,” I murmured.

“No, no, you weren’t, but now’s the time.” Death gestured at the home.

“Are you forcing me out of here?” I asked with sudden realization.

“Yep. I’d prefer not to end you today.”

With a sigh, I entered my grandfather’s house and found no one there. The entire place was empty. That got my rage rolling again.

Growling, I huffed and crossed my arms. “Did you know?”

“Don’t take it out on me.” Death willed us to a meat processing plant. “Trigger that bomb you have in your pocket.”

“Bomb?” I asked.

“Ela.” Death gestured.

Right. May as well. I dropped a teleport, chaining it through every worker there. Then I teleported again.

Slamming through the Lord’s wards in a burst of mana, I dumped him and every super soldier into the guardian prisons.

Then I teleported to the safe house I’d found, finding a group that I recognized instantly.

My grandfather and all the family were there, having a meeting. I didn’t bother with a monologue. I just teleported them all.

I’ll admit it was immature, but I moved to the prison and watched. Resuming time, it was a cascade of bodies. They slammed into each other and the ground. Guards and turrets came online instantly.

One ran to the wall, and a turret locked onto him. Then I was back on Vuln.

Death patted my arm. “You don’t want to watch that.”

I could hardly argue.

“See you soon, Casey.” Death waved and vanished.

I found myself next to Daniele, who was standing there with a look of horror on her face. She lurched away as I appeared. “Casey?” She grabbed my arm and pulled me toward her house.

I let her do it. I was exhausted enough, as it were. “Ela. I need that contract now.” I summoned her to me.

Ela grinned as documents flashed onto my ocular computer. “Here you go, Casey.”

Daniele spun and looked at Ela. “Ela, did they get it?”

Ela nodded. “Don’t worry. Your report was filed.”

I spun and stared at Daniele. “You reported me?”

“I reported that man to Child Services and don’t feel bad about it. He’s horrible.” Daniele dragged me forward.

That man. My dad. Wait. Why’d she say that? “That man?” I asked.

Daniele blanched. “Erm. Not here, Casey. Let’s go inside.” She pulled me into her house.

That man... Why'd she say that? He was my dad. He'd raised me. He'd taught me how to fight and all about magic... The one thing he wanted above all else. I walked inside, and memories slammed into me. Realization hit me like a brick as all the pieces slid into place.

Current Level 12 Current XP 16.08% Current Max Mana 19010.13 Regen per minute 26.40 Reputation 30100

Tier Skill Cost Tier 11 User Time Dilation (Haste)

- User experiences 256 seconds for 1 earth second.

- Force transference limited to 25%. 1 mana per earth second. Tier 7 Pocket Dimension

- 128 cubic meters of pocket space.

- Rapid stash and rapid draw.

- You may tether objects to your pocket space.

- Your pocket space cleans, preserves, and organizes items inside based on your will. 32 mana Tier 7 Time Stop

- Caster leaves spacetime. They may remove and place things back in spacetime.

- You may control the flow of time in the demiplane.

- You may summon in willing living creatures.

- This automatically triggers if you take significant damage.

- Recast to gain vision. 200 mana to cast.

Variable cost to move items in and out. Tier 7 Teleport.

- Teleports the caster or a willing creature.

- You may cast this on a willing or unwilling creature if they are within fifty meters.

- You may teleport inside an object, causing the matter to push outward.

200 mana for the caster.

400 mana for a willing creature.

1000 mana for an unwilling creature with no resistance.

- Short range casts cost less mana.

Tier 3 Attire Swap

- Locked to a single outfit. Current outfit set to Magical Girl Uniform.

- Attire cleaned on swap.

- Attire repaired on swap. 20 mana. Tier 3 Enhanced Body

- Caster’s body is enhanced by a factor of eight. 2 mana per caster second. Tier 2 Enchanting.

- Enchantments last twice as long. Variable cost. Tier 2 Potions.

- Potions last twice as long. Variable cost. Tier 2 Familiar Manifestation. 20 mana to cast Tier 2 Free casting

- Cast any spell you can replicate.

- Slotted Spell. Use half the normal cost of the spell to store a single spell for future use. Cast the spell for the remaining cost. Variable cost. Penalty of 8x mana.