Saturno leans against a wall, casting firebolts at random things she sees and deems unimportant, waiting for Anya. She turns when she hears footsteps and a cart approaching. Anya is already standing close enough to touch. It startles her, but she manages to conceal it, “I’ve been waiting here for nearly an hour.” Anya looks around, “Did I interfere with your drinking time?” Saturno glares at her, but Anya does not notice, “Saturno, I’ve found something the locals call Aetherium. I think it can heal Nexus. “We” need to find out where it comes from and how to get much more of it. Sasha chose you to assist me because she still thinks highly of you.” Saturno smiles, “But I don’t have such high hopes for you. I think you were good at one time, but that time has passed. So, all I ask is that you stay out of my way if you can’t be helpful and try to stay sober. I don’t have time for your pity party.”
Saturno’s smile fades as Anya tells the guards to get into the teleportation circle with the cart. Once they are positioned to Anya’s liking, she casts teleport, and the guards and the cart vanish in a flash of light. Anya moves to the circle and stares at Saturno. Saturno walks over next to Anya, “You’re a little bi..” there’s a flash of light, and the world seems to fall from under her. They plummet through a tunnel of light. Saturno feels herself being pulled apart. Through the walls of light, she sees worlds and stars being birthed and dying. The tunnel walls seem to be too close and impossibly far apart at the same time. It feels like she is being turned inside. Then she is standing in the yard of an old rundown mansion, “tch.”
Saturno goes to all fours, turning up everything she has drunk and what little she has eaten since yesterday onto the ground. “What the hells was wrong with that teleport?” She looks around. Anya is watching her and the guards as they puke. She wipes her mouth and takes a deep breath, “Shit, this place stinks.” Anya says, “Huh, I thought your sinuses were burned out. Have you smelt yourself lately? How long has it been since you had a bath? As for the teleport, I think that is our fault. A few million tons of stone and iron emerging from a portal tend to have unwanted effects on dimensional travel. We kind of wrecked everything when we crashed here.” Saturno says, “I supposed you blame that on me, too.” Anya looks at her without blinking, “No, it’s just fact. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine. I defined the coordinates of the portal.” Saturno glares at her, “Just shut up. I was being sarcastic you ignorant little,,,” She sees that Anya has already lost all interest in her and isn’t listening.
Anya looks at the guards. “When you’re done puking, The Laughing Ogres said we can use their house, so move everything inside. Don’t open anything. I will take care of that.” She looks at Saturno, “Go down to the docks, purchase some fish, have them delivered here, then collect some mud samples around the shores.” Saturno stands, wipes her face one more time, and then stalks off toward the lake. Anya watches her go, thinking, “I hope Sasha made the right decision.” Anya uses a Sending to Sasha, “Arrived at Mosshore. Setting up. Being tough on Saturno to try to get her to breakout. You let her get soft.” She waits for the reply while she checks out the house. It’s dirty. A ghost is in the library is whining about being unable to die and go to the afterlife with his Gertrude. Anya doesn’t even acknowledge she sees him. She finds that succubus contracted to the bard in the cellar, attaching chains to the wall.
The succubus stands there, looking at Anya like a child that just got caught killing small animals, “This isn’t what you think it is.” Anya looks at Shyless, “What do I think it is? Before you get any ideas, I can turn you into a bad memory before you can move.” Shyless backs to the far end of the cellar; this little girl scares the shit out of her more than any demon or devil she’s ever met, “A torture dungeon?” Anya picks up a chain, looks at it, and Shyless then says, “You’re right. I don’t care, as long as it’s not meant for decent people. I’ll be upstairs with my guards and assistant. They are off-limits. Clear?” Shyless nods as Anya starts back up, then stops, “Whom is it meant for?” Shyless replies, “Some evil people that have been hunting my Master.” Anya continues walking up the stairs. She tries Sending again, this time to Saturno, “See if there is any good food around here, other than fish. Get a sample around the river, too.”
She starts opening the crates and setting up her lab on the top floor in an observatory, where she can see the entire town, a good portion of the lake, and the river. She sees someone else, probably one of The Laughing Ogres, has a lab setup. She thinks to herself, “Probably that irritating gnome.” After everything is organized how she wants, she roams around the house. “With a little paint and cleaning, this place would be kind of nice.” She opens the door to a bedroom to peek in. There is a surge of movement. Before she can react, something grabs her and takes her to the floor, “Anya, I’ve missed you.” Charlie almost screams. She relaxes and wraps her arms around the kitsune, seeing it's Charlie, “Just the person I’m looking for. I need that alchemist mind of yours.” Charlie purs as Anya rubs her head.
Keeping her hood up and cloak tight, Saturno roams around the docks. She has tied a mask on to block out the smell, but now the mask smells like fish. Then someone bumps into her, knocking her down. She yells, “You bumbling idiot.” The man is instantly over her, trying to grab her, “Sorry miss, I didn’t see,,,” She swats him away, and he steps back as she stands, “Damnit, what’s wrong with this stinking cesspit of a,,,” The man, very loudly says, “I said I was sorry. Now I’m starting to think I’m not. This stinking cesspit is my home and my family’s home. What is your problem?” Saturno straightens her cloak, “People are running me over. I need to buy some fish.” The man steps in front of a large crate of fish just unloaded from his boat, “We’re all out of fish and patience. Take your attitude somewhere else.”
Realizing that if she returns to Anya without what she sent for, she sighs and, without thinking, brushes her hair back, knocking the hood off and exposing her face. The man flinches at seeing the scars. She pulls her hood back up and turns away. The man says nothing. She says, “What? Never seen,,,” The man says, “Yeah Miss, I’ve seen monsters. You’re not one. I’ll sell you the fish, not because of the scars. Not because you’re an ass. But because we’re both wrong, and I want to start over. My name is Chanlin, and I apologize for bumping into you. My arms were full, and I couldn’t see where I was going.” She stands there briefly, “I apologize for being an ass, Chanlin, but you must admit. This place stinks.” He lets out a belly-shaking laugh; a few people look in their direction, “It does, It does at that. Then you get used to it, and then it starts smelling like home.”
Saturno walks over to him. He is a monster of a man, standing seven feet tall, with dark-tanned skin and a full head of messy black hair. She looks up at him, “I’m Saturno, Chanlin.” She points at the old mansion on the hill, “I’m staying there for the time being, helping a wizard do some research.” Chanlin looks up the hill at the mansion, “You’re staying in that old haunted house. Wow. You wouldn’t catch me anywhere near that place.” Saturno laughs at the statement, “You’re probably the biggest, toughest-looking person I’ve ever seen, and you’re afraid of a house? Chanlin gives her a hurt look. She says, “No, I don’t mean that as an insult. It’s just, I mean. It’s only a house. I don’t suppose I can get you to deliver those fish to that house, can I?” He sighs, “Gods, I can’t resist a beautiful woman. I suppose so, but it will cost extra.” Saturno smiles, “I’ll pay double whatever you normally get for the fish. Ask for the little,,,” Saturno bites her tongue, “Ask for Anya when you get there.”
She turns to walk toward the edge of the dock when Chanlin says, “I don’t suppose I can get you to meet for a drink later?” Saturno stops. She says, “As long as it’s not made from fish.” He laughs, “Nope, just crab. Fish is worth too much. Due’s Dockside an hour after sundown? That’ll give me time to make sure the kids have eaten and are settled.” She replies, “Sounds like a plan to me.” Then she walks away thinking, “He’s just trying to be polite. I bet he doesn’t show. No, he’ll have his friends there to see the monster he pulled in… I’ll burn them to ash.”
Anya pushes Charlie up to arm's length when Charlie leaps up, lands on her feet, and then helps Anya to her feet. “What’s this about my alchemical mind? I mean, I know I overdo it sometimes.” Anya says, “No, not that. I need your knowledge of alchemy. I’ve found something completely by accident, and I don’t understand it.” Charlie excitedly says, “Tell me, tell me!”
Anya removes a small vial and holds it up before Charlie’s eyes. Charlie fixates on it. At first, she sees an empty vial, but then Anya wiggles it, causing the single silver grain to bounce around. Anya says, “I think I’ve discovered the base element of all magic.” Charlie asks, “What can it do? What do you mean by “base element?”” She reaches out for it, but Anya pockets the vial before Charlie gets her hands on it. Anya says, “When this touches Nexus, it begins to wake; maybe stirs is a better description. I can also use it in place of material components for spells. Granted, I haven’t been able to cast more than a cantrip, but I haven’t had much more than a grain of it. Do you know what this means, Charlie?”
Charlie grabs her case with her gear. “Where do you get it from?” Anya says, “Fish.” Charlie stops and sits her case down. “What?” Anya says, “Fish. So far, that’s what I have found it in. That grain was from an entire crate of fish. The fish must get it from somewhere.” Charlie’s smile stretches from ear to ear, “The lake. No, the river. Wait, the river must sweep it up from somewhere. We need to find the concentrations to track it to the source. Wait, did you come here by yourself to do this?”
Anya replies to Charlie’s questions, “Yes, we need to find a way to locate its concentrations. No, I brought Saturno with me.” Charlie looks like she’s about to burst, “SATURNO. I haven’t seen her since I left. Where?” Anya says, “I sent her to the lake to buy fish and gather samples. But Charlie. She has changed. The wounds couldn’t be healed. She has withdrawn. She may not want to see you like you want to see her.” Charlie’s smile fades, then reappears, “I’ll go find her. I’ll be right back. Take my case up. I, I, I…” Anya says, “Go.” Charlie runs out the front door; as she does, she holds out a hand, and a broom appears. She releases the broom; it floats beside her as she runs. She jumps, lands on it, and takes off for the docks.
Saturno reaches the edge of the dock, looking down at the shore. Shallow water, mud, and muck, “I need to find something to scoop up,,,” “SSSAAAATTTTYYYYY”, She turns to see what’s going on when something collides with her. She reflexively wraps her arms around the object and flies backward out over the mud. She sees a broom swish by. As she falls weightless, she glances down at the object and sees a ball of fur, and then huge eyes appear on it. A thought goes through her mind as she flops into the mud, “Charlie.”
There is a wet smack and a splash on impact. Charlie hugs her, still looking at her with those eyes. Saturno knows she should be so angry that she would incinerate her without thought, but it’s impossible to be mad at Charlie, “Charlie saved me, even if I would be better off dead.” Saturno pries her arm free of the mud, “Charlie. Do you know a simple Hello works, too? And we would have been dry. Gods, this place stinks.” Charlie sniffs the air, “Huh, I don’t smell anything. It did stink when I first got here.”
Saturno says, “Well, I guess I’ve got some mud now, and the fish will be delivered.” Charlie leaps from Saturno to the dock, then throws a rope to her. When she tries to stand, the mud pulls her back down. A shadow covers Charlie; she looks up, sees an enormous man looming over her, and cringes. Chanlin says, “Got yourself into a bit of mess there, didn’t you, lass.” He looks down at Charlie. Charlie’s eyes enlarge, making him smile. He places a hand on the edge of the dock and jumps down next to Saturno, giving her a hand. Saturno hesitates before taking his hand, but when she does, he is gentle, pulls her from the mud, and then holds a hand out for her to use as a step. After she is back on the dock, he lifts himself onto the pier, “I was just getting ready to take the fish to the house when I heard the splash.” He points at a flowing water fountain, “You can get cleaned up over there.” Saturno says, “I needed some mud samples.” As she flicks her cloak.
Chanlin looks around, sees what he’s looking for, and walks off. Charlie tells Saturno, “I’ve missed you. I’ve been wanting to come back to Nexus to see you. I’m sorry I left without saying goodbye, but I thought I could help more by going with the Laughing Ogres.” Saturno removes her cloak and pulls her hair down over the scarred side of her face. Charlie shakes her head and says, “You don’t need to do that. You’re beautiful no matter what.” Saturno starts to snap back at her but bites off what she was going to say. Instead, saying, “I’m a monster. Look at me: half-exposed muscle, no skin. When people look at me,,,” Chanlin says, “They see a woman is what they see. A woman who has survived far more than most others could.” Saturno pauses to look at him and see if she can tell he’s lying. Charlie whispers, “Thank you, you took the words out of my mouth.”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Chanlin sets several buckets and two shovels down next to Charlie, “Here. Pull off your boots before going into the mud. Tie off a rope to pull yourselves out when you get stuck.” Charlie holds out her hand, and her broom returns to her, “Or, we can ride my broom and collect it without getting mud,,, muddier.” Chanlin smiles, “Or that.” He looks at Saturno, “You still owe me a drink. Don’t forget.” He steps over to his cart, picks up the handles, and heads toward the house. Charlie grins at Saturno, “A date? Saturno has a date.” She starts singing, “Saty has a date, Saty has a date.” Feeling herself blush, Saturno covers her face with her hands.
Saturno tells Charlie, “No, no, it’s not like that. He bumped into me.” Charlie laughs, “I bet he will do some bumping.” She moves her waist back and forth. Saturno grabs her in a hug to stop her. Charlie stops laughing, “There’s my Saty. I missed you so much.” Saturno holds Charlie close, rubbing her face on her soft fur, wiping away the tears. Charlie whispers to her, “We can collect some mud here, then at the mouth of the river and about a half mile up the river.” Saturno nods, unable to answer her friend.
Chanlin stops at the gate to the house; two guards approach him wearing Nexus tabards. He says, “Lady Saturno. said to deliver these fish to Anya.” One of the guards says, “Wait here.” The other enters the house. Chanlin looks at the crate of fish, trying to figure out what to charge; he thinks four gold pieces should be enough. A girl’s voice behind him says, “How much?” Chanlin jumps and spins, but he sees no one other than the two guards; then, he looks down and sees a child looking at him. He stammers, “I probably need to speak to your mother or father about this.” Anya looks at him, judging how far she can push this, “My mother is dead, and my father, well, he’s dead, too. No one is brave enough to tell him.” Chanlin swallows. Anya asks, “How much or are they free?” Chanlin stammers, “Four gold, that should do it.” Anya reaches into a pocket and holds a platinum piece up to him. He looks at it, “That’s too much, miss. I, I don’t have change.” Anya smiles, “Keep it. I may need your help later. I trust my assistant didn’t cause too much trouble.” Chanlin realizes this child is the wizard, “No, no, mam. She is great. I, I’m going to meet her later,,, to talk.” Anya smiles, “Have her home by midnight.” Chanlin says, “Yes, mam.” Anya has already turned, telling the guards, “Take the fish to my lab so I can get to work.” She looks over her shoulder at Chanlin, “Thank you.”
Anya walks through the door and sees the succubus trying to sneak up the stairs in the ethereal plane, “Shyless!” Shyless freezes, not understanding how Anya sees her. She steps out of the ethereal plane into the real world, “Yes?” Anya looks at her and wishes she didn’t have truesight. Preferring to be able to see Shyless in a mortal form, but oh well, “My assistant will be busy for a while. Could you assist me?” Shyless shakes her head, but before the words leave her mouth, Anya says, “We can talk about Sasha. You remember Sasha, don’t you? You referred to her as The Goddess of Life and Death.” Shyless yells out, “YES!” as she still shakes her head, “No.”
As they walk up the steps, Anya asks, “Have you ever worked with alchemy?” Shyless answers, “Yes, to create mostly poisons and lust potions.” Anya says, “We’re trying to find a way to refine Aetherium. It’s used to,,,” Shyless says, “Yes, magic.” Anya stops and turns to face her, “Explain.” Shyless takes a step backward, “It’s mined in the north and very valuable. I don’t know how much it costs. I’ve found it on a few of my vict,,, A few people who attacked me. I could use it instead of spell components or even amplify my abilities.” Anya says, “I’ve found it in fish. So it is washed down the river.” She stares at Shyless while she thinks, making Shyless feel very uncomfortable before asking, “Has anyone ever dredged the river and lake for it.” Shyless shakes her head, “Not that I know of. I’ve been around for the past thousand years.” Anya turns and runs up the stairs to the lab.
The guards brought up about half of the fish Chanlin had delivered. Anya looks around the room and spots what she is searching for. Two metal plates are about a foot in diameter, and several wires hang off the back side of the plates. Shyless watches her work as she places the plates on stands and arranges conductors around them. Shyless asks, “What are you, exactly? You’re not human.” Anya answers while she works, “I was once human. Then, I was sacrificed to defeat The God of Chaos, the Chained One, and sealed away for a few millennia. Sasha, among others, found me.” Anya chuckles, “Sasha nearly destroyed me. Afterward, we began talking, becoming close friends.” Anya looks at Shyless and smiles, “You want to know about Sasha.” She can see from Shyless’ body language that this is all she wants. Anya says, “Connect that plate to that conductor like I’m doing, and I’ll tell you about Sasha.”
Charlie flies the broom with Saturno riding behind her. They hover over a mud bank at the mouth of the river. Saturno used the shovel to fill a bucket. Saturno asks, “Where are the ones you’ve been working with, The Laughing Ogres?” Charlie says, “They are chasing a dragon, trying to find its lair.” Saturno asks, “A black dragon?” Charlie nods, “Yep, I heard it caused a problem at Nexus a while back. Sasha employed them to chase it down. I would be with them, but I got stuck working on an experiment. You would love the adventuring life. You get to travel around and see new things, collect stuff, meet new people.” Saturno says, “Come one, come all, see the monster.” Charlie stands up on the broom and turns to face Saturno, causing it to become unsteady. Saturno yells, “Watch it, you’re going to dump us,” Charlie leans at the waist and puts her nose to Saturno’s nose, “Stop it. I mean it. There is nothing wrong with you. Sure, that thing burned you—just your skin. You are still you. You are still Saty, Phoenix Sorceress Extraordinaire. Sasha always bragged about how hard she had to work to push you, how magic comes as naturally to you as breathing. You were unconscious when I left. Do you remember what happened?”
Ember searches her memories. She remembers the alert horns and people lining up to evacuate. She asks where she is needed, and Camiella tells her to guard the entrance to the undercroft. Then she wakes up, screaming, feeling like her body is on fire as Avvaran forces a sleep drought down her throat. She shakes her head, “No, not after the alert. Just Camiella telling me to guard the Undercroft.”
Charlie says, “Let me refresh your memory. The battle started, and we were swarmed. You were guarding the entry below the Infirmary to evacuate the wounded. I thought we were all dead. A group of us near you were being torn apart. I looked at you so you would be the last thing I saw, and then you called down a storm of fire that a god would be proud of. It didn’t touch us; flames swept around, brushing us, but it didn’t cause so much as a blister. It ripped the eldritch horrors to shreds. It gave us time to get into the Undercroft, dragging our injured. You wreathed yourself in flame, becoming living fire. I’d never seen anything like that. The flames were incinerating the horrors and mending our wounds. We got everyone in. Then, something came through the flames as we sealed the doors. It spewed out a liquid that hit you. I’ve never heard a scream like that. I threw a base on you to neutralize whatever it sprayed on you. You exploded, or at least that’s what I saw. I saw a Phoenix. The creature that sprayed you turned to dust. When I could see again, the door was shut, and you were lying there, convulsing in pain. I disconnected my pumps and connected you to sedate you. Saty, you saved us, a lot of us.”
Saturno says, “I summoned The Pheonix?” Charlie nods, “Wings of flame, healing, everything. You become one with creation and destruction.” Saturno says, “No one told me.” Charlie smiles, “I was the only one that saw. I’m sorry I didn’t tell Sasha, but she was in pretty bad shape, too. Anya asked me to tag along with the Laughing Ogres. Saty, I would not be here now if not for you.” Saturno asks, “What about you? Were you hurt?” Charlie shakes her head, “Nothing that matters.” Saturno sees she is lying but decides not to push it. Saturno asks, “So, you think I would get along with these Laughing Ogres.” Charlie nods, “Just stay away from the bard. He wants to fuck everything.” Saturno laughs, “That’s different for any bard, how?”
Anya asks Shyless, “Why do you see Sasha as a Goddess of Life and Death?” Shyless looks confused, “I don’t know. When I see her, I see a swirl or a ripple around her that I’ve only ever seen around a god. Her’s is both strands of light and darkness.” Anya thinks before answering, “She is the daughter of King Thalos Cinderblade, a Raven Knight. She is the daughter of a Demigod of Death. She lived most of her life as a royal hostage in the Fey Wild as a member of the Arch Fey’s Court. Maybe, no. Shit.” Shyless asks, “What?” Anya says, “Sasha’s name means “Life” in shadow elf. Kara’s name means “Death.” Shyless shrugs, “Kara?” Anya looks at Shyless, “Drop it. It’s not important. Don’t speak of it again.” Shyless says, “But,” Anya tells her, “I said drop it; if I hear even the slightest hint of this conversation leave anyone else’s lips, I will find you, and I will turn to you ash. Got it?” Shyless takes a few steps back and nods. Anya says, “When we return to Nexus, you will accompany me so you can talk to Sasha.” Shyless nods with a little more excitement.
From outside the window, Saturno asks, “Got what?” Anya rolls her eyes, “I said drop it.” Charlie and Saturno both flinch. Charlie says, “Okay, it’s dropped. Whatever it was.” Charlie hovers the broom close enough to the floor for them to get off, and then they remove the buckets. Anya asks Saturno, “Did you get my Sending about river mud?” Saturno shakes her head, “No, but we got some river mud.” Anya asks Shyless, “Out of curiosity, what do you see around us.” Shyless looks at Anya nervously. She says, “You, power. Immense power. You’re ancient, older than me. Older than the devil that spawned me.” She looks at Charlie, “Knowledge, curiosity, energy. Not the power kind of energy. You want to be everywhere. You’re easily distracted, and you care too much. She looks at Saturno, “You have touched the Phoenix. You’re at a crossroads. You wanted to be dead, but now you’re not sure.” Saturno quips at her, “Shut up. You don’t know anything.”
Anya looks from Shyless to Saturno and then to Charlie. Charlie nods at her. She moves in front of Saturno. “You’ve touched the Phoenix? Not even Sasha has managed that. To do so touches creation. Perhaps I’ve underestimated you, Saturno, and made assumptions. Doing that could send the sanest person spiraling to madness." Charlie says, “She turned the eldritch horrors to ash and healed everyone in the Undercroft until that thing sprayed her with acid." Saturno stands there, speechless, staring at Anya. Anya says, “I see you Saturnoa Solara Flamesong. Anyaka Ashrose Zirwan Djinn recognizes you and I accept you into the Order of the Arcana. You are no longer an apprentice, Saturno. Now I have to tell Sasha she’ll have to find another. Which path will you choose?”
Dumbstruck, Saturno looks at Charlie and smiles, “Do you think your Laughing Ogres will accept me?”
Anya stamps a foot, “Enough small talk. Place the fish between the electrodes. Charlie, check the alignment. Shyless, I assume you can cast a basic Lightning Bolt?” Shyless nods. Anya looks at Saturno and tells her, “We will need fire, not a Fireball, just a really, really hot fire when the lightning begins to travel around the electrodes. I need it in the middle.” Saturno asks, “Meets?” Anya says, “I’m going to match Shyless’ Lightning Bolt with my own, only opposite polarity.” Charlie says, “Oh, I see what you are doing. You will create a magnetic field to contain the fire, superheating it to plasma. If it all goes well, the crate, the fish, and everything will be reduced to the base elements. I can add to the fire and create a vortex that will push out the nitrogen and pull in the oxygen.” Shyless says, “You people frighten me.”
Charlie prepares her part of the experiment. Anya, Saturno, and Shyless position themselves. Anya says, “On one. Is everyone ready?” Everyone nodes, “Anya begins the countdown, “5, 4, 3, 2, 1.” As she says, “One,” all the spells go off—the hiss of the electrical arcs that form the magnetic field echo over Mosshore and the lake. The observatory lights up like the sun. Even in the late afternoon, it causes every building and tree to cast a second shadow—a magnetic bubble forms as the lightning circles the electrodes. The fire grows brighter and brighter as Saturno concentrates on it. At first, she tries to make the flame hotter. As Charlie adds pure oxygen, it grows brighter. Saturno begins to imagine it becoming a star.
Anya never takes her eyes off it. Everything metal in the room is pulled into the magnetic field and vaporizes as it touches the surface of the miniature star. Then it’s over. Everyone else stands up from behind, whatever they could find to hide behind. The wood in the room is bleached white as if a star existed in the center. A small pile of dust is where the crate was. Charlie tells Saturno, “The honor is yours.” As she fishes out a pair of tweezers. Saturno casts Detect Magic. There is a faint glow as Charlie begins to sift through the dust. She finds a grain of Aetherium, picks it up with the tweezers, and drops it in a vial. There is still something glowing. She keeps sifting and finds another, then a third. Shyless looks at the room, “Mr. G is not going to like this.”
Anya's stomach growls very loudly. She looks at everyone, embarrassed. “Being alive does have its drawbacks.” Saturno says, “I’ll go get some food. I should be back in time for the next experiment.” Anya says, “No fish. I’m sick of fish.” Saturno grabs her pack and runs out the door.
Anya and Charlie begin arranging the next experiment using the mud from the river while Shyless watches. Charlie says, “I think Saty will fit in well with the Laughing Ogres. What do you think, Shyless?” Shyless gives her a look that crosses curiosity and jealousy, “As long as she stays away from my Master.” Then she smiles, “Unless I want her with us.” Anya doesn’t look at her when she says to Shyless, “Harm so much as a hair on her head, and you’ll wish you were a sewer larva in the Abyss." Shyless asks Anya, “Why do you use threats so quickly? I would not harm her unless she threatens Master Xeraelious.” Anya stops to look at Shyless, “I protect my family. Threats are preemptive armor for them. You are a succubus whose nature is to drain the life of mortals.” Charlie stands up straight and stiffly, looking at Shyless. “You, you’re a succubus?” Shyless smiles at her and reveals her true form.
Charlie’s eyes nearly double in size and begin to tear. She reflexively uses her natural Charm effect to subdue Shyless. Shyless smirks at Charlie, “Don’t even try,,, Oh gods, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Shyless hugs Charlie, returning to her human form, “I’m sorry, please forgive me. I would never hurt anyone as cute and cuddly as you,,, Damnit, you did it to me.” Anya laughs at Charlie’s display of natural charms.
A guard bursts through the door, “Lady Anya, you are needed at Nexus now by order of Sir Gunthar.” Anya tells Charlie, “Stay here for now. Shyless assist her.” Anya seems to blur, then vanishes and reappears on the ground outside the house, running toward the teleportation circle. She blurs again and vanishes, reappearing next to the circle, steps over the boundary, and vanishes again as she activates it to return to Nexus.