Chapter V

It was like he was gazing at something straight out of a movie, and despite knowing as an absolute fact that this was reality, Scott Reiner had to blink a few times, half-expecting the two women to vanish as quickly as they had appeared. After all, what he witnessed was utterly impossible, for just when he thought he may have bitten off more than he could chew, he was suddenly saved by what could only be described as a miracle. A part of him truly had believed he was about to die since he never expected Dylan Anderson to pull a knife on him. The guy was an aggressive moron, but Scott had always been under the impression that he had his shit together enough to not do something as insane as that. He didn’t have the first clue what might have been going on in Dylan’s personal life, but clearly Scott’s mocking of him that morning had been what finally caused him to snap.

Scott had taken the initiative and struck first, but that didn’t change the fact that he was outnumbered, and soon enough, Dylan’s cronies had him held down on his knees while the bigger boy whipped out his knife so he could wave the blade in Scott’s face. The insanity in Dylan’s eyes had told Scott that, without question, the boy was not in the right state of mind and was perfectly willing, and even eager, to slit his throat and kill him then and there.

But, from out of nowhere, two young women probably around their age suddenly appeared in the pathway, and given their utterly bizarre and concerning appearances, all eyes shifted to them with surprise. However, their appearances were quickly forgotten as the woman in the green dress extended her hands and shouted out some incoherent word in an utterly enchanting voice. Thick green tendrils that appeared like vines exploded upwards around Dylan, grabbed him, then yanked him into the air and tossed him across the pathway, his knife falling from his grip in the process.

And, turning her bright blue eyes towards the boys still holding Scott down, the woman spoke in a commanding tone, “Release him. Now.”

Nobody reacted as the pathway fell into a stunned silence, the only noise coming from Dylan’s grunting as he clutched his stomach and lay in the fetal position on the ground. The boys behind Scott were frozen in fear, and while Scott wouldn’t have described his own emotions as fear, he knew with certainty that even if he hadn’t been held down, he probably wouldn’t have been able to move. Barely managing to tear his eyes away from the women, Scott watched as the vines that attacked Dylan pulled themselves back into the ground and vanished, leaving only the holes in the dirt as evidence of their existence.

What the hell even was that? Those vines…? It was almost like…magic...

“What the fuck did you do to me?” Dylan sputtered furiously, making a weak attempt to get back to his feet as he glared furiously at the new arrivals. “How did you do that?! Huh?! What are you?!”

“I, um…” The young woman hesitated, her features turning a little less confident than they had been a minute ago, before she cleared her throat and added in a far less intimidating tone, “I don’t have to tell you anything! Let him go or I’ll do it again!”

Finally rising back to his full height, Dylan sneered at her. “You don’t get to order me around, bitch! This doesn't concern you, so—!”

“Perkari.”

Speaking for the first time, the girl with the emerald-colored hair extended her hand, said a word that clearly wasn’t English, and as if hit by some invisible force, Dylan was knocked off his feet and back into the dirt like a ragdoll.

Scott exhaled sharply, his brow furrowing in shock. What did she hit him with? He just flew off his feet but…?

“Be quiet, kid,” she snapped with annoyance, as if the whole situation was merely a mild inconvenience for her. “Just get the hell outta here or the next one’s gonna be sharp.”

“You—!”

But before Dylan could even begin to say anything else, bright red flames erupted around the outstretched hand of the emerald-haired woman, and though she said nothing, her threat was obvious to all. That single action seemed to finally snap Dylan’s cronies out of their daze as they frantically released Scott and scrambled away, rushing to pick Dylan off the ground. The boy grunted curses and complaints, but far from being in a state to fight the seemingly supernatural women, he didn’t protest and obediently fled off down the path before disappearing around the corner. Scott absently gazed in their direction for a few seconds before his attention was turned back to the women by their voices.

“Abi, what on earth were you thinking?!” the emerald woman snapped furiously, rounding on her partner. “Do you understand what you just did?! Not to mention, I told you it was critical for us to save our mana!”

The woman apparently named Abi chuckled awkwardly and glanced away from the sharp gaze being directed at her. “W-well… Yes, I know that wasn’t a particularly smart idea, but the kid was in trouble and my sense assured me he was trustworthy! I mean, Princess, they had a knife to his throat!”

“And as unfortunately cold as this may sound, that wasn’t our problem!”

Having seemingly forgotten he was still sitting on his knees in the dirt, the two women began arguing as Scott just watched, far from able to understand what most of their words meant. However, that might have been due to the fact that he wasn’t really even listening, for he was enraptured and confused by their appearances.

The one with her hair dyed green looked to be a few years older than her partner, with more mature and pretty features. Her voice was the lower of the two, her eyes were a dark blue, and her body was clearly more toned and fit, making him wonder if she did some weight-training or something. Her hair was long, coming down to her mid-back, and her clothing was like something a nobleman from a fantasy novel would wear, with a velvet shirt and fancy overcoat that were both green with gold trim, as well as pants of a similar material. Her presence was overwhelming and almost intense, a very stark contrast to the girl named Abi.

Abi looked to be around Scott’s age, perhaps slightly older, and where the other woman could easily be described as beautiful, Abi was more cute and charming with her long, braided brown hair, crown of multi-colored flowers, and almost innocent blue eyes. She was wearing a long green dress, but Scott couldn’t fail to miss the multiple burn marks around it, marks that he realized upon closer inspection were also present on her friend’s attire.

For a long moment, while the two women frantically spoke to one another, Scott gazed at Abi as if entranced, and as he listened to her soft but strong voice, he felt feelings in his chest not quite like anything he had felt before. He had an intense desire to speak with her—to get to know this odd girl and learn more about her. He had never felt that way towards a stranger in his entire life, but even setting aside the abnormal and impossible things they did to Dylan, her presence alone could have left him in awe.

And…she saved me…even though from the sound of it, she wasn’t supposed to. She just put herself at risk for a stranger and saved my life…

“E-excuse me!” he interrupted awkwardly, cutting into their argument and drawing the gazes of the women towards him. “I, uh…thank you! I don’t really understand what happened or what you did, but you saved my ass so… I just… I’m grateful!”

Yeah, way to go, Scott! You’re stuttering over your words like a fucking idiot. Way to leave a good impression…

“Oh, of course,” Abi replied with an embarrassed smile. Then, seeming to notice something, she rushed towards him and knelt down so close that Scott almost moved backwards out of nervousness. This was only made worse when she gently reached out and placed her soft hand against his cheek, touching a lump that was the result of Dylan’s attack. “Your face is all bruised! Those jerks really did a number on you, huh?”

“Er, uh, yeah, I suppose they did,” he muttered, finding himself mildly relaxing as he stared into her beautiful eyes. “But it’s totally fine! While I wouldn’t say I get into fights all the time, I’ve certainly had my fair share of brawls so I can handle a few bruises!”

He didn’t know if that sounded impressive or pathetic, but the look on Abi’s face didn’t really reveal what she was feeling. Instead, she just smiled politely. “Well, I could take care of them if you—”

“Abi,” the other woman interrupted. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

Abi glanced back at her and shook her head. “With all due respect, Princess, the damage is already done. Might as well fix him up, right?” And, without giving either Scott or this supposed princess any time to say anything, she turned back and muttered, “Benedio”.

Warmth suddenly entered his body from his face, seeming to flow from the woman’s palm in what was one of the most pleasant and strange sensations he had ever felt in his life. All of the pain from his fight with Dylan, as well as some of the tension and knots throughout the rest of him from a long week at school, practically vanished, and when Abi pulled her hand away, Scott felt more relaxed than he could ever remember.

Abi grinned sweetly. “Better?”

“Much.”

“Good. I’m glad.” Rising back to her feet, Abi glanced back at her disapproving partner and shrugged. “I’m sorry, Princess, but regardless of the Citadel’s laws, I’m not just gonna leave somebody to die. Not even a magicless. I could sense the malice in those boys and the looks in their eyes told me how willing they were to kill him. Report me to your father or punish me yourself. That’s perfectly fine and I’ll accept it, but I don’t regret what I did. Especially…” Her jaw tightened and a pained expression overcame her beautiful features. “Not after what happened back in the ballroom.”

To Scott’s surprise, despite clearly having been against Abi intervening, the green-haired woman’s irritation seemed to fade at those words. After a moment, a reluctant sigh escaped her lips.

“I understand that feeling, but laws are laws. Don’t do it again.”

Abi nodded firmly and then bowed her head towards her partner. “I’ll try.”

Regarding Abi for a few more moments, the princess glanced over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes in consideration before speaking again. “Loath as I am to say it, we should remain here for a few more minutes. I can sense Caeli’s mana signature growing closer to us, so it would probably be best to rendezvous with him and get the full picture of what went down with Mallicent. So that being said…” She turned and walked past Abi to stand just before where Scott was still kneeling on the ground, watching and listening with utter fascination. “It would be best if you forget what you saw here, kid. Go home, call whatever authorities you need on those boys, and never utter a single word about us. You hear me?”

Scott furrowed his brow as he slowly got to his feet, finding himself to be around the same height as the green-haired woman, and though he was slightly scared of her, he knew that if he did as she ordered, he would forever regret it.

“I’m sorry, Miss, but there’s no way in hell I could ever forget what just happened,” he stated firmly. “What are you guys? I mean, how did you summon those vines and what did you do to knock Dylan down without touching him? I’m not one to believe in the supernatural! Far from it, in fact, but I’m completely unable to explain what I just witnessed without calling it magic! Please…just explain it.”

The woman narrowed her eyes, as if finding him amusing, and he got the irritating impression she wasn’t even remotely taking him seriously. “You listen here… We don’t owe you anything. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. You owe us for saving your life. So you better turn and walk away right now, or I’ll change my mind and kill you myself like our laws dictate.”

Perhaps he was simply high on adrenaline from the excitement of what he had witnessed, but despite logic urging him to do as the woman said, Scott refused to move. Science was his passion, and there was nothing he wanted more than to understand the world. Just five minutes ago, he had bore witness to something completely impossible, so he knew there wasn’t a chance in hell he could just walk away. He needed to know what they did and what they were, so despite his survival instincts assuring him that this woman could kill him without lifting a finger, he held his ground and shook his head.

“I understand that, Miss Princess, but you need to realize that I’ve just had my entire world flipped upside down! I at least want an explanation! And if you need it, I can pay you back for helping me! I’m sure there’s something—”

“Go home,” she repeated sharply. “I won’t tell you again.”

Standing off with this imposing woman, Scott bit his lip, trying desperately to come up with something he could offer them. Off to the side, Abi was nervously fidgeting, as if wanting to intervene but also unsure of how to help the situation, and just as it seemed the princess was about to lose her temper with Scott, the boy was once again a witness to something truly incredible.

From out of the sky, a young man soared down to the ground behind them, the air itself seeming to flow around his body as he landed in the dirt with grace. Both the princess and Abi turned back to regard him as he stalked forward, and though the sun had already set, there was still enough light for Scott to take in his bizarre appearance. Like Abi, he looked to be around Scott’s age, with jet black hair and narrowed brown eyes that were currently filled with a mix of shock and relief. He was on the shorter side, dressed in a black robe with large sleeves and a big gray sash around his waist, though Scott could just barely make out some burns and cuts along his attire as well.

What did these three get themselves into? After what they did to Dylan, I can’t imagine what it would take to damage them like this…

“My Princess! Abi!” the young man exclaimed, rushing towards them with a weak smile. “I thought I sensed the two of you coming through the portal but I couldn’t really be sure! What are you doing here?! I mean, what happened back in Hiriech and…er…?” He came to a stop the second he noticed Scott awkwardly standing there and cocked an eyebrow. “Who’s he? Is he magicless?”

Magicless? Portal? Every logical center in my body is trying to convince me this is a prank, but… It can’t be! There’s just no way to pull off what they’ve done! This guy just dropped out of the damned sky!

“Ignore him for the moment,” the princess said quickly. “Are you okay, Caeli? What happened to Mallicent? I sensed you two fighting but then you abruptly broke off! Not to mention…” She regarded him with a cold smile. “I’d also like the details about what happened after you disobeyed me and snuck down to the lab.”

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Glancing away guiltily, the boy referred to as Caeli spared one last glance at Scott and shook his head. “Honestly, it’s a bit of a long story, and I need to know what took place in the castle. I heard an explosion, but… Er, anyway, we should find a safer place to talk. For the moment, Mallicent should be harmless. He bolted away because he used up his mana supply, so there’s not much more he can do tonight.”

The princess frowned, seeming to be focusing on something before grimacing. “You’re right… I can’t sense him anymore. Fine, I guess we have no choice. Let’s go somewhere safe and get on the same page.”

“But where should we go?” Abi inquired. “I mean, what are we supposed to do? It’s not like we can just walk up to an inn. We don’t have money!”

Listening to them discuss, Scott couldn’t help but wonder if they’d already forgotten he was there. Perhaps a “magicless”, as they called him, was so beneath them that they didn’t have to worry about him overhearing their troubles, but Scott didn’t consider himself too upset by that fact, for he was swiftly provided with a means of keeping them around.

“Actually!” he interrupted, drawing their attention back to him. “As it so happens, my parents are out of town for the next week so I’m the only one home. If you need somewhere to lay low, I’d be happy to help.” He grinned smugly. “That’ll be my way of thanking you.”

“Absolutely not!” the princess snapped again. “Go home!”

“Why not though?!” Scott shot back. “I don’t know who the hell you are, but if I can help you then why not let me?!”

“Because—!”

“Hold on a second, Princess,” Caeli cut her off, twisting his lips in thought as he stepped past the green-haired girl to approach Scott, making a show of looking him over before grinning with amusement. “You would offer us free lodgings, my friend? Would that perhaps come with complimentary meals as well? And a cozy bed?”

“Caeli…” the princess muttered with exasperation, meanwhile Abi had her face in her hands.

Scott, however, could immediately tell that this Caeli was his ticket to convincing them to come with him, so he returned the grin with a confident one of his own.

“Well, the best I can make is probably instant noodles, but if the three of you know how to cook, you’re welcome to help yourself to what I’ve got in the fridge,” he replied. “And I happen to think the beds in my house are lovely.”

Caeli nodded, making a show of considering the offer. “Hmm… Yes, that is alluring. Very well, we’ll accept your offer! What is your name, young man?”

“Scott Reiner,” he answered simply. “You?”

“Me? Ah, well…” Taking a step back, the young man placed his hand over his stomach and extravagantly bowed. “My name is Ryokumo Caeli! It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Scott Reiner!”

The boy chuckled. “Yeah, you, too, Caeli.” He then glanced over Ryokumo’s shoulder at the two women who were still observing the interaction with a mixture of different emotions. “And you? I overheard you referred to as Abi, but what about you, Miss Princess? Got a name?”

For a second, it looked like she was going to snap at him again, so he was pleasantly surprised with she curtly answered, “Ilirianna Iiji.”

“Alright then. It’s nice to meet all of you.” Scott then turned and motioned for them to follow him. “My place isn’t far. Come on. Let’s get going before it gets dark.”

The three strangers did as he requested, though Abi and Ryokumo were far more willing and happy to do so than Ilirianna. A part of Scott feared that getting himself involved with this was going to come back to bite him in the ass, but his inquisitive mind would not allow him to walk away from whatever these people were. Regardless of the consequences, Scott Reiner was determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.

***

Leading them through the post-dusk Wilham, Scott took them down the streets to a nearby neighborhood where he lived, and throughout the entire walk, Abigail could tell that Ilirianna was internally panicking about the way the situation had unfolded. She truly did regret stepping out of line and saving Scott, but Abi also wholeheartedly meant what she said. After failing to save all those lives in Aquesen, there just wasn’t any way she could turn her back on Scott and allow those thugs to kill him. Of course, she hadn’t expected the boy to be so eager to talk to them, but in Abi’s mind, it wasn’t that big of a deal. She was aware of the Oralian Isolation Act, which made it forbidden for Ijirians to get involved with the magicless citizens of other realms, but in her mind, this was a necessary evil given the circumstances.

As Ryokumo had reported, Mallicent used up all of his mana fighting to escape, and since it would take a little while for him to replenish in a magicless realm, it would be nearly impossible to track him down that night. They needed somewhere to stay, and not only could Scott Reiner provide them with that help, but he lived in Wilham, and would know the city better than them. He might know where Mallicent could hide, and thus he was an asset they could use.

So come on, Princess. What the Citadel doesn’t know won’t hurt them.

Arriving at their destination, Abi was once again in awe of the fascinating architecture of the Omaruan town. The house Scott brought them to was two stories tall, with a long strip of concrete leading up towards a big metal wall that, when asked, she was told led to a “garage” where they kept their magicless vehicles. She was disappointed, however, when Scott informed her his parents had taken their only “car” since it meant she wouldn’t get to ride in one. Ryokumo was also disappointed by this fact, but they didn’t complain too much as they were led up the porch and to the front door.

The interior of the house was quite fancy, and actually resembled their dorm rooms in regards to the furniture. They entered into a nice living room with a couch, an armchair, and a fireplace. Just in front of the door was a staircase leading to the second floor, and on the opposite side of the room was the entryway to the kitchen and dining room. The kitchen, in particular, was filled with more magicless tech, and though Abi was exploding with questions, she didn’t ask any of them for fear of irritating Scott.

How does the fridge work without water magic? she wondered. And this oven and microwave? They don’t have fire magic either so what’s cooking their food?

Even though he promised them instant noodles, Scott apparently decided he would make them something fancier and prepare boxed noodles instead of the ones he kept in cups. Abi and Ryokumo watched with utter fascination as he pulled out a pot and lit the stove, little blue fire igniting beneath the pot, and no matter how much they tried to sense for it, neither Abi nor Ryokumo could find even a single molecule of mana within the device.

“This is so interesting,” Ryokumo mused, leaning down to watch the fire flickering. “Mr. Reiner, how exactly does this ‘stove’ function? What lit the fire?”

Scott cocked an eyebrow as he leaned his back on the counter beside the stove, regarding Ryokumo dubiously. “Er, I don’t know… Gas, I guess? What, you guys don’t have stoves in whatever fantasyland you crawled out of?”

“Not like this one, at least,” Ryokumo answered. “We usually just use fire magic to heat things up and cook them. You know, just produce flames with your body.”

“Uh, yeah, well, we can’t just make fire, so…” Scott raised his eyebrows and shook his head. “Yeah, we just use a stove.”

Ryokumo laughed. “Well, if you want, I can have the water boiling in a mere few seconds if I just cast one teensy little spell and—”

“Caeli, no,” Ilirianna intervened sharply. “Don’t forget our mana won’t replenish at normal speed here. We’re not wasting such a critical resource to make noodles!”

“Ah, right. Sorry.”

And so, at Ilirianna’s orders, they were forced to wait for the stove to magiclessly heat the water, upon which Scott dumped the noodles inside and they waited once more for them to cook. Abi was quite content observing, but she could tell Ryokumo was getting antsy, though it seemed more like he wanted to start discussing the situation as opposed to getting his food. Scott also appeared quite impatient, and Abi made a mental note to thank him once she got a chance. After another ten minutes, Scott finished preparing their dinner by adding some butter and cheese to the pot and serving them into little bowls he pulled out of the pantry. Gathering at the dining table, Scott and Abi sat across from Ryokumo and Ilirianna, and instantly, before they had even gotten a chance to start eating, Ilirianna began the discussion.

“Alright, Caeli. What happened in that lab and how did you get here to Omaruo?” she demanded. “Nigreos and Abi already told me that you saw Mallicent leaving and tracked him with Album, but what happened then? And is Album alright, for that matter?”

Ryokumo let out a soft sigh and grimaced. “To be honest, My Princess, I can’t really say anything for certain. It all happened so fast, but with Album’s tracking magic, we were able to follow him to the lab and even managed to get inside. Having overheard confirmation that he was, in fact, in league with the red knight and Vesh, we decided we couldn’t afford to let him escape and confronted him.”

“You got confirmation?” Abi muttered after a bite of the noodles. “How?”

Her friend considered the question as he, too, tried the food, seemingly having an answer but trying to figure out how to phrase it. “We overheard him talking to Lady Yoral down in the halls, but we weren’t really following any of it. Yoral said something about seeing visions and that they couldn’t confirm Mallicent’s safety… Album and I didn’t know what to make of it, but at the very least, we came to one conclusion: Mallicent called her Firrik rather than Mother, and we think the Lady Yoral we spoke with was actually the changeling.”

Abi exhaled sharply. “The changeling? So then…is Lady Yoral dead?”

“I thought it was a possibility,” Ryokumo admitted. “But as much of a little bitch as Mallicent is, I don’t think he would go so far as to work with the people who killed his own mother.”

“No, he would.” Ilirianna’s words were filled with a bitter venom that seemed to throw off Ryokumo, and even the silently observing Scott. “Caeli, there’s no easy way to say this, so I’ll be blunt. Vesh and his allies activated the combustion magic, and slaughtered every single noble in that ballroom, Lord Malloway and Aeyir included.”

The wind mage gaped at her for a few seconds, seeming to process what she said before managing a weak, “W-what? They’re dead? Aeyir’s…dead?”

“Well, more specifically, Aeyir was killed before the combustions took place,” the princess corrected. “Vesh cut his head off. If Mallicent’s in league with them, which it seems like you’ve confirmed he was, then he conspired to have his father and brother murdered. Having his mother killed so the changeling could pose as Yoral is not surprising, and given how odd she acted at the ball, it adds up.”

“Ah… I see…” Ryokumo murmured, unsure of what to say. “I mean, I only knew Aeyir for a couple of days, but I was actually kinda happy that he would be attending the Academy next year. He just came of age even…and now he’s dead…” Clearing his throat once more, Ryokumo added, “Did we learn the cause of the combustions? Was Vesh apprehended or killed? And what of Nigreos, and Masters Taurus and Rana?”

He was holding himself together, but as he spoke, a fire seemed to light in his eyes, and Abi realized just how angry Ryokumo was. The red knight’s attempt on his life had left him determined to bring the Kosah-Rei down, and it was what led him to ignore Ilirianna and go to the lab, so Abi couldn’t begin to imagine what he felt knowing that Mallicent had helped murder Aeyir.

“I wish I could give better news,” Ilirianna admitted. “But we know very little. We learned nothing about the combustions, Vesh escaped, and Masters Taurus and Rana are unaccounted for. Nigreos went to the lab to check on Album, so we can at least confirm he survived the attack on the ballroom.”

“Is that so?” Ryokumo nodded to himself. “Well, I would hope Album is safe, but I admit I left her behind to catch Mallicent. While I was confronting the little bastard, she had been speaking with the subject, and out of nowhere, she busted it out of its confinement. I could only assume she knew what she was doing, and that’s how I reasoned out what I did, but at this point, who knows…”

“Wait, but then you guys saw the entire subject?” Abi asked.

Ryokumo shrugged. “Somewhat, but honestly I still know next to nothing. It was just a big black blob floating in a tube of piss and it didn’t say a word to me. Album’s the only one who could answer anything about it. I planned to return to her once I’d subdued Mallicent, but he had a realm dagger on him, and once I realized he was trying to escape to another realm, I forced myself to follow and wound up here.” He spread his hands in defeat and scoffed at himself. “We fought out in those fields for a while, but he hit me with a rather powerful attack, and once his mana depleted, following him became impossible. I could feel the two of you here so I turned back and sought you out.”

“And did you learn where Mallicent got the dagger?” Ilirianna questioned.

“Not a damn clue. All I know is he pulled it out last minute. Couldn’t tell you how he ever got one. I was under the impression the Citadel had them all.”

The princess grimaced. “We do. This one came from somewhere else. We need to retrieve it, but…” Ilirianna trailed off as Scott gently raised his hand. “What, Reiner?”

“Er, well…” The boy seemed completely unsure of what to say or do, and hoping to comfort him a bit, Abi smiled warmly at him for encouragement, which must have done the job, for when he continued, he was a bit more composed. “Look, I’m lost as hell, but from what I’ve gathered, you three are from another world entirely. Setting aside that being impossible, this Mallicent guy helped to murder his family and a bunch of other people and now he’s here in Wilham, right? And you’re here to take him down?”

“We are,” Abi confirmed. “He’s very dangerous, and he’s proven his willingness to kill. There’s no doubt that he would take this town hostage if it meant saving himself. We didn’t want Omaruo to get involved in this, so ideally we’ll handle it quietly, but…”

Scott took a deep breath, his mind clearly running a million miles a minute as he processed what they were saying. “Look, you’re gonna have to tell me more about your world, but for the moment, that’s not important. I have people I care about in this town. It’s my home and it’s where I’ve lived all my life. If this Mallicent guy is gonna hurt people, then it’s in my best interests to get rid of him. Even if it’s just providing you a place to stay and lay low, I want to help you!”

“It’s dangerous though,” Ilirianna told him. “Mallicent can sense where we are at all times. If we stay here too long, he’ll know where you live and he’ll try to hurt you. You could even die, Reiner.”

“And?” Despite his confidence being misplaced, Scott still regarded them without hesitation. “You said your damn laws want me dead anyway, so that shouldn’t be your concern, Miss Princess. And it’s not like I’m gonna help for free.” He chuckled. “You see, I want to understand the science of our world, and the last two hours have undone everything I thought I knew about it. So in exchange for risking my life, I want you to tell me everything you can about magic and the other realms. I want to know everything. I’d even risk my life for it! And if it means helping the people of my home in the process, then I don’t have a choice! You got me?”

Ilirianna was still clearly annoyed by this nosy magicless boy, and Ryokumo was regarding him like a funny child, obviously not taking him completely seriously. Abigail, however, couldn't help but smile with respect for him. He knew that he was getting himself into something very dangerous, but he was concerned for his home and his friends, so he was willing to put his life in danger to save them. She was sure he still wanted to know about Ijiria, but she didn’t think it was the sole driving factor, so she couldn’t help seeing a bit of herself in his motivations.

This boy… Scott Reiner… Despite what Ilirianna and Ryokumo might think, he could be helpful to us. We might need him to navigate this town properly, so I think it would be foolish to decline his offer. The help of a local could be a determining factor in taking Mallicent Malloway down.

And so…

“Then we accept your help, Mr. Reiner,” Abi said with a warm smile. “Thank you.”

***

Stumbling through the door of the apartment, Mallicent Malloway nearly lost his footing, just barely managing to grasp the knob and keep himself upright. He was breathing heavily, his body throbbing from the multiple times he had almost died that night. Barron had made a comment about how strong Ryokumo Caeli was, but Mallicent still hadn’t been prepared for just how tough it was to not only survive, but to successfully flee. In the end, it took one massive attack that fully drained him of his mana to allow him to hide amongst the magicless of Omaruo. Now, he was utterly exhausted as he weakly shut the door behind him, locked it, then glanced around the one-room apartment that he had been instructed to use as a safehouse.

“Listen to me, Mal. Given that you are the only one amongst us that Firrik cannot guarantee the survival of, it is imperative that you have a means of escape should things turn south. While you should be safe down here in the lab during the reckoning, should anybody attempt to capture or kill you, take my realm dagger and flee to Omaruo. After exiting the portal, you will find yourself on a beach not far from a magicless coastal town known as Wilham. Within Wilham, I have purchased a small apartment that I’ve been using as a base of operations, and it will be a perfect place for you to lay low and allow the dagger to recharge. And remember! When you jump back to Kalkorai, ensure you do not exit into the Citadel! Try and enter either in Dunnovia or Norania like I did. Now, listen closely while I give you directions to the apartment.”

At the time, Mallicent had rolled his eyes and reluctantly listened as Uma told him what to do, but now that the need for an escape plan actually came to be, he couldn’t help but be slightly grateful that the doctor had his back.

Though I doubt Miyon planned for not only Caeli to track me here, but the princess and Abigail as well! I’m horridly outnumbered! And hell, I couldn’t even beat Ilirianna if she were by herself!

He was grateful that, for the moment, his lack of mana would conceal his location, so at least for that one night, he wouldn't have to worry about the royal team tracking him down.

Tomorrow, I’m going to have to figure something out. Miyon said the dagger will not recharge for a few weeks, so I’m going to have to stall for time! Mallicent’s lips tightened in a mixture of frustration and fear. So if it comes to it, I’ll use their laws and their morals against them. Getting involved with the magicless is illegal, so I’ll make sure they know that if they try anything, I’ll expose magic to this entire damn town

The second son of the House of Malloway laughed coldly.

I will survive this ordeal…no matter how many of the Citadel’s pathetic laws I have to break.