Thermia and Ekio approached their next location, which appeared to be a rather small building. It was barely the size of a shack.

“Who even wears dark red with leather anyway?” Thermia said. “I thought that went out a century ago.”

“Did you see her braids?” Ekio said. “Loose and haggard. Just like her pussy, I’m sure”

They both giggled. A man walking by stopped for a moment and eyed them suspiciously.

“Fuck you lookin at bro!” Thermia shouted in her tenor voice.

He shook his head and continued walking.

“Keep walking, bitch!” Ekio shouted her own tenor voice. Her beard itched, but scratching at it only loosened its hold, so she had to suffer through it.

“Something about that woman…I just don’t trust her.” Thermia said.

She nodded.

“Is this really it?” She pointed toward the small building. “Seems small for a leader.”

Thermia shrugged, and they went inside. When they opened the door they realized it was much larger inside than it had appeared outside.

“How is this possible?” Ekio asked.

“Um…Maybe it’s like wearing black?”

They looked around. The large brick room had fancy furnishings with red carpets and two spiral staircases in its center. As they approached the staircases, a fireplace lit itself.

“Who dares to disturb me?” an echoing voice called out.

Ekio and Thermia glanced at each other.

“We’re reporting for duty!” Thermia yelled.

An ominous groan echoed through the large room, and the flames in the fireplace spun into a frenzy. One dizzying flame crept out and slammed into the ground. There appeared an old man in a gray cloak who held a metal staff. The staff had a pendant on it that looked like an upside-down U. The flame retreated into the fireplace as he stood with his arms outstretched.

“Reporting for duty?” the old man asked, the ominous groaning growing louder and louder with each passing moment. Then all the noise died, and he smiled. “Fantastic! I’ve been waiting all week for new help to arrive!”

He hugged the pair and walked toward a door on the side of the room. He waved for them to follow, and they did. The double doors swung open on their own. Inside the room were stacks of books, all over the place and in no apparent order.

“As you can see, much help is needed here!” he said.

“You want us to organize these books?” Ekio asked.

“Heavens no! I have already seen to that.” He walked over to the middle of the room. “What kind of wizard would I be if I couldn’t organize my own books?” He laughed.

Confused, the women stared at each other, mouthing “wizard?”

“No, no. I’m researching a new potion, a revolutionary one at that. It can keep you awake for days on end without feeling tired.”

“That sounds cool,” Thermia said. “Wouldn’t that make you super tired once it wore off though?”

“Well, so far, it’s been a bit worse than that.” The wizard laughed. “Getting the effect is quite simple really. Just need a little bamble root. Getting rid of the side effects however…Ah, that’s the tricky part!”

“What are the side effects?” Ekio asked.

“Oh just the usual. Nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and, uh”-– his voice lowered to a mumble–”your dick falls off.”

“It falls off?” Thermia asked. “Like, plop?”

“Right off!” He laughed once more. “But seeing as how I’m the Omega, I’m sure it can be perfected. So, fear not my boy!” He walked over to a stack of books and placed his hand on top of it. “This here is the herbalism section. Look through these volumes here, and write down anything you can find about bamble root or dick loss.” He turned to walk out of the room.

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“Wait. Where are you going?” Ekio asked.

Omega turned around, looking puzzled.

“Me boy? I’ve many duties to attend to. Big things are happening! If you need me for anything, climb the stairs on the right side. I imagine you’ll be here a few months before that however!” He left through the swinging doors, when they swung back he was gone.

“Well, let’s get to work.” Thermia grabbed one of the books and looked through it.

Ekio grabbed the book from her hands and threw it onto the pile. Thermia’s eyes widened.

“We’re not here for that. We need his code! Not to mention the fact that bitch sent us to the wrong place.”

Thermia put her hand to her chin.

“She did it on purpose you think?”

“Of course she did! She kept bragging to Cadivus how she was working here and had connections. We’ll show her though. We’ll get the code from him, and then I’m gonna throw her in a canyon.”

She nodded.

“Let’s just go upstairs then. He doesn’t look very strong. I’m sure you can take him!”

Ekio walked out of the room but found herself in a thick forest. She turned toward her friend.

“Thermia, I…”

Nobody was there.

The forest was familiar. The sound of battle echoed in the distance. She ran toward the familiar noise, increasing her speed with each step with the wind pushing at her back. She soon came to a clearing and saw an army attacking her people. “No…”

She growled and ran to the battle. Removing her dagger, she jumped into the fray and swung at her enemies. The blade harmlessly passed through them. They didn’t acknowledge her. She watched helplessly as they cut down her tribe.

“Aires!” her people cried out as they were cut down.

She continued her efforts, much in vain. Panting, she remembered her family. She dashed toward her home and charged inside. Her mother and siblings were barricading the windows as the young men took up weapons. She ran towards the back and found her body in bed, unresponsive. Her heart sank. She realized this was the day…the day everyone she ever loved was taken from her.

**********

Thermia appeared back in her room in the capital city, Afferium. She awoke in a feather bed as the sun shone through lavish drapes. Knocking, a tall man opened her door and stepped through.

“Dad?” she said, a wave of confusion washing over her.

“Hello, my dear. Did you do what was asked of you?”

As she stared at him, her memories of this moment flooded back, memories of a long-lost love. The one she was dating before her father demanded she marry The Hybrid. The one she was planning to run away with. Her face flushed.

He sat at the edge of her bed. “Did you break it off with the boy? You’ll be leaving soon. Can’t have any loose ends you know.”

“Marcel? I haven’t seen him—”

“Good, my dear. Now, get yourself proper. You’re going to meet the man today.”

A maid walked inside, carrying a beautiful red gown with such detail Thermia had never seen before. She laid it across the bed, and everyone left the room.

When Thermia picked up the dress to examine it, a note fell out of it. My dearest Thermia written on the outside. She opened it, and read the words she already knew.

Thermia, I cannot go with you as planned. My love for you runs as deep as any chasm and it would pain me to put you in danger. But I know you, I know a woman who would risk her life wouldn’t be put off by such a refusal. And I know you could convince me against my better judgment. As such, drastic measures have been enacted on my part. I’ll carry my love for you in the next world and present it as a gift to the gods themselves.

I’ll miss our time together. Please always stay the woman you are and make your family proud. Farewell, my love. I hope you find your palace of light.

Her tears covered the letter as seeded emotions unearthed.

Outside her home, people yelled and cried out. She already knew what the noises were for. Yet she still walked toward the window to gaze out of it. But she found herself back in the bed, her father knocking as he entered the room. She thought about how she ended up here. She remembered the wizard’s door, and her friend.

“Ekio!” she screamed.

**********

Ekio kneeled in her home and blankly stared at the wall. A voice called out to her, and eyes shifted. It was distant at first, but grew louder. Thermia.

“Thermia!” She stood up and walked around, looking for her. “Thermia!”

“Ekio! Help!”

She followed the voice to an upstairs room with a mirror. When she looked into it, she saw a fancy room with Thermia inside. She pounded on the mirror. “Here!”

Thermia turned around, and seeing Ekio’s image she ran to the mirror. She put her own hands against hers. Their eyes were both red from crying.

“Help me!” They both cried at the same time.

At that moment, their hands touched, and they grasped the other. They pulled each other close and embraced, squeezing as hard as they could. The illusion around them disappeared, and they found themselves in the main room of the wizard’s building once more.

“Thermia, it wasn’t real…It wasn’t real…” Ekio said.

Thermia made some choking noises and tapped Ekio’s back. Ekio released her, and she took an exasperated breath.

“Too hard…Couldn’t breathe...” She took several deep breaths and coughed.

“That bastard! He tricked us!” Ekio wiped her eyes and put her hands on Thermia’s shoulders.

“Are you okay?” Thermia asked.

“I am now. Are you?” Ekio said.

“I will be. Thanks to you.” She stood and brushed herself off. “I’m gonna kill that wizard!”

She caught her eyes.

“Thermia…Leave the building.” Thermia saw that determined look in her eyes and found no reason to argue. She nodded, then walked outside.

As Ekio stood in the center of the room, she focused her power. Her clothes flapped as rugs were pushed to walls, and anything not bolted to the ground toppled over.

“Wizard!” she screamed, her voice carried by the torrent of wind that emanated from her.

With a bloodcurdling scream, she released her powers, pushing out through the walls and floors. The building tore itself apart from the inside.