The cupola has been civilized enough to lift after breakfast.
M: Let’s get going!
P: Wait! We must not be competition to the big boys. We have been through this many times. They can squash us. We must not give them a reason to do so.
She relents, but her head droops.
P: Last chance, should the childen stay here?
Z: No, we stay together.
P: Then could you settle our bill? We should get ready to depart. I’ll prepare the ritual for the pipe, while you are paying.
I am pulling out my conventional car. I am going to wear my armour at all times if I am to go in there.
--
There is something refreshingly archaic about driving a conventional car. The distance to the cupola would be a bit short of 3km, but we need to cross most of the cupola to get to the other camping ground, where we intend to play a group surprised by the change on the road, nor do we want to return for the cars, so walking is not an option, although it would make us more flexible. On this trip I am alone with Lidija. We are trailing the others, who are to impress the police with our overtly magical vehicle.
L: You are proably wandering why my … family did not approve of me.
P: Actually, no. It no longer matters. I wondered about Zora. She has a solid feminist streak, but charging guys bearing a firearm seems a bit rash.
L: Yes. Do the transformations change our character?
P: Why does everybody assume I know such things? It is my first time, too.
L: You are the wizard.
P: I think these zones are new, totally unprecedented. Something is happening to Earth.
L: Wow. Well, to go back to our original topic, I think it was guilt for rejecting me.
P: Rejecting?
L: Yes. How do you put it in English? I swing both ways.
Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
She giggles.
L: Men usually react like that. I can see it even on your transformed face. What is that?
I am forced to hit the brakes vigorously. Zora has been stopped by three men in camouflaged body armour with guns standing around a dead gigantic centipede blocking the road, while one of them is stowing away a bag of salt, which must have been used for a half-completed looting circle. Their traces are coming from a Ford truck behind the dead creature, which in turn comes from the transformation zone. But my aura senses show nothing.
P: Climb over after I will have gotten out, but do nothing unless combat starts. If it does, flee.
I open the driver door slowly and get out. Three bronze rank auras hit me hard. I feel searched. How do they do that? I need to become better with my aura, even if that means spending days searching my tricorder. But that is for later.
#1: You are too late. The Chinese got it.
An American accent
P: We never had a chance to beat teams like yours. We just want to get to the people.
#2: Where are you from?
P: Liechtenstein
They chuckle.
#2: So you are recruiting the transformed.
P: Not exactly. I got caught up in something.
They chuckle. I get a bad feeling about this.
#2: I hope you understand that we need to get a look at the resources the transformation zones have to offer. In the interest of our common defense.
P: I won’t keep you out of the zone.
I suddenly feel constricted and ground down.
#3: Ladies, please get out of the cars.
They comply. Getting Maria and Zora to comply so readily needs magical powers. Unfortunately that is what our contemporary highway men have at their disposal.
#2: We will not be unreasonable. We can do an exchange. We can fill the holes in both your portfolios.
M: That is my car, you are hinting at.
I am deeply impressed.
#2: You can be financially compensated.
He whipped out an honest to god checkbook. Maria hissed.
Z: They aren’t exactly asking.
You can see Maria trying and failing to speak up. I cannot just let them get away with it.
P: Nevertheless, not good enough.
#2: Very well, I’ll put in our second awakening stone.
P: And we get to loot that monster.
#2: Very well
They even nicely unload our luggage and hand Maria the keys to their truck.
--
We have been standing here for ten minutes. Maria has been hit harder. She is sitting on the road and sobs periodically.
I need a shower. I am not alone in that, but am not tactless enough to mention it.
Z: Did you have to burst out with the truth?
P: Yes. That emotion manipulation power goes both ways. I am very bad with it, but even I could tell when my fellow wizards were outright lieing. You may get away with it, but wizards are much … brighter.
That silences her to my surprise.
P: Maria, the deal is better than you think. In fact, even better than they thought.
M: That wasn’t your car!
P: True. But I got that from that magical creature.
I hand her a Magic essence.