As she accompanied Alisa through the streets of Hargeon, Vyra could not help but wonder just where it was that Alisa was taking her, an equal amount anticipation and mystery swirling within her mind as the two ventured deeper within the city, the rougher exterior that much of what she had seen within the city seeming to be less and less common. In its stead, refined marble and polished stone lined the walls, windows that she would expect to be barred instead decorated with stained glass. The level of elegance and refinement seemed to only become more pronounced with each step taken, Vyra’s curiosity as to where Alisa was leading her similarly growing.

That Alisa had been kind enough to provide Vyra with as such a kind gesture as to allow her a place to stay, that by itself was something that left her wondering if she could ever repay. But she wouldn’t have suspected anything like this, never in her wildest dreams. Perhaps a small room within a local tavern, a place for her to rest her head, nothing fancy, nothing too outrageous. Yet here she was, traversing through the streets with homes that had handcrafted statues, quality stone constructs, or beautifully-arranged shrubbery located on either side of her. It left her without words.

After a certain point, Alisa’s tour through the upper echelon of Hargeon seemed to finally come to an end, leaving Vyra only to wonder what was in store. She did not look initially, keeping her eyes to the ground as Alisa introduced her to Blue Pegasus, the “Crown Jewel” of Hargeon, as she described it. That name, Blue Pegasus, it was not one that she was particularly familiar with, but still a name that she had heard plenty of times since she had arrived in the city. It did pique her interest admittedly, to have so often hear about this entity, always being spoken of in a positive light, and yet be still in the dark as to anything actually about it. It was like folklore of Hargeon, and Vyra was only to wonder just what it was.

It seemed that she was going to know soon.

Lifting her head, perhaps what first struck her was the large symbol that seemed to peer even through the impressive gate, the same symbol that she had noticed Alisa had tattooed on her chest. Vyra wondered what that was, the meaning behind it. It was certainly pretty, a much nicer look than the other tattoos she often saw on people, full of rough images, symbols that were intended to be intimidating rather than pleasing to look at. She had thought to ask Alisa about it, but it was drowned out by the events that took place at the beach earlier in the day. At least partially, her question surrounding it was answered, although it opened the door for another question that she could perhaps ask later.

Before that were to happen, she first followed Alisa through the gates into a rather impressive yard, the foliage that existed throughout it having the same immaculate detail and leve of detail applied to them as the handful of shrubbery that some of the neighboring homes had in their possession. But unlike those, everything that had been presented had as much emphasis put on them to ensure that they not only looked magnificent, but also that they tied in perfectly with everything else around them. It seemed like an exhaustive project, the hearty greenness of the grass having not a single blade of grass exhibiting signs of the changing of seasons that was slowly taking place. A small band of men, all adorned in attire more resembling that of those she had seen in past taverns, having arrived from a fancy event, began to tend to the gardens, working with both impressive efficiency and precise detail, ensuring that not a single stone were left unturned.

“This is where you live?” Vyra asked in wonderment. She had yet to even step within the actual building, but purely from the exterior, the mechanical efficiency in which went through to maintain such an exquisite presentation outside, she had to believe that it was no doubt just as impressive.

A feeling further reinforced at the mere sight of the doors to the compound, two imposing, yet expertly-crafted works of art in their own right, hard polished wood ornately cut and fixed around a masterwork arrangement of stained glass in the shape of the same symbol that Vyra had seen upon both Alisa and the greater exterior of this building. The Blue Pegasus symbol, she had to assume. Pushing through inside, Vyra – despite the ever-increasing expectations that she had – was left stunned at what it looked like inside. White walls, a chiseled marble sanded down to a perfect polished texture lay out defining the dimensions of the large open area, expanding further down into an even larger open area. Intricate yet not overly fantastical chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, providing a nice central bloom of light, complimented by small lights amongst the walls arranged in a way that no point of the area was neither oversaturated in visible illumination, nor hurting for it either.

It helped compliment the finishing touches, large pieces of framed artwork all arranged throughout the building’s interior, their content, the sizes of them, the amount of color present within each, whilst they all varied in these aspects they were all carefully arranged, almost providing more the feeling of an art exhibition than that of a place where someone might have lived.

Or to be more accurate, multiple people. Vyra could not help but notice that as her eyes darted all around her, trying to absorb as much detail as utterly possible, the number of people whom were present, all spread about as such to give the deceptive perception of only a few people. Yet even then, there were a good number of them in total, one or two of them perhaps having lifted their head upon Vyra and Alisa’s arrival, if for no other reason than to see whom arrived, but then returning to their own business shortly thereafter. Their reactions did not seem to differ too much as Alisa led Vyra through the lounge into the main lobby of the building; a cordial enough look of acknowledgement for some, a polite response from most, a wave, a warm smile, a brief hello, collectively it was a welcome that Vyra did not expect, and was not sure how to react towards.

Alisa’s kindness displayed towards her was something that she had never encountered before, something that made her stand out and had made the remarks that she had made towards it being of people’s natural instinct to help feel so out of place. But through her experiences with people, Vyra had become convinced that that weren’t true. But right now, being not just in Alisa’s company, but also surrounded by these people who didn’t view her as some sort of monster, who weren’t looking at her horns and thinking she were a creature unworthy of life, that didn’t find her ragged clothing and disheveled appearance as something beneath them, she didn’t feel like an outcast or a freak. She felt just like a person.

At some point, perhaps due to the significant contrast of atmosphere here than anywhere else she had been earlier, Vyra found herself wandering about, when her grip lifted from that of Alisa’s she was not completely sure of. She found herself entranced by everything around her; the art hanging on the walls, other bits of furniture that gave the place a welcome, yet refined point of view, to the people, all adorned in clothes that Vyra never imagined in her wildest dreams being in a position to wear herself, showing her kindness on top of that. It was like living in a dream.

She walked about, a part of her still a bit concerned and worried for her own well-being. While the Demi-human had seen nothing to give pause or reason to distrust the people here, particularly given whatever their association towards Alisa – something she was giving them a great deal of benefit towards – her reservations towards people was going to be something that would take a great deal of time to build up. At the moment, the only person she trusted was the woman who seemed to have been handling something at a nearby bar counter.

Not particularly focused or paying attention towards she had been going, after a short while Vyra found herself coming down a hallway, having much the same qualities like what she had seen earlier, the same polished marble walls, precise lighting, and more art adorned upon the walls. One portrait in particular seemed to catch her attention, an elaborate painting within an ornate bronze frame. Within it, the interiors of a large coliseum, scores of people dressed in greens, blues, oranges, and the occasion purples littered within the stands, looking down upon the scene below. A frail figure in orange standing before a youthful figure in black, two other figures in blue off to the side. Vyra was not quite sure what she was looking at, but it was certainly, the painting style of it – although feeling a bit odd – certainly giving it a unique look.

“An impressive piece, isn’t it?” A voice came from behind Vyra, causing her to jump with surprise before turning back to see who spoke. Just beside her stood a man, perhaps as tall as Alisa, maybe a few inches taller, dressed in an impressive suit like those that Vyra would see advertised in fancy store displays, with blond hair slicked back and thick spectacles which the lighting glared off. His attention seemed glued upon the portrait that Vyra had been admiring, “The Last Stand of the Fairy Dimitri, Abstracted. An original, Minstreli in origin, artist unknown. It’s a lovely work, different in style, but certainly not of poor taste. More than anything, a chance to appreciate how other cultures interpret our history. Seldom do we get to see such a faithful interpretation.”

The man turned to look at Vyra, a smile upon his face, while she found herself a bit confused as to the man and his intention. “A thousand pardons for the intrusion. The last thing I would ever wish to do would be to tear a woman from a piece of art, but I could not help but notice your current regalia and felt it would be improper that I do not extend an opportunity to refresh yourself. Certainly, as a guest of the Lady Vollan, I’d be dismayed to not provide as much. If you would follow me, please,” Stepping aside and motioning down the length of the hallway, he smiled and titled his head as to indicate that she should proceed that way.

A little uneasy, particularly given the suddenness of the man’s appearance and offer, Vyra nonetheless proceeded down, glancing back to the man with each door passed, looking for his verification, only to be met with a faint shaking of the head. This repeated on for several more doors, Vyra hoping for some sort of acknowledgement other than the head shaking, until she came about one of the last doors in the hallway, to which she was met with a simple nod. Glancing once at the door and then back to the man, she took a deep breath and proceeded inside.

Before Vyra there was a relatively large room, the polished marble walls largely covered by beautifully stained wooden planks that adorned not just the walls but also the floor. A simple, yet elegant marble slab lay within the center of the room, a set of garments, blue in color, silken in texture, lay neatly folded at the far end of the slab, next to a neatly folded white towel. Further, at the end of the room, there stood a polished stone encasement, a stainless pipe extending upwards attached to a contraption from which clear water flowed through into a steady stream, ever repeating and funneling water onto the stones, to simply be drained by a small plated filter that rest at the base of it.

Taking a moment to not only appreciate the beauty of the room, it much like the rest of this place having appeared immaculate, but also the function and reasoning for her being here, Vyra could not help but smile, a weight being lifted from her shoulders and a feeling of unease being cleared as well. As she was, clothing covered in grime, her skin undoubtedly smelling like some mixture of dirt, sea water, and whatever other odors she may have picked up on as well, to be in the company of people as clean and fancy as those in the main lobby area, she felt out of place.

Stripping herself of the ragged clothes, the makeshift efforts that she had made over however long in trying to maintain them being all the more apparent as she looked upon them. Taking hold of them, she held them close, giving them a final hug before setting them down. She thought back to everything that had happened to her, all the hardships that had come with those clothes, the efforts she made to try to maintain them, and could not help but marvel at how long she managed to make them last. As she stepped onto the stone platform, feeling the contrasting warmth and coolness that emanated from the floorboards just before, she could feel the heat coursing through her, her whole body warming as she stepped beneath the hot running water, the feeling at first being one of surprise, but quickly turning into one of pleasurable refreshment as she allowed the water to drench her time over, a long overdue cleaning that she sought to enjoy every moment of.

After however long had passed, Vyra finally stepped out from the water, an immediate rush of cool air hitting her as she left the enveloping blanket that the warm shower had provided her. Taking the towel and drying herself off, Vyra couldn’t help but feel reflect on everything, still in a bit of disbelief that just the other day, she was wondering if she would be able to find anything to eat, and now, she was sitting in a private shower in perhaps one of the nicest places within all of the city of Hargeon, a pair of clothes laid out for her that were nicer than anything she had ever worn before. She ran her hand across the material, the texture of it feeling nice, nicer than anything she had ever worn before.

Eventually she departed from the shower, admittedly shocked to see that the man from earlier still stood where he had been before she entered, having waited for her. As she came closer towards him, he could not help but frown slightly at her appearance, in particular the sleeves of the blue shirt in which were provided, “Oh dear. Appears I should have opted for a size smaller. Terribly sorry.” He gave her an examining look, “At least the lower garments seem to be of appropriate size. How embarrassing that stood to be. Now, if you do not mind, I do believe that the Lady Vollan is expecting you. If you would follow me please,” the man did not bother to wait for her response, instead immediately traversing back through the large building, Vyra following, both to be reunited with Alisa, but also due to her having no idea how to get back on her own.

They trekked through building, Vyra becoming all the more convinced that she probably would not have been able to find her way back on her own. She wanted to ask the man a number of questions. Who were Blue Pegasus? What was Alisa’s relation to them? Plenty of other questions came to mind, but neither those nor anything other question that she had asked seemed to warrant a response. The man was silent through their walk back, only finally speaking as they came within a few meters of Alisa. “My Lady, my apologies both for the interruption and delay, but I bring you your guest, refreshed and rejuvenated.”

Vyra peered from behind the man, not even trying to hide the wide smile upon her face as her eyes cast onto Alisa.

Vyra glowed. A feeling of confidence radiated from her. For the first time, amongst the company of Alisa, of the men and women who all congregated within this place, adorned in lavish clothing indicate of the upper class and elite, the top percentage of society that she never would imagine herself a part of under the best of circumstances, she did not feel quite so alone. For a moment, she could feel like she belonged, like she wasn’t a product of whatever one would happen to salvage from the streets. She was like them, exuding the same traits that resonated through them.

Confidence. Self-worth. Refinement.

She wanted to believe that she had all of those traits. And in this fleeting moment, she felt like she did.

Her eyes remained glued upon Alisa, her heart racing when she witnessed her reaction to seeing Vyra. It would be a memory that would remain with her for as long as she could, the awe upon the exquisite woman’s face, the immediate rush that it brought, it felt better than anything that her new clothes could have satisfied.

As she slowed her way forward from behind the tall man who escorted her, Vyra could not help but feel a slight bit uneasy as waves of excitement were met by a faint feeling of self-consciousness. She had at first been so focused on Alisa, hoping that she would be receptive towards Vyra’s appearance, but she had not expected the plentiful eyes that now honed in on her from throughout the room. Faces that had only for a moment earlier provided her with half-attentiveness now having all turned their gazes upon her, similarly conveying opinions similar to that of Alisa, though subtle enough as to not fluster Vyra.

Vyra couldn’t help but blush as Alisa approached her, the woman approaching and inspecting the young Demi-human with a look that perfectly shared in affection and thoroughness. She glanced over seemingly everything of Vyra’s attire, her words reinforcing her primary focus of making sure that Vyra felt comfortable in them. But also that the attire fulfilled a standard that she would have held for herself, that someone who had been invited into her home would be treated as well as she would expect to be.

It was hard to say whether or not what she was wearing had passed Alisa’s test or not; up until this point, Vyra had more often noticed Alisa

A wave of anxiety rushed through Vyra as she felt the woman’s hands softly upon the collar of her shirt, her arms tensing as she crossed them into her chest, her eyes suddenly fixed upon Alisa as she monitored just what the taller woman may or may not have noticed. “Yeah,” she said hastily, a weak smile cast upon her face. Her smile widened as she hoped to clear any distress that still may have been present. “They’re really nice!”

She wasn’t thrilled at hiding things from Alisa. Alone, much as they had confided in one another earlier, she no doubt would be more willing to speak. But with so many others around, so many people she did not know, did not trust, could not trust anywhere like how she trusted Alisa, she would rather keep quiet.

It did not help that she didn’t know just what to say. Would anyone? For a brief second, her mind flashed back to the image that she wished to have removed from her memory; her standing there within the impressive bathroom, looking at her nude body within the massive mirror that lay upon the wall. She looked outwards at her reflection, her soul crushed as she examined the bruises; the blacks, blues, and reds that covered her body. The product of her having lived for so long in such horrid conditions, her body had ached for longer than she could remember, but to see it firsthand, her body appearing to be as physically broken as she felt, it crushed her.

The interaction between Alisa and the man whom had escorted her through the building brought Vyra’s mind back into the immediacy of the now. There was no question as to the respect she saw conveyed between the two. Vyra had seen it time again; from the baker to the café owner to the people in the streets to the reactions of the people here when they returned, and perhaps that reason came in the man’s words. Master Alisa? Their master? Blue Pegasus’ master!?

Her eyes widened as she found herself simply looking in awe of Alisa. Blue Pegasus, although it was something that she knew very little of, even she could piece together that between what she had heard of Blue Pegasus from the people in Hargeon and the entirety of this place, its luxury, its size, the people, it was clear that they were important. And that Alisa was perhaps the master of them, for however much Vyra might have wanted to be stunned by this, there was a part of her that knew she shouldn’t have been.

For the second time in a relatively short time, Vyra found herself clearing of whatever mental monologue she may have been having upon hearing Alisa’s voice. What she said though caught Vyra off guard. "My room. My room..." She repeated it again, the words still feeling foreign to her. The last time she had a room, it was her home back in Minstrel, if it could even be called that. A cell was a more appropriate descriptor. At best, it provided a roof over her head; a far cry from a place that she would call a home.

Feeling her eyes beginning to tear, she wiped them away, determined to save face in such new company. It was hard though to deny the whirlwind of emotion that she was feeling. She took the slightest glances to her sides, hopeful that nobody seemed to notice.

Then she turned her attention back to Alisa, noticing her gesture towards a pair of boxes that had been laying on the counter, there the entire time but having been out of focus throughout. At the woman’s behest, Vyra grabbed one of the boxes, immediately hit a familiar scent that she couldn’t help but smile with a bit of joy towards; the very same treats of the café from earlier. Taking one of the boxes, she was surprised by the weight; she remembered the basket that the man in the café had prepared for her before and the weight of it. This box felt like it was twice that, or at least seemed like it.

Just how much was in here? Just what was in here? As tempted as she were to open up the box and see what was in it, she showed restraint and waited. There would be time to take a look, like within her room. That would be something that she would have to get used to, referring to anything as ‘her room’.

Vyra shook at the box, trying to get an idea of what might have been in there while Alisa glanced down to the key she held in her hand, not saying anything for a moment. While Vyra placed her ear to the side of the box, she could tell that there were at least some hard candies of some variety. Another shake but she could not further decipher what may have been within it. Eventually she gave up and then turned attention towards Alisa, following behind as the woman led her from the lounge area to a part of the building that Vyra was unfamiliar with, large box of treats in hand.

Once the two had gone beyond the immediate company of much of the people previously nearby, Vyra picked up her pace slightly, walking alongside Alisa now, glancing up at the woman’s face. “Back there, that guy called you Master. Are you really?” She was confident that she knew the answer already, but there was something to knowing for sure.

“That’s why you have that tattoo right? It’s pretty.” Small talk to some degree, but nonetheless truthful. She was still confused about plenty of this; the relevance of the tattoo, not just on Alisa, but littered throughout this building, including even the clothing that Vyra wore presently. Even just the point of what Blue Pegasus was. All that was obvious was that there was money and influence associated with it. What went beyond it, Vyra hadn’t an idea of what it was supposed to be.

Glancing towards the various pieces of art that lined the hallway, Vyra could not help but think more of everything she had seen up to this point, still in awe over all of it. “So, you created all of this? Blue Pegasus, you’re the reason for this whole thing? That’s amazing…”

Their walk through the Blue Pegasus building, it was cathartic, a chance for Vyra and Alisa to spend time together more akin to how they had earlier. Within the greater area of the lounge that they were coming from, Vyra could not help but find herself a little conflicted towards the whole thing. That wasn’t to say that having been in the company of Alisa’s companions was a bad thing. The experience itself had been a huge benefit to Vyra; the sense of pride and confidence that came with being amongst Alisa’s fellow Blue Pegasus members, feeling like she belonged for the first time, and to have a chance for Alisa to see Vyra’s real beauty, she wouldn’t have taken any of it back.

But for as great as it was, it was impossible not to appreciate the time with the woman beside her alone. Vyra felt most at ease under this circumstance, and in the back of her mind, she couldn’t help but wonder if Alisa may have felt that too. Vyra admittedly did not know what sort of responsibilities, what expectations that there may have been for her, what the others in Blue Pegasus expected of her, the visage that she felt she had to keep up, but she hoped that Alisa knew that that she did not need to with her. Vyra had already opened herself up, having exposed her greatest vulnerabilities and pains to the woman that walked beside her; whatever Alisa felt comfortable to confide in Vyra, she did not feel the need to be fearful.

Listening to Alisa speak about Blue Pegasus, Vyra could not help but be intrigued, not only in Blue Pegasus itself, but also in how Alisa spoke of it. There was more than a hint of pride within her voice as she described it, like that of a statue being spoken of by the sculptor, or sculptress, to be more exact. Although Alisa’s words, her retelling of Blue Pegasus’ history was brief, if not vague even, Vyra could not help but notice what contrast there seemed to be within the story that she was told and the environment all around them. Alisa told of Blue Pegasus like that of a young fawn that had barely survived through a brutal storm, its companions having been lost. It was a far cry from that of how Blue Pegasus seemed to have been situated presently, every one of the valued pieces of art as much indicative of such.

“You saved them too,” Vyra said softly, a smile upon her face as she looked up at Alisa. She couldn’t have imagined what it had been like during that period. Other guilds, friends perhaps, comraderies likely similar to that of the report that Alisa held with her guildmates, to suddenly be gone. The fear of it happening to you next. And in a manner of speaking, having that still happen, but by the hands of those who wished for better for themselves. And to be left there, now as the leader of those that remained, being forced into that sort of situation, it was hard not to admire Alisa for keeping Blue Pegasus afloat, enabling them to flourish into something like this. With even the slightest of glimpses amongst all of the luxury surrounding them, it would have been easy to believe that such hardship never happened.

Vyra’s mind raced back to something that Alisa had said earlier, a comment that she had made about having fallen into darkness herself. At first, Vyra had come to fearfully believe that it had been similar to her, an abuse upon her womanhood, the gripping darkness that seemed to loom following it pulling her deeper within that despair. But now, she began to rethink what Alisa had said. Perhaps it wasn’t the horrible scenario that Vyra had come to know people capable of committing, but perhaps rather this. To have so much thrown upon one, to see families shattered, your own splintered apart, and you having been left to pick up the pieces, it would have made sense. But right now it were not Vyra’s place to ask, nor would she; it was clear it was at least troubling to bring up these memories. Perhaps some time down the line – if Alisa felt comfortable – then they be able to speak more towards it.

A thought came to Vyra’s mind, but it was interrupted as she felt the gentle touch of Alisa’s hand against the box within her hands, a simple gesture that as much snapped her back to reality as did have her wait in place. She caught glimpse of a mischievous smile on Alisa’s face, anticipation for what was to come clear.

Vyra didn’t know what to expect, but could not help but find herself impressed at the sight before her. Although an extension of some sorts to the main Blue Pegasus building, before the two of them was something far more resembling that of the buildings that she had seen within Hargeon. It was striking, particularly given how pronounced the contrast were between the building they had been in earlier versus this one. The Blue Pegasus building was adorned in lavish furniture, expensive artwork, and built with materials that seemed to sell the look of luxury and refinement that was evident throughout.

Here though, it had some of the same qualities, albeit in a much less abrasive manner. Beneath the expensive rugs that lined the floor, the polished wooden floorboards provided a perfect balance and complimented the furniture that were carefully arranged within the main room, each one appearing like it was crafted by masterwork artisans, no detail out of place and no blemish upon them. The same could have been said for the walls, which in spite of not being of the same marble material that the Blue Pegasus building was adorned in, instead seemed to be of similar material and look like that of the taverns within Hargeon, although without any of the imperfections that seemed to be abound in their crafting.

Compared with what she had seen of the rest of the Blue Pegasus building, this part seemed to be more homely. There was a level of intimacy, a kind of freedom that was afforded here than before. And perhaps it was the stark contrast between the appearances of the two. The main building seemed like that of a museum, a place in which typically the elite would gather about, where the glamour and elegance in which the people were adorned in was the standard. Here, this place had the feeling more like that of a tavern, of an inn, of a place where people could gather, not be held to such strict standards. Not to say that this place had the standard of upkeep like that of a tavern; everything was still incredibly high in quality, if only just to a slightly more casual standard.

The atmosphere within the room upon entry seemed much more relaxed than that of it had been like when they first arrived as well. While there were people about, all members of Blue Pegasus Vyra assumed, they did not seem to stop what they were doing on behalf of Alisa and company. Acknowledgements of her presence were made, all with a level of cordiality attached, but their introductions and greetings felt more natural, if that were an appropriate descriptor of it. Had it not been for the garments that Vyra were wearing, it was likely that little attention may have been paid towards her either; something that she couldn’t say would have been a bad thing. With attention came more prying eyes, and with that came a rabbit hole that she had no interest in venturing down.

Vyra followed Alisa close, ascending a staircase that upon the top had what Alisa referred to her as ‘her room’. It still rang as something hard to wrap her head around, but she was excited nonetheless, as much wanting to run ahead like a child awaiting a present, but showing restraint she followed behind. With just a hallway left, Vyra found herself shaking. This was real, not just a dream, not just some fantasy that she had wished to believe while within a dark alley in the rain. Once they came to a stop, Vyra watched with anticipation as Alisa pulled out a key and handed it to her, placing it within her hand as she gestured for the girl to place down the box she had been holding. Like a child handling a delicate ornament, Vyra carefully put down the box, her eyes having remained fixed on the metal key in Alisa’s hand. Seeing the faint nod of approval by Alisa, she reached for the key, holding it delicately in her hands as she carefully reached for the key, her heart racing as she heard the turning of the deadbolt.

“No way…”

Her eyes fell upon the room, a focus not on anything in particular, but rather the room in its entirety. She fell to her knees in utter disbelief as the room came more into focus and the various details, the nuances and features that Alisa carefully taken into consideration becoming all the more prominent. It was a large room; occupying an area that was close to that of the main store area to either the bakery or café which Vyra had been to earlier in the morning. Directly across the room from the doorway, positioned only slightly to the right from being exactly straight across from, there stood a massive bed, that could have more than adequately suited Vyra, with a deep mahogany wood frame, polished and maintained much like much of the furniture that had been within this extension of the Blue Pegasus building. A large mosaic extended upwards at the back of the bed, within the center being the Blue Pegasus chest with designs that danced about in symmetrical detail around it.

To her immediate right and just askew from being aligned with the frame of the bed, a moderately sized, yet imposing table with a pair of incredibly well-crafted chairs. All of which, much like the bed and seemingly all other furniture within the room, crafted of mahogany and diligently maintained. Upon the table, closest to the wall there stood a large fire cage, an ornate metal contraption in which a small ball of Fire Magic bounced about, contained via Magic, and manipulated to provide illumination throughout the room and place not either the room nor its inhabitants at risk. Vyra had not noticed in her initial reaction to seeing the room for the first time that Alisa had placed the box she had been carrying on this table, the store logo upon the box seeming to magnify within the magically-imbued light.

Rather, her attention had been focused instead toward what extended beyond the table and bed, barely noticeable at first behind near fully-closed doors; a large balcony, drenched in the moonlight. Getting to her feet, Vyra moved towards it, enthralled by the white marble – perhaps the first instance that she had seen of it within this part of the Blue Pegasus building – that glowed blue, painting a stark contrast to the dark brown hue of the room that was illuminated by the red glow throughout. Pushing the door open softly, to which both of the doors, mahogany in their wooden feature with stained glass designs encompassing the greater extent of it, mostly retracted into the walls as if mirroring one another’s actions, she stepped through and came to realize just how true Alisa’s words were.

From the balcony, Vyra could see everything. The entirety of Hargeon, even perhaps the lands that fell outside of the city’s limits, all of it was on full display. The bright canvas that the moon painted upon the city contrasted against that of the dark shadows that it similarly left, scattered torchlights littering throughout to provide an evermoving sea of bright spots of red that moved throughout, more appearing at times while some disappeared, but ever changing. Vyra stood there, overlooking everything, enthralled not just of the view, but of the changing of fortunes that seemingly had happened to her. This morning, she had awoken within there, within this city whose scope she was now finally coming to appreciate, deep within one of those many alleyways, saturated in utter darkness, at best trying to crawl out and find salvation within one of the many places within the city where the yellows of the interior light of taverns and inns glowed more brightly.

“It’s incredible…”

A minute or two more passed before she finally turned her head around again, noticing Alisa having taken seat at the small table, watching as Vyra came to appreciate the view of the room for the first time. The demi-human could not help but blush and smile, her figure highlighted by that of the moonlight. As she started towards Alisa, she took a final glance back out beyond the balcony, looking into the city for a moment before turning her head upwards to get a better glance at the moon above, it being the fullest that she could ever remember seeing it. She smiled one last time at it before finally making her way back inside, the doors closing behind her as though awaiting for her to step through them.

Rather than proceeding straight to take a seat before Alisa though, Vyra found herself drawn to the bed, her mind racing as to how exciting it was going to be to sleep in something like this. She had not had a bed of her own for so long now, and never one like this. She gently placed a hand upon the mattress, feeling the silken sheets pressing upon her skin, but she could feel and see her hand sinking into the mattress as well, leaving a faint impression of a handprint that quickly disappeared again as though nothing had happened. Putting both hands onto the mattress, she repeated this a few times, each time putting just a little bit more pressure and force behind it, each time watching as whatever indentation disappeared into nothingness.

Having stalled enough, she returned finally to Alisa, taking a seat directly across from her, repositioning the chair a bit as to not have the table between the two of them. Try as she might, she could not hide the smile upon her face, the happiness in her voice. It seemed like a dream to her, and yet, this was actually happening; she still couldn’t believe it. “I don’t know what to say… This is, I can’t believe it. Thank you! Thank you so much!” Her eyes watered as the feeling of tears, something that at this point had felt like instinct, began to form. Yet, she simply smiled, closing her eyes for a moment as she regained her composure. Even in tears of joy, she did not want to have Alisa seeing the image of Vyra crying; too much already had Vyra left her with that image.

There had been so much going through her mind, this room having so greatly exceeded any expectations that she could have possibly had. And that was not even factoring in the quick glance she had taken of the bathroom that much like the balcony seemed to have been hidden near similar stained-glass adorned doors, the features from the briefest glance that she was able to see having nearly all the same qualities as the one that were present within the Blue Pegasus main building. It had taken her a moment to fully process and resettle that she remembered the box that lay on the table before them, the one that she had made a halfhearted attempt to decipher the contents of. Looking to Alisa as if hoping to gain permission, Vyra began to carefully open the box, her eyes remaining as much glued onto the top of it as to as quickly as possible see just what the contents stood to be.

While she may have had an idea, once the seal holding the top in place was torn, even Vyra did not know quite what to expect. Once she did see, she held her hands to her mouth, holding back an admittedly surprised yelp of joy. The box was full to the point of bursting of various treats, from the candied items and dried meats that she had had earlier, to various things like some hard pastries, others that were soft and appeared to be filled with jelly of sorts. It was a truly incredible arrangement, with the sheer quantity being something that left her floored. The basket that the owner of the café had arranged for her earlier had been a hugely generous gift in its own right, and this box seemed to dwarf the contents comparatively.

All the choices enticed her so very much, it made it tough, if not impossible even to figure out just what to try first. Tempting as some of the newer treats were, she went with something that she knew she had liked, the candied treats, grabbing one for herself before turning the box towards Alisa, inviting her to have something from it as well. After all, they were not just for Vyra; as far as she was concerned, Alisa was entitled to as much of it as she would have liked. Licking the piece of candy as she surveyed her new room from the fancy chair she sat upon, the Magical light providing just enough heat as to leave her warm and yet not too warm, Vyra turned her head towards Alisa, finding herself wondering how she could have ever hoped to repay her. Her heart sank slightly, feeling that she may never find a way to fully repay the kindness.

She adjusted her position in her chair, less facing towards Alisa and more in the direction of her bed, albeit purposely. “I’m thinking right here,” she said as she pointed to her thigh through silken garments, her finger landing upon covered skin just a few inches above the knee. “Perhaps in like a purple, maybe something kind of like my eyes,” she glanced towards Alisa, “or do you think that may be a bad color? Should I get it somewhere else?” It then dawned on her that she had failed to explain what she meant. She flashed an innocent smile, “For that thing you were talking about earlier. The tattoo. When I join one day.”

In her heart, Vyra did not know what the future held; today had completely rewritten anything that she may have known once before, including whatever perceptions about destiny or fate she may have had. Perhaps it was for Alisa’s sake; she had given Vyra everything that she never had before. She had saved Vyra’s life. Maybe it was that she was lost in the moment, everything around her just being too much. She knew so little of what Blue Pegasus was, what its purpose was for, what was expected, she had no idea or way to know if it would be a place that she belonged in or that would even accept her. Friend of Alisa’s or not, she was someone of nothing who had come from the streets. However much she could be adorned in the richest garbs available, she would still be an outcast.

But in the moment, she had not given thought or consideration to that. She was nothing thinking as far as her role within something like that, the sort of difficulties that stood to come with it, or of the risks that it potentially put her within. All that had gone through her mind was the feeling that for everything that Alisa had done for her, if that would be something that one day would make her happy, it was the least she could do.

That is, if Alisa would ever want Vyra within Blue Pegasus. She was the guild master of it after all. However thoughtful Vyra might have hoped to have been with her words, the woman who sat across from her would know far better and have a far greater understanding as to what was best, not just for her own guild, but for Vyra too.

The two of them sat there as moonlight shone through the stained glass of the balcony doors, providing a faint spectrum of color that complimented the faint orange-hue cast by the Magical flame that alit the room. A small feast of carnal treats and a discussion of one’s future, it all too perfectly mirrored many a deeply personal conversation held between parent and child. And whilst their relationship may not be not quite that, both having walked completely different paths, having raised separately and growing through different circumstances, even then it bore striking resemblance all the same.

Vyra’s declaration to Alisa, her suggestion of joining Blue Pegasus one day, it was plainly evident how much it meant to Alisa, try as she might to hide it. Even Vyra, hardly a social savant by any stretch, could not help but find her smile widening as she watched Alisa’s reaction, a feeling of pride swelling within her. Having listened to the woman talk of Blue Pegasus, it was clear that the guild meant so much more to Alisa than just being her guild; it was her family.

Perhaps that was why Vyra envisioned herself within Blue Pegasus.

In her heart, Vyra hoped Alisa would consider her family too.

The idea was whimsical, Vyra’s intentions forged in good nature and thoughtfulness towards the woman whom had done more for her than anyone had ever before in her years alive. And in the same right, it was riddled in the same youthful ignorance and delusion that came with Vyra’s obliviousness and skewed perspective of the world. She knew nothing of what Blue Pegasus really was, save for what little Alisa had spoken of. Their purpose, their goals, if earlier she had been left with doubts if she could ever fit in with the people within the Blue Pegasus lounge, how would it stand any different that she could fit in with a guild she did not understand? With guildmates whose aspirations she were so aloof towards?

The reality was she had not given consideration towards any of that. Or perhaps even to the most basic level, she never given thought to what a guild actually was. Such so that when she heard Alisa bring up the term Magic for the first time, Vyra’s eyes widened. “Magic!?”

Magic? Interesting.

Prior to today, Vyra had never seen Magic before, never had reason to believe that it actually existed. During her time in the company of Alisa, she had witnessed what may well have been the first application of Magic, but never at the time had she come to appreciate or give too much recognition towards. Each interaction that she witnessed with Alisa had her more and more convinced that she was a person of prominence, a person of power. It would be fitting that someone who could command the level of respect throughout Hargeon that she did would be able to do things like use Magic, even in the limited capacity that she done while in Vyra’s company.

It made her feel foolish, to have missed the small instances that Alisa had performed Magic early throughout the day, every single action being an introduction into a world that Vyra had never seen before, but one that she had failed to pick up on. From as early as their first encounter, Alisa had performed such feats, and never had it registered. Perhaps it had been the circumstances surrounding such events, the emotional rollercoaster that she had gone through, even up to this most current moment leaving no shortage of things for her mind to otherwise be focused upon.

“Well I mean, I uh, wasn’t… I mean, uh,” she stumbled over her words. It was impossible not to indulge in self-doubt, to wonder what Alisa may have thought of her for having such an ignorant stance. How she had so casually asked about Vyra’s interest in Magic, as if it were a common thing, it simultaneously illustrated how detached from the world Vyra was, to be unaware of the connection between guilds and Magic, but in a way also highlighted them to her in a way that perhaps only could have been interpreted through her eyes.

She had heard how people in Hargeon had described Blue Pegasus, always seeming to be that of praise when spoken, seldom as it may have been. But even in compliments, it seemed they were always painted as slightly different. And perhaps they were.

How Vyra heard people describe Magic, it seemed a very polarizing subject. Very often it was spoken ill of, and if Alisa’s words meant that Blue Pegasus, or other guilds similar to it, were invested in the world of Magic, then perhaps it made sense that Vyra knew little of them.

Perhaps Alisa would understand. Hopefully.

“To be honest, I never really thought of Magic as anything…” She broke off the remainder of words, sighing as she slumped her shoulders slightly, “Something fun to imagine, something to escape into.” Vyra lifted her head a small bit, flashing a faint smile to Alisa before weakly chuckling, “It’s stupid, I know…”

It was hardly a great feeling. Rather, it felt awful. She listened to Alisa, how she spoke of those who stood by her, the pride in her voice. The pain too. Then to wish to join them and know nothing of their world, of their sacrifices, of what trials they’ve had to endure, her heart sank. “I’m sorry.”

Ashamed of herself, Vyra found herself leery to look at Alisa, at times glancing at the woman like that of a child who disappointed their parent. She reached into the box of treats and pulled out something new; a cookie, yellow in color, drenched in a dark chocolate dressing. She took a bite, the taste being enough to break herself out of her self-loathing. It was incredible. Not just the biscuit itself, but the chocolate as well, it having been such a rare treat in the past; to now have it available, she could not help but take delight as she chewed.

The chocolate-induced euphoria of bliss was soon interrupted by something that Vyra did not expect. An offer by Alisa, a chance to witness a taste of Magic. She all but froze at the proposal, her eyes widening as she unconsciously leaned closer to Alisa, the large piece of the cookie she had eaten still dangling out of her mouth, her mouth full of the remainder of the cookie. “Really?” She mumbled, the word hardly audible between the what was in her mouth and the large remainder of the cookie that she seemed intent on keeping within her mouth for whatever reason.

A couple more inaudible words came through her mouth, Vyra recognizing the futility of trying to speak and putting what was left of the cookie onto the table as she hastily tried to chew and swallow the remainder of the cookie in her mouth, nearly choking in the process. Upon regaining herself, she looked back up at Alisa with the same enthusiasm and excitement as she had earlier. “Really!? You mean it!? Yes! Yes!! Show me!”

She did not try to hide how excited she was at Alisa’s proposal. A chance to maybe see Magic, from Alisa no less? Not just as Alisa, the woman whom Vyra came to view as someone truly special to her, but also as Alisa, the Guild Master of Blue Pegasus, a guild that perhaps one day, she too would be a part of.

But before that could happen, she had to learn.

And with excitement in her eyes, she gazed onto Alisa, eagerly awaiting to see her first real glimpse in a world she never knew existed.

The reddish hue of the Magical light waned; parts of the room receding into darkness, that which had not been touched by either the moonlight that penetrated through the window, bringing a spectrum of color with them or otherwise illuminated from within seeming to join it. Upon the outskirts of the light’s boundary and the empty night’s encroachment sat Vyra and Alisa still, unfazed by the change, fixated upon one another like a reflection staring back onto its source. Even upon the times with which Vyra’s focus did shift, to see the room reinvent itself with the change in lighting, to have become a room that she could call her own, to a growing chasm of mystique, the structures and accents that gave it warmth and the feeling of invitation instead lost to a growing darkness, she still felt safe.

It were not the streets that she had been forced to endure. It were without the horrors that came with it, the cruelty that man could act upon, the indifference its people carried. That was not to undermine just how much of that safety came of the woman who sat before her. As the bond between the two grew, more Vyra came to view Alisa as her beacon.

Such, even upon the worst of fates, to be severed from this life introduced and thrown back to life more akin to demise, with Alisa things would be different.

A frightful thought undoubtedly, to imagine such a fate. Not for Vyra. Her life had been of suffering before, it being a miracle that she somehow managed to survive up to this point, to be exposed to that world, as horrid as it may stand to be, would not be new. But for Alisa? However much strength she may have derived from the woman before her, it would break her heart to have to force her the same conditions that she had once been. Though they sat across from each other now, discussing of Magic whilst enjoying delightful candies, if either of them were to experience life in the others’ world, Vyra could only hope that she suffer twice than have Alisa suffer them too.

Alisa had too much to live for to be thrown into Vyra’s world, if it were still her world even. She had her family, Blue Pegasus, a life that went beyond that of what she had shared with Vyra. And she had Vyra, who sat in utter rapture in anticipation of what was to come, listening as Alisa began to describe even what may have been considered the most basic descriptors of Magic. However simple it may have been, Vyra was drawn, her captive gaze only ever straying as she saw the sigh exude from Alisa’s lips, a small frown appearing on Vyra’s face as the woman spoke of her past. She could not help but wonder what happened to Alisa, if it were something that happened to her or to Blue Pegasus that seemed to illicit such reactions, as seldom as they may have been, of recent.

The feeling of the hand gently caressing her chin, guiding her head upwards to face Alisa, the most sincere of smiles that Alisa had shown Vyra seemed to break whatever thoughts she had a moment ago. Her eyes sparkled, seeming to rely upon all of her strength to resist the urge to reach out and embrace Alisa upon hearing her speak. In her heart, she knew in large part why she wanted to join Blue Pegasus was the woman before her. And the nagging feeling that had begun to fester within her, that Alisa did not want her, there was something reassuring in what Alisa said, it made Vyra think that she was wrong.

And she was so happy to have been wrong there.

Vyra was happy. It felt so strange really. From the moment that she had met Alisa, any particular point of time that they had spent the day together, from the time in the café, to being there on the beach, to just prior to and their arrival at the Blue Pegasus building, to moments earlier, to whatever display of Magic that Alisa was to present to her; any single one of these would have been the world to Vyra. A reprieve, a chance to escape the baker, the lost memories, the hunger, the fatigue, the cruel looks, even as brief as it may have been, it would mean so much more than what one could ever truly understand. But today, it was so much more than anything she could have expected.

This was happiness.

A moment passed and soon enough, Alisa found herself closer to Vyra, the demi-human’s heart beating faster, curiosity and excitement similarly competing against excitement to be the dominating emotion of what was to come. Anticipation too joined the fray as Alisa called for Vyra’s hand, a request that she did not expect in the moment, but did not delay in honoring. As she felt the warm flesh of Alisa’s hand upon her own, her eyes widening in bewildering amazement as the runic circle appeared just above their joined hands, faintly illuminating the area around them, a white glow pulsating out, overtaking the faint red hue and darkness that otherwise encapsulated them. From it, there emerged a small item, barely large than that of a fruit, light emanating all from within it, the product being a truly breathtaking display. Too, the faintest traces of whatever it was seemed to cascade down from it like that of a cup overflowing with water, raining down to the ground from atop their hands like a weightless waterfall of Magical essence.

Alisa’s words resonated within Vyra’s head as she watched on with wonder, ‘what do you feel’. It was hard to come up with words to properly describe just what she was experiencing. Amazement? Wonder? Disbelief? Superficial terms that failed to adequately phrase just exactly she was seeing, an element to the world that she never believed existed now present before her very eyes. Astonishment towards a close figure whom she already thought the world of. But neither of these were what she felt Alisa was looking for. It was something more than that.

Focusing, Vyra closed her eyes, desperately trying to understand just what she was feeling. The radiating blue and white symbols, a language undecipherable to her parading through the interiors of her eyes as her mind raced. Blackness cascaded onto the symbols, each exploding within her mind as fragments and artifacts of each lingered, dispersing across the confines of her vision. Another explosion followed, then blackness.

A taste.

Another rush, the color restored, the explosions continued until they stopped. A flash of blue, followed by white, then black again, the edges of her vision masked by this eruption.

Another flash, the color gone. Blackness around her. Not like blackness of the past. The blackness of shut eyes. She was still here. She was still Vyra. She opened her eyes, Alisa not having moved, her body as close as it were before, eyes focused upon Vyra. Atop their hands, still upon one another, the Magical creation of Alisa’s remained, radiant as it had been throughout, if not more vibrant than before. Alisa’s question resonated once again, to which the demi-human looked up, shifting glances between Alisa and the Magical structure between the two of them.

“I feel… something,” Her words were still unclear, her mind, her body trying as much to decipher what she was feeling as she was. “I just… I don’t know how to describe it…”

Power.

The key to it all.

She felt her answer was lacking. How could one describe a feeling that they had never felt, could not comprehend? Alisa undoubtedly expected more, but Vyra could not give it. At least, not before she felt it; a small surge, like that of heat, but not, a sensation of warmth that as much parroted upon the feeling of coolness that passed through. Her eyes widened at the feeling, her focus set upon her hand, not moving it, but rather allowing the sensation through. Once through, then again, a feeling of something swelling within, bringing with it a rush, only to dissipate away afterwards.

Not until the illumination that seemed to fill the entire room did she lift her head and turn her focus from that of the feeling within her hand.

“Incredible…”

Vyra could not believe her eyes.

The small crystal that once lay atop of their hands had blossomed into something so much more, like that of a living canvas. The same crystal-like material that had embodied the Magical creature before still resonating here, but now shifting into something different. A work of art it seemed like, but playing out before her very eyes. Moments later, the creation came to full view as Vyra could not help but raise her free hand to her face, at an utter loss for words at the sight before her.

Herself. Or an interpretation of her. Perhaps as Alisa saw her.

“This, this is Magic…” Her words barely resonated through her hand, sounding barely louder than when she was exhausted upon the beach earlier. To echo out a thought more than that, Vyra felt at a complete loss. Pulling her hand from her mouth and slowly reaching towards the Magical sculpture created by Alisa, she couldn’t help but mesmerized by it. It was indescribable how she felt towards it, but it was certainly enthralling.

Vyra was not quite sure what she was expecting, but as she reached for the sculpture and felt it, the hard surface like that of diamond, she was left stunned, her eyes fixed upon the meeting of her hand upon the sculpture, neither moving, both simply recognizing the presence of one another. “It’s me…”

She wondered, the words of Alisa’s lesson resonating through her mind. They joined through a whirlwind of thoughts and ideas and other things that left her in a daze of sorts, all this while utterly intrigued by everything before her. Alisa had offered to show her Magic and Vyra wasted little time in accepting such an offer. But never had she expected a display like this.

“Magic is a skill…” She spoke softly to herself, echoing bits of what Alisa had said, her eyes remaining glued upon the sculpture of herself, unsure of quite what to say. “Be used for it… Whatever purpose… you could think of…”

She closed her eyes, unsure exactly what she was doing, but nonetheless curious. Her hand still atop Alisa’s and just beneath that of the runic circle above them whilst the other remained touching the statue, she focused on a singular thought. A moment earlier in the day, her and Alisa, the two of them standing together within the ocean, Vyra holding onto Alisa while she did the same. Her words echoed through her, the memory one that she would hold onto until the day she dies. ‘Thank you for finding me,’ she remembered all too well the interaction, the words she had uttered to Alisa, all of it. Her mind replayed the image over again, her focus devoted towards the creation of beauty and Magic that Alisa had created.

She wasn't sure of what to expect, if anything. Wishful thinking, perhaps a delusion of worth. None the less, Vyra maintained focus. Hopeful perhaps, if not foolish.

What felt perhaps like a surge of something rushed through her, at least she thought she felt something. Perhaps the wind. Perhaps nothing. At this point, it was hard to tell quite what to be sure of anymore.

It felt as though the world stood still.

Vyra remained there, still seated across from Alisa, their hands joined together, an effective conduit from which the flow of Magic stemmed from Alisa to the runic circle just above. The masterwork piece of the Blue Pegasus Guild Master, the diamond-like statue of the young girl proudly displayed; heavy in its presence, yet weightless, utterly suspended by Magical efficiency. Brilliant in its attention to detail, craftsmanship by which artisans across the world would spend lifetimes trying to achieve on their own.

With a feeling radiating throughout herself, an indescribable sensation surging through every bone in her body; an immersible heat, the feeling of her blood boiling only to freeze as the warmth abandoned her skin, then to petrify as though turning to stone, to then feel weightless as though no longer within her body. A cyclic feeling, perpetually changing as the sensations traversed through her, the feeling of one occurring only to end and give way for another left Vyra in a state struggling to space out the world around her.

In that moment, there were only three things. Alisa, the master to the student, the mother to the child, the one who had introduced Vyra to this world, to this sensation, to this trial. Then the statue, an embodiment of the world brought forth, the potential that exists, one of the infinite possibilities by which the threads of power and Magical essence could interlace, intertwining to create marvels and monstrosities beyond ones’ comprehension. And then was Vyra, the actress left upon the grand stage with neither the script nor the presence to face the spotlight with the finesse expected. Thrown forth, introduced to wonderment, a mere taste, less than that of a sip within the well that was the Magical energies within the world, within her.

Beyond the three, there were nothing else that mattered. Air frozen, time suspended, for them this was their infinity.

Alisa’s words, her instruction, they washed over Vyra like that of a calm wind. Faint, but not weak, distant, but not fading. The sensations swirled through her, a cataclysmic wave of something of the unknown swelling, but she did not waiver. She moved, ever so slightly, her hand gently caressing down upon the skin of Alisa’s statue, finger pressed to diamond as it gracefully traversed down perfectly-polished cheeks.

“Focus,” she whispered beneath her breath. She opened her eyes, but not Alisa or to that of her diamond reflection, but upon a wall. Decrepit, weathered away by forces unknown and forces abound, the integrity holding if not out of a will to survive. Forever expanding in direction, it stood before Vyra, the distance no greater than that of her and Alisa’s diamond statue moments prior, the blacks of infinity echoing beyond her. A feeling of something indescribable radiated through the stone, the gentlest of hums resonating throughout the void around as the faintest of colors radiated behind the structure as if contained, but barely.

With caution, she reached to the wall, faint chippings severing what will to be retained as they fell to the ground. Each piece that fell brought forth the tiniest bit more of what were behind the wall to focus. A shade of color, only a pigment brighter than that of the wall remained where her finger stripped away.

She scratched away, another piece of the wall tearing down. The glowing color that resonated behind it glowed just a bit brighter.

“Reach in… And coax it out…” She muttered, the visage of whatever realm she found herself in, leaving room for her words to boom through thunder. Another scratch, the glow growing in its intensity, the blackness that surrounded her giving way as a faint hue of blue emanated from the wall. From her.

Another tear, the light shone brighter, the darkness fading further back, repelled by Vyra’s progress. The world shook, Vyra nearly losing her footing as her hand tore against the wall as she retained her balance, the imprint of her hand dragging across the surface leaving a varied amount of hollowed out stone, staggered levels of light blooming through, but none to the intensity of where Vyra had dug.

She tore through at the wall again, the realm around her seeming to collapse further and further with each effort made. The air began to draw cold, heavy. Time rushed around her, the breath leaving her lungs as she fell to a knee as she looked up, a nearly complete hole providing a peek through the wall, a blue illumination penetrating through with a near blinding force.

“Don’t let go…”

Mustering what strength she still possessed, she reached out, pulling her hand through the hole she had made, grabbing what rubble may still remain as she retracted her hand, dirt and stone being thrown to the ground as she threw that same hand to the ground to steady herself amidst the realm’s implosion. Glancing up again as her vision waned, she saw it; the rushing of a blazing blue substance, like that of water, glowing like light, all encompassing as it swarmed through the hole, further and further deteriorating the wall as it seemed to consume Vyra as blackness fell.

The veil has been pierced.

With a jolt, her eyes opened. A sight no different than before, Alisa before her, her focus fixated upon Vyra, the statue between the two, Vyra’s hand still upon the masterfully-carved face. Her breathing was heavy, her other hand still atop Alisa’s, the runic circle that had been created still there with all the same magnificence as before. She did not know what happened, the experience too surreal to understand for herself, but she knew that something had happened, but she was not sure what.

For a moment, she remained there, static as she recomposed herself, allowing for her breathing to steady and her mind to stop racing. The sensations that had echoed through her, previously deafening her senses to the world, had faded. Color returned, a sense of feeling, of hearing, of sound, of smell, it all shot back. An experience that left her perplexed, that left the world feeling new, as irrational as that may have been.

Vyra’s eyes fixated upon the diamond statue of herself. It was as though staring into her own soul, staring into something familiar to a degree, alien in a similar manner. Compared to only a few minutes before, Vyra could not help but feel closer to the statue, not looking purely upon a jeweled replication of herself forged by Magic, but rather that a part of her, stripped of her and remade again.

She looked to Alisa, taking in the look upon her face once more, their eyes connecting, not a word spoken but a moment of trust shared between the two.

Taking a deep breath, Vyra closed her eyes, focusing once again as the world around her slowed down. She felt that same sensation as before, not that of the myriad of elements that tore through her body, but of a feeling earlier, the very same feeling that she had felt when Alisa had first begun to channel her Magical powers. But this time was different.

As she began to feel the same reaction within her as the Magical energies began to build, she embraced it.

It appeared just atop the runic circle that Alisa had initially constructed. Smaller in diameter, faintly purple of color in contrast to that of the marvelous white that came from Alisa’s, it possessed neither the intricacies or refined quality either from it, but for this none of that was necessary. The only thing that mattered was that it was hers, her first runic seal.

Her first taste of Magic.

Vyra continued to focus, her mind fixating equally upon maintaining the world around her as she did Alisa’s words. They stood as the captain whom piloted herself through the sea that was this experience that came as foreign and as difficult to her as anything before. A strain ripped through her as she struggled to maintain, holding on with all of her ability, determined to outlast and overcome whatever resistance brought forth.

A moment of weakness, her focus waned slightly, but she was able to recover. Maintaining her focus, she adjusted herself in her seat, mindful to neither allow her hand just above Alisa’s, the conduit to which made all of this possible, nor her other hand still maintaining the softest of touch upon Alisa’s statute, to be torn from their respective grasps.

“I’m right here with you,” she breathed Alisa’s words, her mind flashing once again throughout the day. Event upon event, memory upon memory bombarded her thoughts with each passing moment, the only constant being the two of them. Vyra and Alisa.

Vyra and Alisa.

From her seal it emerged. An almost liquidous substance, purple in color, much like that of the runic circle from which it materialized from. As if defying gravity, it shot upwards, coming to tower over the diamond statue, similar to the two of them. More of the liquid escaped and followed similar motion, this continuing as eventually it began to take shape. For the first time, Vyra opened her eyes to see it before her, focusing as intently as she possibly could, even in spite of the disbelief she were in, the idea that this was something that she could have ever done being utterly impossible.

And yet, she was accomplishing just that.

With every passing moment, the grotesque creation of Vyra’s began to take more concrete form, the unappealing look layer by layer seeming to be stripped away as it took form into a true shape. A human of some sort, the figure rough in its appearance; not only due the nature of whatever sort of material it seemed that Vyra had manifested, seeming to be like a thick gel-like substance than anything else, but equally Vyra’s experience being as close to the definition of novice as possible. Untrained, unrefined, tried for the very first time.

More time passed and the figure finally seemed to give greater definition and paint a slightly more defined picture for the audience of two. Overlooking the beautiful diamond statue of Vyra were a slightly taller entity, its presence seeming to be more like that of a protector than anything.

Alisa.

Far from the most flattering appearance of the Blue Pegasus Guild Master, Vyra’s eyes twinkled with delight and satisfaction at what she had created, a feeling of pride, not only for its inception and creation, but also to have succeeded. Alisa had given her the encouragement, had shown her a taste of Magic and given her even a basic lesson on the subject, and with she could not help but take pride in perhaps having exceed those expectations.

“I did it… Look! I did it!”

She could not hide it in her voice, the excitement, the happiness, the hope that she had done well. Every few seconds it seemed that she was able to sculpt her image of Alisa slightly more, the quality nowhere close to being as good as what Alisa was able to accomplish with seemingly no effort. But for her first time, Vyra did not think she did a very poor job.

Yes. You did do it. Thank you.

She looked up, taking another glance upon the two figures, noticing the striking contrast between the two. The statue that Alisa had crafted of Vyra was perfect, like a masterwork sculpture, light refracting off it, illuminating the room throughout. Conversely, Vyra’s creation of Alisa had more the quality of someone drunkenly novice in their expertise, something one would never wish to display if given the option. Just seeing them side by side, it left plenty to be desired, something that would come with time.

“Do you like – “ She looked to Alisa, hoping to hear what she thought, if she had done well, but it never came as her words were cut off, the life draining from her face as the color in her eyes vanished into clouds of nothingness.

She continued to channel the Magic, the purple construct of Alisa that she had been maintaining beginning to crumble, the color of it shifting from its purple hue to a far more sickly color, a tainted mixture of purple, green, and brown like that of disease than that of Magic. Structurally, it began to dissolve away, breaking apart and collapsing into itself as though a body decaying from the inside out. Bits and pieces fell to the ground in a graceless motion, dispersing apart as they formed a faint cloud of the same corrosive color.

As the last bits of the construct dissolved away, in its wake there instead remain a large cloud, illuminated by the Magical Vyra statue, only managing to further bring forth the disgusting quality, having a look more like poison than that of Magical energies. In almost no time, the Magic had coalesced around that same statue, encapsulating it like that of mold, the light which previously shone through beginning to wane as more and more of Vyra’s Magic seemingly consumed the statue, the artisan quality that was once evident hidden beneath a grossly uneven coating.

From the runic circle, more and more of the same taint seemed to materialize through, similarly applying itself much like what had been to the statue of Vyra. Within a short time, the statue had been all but coated, the appearance of the demi-human completely gone.

She sat there throughout it all, simply glaring at Alisa, the same eyes that had once been drained of color having had them restored looking not with the excitable joy that they once conveyed, but instead that of condescending and arrogant hubris. Cockiness. A look that knew exactly what it was doing, and wanted as much to know that the woman across from her knew as well.

“I owe you. Without you, this may never have happened.” A snarky smile appeared upon Vyra’s face, the disdain towards Alisa completely evident, but at the same time her words sounded different. There seemed to be something else in her words. Appreciation? Across all of their interactions thus far, it was easy to believe this was the kindest she had been towards Alisa up to this point. It was difficult to appreciate though as she continued to funnel what she could of Vyra’s Magical reserve, illustrating a far greater control of the Magic than what Vyra seemed capable of. “Don’t worry, I know you don’t want to talk to me. I just wanted to say thanks.”

The color faded once again from her eyes, a momentary blank look upon Vyra’s face before the color quickly returned. But before providing with any sort of indicator, any sort of reaction to that of what happened, any chance even for Alisa to tell just which Vyra she might be looking at, a scream filled the air.

Vyra’s scream.

She was reeling in pain, Vyra hunched over in her chair as the hand which had at one point been placed atop Alisa’s was contorted in pain, her other hand similarly as though she were paralyzed, the veins in her arms seeing to bulge through her skin, a deep purple color resonating throughout, giving a frightful look. Blood began to flow from her nose, some falling onto the silken clothes she wore leaving purple stains throughout the fabric, while the rest began to leave a small pool on the floorboards below. She cried out as the pain radiated throughout, the runic circle that she had created earlier continuing to exert more of the toxic material, the beautiful statue that once stood between the two of them instead having become a horrid abomination, layer upon layer of Vyra’s Magic coating it and only seeming to continue to.

Helpless, she struggled to maintain any sort of composure, the pain unbearable, it being a miracle that she was even able to maintain awareness of her surroundings. But her focus was gone; her control over her Magic lost to whatever had happened moments before, the exertion causing her body to break down right before her eyes.

Through tears she looked to Alisa, the pain making even that little of an action a nearly impossible task as she cried out for help, “Make it stop!”

Tragic as it were, the void, the emptiness that at times she found herself within, it had not become uncommon to Vyra. It had become something that while not common, was not unknown to her either. A moment of time, an experience stripped away, Vyra removed from the world briefly, only to be returned again sometime later. Sometimes it were brief as a few lines of a conversation lost, the briefest of departures from the world around her. Though seldom, large chunks of time had been lost; her having been in one location to only end up elsewhere hours later.

But never, even under the worst of circumstances, had Vyra returned from this emptiness into such an agonizing position.

The pain so intense that for a time, she wished to be lost to whatever void it was that had pulled her, if only to escape.

It was not a form of pain that she had ever experienced before. She had been hurt plenty before. She had suffered the emotional weight of living within this world, her life throughout up until today being a perpetual feeling of misery and sadness. She had had her bones broken, she had felt the brutality of the people who believed her less, and she knew the feeling of starvation, the gnawing hunger and pain that came with it, only to feel the sensation of the body slowly consuming itself.

But none of it compared to only a moment before.

It were as though her body were ripped apart, pulled limp from limp, every single bone, ligament, vein, and every other component of her body being forcibly torn out, her being forced to experience every waking moment of it in perpetuity. That she managed to maintain consciousness was nothing shy of a miracle, every one of her senses feeling like they were in overdrive, making it impossible to register anything going on around her, save for the agonizing pain she was enduring.

It were enough for her to want to die.

Death did not take her though, however much she may have wished for it in that brief moment, the agony of lifetimes’ worth of pain having been inflicted upon her. Rather, in a suddenness, there came a reprieve. Faint, but suddenness; enough for the calls for death to cease, but what life was within her weak. The world returned around her, but she did not respond. She could not respond. In the concerned grip of Alisa, Vyra remained there, statuesque as her body struggled to process and recover from her experience, seeming to walk the line between catatonic and in shock.

She could feel it, the embrace of the woman who had introduced her into the world of Magic, but it seemed so distant; moments where she felt the woman’s touch upon her skin fading away moments later only to reappear again elsewhere. She did not feel much, but compared to the option previous, it was a welcome change. Pain had given way to shock and through absent eyes, she thought she could see Alisa’s face, a look of concern that would leave Vyra disheartened. But to do so was so much more than what she found herself able to right now.

A moment passed. How much time unclear, but slowly, but surely, her senses regained strength, enough to bring her closer back to the realm of the living, if only just. Her breathing was erratic, the rising and falling of her chest at infrequent intervals being among the first signs of life that Alisa would have seen of Vyra. It were enough for Alisa to speak to the woman, her words penetrating through, reaching Vyra for the first time since the blackness had taken hold of her. She wanted to respond, to say something, but still lacked the strength, forced to simply remain there, as seemingly paralyzed as she was, hoping that she would understand.

Her breathing picked up, becoming slightly more erratic as Alisa spoke, perhaps a slightly worrisome situation if not for her current predicament, any sort of change in her condition being an improvement. But that aside, Vyra did little else, was capable of doing little else, purely at the mercy of a body having undergone such a horrid ordeal. An ordeal made no better by Vyra’s physical state, the exhaustion of today compiled alongside the wear and tear suffered over the course of years only having further exacerbating her predicament.

Unclear if by choice or by plight, Vyra’s eyes shut, the world around her seeming to dim as well, only the occasional word by Alisa breaking through, and even muffled by her waning senses.

Vyra opened her eyes to a somewhat familiar sight; the empty realm that she had been before, the empty blackness that seemed to expand infinitely in all directions, the massive wall that cut off whatever may have existed beyond it, the faint blueish hue of whatever lay behind it, the vast pool of Magical energies that had existed for her alone. Laying upon the ground, she stared outwards for a moment before she got up, making sure that she was utterly convinced she knew just where she was again.

Vyra’s well of Magic.

But to be here again, immediately she could tell that things were different, and from what she could tell, in no way for the better. There was an uneasy feeling in the air, a morbid one that seemed to leave her nauseous, if even such a feeling were possible within a realm like this. A faint purple miasma lingered just above the ground, rising up to nearly her chest, painting a sickly atmosphere within this mystical place that only seemed to look even worse as the sickly purple and brown hues that congregated within the had been blackness around them.

To her bewilderment, she found herself capable not just of being able to move, but to be able to do so completely unimpeded, as though the aftereffects of what happened moments earlier no longer mattered. She glanced to both hands, one to the other, trying to rationalize what happened, how any of this could have been possible, left wondering if she had mustered the ability to bring herself here.

Standing to her feet, the sensation of being able to stand upon two legs feeling almost foreign in spite of how seemingly little time had passed since she had last been here. But judging by the appearance of what was around her, it seemed plenty of time had passed already. Gingerly walking in the direction of the wall, her memory all too vividly recalling the events of what happened earlier when she had interacted with it, it seemed at first glance that it may have been the only thing not significantly affected by whatever was occurring within this realm. She took a few more steps before she found herself stopping, looking on in disbelief at the sight before her.

Before the wall, where Vyra had once siphoned whatever Magical energies had been on the other side, now stood her. Or rather, another her.

Another Vyra.

“No way… Who… Who’re you?” Vyra called out, the action of talking feeling awkward. Though much of the physical ailments she had been suffering through seemed to have remedied, apparently some still lingered.

The entity before her turned its head, glancing at Vyra from the corner of their eye. Even with as minimal of a gesture as it may have been, it was enough for Vyra to know that she was not crazy. She stood before an exact clone of herself, one who stood with all the confidence in the world. But whilst Vyra held a look of disbelief on her face, this other Vyra seemed to have a look of indifference to her presence. “Oh. You. Have you come to destroy us entirely, or shall you allow me to fix your mess?”

Vyra was speechless. She? Her? This Vyra seemed to speak harshly towards her, as though she were fully aware of everything that had been going on. But, for as intrigued as she may have been, for as many questions as she knew she had, one had far greater urgency, “Who are you? Tell me!”

The other Vyra sighed, “Isn’t it obvious? I’m you. Or well, a part of you. It’s complicated, but all you need to know is I’m here to help take of this,” she signaled, twirling her finger around her, condemning all of the miasma, the sickness within the air, all of it. “Though, as right as it may seem, it’d be wrong to blame you. Especially when she’s the one at fault.”

This encounter had left Vyra confused, unsure of what to make of it exactly. The origins of this clone of hers, its seemingly own mind, yet being able to be within what she had to believe was her mind. The answers only proved to create more questions, and yet Vyra could not turn her attention away from the ‘she’ that her double referenced. “She? You don't mean Alisa?”

“Who else? She coaxed you here. Then she threw you out to sea before you could even swim.”

Vyra could not help but grow frustrated at the words of this copy. She painted Alisa as being some sort of monster who abandoned Vyra, just like everyone before. But after everything, she was convinced that wasn’t true. “You’re wrong!”

The other Vyra was not convinced, turning to face her in her entirety. “Look around you,” she exclaimed as she threw her arms out, “You see all of this? This all could have been avoided.” Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked right at Vyra, “You don’t think she knows you want to impress her?” She scoffed, “Come on. She didn’t just let you play with power you had no control over. She encouraged it.”

She shook her head, refusing to believe that that was how the scenario had played out. Vyra remembered it clearly, Alisa’s offer to show her Magic, how enthusiastically Vyra accepted such an offer, how she had gone too far. Despite what this other Vyra may have thought, it wasn’t Alisa to blame. It was Vyra. “That’s not true. What happened wasn’t her fault.”

A look of minor frustration appeared upon the other Vyra’s face. “You know, you are loyal to her. I can’t say I’d blame you, but tell me, do you think that she will show you the same? After all of this? Truly, do you realize what you’ve done?”

Vyra found herself speechless, her mouth open as though she were going to challenge the claim, but realizing midway through that she actually did not know what she had done. At first, she had begun to summon forth the statue of Alisa, and the next thing she knew, she was in unbearable agony. Whatever happened between those two events, she didn’t have the slightest idea.

“You called forth something evil. Disease Magic. Magic that destroys everything around it, including other Magic. With something like that, something that you can’t control, do you possibly think that she can ever fully trust you around her? Around her family?”

The reality of what the other Vyra spoke felt like that of a knife cutting through her. She tried to disagree with what she was hearing, but found herself unable to not find some truth in it. Whatever she had created, even if she did not want to believe that it was some sort of disease-like Magic, she had no control over it. It put herself at risk. It nearly killed her. What was to say that it didn’t happen to someone else? Some that Alisa may have cared for?

Would Alisa ever be able to forgive Vyra if that had happened? Could Vyra ever forgive herself?

As the harsh reality set in more and more, she found herself closer and closer to the point of tears. She desperately did not want to believe that that would be how her future would end up being, but it was admittedly harder to believe as time passed, “It doesn’t have to be. I can control it!” She pleaded, as much trying to convince herself as she tried the other Vyra.

“Do you truly believe that? You would put everything at risk for that? A hope to control something that you never wanted, never even knew existed?” The other Vyra approached her, coming so close as to being able to place a consoling hand upon her shoulder. “Sever your connection. Let me bear the burden. No downsides to it for you. No Magic, no risk, no reason to lose the family you’ve wanted.”

As she watched Vyra contemplate the suggestion, her legs giving way as she fell to her knees in a moment of self-self-doubt, the other Vyra could not help but form a cruel sneer upon her face, watching as everything was unfolding.

Only one of us were ever meant to have that power. The sooner you give it to me, the better it’ll be.

Just as it seemed that Vyra had given up hope, nearly falling into despair, a sound came that took both her and the other Vyra by surprise. A voice, one in which boomed throughout the endless void that they found themselves in. A voice familiar to both of them. Alisa’s voice. While the other Vyra could not help but draw forth a face of frustration at hearing this, looking to the sky as though trying to find where it originated from, the Vyra who had been on her knees listened, taking in everything. Everything that the other Vyra had said, everything that she felt, everything that Alisa had said, everything that the future could potentially hold.

After a moment, Vyra rose to her feet, slowly making her way towards the wall, the very same wall from which she had interacted with the last time she was here. The wall from which the power within her had come from. Just as Alisa had said, her power. And it was going to remain her power.

It brought tears to her eyes, knowing what sort of reality she stood to be bringing upon herself. The thought of losing Alisa, it broke her heart. Each step taken made her want to turn around and just allow the other Vyra to do whatever she was going to have done. But she moved forward. At this point, she trusted Alisa more than she trusted herself. She trusted the bond they had.

She just hoped that Alisa would still trust her at the end of all of this.

The other Vyra simply stood there, at no point challenging or urging for Vyra to stop, simply looking on, the conniving smile that had been upon her face having quickly faded away as Vyra moved forward, instead being replaced by an irritated scowl. She watched on for a short while before eventually fading away within the darkness of the void around them.

I gave you the chance to walk away from your mistake and you go all in on a future we know won’t happen.

Alone, Vyra could feel the realm around her change as she got closer and closer to the wall, each step bringing with it a greater amount of volatility. It made her wonder how the other Vyra were able to simply bask in it without feeling any sort of ailment. A sickly odor filled her lungs, the miasma that had lingered about now being so thick that it was though moving through several feet of snow. The air felt unhealthy, not difficult in the sense of breathing, but rather that each breath she took seemed to burn everything from her mouth down to her lungs.

A singular thought ran through her head as she pushed forward, fighting against the contagions with every step of her being. This is what my Magic does. How would Alisa ever accept me?

Standing once again before the wall, Vyra could not help but reflect on just how much this and her previous time here seemed to both contrast and compare. The afflictions upon the body seemed to mirror one another, albeit the ailments and causes different. The pure Magical energies, raw and having yet to take form had imposed their might upon an unsuspecting Vyra then, but this time her body had been poisoned, suffering through all of the toxic applications that that same Magic - now released - was unleashing upon everything, including her.

Stepping to the wall, she nearly collapsed under the strain of her Magic, the experience unlike that of the pain that resonated through her in the corporal world, but still agonizing all the same. The feeling of the body being ripped apart instead being replaced by a sensation of the body dissolving away, her strength and stamina being siphoned away with it. Falling to one knee, she looked up, her eyes fixating in on the very same thing she had in her previous time here; the hole she had carved out in the wall, now larger, with a layer of diseased pus now having caked itself along the edges of it.

It were a grotesque sight, evidence enough of the uncontrollable nature of her Magic, how much of a contrast it had seemed to be than before when it was first released. Then, siphons of blue and white mingled together into streams that had a beautiful, if not supernatural, appeal to it all. That was all but gone as sickly tendrils of green and purple protruded out, lacking any refinement and seeming more like vines that expanded out without direction or purpose.

Not quite sure of just what to do, she lifted herself to her feet again, the action being a difficult one as the weight of the miasma and the pungent scent of the air made movement all but impossible without concentration and focus being put behind it. Another step forward and she was brought again down to one knee, everything around her being just too much to endure. As she gazed up again, the hole now within less than an arm’s reach of her, she could see it, the faint brown mist that seemed to echo out of the hole along with the more formed vines of diseased Magic.

She rose her arm up, fighting back against the feeling of a million invisible hands trying to hold her back, willing herself with all of her might to place her hand against the hole, a rudimentary bandage to hold back the sickness that had been allowed to bleed out.

And just like that, everything seemed to stop.

Vyra did not know if she had accomplished anything or just the contagions being too much for her to endure.

Her vision clouded.

And then it all went black.

When she next opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the face of Alisa, her head pressed close to hers, a mixed feeling of concern comingled with fear and pride upon her face. It was an admitted alien look for her, as far as Vyra was concerned. It had been the foremost thing she seemed to notice, only after having looked into the woman’s eyes that she realized she were no longer in the abyss-like place any further, nor did she seem to be under any of the ailments that she had been feeling either.

She sprang to life with a gasp and jolt, a shock travelling throughout her body as life seemed to enter it for the first time. Vyra breathed heavy, still coming to terms with everything she had just endured, trying to process everything, but it quickly became secondary as she flung herself outwards, surrendering herself to Alisa as she held the woman in an enduring embrace, an outcry of emotions overtaking her as she cried out.

“I’m sorry! I’m so so sorry!” The ominous thought that the other Vyra had left her still present in her mind, Vyra could not help but find herself both panicked of what had happened to her, but also of what could still stand to happen. “Please forgive me…” She hid herself within Alisa’s body, nestling her head as to hide the guilt and shame that were plainly evident within her face, but also to hide herself from whatever anger or disdain may have been upon Alisa’s. It utterly terrified her, the potential that she had returned from a state of utter agony only to have lost what mattered most to her at this point.

And unfortunately, she was not sure if that was just potential or reality.

A loud knocking upon the room’s closed doors sent a booming echo through the room, shortly after following by what could only be described as several different voices calling out just beyond the door. Vyra made little effort to try to hear as to what was being said, instead just burying herself deeper into Alisa, her grip tightening, her pleas seeming to become only more desperate with each passing moment, “Please! I’m sorry!”

I gave you an out. Now live with the choice you made.

Even within Alisa’s embrace, the world still felt foreign to Vyra.

She could feel everything, the warmth that radiated off from the woman whom she had come to view as perhaps the most important person in her life, the faint brush of heat as she felt the woman’s breath upon the back of her head. It highlighted the contrast of the cool air that surrounded them, a lingering hint of Magic that echoed all around their vicinity.

Wherein the problem lay was Vyra, still coming to terms not with the experiences within whatever realm she had returned from, namely those of her physical being. In the span of time that seemed to move as quickly as that of a snap of the fingers, her body had gone through a faint feeling of euphoria into that of agonizing pain to that of a catatonic state to seeming no weakness whatsoever to now, having the energy and willingness to want to move while her body slowly regained itself.

It was a slow process, with each passing moment Vyra coming to feel a little bit more all throughout her body, all with the exception of her arm. It had been one of the last images that she had become lost to the pain earlier; her arm, the veins of it pulsating and having expanded as Magical energies had swirled through it, a heavy glow persistent from near her elbow extending all the way up towards her fingertips. It mortified her, terrified that that was a potential effect of Magic, that if that sort of pain came from just her arm being afflicted by her Magic, how much worse would she have felt if it had been another limb or her chest or head? But now though, as she and Alisa both found one another within respective embraces, she slowly felt some level of life returning to it. Otherwise, it felt numb, not quite dead, but asleep, only now her starting to actually feel as though she was regaining full control of it.

But, if there were a reprieve, it were that for the moment there did not seem to be any urgency. No reason to feel the need to immediately move. Neither she, nor Alisa, at all seemed intent on moving from where they were, the two huddled between another, Vyra reluctant to move, still processing whether or not to fully believe what she had encountered, what the other Vyra had said, and how true it may have been, something made all the more difficult by Alisa whom caressed her like that of a mother to her child, holding her close as to protect her.

While she had returned to the world terrified that everything she had come into was lost, Alisa included, Vyra found the panic within her calming down; her tense, if not erratic, breathing steading to a more consistent beat. The tears that she shed for a life that seemed ready to depart her ceased, if at the minimum for their origin, replaced instead by the slow tears of relief. After what the two of them had gone through, after Vyra had poured out her heart, her pain, her torments, all the agony that she lived with to the woman who now held her close, it should have been foolish to think that Alisa would have walked away.

But after having seen her own Magic from within the safety of her own mind, or wherever she may have been, to have heard the other Vyra speak with such authority and confidence, it was hard to know just whom or what to believe.

Alisa could have rid herself of the Demi-human, and likely most would have capitalized on such actions. Seldom any who would have criticized such a decision in this world.

That she was still here, holding Vyra close, one hand descending down the backside of her head, gently brushing the hair as it traversed its course and repeated again, it was hard for Vyra to quite put the feeling to words. Happy? Beyond it. To still be welcomed by Alisa was more than she could have ever hoped for. Frightened? It was impossible not to be. The other Vyra had made a point to say that what remained within that realm was but the remains of what her Magic had done. She nearly shuddered at the thought of what it would be like fully.

Conflicted was perhaps the best way to describe how Vyra felt right now.

She tightened her grip around Alisa even more when she heard the woman speak, her choice of words, the tone which she used, it all the more reassuring Vyra that everything was OK, which in turn led her to wonder why she felt so awful about everything. To strip away the pandemonium that came following, she had done truly incredible, not only discovering her own capabilities of using Magic, but also managing to harness it, albeit even for a briefest of moments. The reaction upon Alisa’s face at first, for her to realize just what Vyra had tried to create, it had been lost to the torment.

Like a child scolded, Vyra slowly pulled her head out from within Alisa’s embrace, reluctant so much as to even look the woman in the eyes. For as positively as she spoke, as much as her words should have stood to reassure her, Vyra still felt guilty. She had put Alisa at risk, put everything she worked for, everything she had labored and struggled through to make it what it was, and the worst part of it all was that she didn’t even know what she had done.

All she had were the words of the other her within her mind. A mind that wasn’t even safe from her own Magic.

Not until she had looked up that she seemed to spring to life in a manner of speaking, removing herself from the defeated shell that she had taken up in the last few moments. Her eyes met with Alisa’s, misty eyes meeting with the like, bringing the smallest of dismayed gasps out from Vyra. For the first time since she had returned to her body, she released her grip upon Alisa, still clutching her with one arm, whilst bringing the other arm towards the woman’s face, wiping away the tears that had begun to fall down her cheek.

Tears shed for Vyra.

“You… you mean it?” The extent of the Magical world that she knew had come almost entirely out of this period together with Alisa. With everything the Blue Pegasus leader spoke of, each bit of lecturing, all of it contributed towards painting a very small picture atop a canvas that was dedicated to something so much more. That extended to what she had done, even though she could not say for certain even what it was she had achieved. But to hear Alisa speak so highly of her, she had to have believed that she had done something right. The faintest of a blush appeared upon Vyra’s cheeks, though while still feeling a bit guilty, it was all but impossible for her to not take at least some appreciation from it.

That appreciation could not contain Vyra’s apprehension to the other remark that Alisa had made, the one about wishing to have been there with her, within whatever realm of her mind she had been to. She had little doubt that Alisa was earnest in her words, and undoubtedly there may have been some solace that she would have been able to provide, but Vyra could not stop wondering just how the other Vyra would have responded, and she in turn. She had made it quite clear that she felt that Alisa was the one that should have been held to blame, not Vyra. If brought together, how would she have responded? Beyond that even, how would Alisa handle the Magic that still lingered there. It had nearly brought Vyra to her knees; what was to say that it wouldn’t have done the same to her?

“I don’t… Uhm, I, uh, I’m not…” She fumbled over her words. How was one to convey to someone they cared about that they did not like the idea of them being within your mind? Not out of malice, but because you fear too much for what may happen. What did it say of Vyra, that her mind was so volatile that such risk should even stand to exist? What did it say that she found herself so unable to convey such concerns that were clearly among the top things concerning her.

She was hardly able to echo out another nonsensical word in her response before she found herself being pulled in tighter by Alisa, a response that Vyra had not expected out of her. While yes, Alisa had shown her no shortage of instances of hospitality, compassion, and warmth, seldom times had they had the spontaneousness like this. Vyra did not mind it though. If anything, it made her feel better, helping to wash away the feelings of guilt that still lingered over her. With what Alisa said next, of this place being Vyra’s home for as long as she wanted, it was as though a burden of immersible size had been lifted, not just from what she had endured only moments ago, but a lifetime’s worth of strife being removed from her.

She tried to think of a response, of something to say. It had become so often that she had allowed her emotions to get the better of her, especially with Alisa, that to express herself with her tears had become almost a natural occurrence. As much as she would have preferred to convey something more substantive, to appropriately express her gratitude for what truly was the greatest thing anyone had ever done for her, she found herself speechless. A cross between overcome with emotion and disbelief in everything.

Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that this would have been how her life stood to change.

The emotions within her seemed to build and build, like a volcano waiting to erupt, but without the words coming to her, as natural as it perhaps was, she did not wish for Alisa to see her cry again; for once, she hoped to be able to respond to Alisa’s kindness with a smile than with tears.

Fortunately, a reprieve came with the sound of knocking at the door, a sound that had seemed so alien despite it only having been a few minutes that the sound had been heard previous. Someone within this extension of the Blue Pegasus building that they were in, who undoubtedly had heard at least some of the commotion from earlier, disturbed enough to check on what happened. Fortunately, Alisa had managed to dispel them away, though it seemed only for a short while, but better that they return now than immediately following their first knock. Though perhaps neither of them were all too keen on people interfering in what was a rather personal engagement, better that the two of them be more composed than not.

“Uh Master,” The same voice from earlier, although sounding slightly more timid than before. While easy to figure the hint of concern within their voice, even through the door, it sounded like there were something else in his voice. “We uh, managed to find you a healer. Although-“

“Whacha standin ‘round for? No point in grabbin a healer if ya jus gonna make nice chat through the door, now is ya?” The voice of what sounded like an elderly woman boomed through the hallway, getting louder with each passing word, a clear indicator of them coming closer to Vyra’s door. “Well isn’t ya going to open the door?”

“Ma’am, just hold on a minute, please. I need to make sure-“ The man’s voice sounded almost as though it were cracking, as if trying to determine what were the more dire situation, what he imagined may have gone on beyond the door or having to face this woman.

“Ya come badging into me room in the wee late hours of the night tellin me that Master Vollan might’a had an accident and you tellin’ me to wait!?” The woman’s voice only seemed to get louder the more she spoke to the man, to the point where it was hard to tell quite if she were just normally this loud or just that angry. Whichever it may have been, Vyra could not help but feel a little uneasy, backing herself into the protective arms of Alisa as she listened on. “Well are ya gonna open the door or ain’t ya?”

“OK, OK. Now be careful, the Master didn’t say what-“ Again the man’s words were cut off as the door to the room flew open, the figures within the doorway obscured by the shadows, at least only for the moment as the Magical light on the table seemed to register their presence, illuminating the entirety of the room and making all figures easily identifiable.

Within the doorway stood a jolly, large, old woman. Almost looking like a snowman in a manner of speaking, the woman certainly looked the part for her voice at least, white hair arranged in a bevy of inconsistent curls and thick circular eyeglasses perfectly selling the old lady look. What stood out though was the outfit she was wearing; typical robes like that of any normal healer, the seemingly universally-recognized symbol for healer embroidered upon them. But unlike typical healer regalia, where the outfit would typically be of either white wool or cheap linens were instead replaced with rich blue silk. In fact, upon closer look, much of the outfit had various bits of personalization from design to material quality that gave it the personal touch of a Blue Pegasus healer.

The woman scanned the room very quickly, not seeming to focus on any particular person in her sweep, but rather making sure as to that the area was safe, or at least safe enough to work without the risk of active fires or small Magical lightning storms. “So, what seems to have been -“, the woman found herself stopping in her words as she looked onto Vyra, her eyes widening behind the thick lenses. Placing both of her hands to her cheeks, the old woman could not help but allow a wide smile to appear upon her face, “Oh! Ain’ she just the more adorable lil’ thing!”

Showing a complete lack of regard for the room or what may have transpired earlier, the elderly healer made a beeline to Vyra, showing a surprising amount of speed despite both her age and size. Within seemingly an instant, she had gotten to one knee just before Vyra, whom still found herself within the arms of Alisa, a bit unsure of just how she should have reacted to this woman; her demeanor within the hallway and now seemed to have been complete opposites of one another. “So, you the one who gotten everyone all up and ‘bout. Very curious ‘bout ya, seems they are?” She looked right at Vyra, a wide smile on her face that only seemed to grow as she studied Vyra’s face, clearly noticing the confusion in the Demi-human’s face, “Oh ain’ ya just a peach, bit out o’ta loop are ya? Not every day that Master Vollan goes out for ‘er mornin’ jog and ain’t return ‘til the sun long gone. Especially not with a lil’ kid in tow.”

Vyra looked at the woman, wondering if that sentiment that this woman was conveying were not shared by others. Amongst the people that she had come across since arriving at Blue Pegasus, the majority of them had done little other than offer simple and short greetings. Not a bad thing, by any stretch, and for Vyra it was certainly a massive improvement compared to what she had been used to before. To what this woman must have been describing, perhaps it was an interest that sprung after she had arrived. Certainly possible. The circumstances surrounding her arrival and now-residency, her closeness to Alisa, and Alisa’s respective role within the guild, it wasn’t outside the realm to believe that peoples’ interest grew as time passed.

“Though, I ‘pose nothin’ to be surprised by. All this uprousin’ and ‘citement, only fitting that it be account of the Master’s new apprentice, ain’t it?” A noise filled the air, almost as if a combination of an uneasy silence mixed by surprised gasps. The old woman simply turned around, her focus towards the man who had been at the door at first, alongside a few other individuals, dressed in a wide-range of attire from casual clothing to their sleeping attire, gathered outside of the doorway, almost as if afraid to enter the room.

“What? When’s the last time after all that Master bringin’ home a nice lass and provide a private showing of Magic over some treats and moonlight?” There were a hint of sarcasm within her voice, Vyra struggling to tell if she were serious or not. Judging by how the old woman every so often shot glances towards the younger group outside the door, possibly some sort of childish game between the two. Even then, she found herself blushing a little bit at the suggestion, whether in jest or earnest. “Now see, had one them said that, they be’a hootin’ an’ hollerin’ ‘til sunup I tell ya.”

The woman got up to both feet, surprisingly spry compared to what both her age and form would indicate, holding a hand out for Vyra to take. The Demi-human remained there in Alisa’s arms, unsure of just what to do, this woman being a bit hard to quite read. Undoubtedly her intentions were good and earnest, but it nevertheless made her a little uneasy. “Oh, now don’cha be worryin’ ‘bout nothing. Ye have me word as a member of Blue Pegasus and as a sworn healer, you in safe hands.” Her eyes quickly looked from Vyra to Alisa, “If you feel more comfortable, I can check ya up right at the table. No more than a few steps from the Master if you be feelin’ a bit more up for that.”

With a bit of reluctance, Vyra took the old woman’s hand, being guided just a few feet to the table, the Magical light that rested upon it dimming itself slightly as to better accommodate the woman as she got to one knee, looking over the Demi-human while she sat in the chair. A silence lingered for a moment before Vyra took the initiative for one of the few times, looking at the woman who seemed fixated upon her arm. “Is… is that what people think? That I’m Alisa’s apprentice?”

The woman lifted her eyes to somewhat match Vyra’s, a small smile spreading across her face, “Oh, no, no. So many lookin’ to join nowadays, all them thinkin’ that they gonna be a Wizard Saint like the Master. Never hurts t’ bring ‘em down a leg, and can think o’ no betta way of doin’ so than today’s lil’ guest of honor.” For the briefest of moments, Vyra couldn’t help but be disappointed; to be Alisa’s apprentice, there was something that sounded intriguing about the prospect. The woman looked to the box of treats that lay upon the table still, half-empty; a testament to how tightly packed the café owner managed to make it, “Oh, so the Master out here laying out the red carpet for ya ain’ she? Well, can’t say I much blame ‘er. Far worse ways to try to get anoth’ Magic user in the guild than a nice bed and best treats in all of Fiore.”

Vyra didn’t have to say anything for the woman’s smile to grow even larger, “What, you think I be just some old crone who be stickin’ ‘round cause I like the ale? More of a wine person me’self. No lass, I can tell the Master’s Magic from an’where. And somethin’ else too, a little Magic flourish, if we wish to call it.”

“How…” Vyra moved closer, whispering as to not draw the attention of the people who still watched from beyond the doorframe, “How did you know?”

A weak chuckle echoed from the woman’s mouth, “Darling, you talkin’ to the second most,” she turned her head, as though making sure nobody were around who might not have been before, “Excuse me, third most important person in Blue Pegasus. Whew, didn’ wan’ go makin’ that mistake again. She wouldn’ be all keen on that now, would she. I’ve been here since before the Master ‘came the Master and was just another member like them,” she pointed to the people in the doorframe, “And maybe like you. Trust me, I know Magic.”

A soft patting on Vyra’s leg seemed to indicate something, and as the woman got up from her knee, there was almost a disappointed look upon her face. “Fraid there nothin’ I can do right now ‘bout you arm. Whole ‘lotta Magic already been fed through there. Wouldn’t be very wise of me, or safe for you, to be throwing some even more Healing Magic inta there. Nope, gonna say you just have to rest. Old fashioned, but works like a charm.” She smiled, patting Vyra on the head, “Just gone speak to the Master for the moment, keep her in the loop of things. You just relax there a moment, why don’cha.”

Vyra sat there, a bit unsure of what to do. The older woman, although kind, seemed to know much more than what her appearance seemed to indicate. Whether she was just bluster or actually someone that she should be intimidated by, Vyra preferred not to challenge that, instead simply reaching in for a piece of the candied treats from within the box as she waited for the woman and Alisa to speak. Unfortunately, the healer seemed intent to keep her conversation private with Alisa, her voice far too quiet for anyone else, Vyra included, from being able to hear.

“Master, come with me for just a moment. Just a step or two, if ya don’t mind,” The older woman beckoned Alisa, just a step or two from where the Blue Pegasus guild leader had been. Still close enough to have a clear view of Vyra and the aftermath of their little Magical demonstration, but far enough to give some resemblance of privacy, if even just a fake sense.

“Can’t do much for her arm I’m ‘fraid. Arm on the verge of being overloaded with Magical energies. Don’t quite know whacha two were doing tonight, but I’d wait a couple of days before trying anything again. My advice, just let the girl rest, which, doubt that be much of an issue for her.” She peered out to get a quick glance of Vyra, “Girl looks like she hasn’t had a chance to rest in I don’t know how long. Sweet thing, lot of innocence behind those eyes, which I have to ask.”

The older woman looked to Alisa, her face quite serious, a contrast to that of the visage she had been casting before. “I can tell ya Magic with me eyes blindfolded, so I don’ need to be seeing the little dust about to know you were casting something. But I don’t much be knowin’ what else I feel in the air, but I don’t be liking it. Dark Magic, stuff that makes me skin crawl, and that girl be smothered in it. Sure it’s wise to have her here? For her sake or any of theirs’?” She tilted her head slightly to the couple of people that still lingered within the doorway, their interest seeming to have waned slightly, opting to look back and forth between Vyra and the two who were talking in private. “I figure ya this ain’ comin’ now as any shock to you. Just needed to ask all the same.”

A wave of exhaustion poured over Vyra; coming in like soft waves upon waves like that of the tide brushing against the fortified sea castle based upon the shore, each wave seeming to do little more than the last, but over time wearing down upon it. No different were it towards the Demi-human, the events that had acompassed all throughout the day slowly but surely taking their toll upon the girl. It was all too understandable that upon the latest event; her ordeal with trying to control her Magic followed by the arrival of the jolly, if not slightly frightening, healer of Blue Pegasus. To find herself almost wishing to rest her head upon the massive clean bed that lay just before her, anyone else would have wasted no time in doing so.

Perhaps she would have done so too, if not for the two women that remain within the room with her. Less so the healer, but more the woman she spoke with, Alisa. To have simply drifted to sleep, however much she found herself tired, would have been disrespect towards the Blue Pegasus leader. Even just in the room that the three currently occupied, it would have only been made possible thanks to Alisa. The treats in which Vyra snacked upon as she watched inquisitively to the two women speak, thanks to Alisa. Even the clothes she wore, richer and more expensive than anything she ever had a chance to wear before, now covered in a combination of sweat with her blood dribbled, thanks to Alisa as well.

Though barely more than a few feet from where she was seated, it was all but impossible to make out quite what was being spoken of, although Vyra wondered if it had happened to have been about her. It would make sense. She was a healer who had been called in by one of the other residents within this part of the Blue Pegasus building, and Alisa no doubt had a better idea of what and how to explain than what she ever hoped to be able to. She watched on, unable to not break out a small smile in the brief moments that Alisa turned her attention from the woman towards her.

The smile bloomed into that of a full look of joy as Alisa turned her attention away from the healer, returning towards Vyra’s company.

What almost felt like a sort of weight seemed lifted from her as Alisa mentioned getting some rest. Perhaps it had just been what had happened recently which had set such a wave of fatigue onto her, or simply something that had been built up over time, but the idea of rest was certainly a welcome one. That Alisa suggested such a thing, it was as though any sort of guilt Vyra may have once had seemed to disperse away.

If anything, it were instead replaced entirely by a different emotion; surprise. Surprise towards Alisa pondering to if she may have felt towards her spending the night with Vyra. It was flattering. Unexpected. It left her not entirely sure how to respond, not out of apprehensiveness, but rather just seeming unsure towards the formalness of it. Perhaps it were the fatigue more obstructing things; there were no doubt in her mind that Alisa’s aim were that of sincerity and of a caring nature towards that of Vyra. And after a moment of being left struggling to find the best response, Vyra simply hugged the woman, uttering a tired “Yes! Of course, yes!” though still loud enough that it seemed to carry far more energy than her tired body seemed to show.

“Aww, ain’t ye two just adorable,” the older woman said softly as she watched the interaction between Vyra and Alisa, unable to deny the fact that there was certainly a bond between the two. And perhaps merit as well to what Alisa said, as reluctant as she might have felt towards having someone with that sort of Magic within the confines of Blue Pegasus. Nevertheless, that was not the fight to have, especially not right now. “Best if we gone get ya’s some more fitting. Doubt you be wanting to go to bed in those,” she nonchalantly pointed to the clothes Vyra were wearing, “Little doubt the little scamps that come’a cleaning left at least something or ‘nother for ya. Go on and –“ a sound from just outside diverted the woman’s attention away from Vyra, drawing with it a frustrated sigh.

“Ugh, I swear, my pardon a moment Master,” With a clear hint of annoyance in her voice, she made her way towards the door, opening it to reveal nearly half a dozen people, all male and all either around Vyra’s age or just a year or two older, all having gathered just on the other side of the door. The woman closed the door slightly as she stepped out into the hallway, enough only such that from where they sat, Alisa and Vyra would not see exactly what was happening, but certainly could hear it. “And just what ye think ye be doin’? No better thing to do like I do’n know, sleep maybe? Perhaps ye be needin’ a bit of direction to ya rooms don’cha?”

A glow of yellow seemed to permeate through the room from beneath the door, a humming effect seeming to draw as well, before suddenly being replaced by a booming thud and a heavy burst of glowing yellow before dissipating away. At the same time, what could have only been described as a vortex or something to the like taking place within the hallway, the sound of multiple bodies being thrown back, alongside the sound of several other objects also having been knocked over. “Now ‘en, I don’t suppose ye be needin’ an’ more help finding ye’ rooms? Go on now and allow the Master’s guest some privacy don’t ya now.”

A moment or two later, the door swung open again, the healer stepping back in, a look that as much showed tiredness as well as satisfaction upon her face. As her gaze rose up to meet with Alisa and Vyra, she dawned a sincere smile, “Oh, I swear this gen’ration of Blue Pegasus, makes me wonder a’times how this guild gone look a decade o’ two from now. Get wind of Master bringin’ in a girl with a right fine face an’ suddenly they go all thinkin’ with they other head.” She sighed, “Don’t you worry though. I think I done made it quite clear that that ain’t bein’ tolerated. Not here.”

Vyra couldn’t help but shudder a little bit as she watched the woman. There were certainly something intense about her before and the more she seemed exposed to her, the more it became clear that this woman was someone you wanted on your side than not. In that sense, it did make me feel appreciative, if not a little bit frightened.

“Now, where I was sayin’. How’s ‘bout you check out the armoire behind’s ya. One thing ya can say with how the Master runs this ship, always has things prepared for when one of her chickens leaves the flock. Next one the Pegasus takes under Their wing, seldom hurting for support. Even something as simple as evening wear.” She gave the faintest nod of approval as Vyra looked to her side, noticing the large mahogany dresser that up until this point hadn’t much been noticed, much in part due to the impressive balcony that were not too far from it consuming most people’s attention.

As the Demi-human got up and opened it, she could not help but be impressed by it. Beyond just the cleanliness of it, accentuated by a small Magical light that seemed to be based somewhere within the actual armoire, illuminating just enough space such that Vyra could clearly see all of the content within it. Several rows of clothing, all designed and tailored expressly for comfortable sleeping, were nearly stacked and organized along polished and spotless shelves, as if it were prepared for only a moment ago. She placed a hand upon one of the outfits, enamored by the look under the light, the texture upon her skin. If there was anything that could have been said of Blue Pegasus, it was certainly that they had good taste; the clothes she were wearing now made her feel like a completely different woman. She wondered how wearing those, in that fancy of a bed, would make her sleep feel.

Perhaps it had been out of fatigue, Vyra being so tired that she wasn’t appreciating just what she was doing, perhaps stemming out of being so lost in awe of the clothing before her, this time less like a dream and rather just as a moment of excitement, or perhaps she simply was not paying attention. It had not been until a few moments after she had removed the shirt she were wearing that it had dawned on her that not that she had shown her bare backside to Alisa or the older woman, but that she had exposed all of the wounds that she had so vehemently wanted to have kept hidden.

Dark blemishes within her skin, some of them with a bloody hue, others a cascading rainbow of colors, some blue while others were more of green and brown to notate healing within. It was a horrid display, even of what may have been seen by the two others in just that limited of a sight. Bruised indentations within the skin seemed to loosely resemble imprints of shoes, like those that had kicked her, or worse even, stomped upon her. Patterns that lined around, indicative of internal injuries in various states of healing. The beginnings of a lengthy bruise ran along just above her shoulder blades, undoubtedly a gift curtesy of the baker whom had chased her earlier in the morning.

“Oh my,” the old woman was left aghast at the sight before her, holding her hand up to her mouth as to not draw any more attention than what her presence may have already garnered.

Even though Vyra did not look back to tell whether or not they had seen her, she nonetheless felt panicked, moving with haste that had seemed to have been all but lost to the growing exhaustion within her. Putting on the evening wear as though her life depended on it, Vyra had found herself so consumed in fear that as the old woman slowly approached and gently spoke, “Dear?”

Vyra recoiled as though she had just been struck, turning around with a look of panic upon her eyes as she fell onto the floor, a low thud echoing through, causing even the healer to step back out of surprise. She composed herself far faster than Vyra did though, swapping her focus between her and Alisa, a startled, horrified look upon her face. Particularly when her gaze shifted onto Alisa, the Demi-human seemed to feel all the more pathetic, felt all the more shameful to be seen in such a way.

Before, back in the main part of the Blue Pegasus building, she was mortified at the idea that Alisa may have seen her like that, but so much had happened, between gifting her this room, her discovery of Magic, everything that followed afterwards, meeting this healer, things just seemed to get lost. Her panic, while ever constant, seemed for a moment, just a fear. Only in that moment had it come to the surface, and now, having perhaps the most condemnable physical remnant of the life she had once been living exposed, if even just a glimpse of it, Vyra panicked.

Panicked that the same trauma that she only recently came to realize herself had been made aware.

Panicked that she would have to relive or retell however many things may have led to her being in that state.

But more, panicked at how Alisa would take to having seen her like that. Panicked at how she’d feel to Vyra having kept it a secret.

She remain there, sitting upon the ground, her eyes trained upon the two; a fawn cowered before a pair of fiendish wolves, as much ready to pounce. How Vyra perceived it at least. More, her eyes lay upon the two figures, one as gentle of a guardian as one may have hoped to find in Alisa, whilst in the other the woman whom, whatever apprehensiveness may have been towards Vyra, the visceral display of the life that she once lived seemed to have, if only for the moment, waned that suspicion. And to how Alisa may have perceived what she saw; it was one thing to say that one had lived within the streets, having been subjected to a difficult life. It was another thing to see firsthand, the bruises and actual trauma that came with such a lifestyle.

Perhaps it was why Vyra was so against having revealed things to Alisa. Even whilst she had lived through it herself, only in the very recent past had she ever truly seen the effects that the lifestyle had upon even her, the shower that she had taken earlier being the first time that she could truly appreciate just how vicious of a world she had been living in. When she had gazed at herself through the mirror, terror had shot through her, to come to find out that this was what was happening to her, foolishness to not appreciate or realize it as well, and just the hard reality that despite Alisa, despite the kind café owner, or the people whom had met her with positivity even moments earlier, the world still held plenty of wicked souls that think nothing against committing such pain against someone like Vyra.

There were perhaps naivety in such thinking, that the cruelty of man was only that of myths and legends. Or to even just assume that she had been immune to such fate. Destiny, or whatever one may have called it, had not been kind to her up until this point, and for as much as it had stung to see the actual effects upon her person, it was something that she needed to see, whether or not she knew it.

It did not make things hurt less, to know that beneath the smiles, the affection she could reciprocate to Alisa, all the excitement for a lifestyle, let alone a world, that she knew seldom of, it did not change beneath all of that that she held a dark secret. A gift curtesy of a world that she had finally been presented with a chance to leave, one that terrified her of returning towards.

Perhaps it was shame. Shame of being seen in such a pitiful state, especially by someone as precious to her as Alisa had become.

It left Vyra not sure just what to think as Alisa came closer. Rational thought had seemed lacking in this moment, only unwarranted feelings of panic stemming from that of a irrational fear of a fate that she had felt she escaped.

To feel Alisa’s arm drape around her, her eyes widened, not out of shock but rather out of disbelief, a welcome disbelief. Though she had lay there, the scars of what had been come and gone still present upon her body, but now she was not alone. With her, Alisa, someone who had given her everything. Hope. Happiness. Love. Stripping away the room, the fancy clothes, the food, the woman had treated Vyra like a person, someone deserving of the most basic decencies. That in that moment she had come to feel differently towards her, as much as she tried, Vyra could do only so much to hold back the tears of relief.

She was speechless. Though the feeling of saying something, even a most basic thank you, seemed beyond her. A combination no doubt of her coming off of the emotional rollercoaster that she had just ridden paired with the fatigue that had all but claimed her now. Even the simple task of taking Alisa’s hand seemed to carry with it a level of burden that she had not felt up until this point. Mustering what strength she were able, she followed Alisa’s guidance, keeping her grip upon Alisa’s hand with all the strength provided, though likely it would have felt to the other woman that it were nothing more than a ginger grasp. The pair continued on, the last few words between Alisa and the other woman being lost to Vyra as her eyes remained fixated upon the bed.

There was an absolute appeal towards it. A large, bed, one that multiple Vyra could rest within and still have no shortage of room leftover. An expansive mattress, undoubtedly of high quality if the rest of the Blue Pegasus building was any indicator, resting atop a large dark mahogany frame, similar to that of much of the rest of the furniture within the room. Elaborate and elegant sheets adorned atop, rich in the same shade of blue as much of other fabrics seen about, a lighter shade weaved in the embroidery to convey more of a design. Presentation-wise, it dwarfed anything Vyra may had once had the luxury of resting upon. To know that this was hers, there would be an appreciation for it that she may fully come to terms with, though once she was more of reasonable mind.

As Alisa helped her onto the bed, with each motion, each bit of her further resting upon the mattress, the material conforming to her body, Vyra’s strength seemed to wane more and more with every passing second. Even the motion of laying her head upon the large pillows could have as easily been attributed to her having lost the last bits of her strength, the surface by which she landed on being the best that could have been asked for. Fluffy, soft to the touch, but at the same time strong enough to support herself, it was the best that Vyra could have possibly asked for.

And to see the woman whom she had come to idolize, the one who had showed her a world outside of the hell that she had come from, Vyra could do little more than hold a smile towards Alisa, watching as the woman followed a similar sequence as Vyra had. Her smile lingered; her eyes remained upon the woman until the call of sleep eventually came to overtake her entirely. In her final moments of consciousness, she heard the words of the woman call out, wishing her a good night. As she uttered, or at least, felt that she uttered the same response, Vyra’s eyes closed as the calming feeling of rest overtook her at last, “Good night Alisa…”

To have such a rest after the long, exhaustive day that she had had, the very idea of sleep had become such a thing of luxury. It had been such a truly foreign experience that she was not sure of just how she seemed to relive it. The feeling of sleeping upon a bed like this, a true example of modern luxury that had always been denied her, as drastic of an improvement from sleeping upon the cold ground within an alleyway most of the time, a timid resting upon the floor of some establishment under the best of circumstances. But of what comfort that should have brought, it did not. At least, not in the manner that Vyra expected.

It was not the residual pain of what had taken place earlier, the display of Magic performed by her and Alisa that had gone awry. She was no stranger to sleeping through and despite pain; at one point in the past even having slept through multiple broken ribs. But as she slept, what her body registered was something different, a feeling residing throughout her subconscious as she slept. Dreams perpetually interrupted by the flashing of blue and white glows, persisting around whatever sort of peripheral her mind registered the thoughts, only to disappear and reappear again.

It was unsettling. Not painful, but certainly not what lent to a comfortable sleep. Except that it did.

For as unnerving as it may have been, whatever distraction they may have stood to be or otherwise affected her unconsciously, Vyra did not struggle to sleep, overly lost within the confines of relaxation and comfort, the combination of the luxurious bed and her body having been overly drained of any sort of energy lending to a perfect union that kept her consumed whilst the strange visions continued to hammer upon her.

If nothing else, it stood as quite an experience to reflect back upon once she awoke.

It came with the greatest of reluctance that her eyes opened, the drive and desire to remain underneath the warmth and comfort of the heavy sheets that were adorn upon her, the pillow that seemed to allow her head to forever fall within a vortex of comfort. Not for anything did she wish to tear herself from it. Only upon opening her eyes again and actually processing the empty side of the bed beside her, the spot in which she would have longed to see Alisa beside her instead empty, the sheets tossed about with the indignation of someone who had awoken too late in the morning to care about the proper tidiness of the sheets and their appearance. Vyra couldn’t help but appreciate that and smiled slightly, if only to try and salvage some sort of good that stood to come out of actually following suit and getting out of bed.

As she resigned herself to shutting her eyes once again, hoping to afford herself a few more minutes of rest, it was the faint scent in the air that seemed to draw her attention, at least enough such that she got up from the pleasure of the pillow to put a face to the smell. It rested upon the mahogany table across from the bed, just beside the box of treats that Vyra and Alisa had eaten upon the night before. A large tray, one that easily could have accompanied the entire space of the table itself, with a bevy of breakfast items spread out upon it. Pastries, meats, cheeses, numerous small saucers filled to the brim with sauces, pitchers full of various colored beverages.

A feast. A feast for the two of them.

Whatever reluctances Vyra may have had a moment before about waking up, they quickly seemed to have passed as she threw off the covers in haste, or at least whatever haste would have been afforded to someone whom had just awoken. She certainly felt that, her eyes still not fully adjusted to the brightness of the room; the Magical light in which her eyes had gotten familiar with the other night no longer active in lieu of the intense beams of early morning sunlight that penetrated through the windows. They painted the room, providing a level of clarity and a different perspective that was not present the night before. The objects within the room were more clear, the excitement that had overwhelmed Vyra the night before having been cleared, allowing her with a chance to genuinely appreciate everything that now were present here.

Here in her room.

Her room. The very idea that this was something of hers was still something that she had a hard time wrapping her head around. Every piece of furniture, now further highlighted as Vyra viewed them from an objective eye, made her more and more wonder how anything like this could have happened to her. Each piece had been hand-carved, shown the quality of a craftsman that Vyra in only her wildest dreams would ever hope to come close towards. Yet, now she had a large room, with all of this, all thanks to Alisa. It finally dawned then on Vyra that Alisa was no longer there, causing a brief moment of worry to come to her, wondering where she may have gone off to, irrational as it may have been.

The truth was that Alisa had far more responsibilities to her life than just Vyra. Although the Demi-human knew that she was the Blue Pegasus guild leader, that was the extent of it. The difficulties, the obligations that came with it, she was completely in the dark towards. Even stripping away that point, Alisa had her own life, her own friends, her own family no doubt. Though Vyra was forever grateful for the attention and affection that she had shown her up to this point, in the back of her heart – as much as she dreaded to admit it – she knew that Alisa could not watch over her every moment of the day, nor should Vyra expect such a luxury either.

But for as long as Alisa would grant Vyra the honor of her company, she would appreciate it with every capability of her person. And as she scoped the room, trying to better appreciate the little details that she had missed the first time around, the sound of running water from beyond the bathroom seemed to bring a relief to Vyra. The godmother of her fairy tale was still with her, for the time being.

Shifting her attention towards the center of the room, the remnants of Alisa’s first lesson in learning Magic unfortunately removed whatever sense of a fairy tale that this may have been. Vyra could finally see the remains, the bit of Magical residue from Alisa’s Magic that littered the floor like snow, traces of blood that otherwise lay or had co-mingled on the floor, it all contributed to a picture that she had one perspective of. To see the rest of it, to reflect back on the night before, it did send a chill down her spine, knowing that when all was said and done, she had been the cause of all of this.

Wanting to spend as little time as possible thinking back, Vyra instead turned all of her attention towards the incredible breakfast arrangement on the table just a few feet away. From her bed, it had looked impressive, but seeing it up close, Vyra was all the more impressed. Truly, from the clothes to the room to the food, Alisa never did anything halfway. The absolute best or not at all. Vyra certainly weren’t one to complain though, but she found herself in a very unique, and arguably luxurious position to find oneself in.

Not sure just where to start.

Everything seemed so good. It was all so fresh, trails of steam still resonating off of plenty of the items laid before them. Her eyes darted back and forth from one entrée to the next. The croissants that looked all just so appealing to the muffins perfectly browned with the smallest bits of fruit laid within them to the ham glazed just enough to further draw ones’ eyes towards it, but not enough to tarnish the flavor. Everything was masterfully done, and Vyra genuinely struggled to figure out just what to have, her hand reaching out towards one thing only for her to recoil it back in second thought, repeating the process a few times over with several different items.

Eventually her mind settled on one of the muffins. She reached out and grabbed perhaps while not the largest of them, appeared to be one of the more impressive ones. Perfectly bronzed, with small bits of orange and chocolate within the outer layer of the crust. With just a single bite, Vyra could not help but smile in delight. It was perfect! It tasted far better than anything that she could have imagined if she had ever found herself in a position to prepare one herself. For that matter, just looking at not just the muffin in her hand but also everything across the table, she could not help but appreciate that the cooking stood to be greater than anything she ever could hope to achieve on her own.

It made her only appreciate the meal all the more.

Another bite, another smile. Vyra could not have asked for a better way to wake up to, but she could not help but find herself a little upset. Eventually, this food would be gone. Not just that of this breakfast, but of the treats that were still in the box beside the tray. The quality of all of this, this was not just some food; it was perhaps some of the best that she would ever hope to encounter. This was the quality of food for the elite, and however much she may wanted to dream, she knew that she wasn’t one of them. This room, her room, said otherwise, but it spoke more to Alisa’s kindness than it did anything of Vyra’s credit.

Vyra’s muffin seemed to be infinite, or at least as she thought it to be. Multiple bites in and she felt like there was still so much more of it remaining, another good problem to have. She took another bite as she decided to stroll towards the balcony, sliding open the two doors and stepping out directly into the sunlight, momentarily blinded as her eyes did not expect it to be quite as bright as it actually was. While the room certainly had come alive in the sunlight than that of what Magic had provided, but even that transformation had done little to prepare her for how intense it actually was.

It took some time for her eyes to adjust to the light; the sun seeming to cast down directly upon her as she stood in the center of the open balcony. Though after a short while, it became more tolerable and as she looked out onto the widespread view of the city of Hargeon that she had marveled at the night before, she came to more and more appreciate the view. The city was magnificent, albeit having a completely different look than that of night. Prior, the lights illuminated a city that seemed lively, the lights from the taverns and other establishments which seemed to highlight the active and social Hargeon night-life seemed to be lost in favor of a more quiet, reserved, if not, more hospitable Hargeon.

Vyra looked out, resting her arms as she leaned out against the balcony’s ledge, muffin in hand. It was a beautiful sight, the yellow-orange glow that radiated out from the sun casting down upon the rooftops of the city, an almost otherworldly shine seeming to reflect off from the distant ocean that covered much of the view ahead. She smiled as she looked on, her eyes maneuvering through all of what this perspective of Hargeon had to offer in contrast to her exposure previously to the city.

Alisa had been right; she certainly did pick the room with the best view.

A few glances down towards what could only have possibly been the various alleyways and dead ends of the Hargeon streets could not help but inspire a bit of a reflective stare out of Vyra, who simply watched them with both scorn and wonder. From this vantage, they seemed to be nothing more than minor inconveniences within the maze that was Hargeon, but to her they were far more. They were as much her salvation as well as her tomb; providing her with the only sort of relief that the city had offered, but in the same right it had condemned her into a seemingly unescapable trap. To now see where those trapmasters lay within the greater scheme of the city, it made her wonder equally how she had gotten caught and how she were able to escape.

But that was her life no longer.

Now she found herself within the company of the Blue Pegasus guild, the crown jewel of Hargeon, as a guest of their guild master herself. There was a sense of pride that came with it, and more to Vyra, there was a sense of belonging, of her having found someone who actually cared towards her. If she were to have stripped away this fancy room, the fancy clothes, the food, all of that, so long as she knew that she were no longer left on her own, she would be fine. And more even, now she found herself blessed with a talent that she never knew she had, let alone knew existed.

Magic.

It should have been perceived as a blessing, but as she sauntered back into the room, the muffin in her hand reduced now to little more than a bite or two at the most, she could not help but frown slightly as her eyes connected with the aftermath or Alisa’s lesson. Vyra wish she had a better understanding of what happened last night; of what went wrong and why. She thought that she had done so well, that she had made Alisa proud, and yet she created, something. To call it a disaster would perhaps be appropriate, but it felt dirty to call it that. A monstrosity would more appropriate of a descriptor. And yet, it should not have been. Though everything about it was hazy, she still did remember a good deal of what took place and that it became so unhinged, it did not make sense as to why.

Though she was hardly even that of what one would consider a novice, or even that of someone who had even taken a few steps towards an understanding of Magic, it felt at least that she had some level of control. She recalled the statue that she tried to make of Alisa, that while it hardly had anywhere close to the level of craftsmanship that a master of Magic like Alisa would be capable of producing, at the minimum it at least had some level of similarity to that of the female figure, if nothing else. Glancing down upon the site of where she and Alisa had shared their Magical abilities, she fixated on the centerpiece of it, the area outlined by the splashing of Magical dust from Alisa’s Magic.

“I can do this,” she muttered, her eyes switching between the center of the floor and her hand, now free of the muffin but within her mind, the purple veins that protruded through her skin all too apparent even after the fact. Her focus had hardly been on it as it was happening, but the image was still seared into her mind, her arm contorted and effectively ripped apart by Magical energies, the sensation and pain having rushed through her body. And she recalled all too well the warning given by the jolly old healer.

“I can do this,” she said softly, a reassuring tone, more to convince herself than anything. Though conflicted, she looked on, fixated upon her other arm as she looked deep within, hoping to find whatever it was that she had touched before, left struggling as nothing happened.

She sighed, but tried again nonetheless, despite the potential benefit that had come with her failing to channel her Magic just then. There was no certainty that she could control her Magic, or even that she could stop it. She did before, but was it thanks to her, or was it thanks to Alisa? It didn’t matter. Vyra knew that if she ever wanted to control this Magic, she would have to be able to do it.

She closed her eyes again, focusing everything she could. Focusing upon the Magic, focusing upon what she was capable of, focusing upon what Alisa had said, the look of pride upon her face, the feeling of pride that Vyra had felt, everything.

And then it happened.

The small Magical rune which appeared upon her open palm, small, but having the same purple color that the first circle she had materialized had. From its center, it appeared. A small ball, barely the size larger than that of a chestnut, with a faint purple-like haze spreading around it. With each passing second, the haze seemed to latch upon it, covering it slightly more and more until it expanded to that of the size of a small ball, like those that a child would look to play with.

Vyra could not help but smile slightly at the progress, at the control she seemed to wield towards her usage of her Magic. Granted, the form in which she was applying was trivial, something to which likely even the most simple of active apprentices and those practicing Magic could accomplish with ease. But for her to be able to do it, a part of her wished that Alisa were not in the bathroom still to witness this. She would be proud.

But in the immediate moment where she would have clamored for pride, Vyra found only panic as the purple sphere that floated just above her hand seemed to grow out of control, the fullness of it fading into more that of a gas than a solid, small little clouds of smoke peering throughout it like ink dipped in water, the ripples spreading out and dispersing as thy reach out, forming into a faint fog that encompassed the area around her hand. Her eyes widened, shocked at how quickly and rapidly the Magic seemed to become undone. With little time to process what to do other than react, she threw her hand outwards, swatting at the Magic like that of a cloud of smoke before her.

The Magic seemed to dissolve away as her hand sliced through it, splitting the cloud briefly in two before completely dissolving away into little more than a haze that covered the same area. Vyra had expected to feel something like before, a shock of pain, or something that would indicate the damage that was done to her, but there was nothing. She did not feel the same brutal torture before, nor anything at first.

Then she couldn’t breathe.

The scent and the musk hit her at once, a choking sensation that seemed to envelop her. It hurt to breath, it hurt to see, everything stung. For every second that she remained within the miasma that lingered, she could feel the life be sucked out of her. Coughing, gagging even, Vyra covered her mouth as she backed up, tripping over one of the chairs left over, landing upon the floor hard as the sensation of being able to breath again came back with a force that was both unexpected but wholly welcome. Coughing still, trying to expel the last bit of the Magic that may have been within her, Vyra peered up, seeing the last little bit of her Magic disappearing within the air, eventually there seeming to be no trace of it whatsoever remaining.

She looked on, her face one of equal frustration and disappointment as she remained on the ground, simply looking at where the cloud had once been, then back to her hand, first the other from which she had cast the Magic, then to the one previously from the night before. She fixated on them for a moment, disappointment wholly evident within her face as she cursed aloud, “Why? Why can’t I do this!?”

Though she could breathe again, it felt as though she were still choking. Not of the Magic whose foul odor seemed to linger still within the air, but rather upon her own words.

Upon her own weakness.

Vyra had caught only a smallest of glimpses of Alisa returning to the room, presumably from the large private bathroom that rested on the other side of the room; ironically enough perhaps the one area of the room that throughout her initial viewing the other night and earlier prior to her second attempt at Magic she had yet to view in any meaningful capacity. It was strange. Throughout the time that she had spent with the woman who overlooked her, Vyra had come to develop a level of safety towards her, a reassurance of her own well-being while in the woman’s company. But in this moment, perhaps similar to that of the irrational fear she showed last night with her broken body having been exposed, Vyra wished to have not been seen like this.

In part due to her own failing, her weakness and inability to control her Magic once again having been put on display, even just in the waning moments as now. Though it was not quite to the same degree, neither in respects to the magnitude of how her Magic had been allowed to manifest nor the physical toll that it had taken upon her body, it had mirrored the same result as before. Vyra unable to control whatever was produced, suffering to some degree as a result, and Alisa seemingly having to save her. It made her start to wonder if the clone of her that she had encountered within whatever that realm inside her mind was right, that Vyra wouldn’t be able to control it.

But that doubt, that sense of weakness, it came secondary to the feeling of disappointment that Vyra felt, the feeling of guilt. She had not been ignorant towards the words of the healer. Alisa had heard it too, had even advocated against such a decision, and yet Vyra had practiced her Magic again. She acted against them with her body in less than an ideal state, which even then may not have been enough. The Magic nearly destroyed her before, such that for her to escape having used it again with only a brief coughing fit was nothing shy of a miracle. But it did not change that her doing so came at the supervision of nobody.

She well could have died in that moment because she did not listen.

And though she did not quite fully appreciate that risk, she tended to believe that Alisa knew that all too well. Vyra did not doubt that during her time in Blue Pegasus, not just as the guild master but also as a member, that Alisa had seen no shortage of pain and death at the hands of Magic. She likely understood all of this infinite times more than what Vyra could have ever hoped to imagine. It just seemed make Alisa’s words cut even deeper into Vyra, causing the Demi-human’s heart to drop as she sat there on the ground, ashamed of herself. Whatever sort of praise she had hoped to expect for trying to grasp control of her Magic, there were no reason to expect that now. Nor should there have been.

Shame kept her head to the ground, her eyes too fearful of seeing the disappointment in Alisa’s face to raise up to exchange glances. Thus, the hand extended out before her only caught her off guard, her eyes widening slightly, Vyra half-expecting disgust and vitriol towards her action, instead being met with worry with perhaps a small hint of disappointment caked on top. The contrast to her expectations though were enough to snap Vyra out of the blanket of pity that she had wrapped herself within and while circumstances may not have been particularly kind, Vyra could not help but flash a small smile.

Accepting the outstretched hand of Alisa’s, Vyra got up to her feet; a part of her still anticipating some sort of scolding for what she had done. While it did seem that Alisa’s response at least seemed to make it seem that everything was fine, it was impossible not to recall the events of the night before, to think back to how vicious her Magic had been. How easily it had torn through her, a memory that Vyra could not help but slightly shudder at as Alisa gently drew her hand over Vyra’s. Though the physical effects seemed to have waned, the purple veins that looked to bulge through the skin having long since receded, a part of Vyra still recalled every moment of it, finding herself as much looking on with intrigue and disgust at the sight of her own appendage.

Her focus had remained fixed upon her hand, so much so that she had not noticed the woman suddenly appearing within the room. A young woman, looking perhaps some years older than Vyra was, perhaps closer to Alisa’s age than anything else, dressed in an outfit typical of what she had seen among servants and people of similar stature, not just during her time in Hargeon, but throughout her travels. Taken aback more by the suddenness of the woman’s arrival than anything, Vyra could not help but flash a quick glance at Alisa, impressed by the sort of accommodations the Blue Pegasus Guild has shown to be able to provide. Between the man whom escorted her through the main part of the building the other night, to whomever prepared this meal, to now this woman, it’s seemed that everyone under Alisa not only were incredibly proficient, but seemed happy too.

But her fascinations were only partial; as much a deterrent, a hope to distract not just herself, but also hopefully Alisa from what she had done. It nagged at her, similar to that of the same feeling that clawed at her before as she had first gazed upon the remnants of Magic that the servant was now cleaning; she had to tried. Much like now, a part of her felt compelled to explain. There was no certainty that Alisa would ever be able to understand, but Vyra had to try. The words lingered within her head, exactly how she wished to convey them being more of a mystery to her. As she gave thought, Alisa moved over towards the table, helping herself towards some of the various delicacies littered throughout the table, something Vyra as much wanted to do, having had a chance to sample just the muffin earlier.

“You made it seem so easy,” Vyra began, her words not so much speaking of admiration, but rather of disappointment. Though, it were clear whom the focus of that were directed towards, “I just thought that… That, if I could…” She sighed, “I just wanted to make you proud of me.” It pained her, not knowing quite what she was capable of. The other night, she had entered a world that she never knew before, still did not quite understand, nor could she fully explain just what it was that had happened, why, how, or how she had managed to fix it. Or even if she had fixed it. “I’m sorry,” She said with a pitiful voice, it was hard not to feel for the Demi-human, but she was not looking for sympathy. Her disappointment ran not just towards herself for failing to control her Magic, but also for having done it behind Alisa’s back. More than anything, that stung to her.

Her disappointed eyes scanned the table, internal guilt towards her failure to control to her Magic still upon the forefront of her focus, though looking upon the table made it hard to fully resonate in that state of pity. More items than what she could have ever imagined to eat, aromas and scents a plenty filling the area, more even as Alisa poured herself a glass of something, the scent of it seeming to cut right through the fruits and breads that otherwise dominated the table. She watched in intrigue as Alisa poured herself a cup of whatever it was, dark in color, looking more like water than anything else. Vyra was certain that she had seen something like that before, but the scent that came from it threw her off; it seemed odd that something so unappealing towards the eye could produce a scent so pleasant to the nose. After a moment passed, Vyra similarly poured herself a glass of the liquid, within a mug just as Alisa had, nearing to the brim of the mug such that as she tried to hold it, she found herself forced to carefully balance it with two hands. She leaned it upwards, taking a large sip.

And almost immediately spit it back within the mug.

A look of disgust upon her face, Vyra hastily put the mug back down upon the table, the descent of the glass having nowhere near the elegance or attention to detail that its ascent had; a contrast made apparent by an almost tsk sound echoed out by the cleaning servant just behind them, who could not help but have a small look of enjoyment out of presumably watching Vyra trying coffee for the first time, only to shake her head afterwards as bits of coffee spilled not just upon the table, but also the floor below. “Eww, what is that!?” Vyra looked upon the mug with disgust, her face flashing to Alisa, curious as to how she seemed to enjoy it. And yet, despite having tasted it, Vyra could not help but lean forward, taking in another hearty scent of the aroma that radiated out from it, and then perked lips as she sipped a little bit from the still near-full mug.

The second time was no better than the first.

Though she managed to not spit the contents of the coffee this time around, the taste was no better than before, to which Vyra simply gave up on the idea of having that drink. It made the smile upon her face as she saw the large pitcher of orange juice all the more satisfying. Grabbing one of the other mugs that had been placed upon the table, she instead began to pour herself a glass as Alisa spoke, asking her something that she was not sure of just how to respond towards. What Vyra thought of her own Magic.

She looked at Alisa for a moment, then at the glass of orange juice now in her hand, back to Alisa, before looking at the mug of coffee that she had abandoned, then back to the orange juice. She repeated this once or twice more, her expression not quite blank, but in a state of confusion, as the Demi-human struggled to quite provide the answer. For other things, her being uncertain weren’t an issue, but this was not something that she could do that for, nor would she expect that either Alisa would want, nor she would want to give to her. After a moment, she sighed as she put down the glass of orange juice.

“I’m not sure what to think really. I have… this Magic, this power that I never knew existed,” She stared into the glass of orange juice in her hands, the small vibrations within the liquid indicative of her gentle shaking, “And I don't think I know what to think. Should I want it? Should I hate it? This doesn’t feel like how they talk about Magic should be. It’s not pretty, it isn’t special. Not like yours. Yours is enchanting, the kind of thing that they can talk about in stories.”

In perhaps the first moment of being mindful of where she was, Vyra put down the glass orange juice beside the discarded mug of coffee. Once upon a time, whether or not a floor were stained wouldn’t have mattered, but all of a sudden, now she had to be mindful, particularly within this room. Her awareness though did not stray away from the harsh reality she was conveying to Alisa, “But not mine. I get sick thinking about it, seeing it, smelling it. And feeling it… that, what happened last night, I wanted to die, the pain that I felt. Like being cut to pieces again, and again, and again. Magic isn’t supposed to feel like that, is it!?” She swallowed hard, the painful recollection of what happened apparent in every part of her face.

“And in my head, my mind, wherever I was, it was there. Everywhere. It didn’t matter where I was, I wasn’t safe from it. I was… I was choking on it, I couldn’t breathe, and I saw me. At least, I think it was me. She looked like me, she sounded like me, but she… It... stood there, within the same poison that I was breathing like it was nothing.” Vyra’s eyes became watery as the conversation between the two, her and her clone, returned to the forefront of her memories. “And she said… she said she could make the pain go away. I wouldn’t have to endure the Magic, I could just live a happy life for once.”

Vyra held her hand to her mouth, the beginnings of tears starting to come forth near her eyes, “And I said no. I could control my Magic, I said. All I’ve been is weak my entire life. All you’ve seen me is weak, and I just wanted, I just wanted to feel strong, I just wanted to show you that side of me. I couldn’t walk away from it, not after you showed me this, I couldn’t betray that. I would find a way to control the Magic; I wasn’t going to let it control me, and I would make you proud.”

The tears that had begun to flow seemed to calm down, if only for a moment. If nothing else, Vyra seemed to calm slightly, the hysterics in her voice relaxing as her breathing calmed as well, “But I don’t know if I can… I tried, and I failed.” She sighed, a look of defeat upon her face, one that seemed not even the food upon the table could brighten.

A face that she was too ashamed to meet with Alisa’s.

“And I’m scared. I don’t know if I am strong enough. I thought I was, but… but maybe she was right…”

"Maybe it would have been better if I just allowed her to have the Magic instead..."

She couldn’t help but lift her head, a bit of surprise and perhaps disbelief within her eyes as they met with the kind face of Alisa’s, the words spoken leaving her weakly stunned. She was proud of her. Vyra didn’t say anything, finding herself just letting that sink in, occasionally looking down onto her right arm, reflecting on what had happened last night to it, what she had endured, and what she had tried only moments ago, despite being told not to. She had defied them, defied Alisa, in hopes of impressing her when she had not needed to.

After spending a bit of time simply looking at her hand, her mind racing with what could have happened had things spiraled out of control as badly as they had the night prior, she fought back tears, ashamed of what she had done. Vyra had gotten lucky that her Magic did not further manifest itself beyond that of the cloud, leaving her with only regret for going against Alisa’s and the nurse’s recommendation. She lifted her head sulkily, shame on her face, not just for trying to use her Magic, but the reasoning behind it – the idea that she had allowed fester within her mind, “I’m sorry.”

Vyra didn’t say much more, instead preferring to listen as Alisa spoke, her words more and more resonating just how wrong the Demi-human had been in her assessment of Alisa. It was comforting to hear, but did not detract from the fact that Vyra’s ignorance towards people left this potential. Despite Alisa’s noblest intentions, Vyra still found herself pulling out seeds of doubt within herself. What was to happen when she inevitably encounters people with less than honest intentions and motives? She silently dwelled on that as Alisa gently placed a mug before her, her eyes bouncing between it and the mug of coffee that Vyra had tried only a moment before.

Though a bit reluctant given how it had tasted moments before, Vyra poured a bit of the milk within the mug into her coffee, though only a small bit with how aggressively she had filled her mug earlier. Similar to before, with the contents of her mug almost entirely to the rim again, the Demi-human took another sip, half-expecting to hate it just as she did before.

Her widening eyes told the entire story. It was not bad. Not as good as orange juice was, but certainly drinkable. At the very least, having added milk to the coffee made it far better than just coffee by itself. Taking another sip to bring down the fullness of the cup to well below the rim now, Vyra decided to pour even more milk into the drink, the color changing to what almost looked like a very whitish brown, evidence of just how much milk she had added. Taking another sip of the again nearly-full mug, she couldn’t help but smile, “Milk does help it!”

Her eyes darted over towards the pitcher of orange juice that lay on the table and then to her mug, bouncing back and forth a few times before she eventually shook her head. It may have helped with the coffee, but that was a bit too much.

But shifting her view back onto the coffee mug in her hand, she could not help but think back to what she was wondering moments earlier. A part of her, despite how much she wanted to, could not help but doubt something of Alisa. It was inevitable that she would find reasons to distrust others who would come into her life. But like how she trusted Alisa with trying the coffee again, there would likely come times where she would have to show trust as well.

“Really? You can do that,” Vyra asked as she listened to Alisa describing the world of Magic, in particular the capability of changing one’s affinity. It seemed vague, how Alisa explained it, it almost seeming as informal as changing into a different dress, though that undoubtedly was painting in an insulting simple comparison. But it did make Vyra wonder if that would be the best option for her, as far as her Magic was concerned. It was destructive, sickening really, and in the few times that she had seen it now, neither time had the form been consistent outside of those descriptors. It certainly was nothing like what Alisa’s Magic had been; regal and defined, lovely and captivating. “What's yours?”

It would have been premature for her to switch her Magic, though after two harmful encounters in the real world and one within her own mind with it, the amount of leeway that one stood to have towards a Magic like that would certainly have waned. If she were to pursue a new variant of Magic, it was far too early to say what she would switch to, not even knowing her own Magic’s respective affinity or whatever else it may have been that she could have pursued. She peered from her milk with coffee and looked to her hand again, imagining if it wasn’t that sickly dark Magic that came from it, instead the same elegant crystal-like material that Alisa had, or something else entirely.

It wouldn’t terrify her quite the same as it did now.

Her mind wandered a little bit, Alisa’s brief mentioning of different affinities that Magic wielders were capable of using making her wonder more and more to this world. It was probably the most foreign to Vyra, as she had long been used to being on the other side of the social and economic perspectives compared tow here she had found herself now, but she was completely lost within the realm of Magic, her only guidance and means of staying afloat being the woman before her. Vyra could not help but wonder, if not worry, that there would be too much. Too much for her to learn, too much for Alisa to be willing to teach. Just based on her Magic alone, Vyra felt like she been a burden with how much care and precaution had to be taken towards it, or at least was going to require.

The hand that fell upon her own brought Vyra out of the brief daydream that she seemed to be under, her eyes shifting upwards to see Alisa, looking right at her, her eyes as much determined as they were earnest. Vyra admittedly was slightly startled at this; for so much of the time that she had come to know Alisa, the woman had always carried herself with such confidence and poise. There was something different though now; not to say that Alisa was not those things now, but something more now. It was in her words too, a sincerity that while perhaps having been there, did not hit as strongly as it was now. The words cut through Vyra, the honesty and truthfulness within each word, leaving the Demi-human to simply listen in utter rapture.

Despite the sincerity in Alisa’s words, there was something subtle woven in them, an underlying thought that Vyra could not make out. It was lost in how confidently the woman spoke of Vyra, praising the strength that she had seen for herself, a strength that Vyra did not believe she had. She never believed herself strong. Strength would have been to get out of the hell that she had been living for years on her own. Strength would have been to be able to control her Magic, to not rely on Alisa to save her. Her eyes widened as she heard Alisa dismiss that very notion entirely.

Alisa was right.

Vyra was a survivor.

She had survived in a world that never wanted her. Long enough to find here. To find Alisa. To find a world that she was always looking for.

Her heart beat quick, a sensation rushing over as she reached out and hugged Alisa, tightly as she was able to. She struggled to maintain her balance, one foot off the ground as she had thrown herself forward, a minor miracle that nothing from the table had spilled to the floor, no doubt to what would have been the chagrin of the woman cleaning behind them still, having been silently tending to matters making not an utterance during the conversation between Alisa or Vyra. Lifting her head towards Alisa’s ear, she spoke softly, the confidence in her voice a stark but welcome contrast to her tone earlier, “I always be me, don’t worry!”

For a time, she simply held on, neither her nor Alisa saying a word. It felt like forever, though in reality were little more than a minute or two at the most. But it was certainly long enough for Alisa’s words to cut through the silence like that of a knife, her question about the other Vyra being one that took the Demi-human by surprise, her eyes widening slightly as she released her hug from Alisa and pulled back. “Tell? Tell me what?” Vyra was admittedly confused, the uncertainty either of what she was asking or that of the conversation quite clear, “No, I mean, she was just going to take the Magic. Right? Right!?” Doubt began to creep into her mind. That was what the other Vyra had said right?

Vyra released her grip entirely from Alisa, stepping backwards as she struggled internally to remember the exact conversation, word for word, that she had with other Vyra. She agonized over not being able to remember, the circumstances that led to that encounter, the toxins that lingered within her mind, everything about it was cloudy. She looked to Alisa, desperation ripe on her face, “What do you mean?”

“What aren’t you telling me?”

Her eyes looked of fear and confusion. The cryptic message that Alisa seemed trying to convey seeming to make a bit more sense, but she still did not understand fully. She just looked on at Alisa, waiting for her words, hoping for something.

The color drained from Vyra’s face.

She was desperate for some sort of answer. Even a lie, if for no other reason than to give the illusion of everything being alright. But to hear Alisa mention the black outs, the things that had been plaguing Vyra for years now, it utterly terrified her. It brought forth everything; the frequency of them, the time she lost while under them, the lack of memory, how the world moved on without her. And though she had one or two during her time with Alisa, there could have been made explanations for them.

Alisa bringing them up as she did though, it scared Vyra to know that she knew of them. “How… How did you, how do you…” The Demi-human struggled to finish her words, finding herself backing up from Alisa slowly, as though having seen a ghost or something of utter horror. And in a way, she had. More than the streets in which she was found in, more even than the bruises that she fist displayed the night before, it was true terror now upon Vyra’s face.

Another step back and the faintest of slips upon the ground was all it required.

She fell back, the brunt of the weight falling down upon her right arm, the same one from which she endured the overload of Magic within, but at the moment that did not phase her. She kept her focus fixated on Alisa, her mind not sure whether to be more afraid that Alisa had come to figure out about her black outs and possibly knew why they happened or whether she should have more feared what was causing them.

“What… How… Please, tell me… please…”