I visited Alfonso in his pyramid-shaped villa. He wasn’t expecting me, and so made a big fuss about all the nice food he would’ve prepared had I given him advanced notice.
But I was in no mood for pleasantry.
“I need to borrow a flying mount,” I told him while seated on a couch in one of his many opulent rooms. “And I do mean borrow. I will give it back.” At least, I intended to.
He wagged his finger at me. “You’re going to the mainland, aren’t you?”
“That’s right. Just a little trip. I don’t plan to linger.”
Alfonso reached up onto a shelf. He tossed a wooden orb at me.
“That one will get you there,” he said. “In fact, why don’t you keep it.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to owe you.”
“Consider it a gift.”
“I know that a gift, for people like you, is merely an advanced payment for future favors.”
Alfonso chuckled, his belly shaking. He caressed his mustache. “You’re not wrong. But it doesn’t have to be quite so transactional. Till now, you’ve only seen one side of me. The ruthless, conniving—”
“And corrupt side,” I added.
“Yes, that too. But I can also be generous. And I can also be a team player.”
But was he really on my team? Only time would tell.
“Thanks for the mount. I’ll be returning it to you.” Eventually.
I explained my mission to the girls. It was simple: fly to the mainland, land somewhere, and put down a fast travel point. Nothing more.
To that end, I decided to bring along Maria and Esme. Ayla would be busy learning how to manage the council. I wanted to keep Tara and Sherry rested for the eventual deep dive into the Underground Forest’s fifth floor. They could also help organize the festival in the meantime.
I wanted Maria to experience more of the world. She’d been trapped in that tower her whole life, so I felt that she’d appreciate traveling to new places more than the others.
Unlike Ayla, Esme had never been to the mainland, so she might appreciate the experience, too.
The three of us went to the port of Port City. Wooden ships were moored at the dock, and folks selling all sorts of wares shouted at the people passing by to come to their stalls spread out all over the many streets.
I took out the orb Alfonso gave me and set it on the ground.
Mist seeped out of it. It coalesced into the form of a carpet.
“It’s an actual… flying carpet,” I said in disbelief.
“Do you have flying carpets on Earth?” Maria asked.
I shook my head. “Well, we’ve imagined the idea, but no one has figured out how to make a carpet fly.”
“It’s not very big.” Maria’s cheeks reddened. “Guess I’ll have to sit in your lap.”
“Fine with me, so long as you don’t mind my sword.”
Esme cleared her throat. “I assume I’m driving?”
“Of course you are.” I put my arm around her. “You’re the designated driver of the harem.”
Esme fidgeted nervously. “Umm… just fly east and we get to the mainland, right? How hard can it be?”
I glanced at the gray sky. The weather seemed pretty good. In fact, the weather always seemed pretty good. It hadn’t rained once since I got here.
Esme sat at the front of the carpet. I sat behind her. Maria plopped onto my lap.
Her behind was so warm. I put my arms around her. My sword grew a few inches.
“You’re so comfy, Remy,” she said. “Don’t let me fall, okay?”
Some sort of magical force was adhering me to the carpet, so that didn’t seem possible.
“Do you even know how to steer this thing?” I asked Esme.
“I assume I just point my finger in the direction I want to go, like with the other mounts.”
“But what about changing elevation and speed?”
“Umm…” Esme scratched her lovely blue locks. “I’ll figure it out, I guess.”
I gulped. “Well, let’s be off, then.”
Esme did something with her hand. The flying carpet lifted off the ground.
Maria clapped. “This is gonna be so fun!”
I held on tightly to her petite body as we ascended into the sky. Soon enough, the city below looked like a toy set. The entire island stretched beneath us, surrounded by a sapphire sea.
“It’s all so gorgeous!” Maria exclaimed. “Who knew we were living among such beauty the entire time?”
The three crescents and the stars in the sky loomed larger, now. The clarity of it all was mesmerizing.
We moved forward over the sea. I spotted a few wooden boats in the water.
“I hope there are no monsters up here,” Maria said.
I stroked her hair. “If so, we’ll have to shoot them down with ice arrows.”
Esme glanced back at us. “Do your stomachs feel all weird?”
I did feel nauseous, though not as much as I’d expected.
“A bit.” Maria reached into her soul storage. She handed us both cookies. “Maybe this’ll help.”
Esme nibbled on hers. “You picked up cooking really fast.”
“I do what I can.” Maria giggled. “You know, I’m super jealous of you, Esme. You were Remy’s first, after all.”
I put my cookie in my soul storage while Maria wasn’t looking. I suspected eating something would probably make me more queasy.
“I was in the right place at the right time,” Esme said. “I’m jealous that you’re so small that you fit in his lap as if you belong there.”
Maria pressed her warm behind harder against my sword. I wished it could break out of its scabbard. Didn’t they call it joining the mile high club, or something?
“You’re both precious to me,” I said. “Esme drives, you cook, and I just enjoy life.”
“I mean, you are the king,” Esme said. “So all is as it should be.”
“Who’s gonna join King Remy’s harem next?” Maria swiveled her body to face me. It was a lot less comfortable, but I suppose she wanted to look into my eyes.
“Whoever it is, it won’t diminish the time I spend with both of you.”
Lightning flashed and thunder roared, almost making me jump off the carpet. The bolt struck the ocean water. Wind howled against us, and the carpet itself began to shake.
“Oh no.” Esme slowed our momentum. “We’re flying into a storm. What should I do, Remy?”
What did pilots usually do when there was a storm? “Maybe try to fly around it?”
But the storm was coming toward us. Dark clouds loomed, and they moved in our direction at a surprising speed.
Lightning coursed within them.
“I think we should turn back,” I said. “Esme, get us home. We’ll try this again another time.”
Maria clung to me. I could feel the nervous jitters course through her body. “Are we going to die? At least I’ll get to die in a fun way.”
“Drowning isn’t going to be fun!” Esme exclaimed.
She turned us around and sped back toward the island. But the dark clouds seemed to be chasing us.
“The fuck is happening?” I said.
The cloud surged forward. It was right behind us. Like a massive beast, it swallowed us into its folds.
Suddenly, it got dark and wet.
“Remy!” Maria called.
“I’ve got you. Don’t worry.” I hugged her tighter. “Esme, you all right? Can you steer us out of this?”
“I’ll try my be—”
A burst of wind sent us hurtling downward, toward the water. We all screamed. And then we hit the waves with a massive splash.
I awoke on a beach. Esme and Tara were lying by my side. I shook them awake. The three of us were totally wet, sand clinging to our clothes.
“Where the fuck are we?” I said.
A seagull squawked and fluttered about in the sky. I had a few fast travel points accumulated, so decided to make one wherever this was.
As soon as I willed it into existence, the floating blue orb materialized in front of me.
“Ugh, did we lose the carpet?” Esme darted her head in every direction, then began walking down the beach in search of our missing mount.
“Shit, guess I’m in debt to Alfonso.”
“That was super scary.” Maria clung to my arm. “Let’s go home.”
I called out to Esme. That’s when I saw someone else, approaching her.
A woman. She had boyishly short blond hair and was about Maria’s height. Athletic build, as well. Her skin was creamy, and she was wearing a tiny pair of shorts and a yellow bra. It left very little to the imagination.
I hurried to catch up with Esme, just in case this woman was dangerous.
The woman smirked and crossed her arms. “Was easy enough getting you out of the sky.”
Wait… did she really mean what I thought she meant? “Did you summon those clouds?” I asked.
“You’re a curseborn,” Esme said. “You’re… I remember you… Filia?”
“It’s been a long time, Esme,” Filia said. “Wish we could’ve met under better circumstances. But I’m afraid you’re all my prisoners.”
I laughed at the mere thought. She was obviously a powerful lightning curseborn, but we weren’t so easily pushed over. “And by whose authority are you taking us prisoner?”
“Emperor Dukas, obviously.” The woman glared at me. “You’re coming with me whether you like it or not.”
“Why, Filia?” Esme asked as if pleading. “Why would you serve the emperor?”
The woman had a deliciously flat midriff, just like Esme. Too bad she was our enemy. “Because he’s going to pay me a fortune.”
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I visited Alfonso in his pyramid-shaped villa. He wasn’t expecting me, and so made a big fuss about all the nice food he would’ve prepared had I given him advanced notice.
But I was in no mood for pleasantry.
“I need to borrow a flying mount,” I told him while seated on a couch in one of his many opulent rooms. “And I do mean borrow. I will give it back.” At least, I intended to.
He wagged his finger at me. “You’re going to the mainland, aren’t you?”
“That’s right. Just a little trip. I don’t plan to linger.”
Alfonso reached up onto a shelf. He tossed a wooden orb at me.
“That one will get you there,” he said. “In fact, why don’t you keep it.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to owe you.”
“Consider it a gift.”
“I know that a gift, for people like you, is merely an advanced payment for future favors.”
Alfonso chuckled, his belly shaking. He caressed his mustache. “You’re not wrong. But it doesn’t have to be quite so transactional. Till now, you’ve only seen one side of me. The ruthless, conniving—”
“And corrupt side,” I added.
“Yes, that too. But I can also be generous. And I can also be a team player.”
But was he really on my team? Only time would tell.
“Thanks for the mount. I’ll be returning it to you.” Eventually.
I explained my mission to the girls. It was simple: fly to the mainland, land somewhere, and put down a fast travel point. Nothing more.
To that end, I decided to bring along Maria and Esme. Ayla would be busy learning how to manage the council. I wanted to keep Tara and Sherry rested for the eventual deep dive into the Underground Forest’s fifth floor. They could also help organize the festival in the meantime.
I wanted Maria to experience more of the world. She’d been trapped in that tower her whole life, so I felt that she’d appreciate traveling to new places more than the others.
Unlike Ayla, Esme had never been to the mainland, so she might appreciate the experience, too.
The three of us went to the port of Port City. Wooden ships were moored at the dock, and folks selling all sorts of wares shouted at the people passing by to come to their stalls spread out all over the many streets.
I took out the orb Alfonso gave me and set it on the ground.
Mist seeped out of it. It coalesced into the form of a carpet.
“It’s an actual… flying carpet,” I said in disbelief.
“Do you have flying carpets on Earth?” Maria asked.
I shook my head. “Well, we’ve imagined the idea, but no one has figured out how to make a carpet fly.”
“It’s not very big.” Maria’s cheeks reddened. “Guess I’ll have to sit in your lap.”
“Fine with me, so long as you don’t mind my sword.”
Esme cleared her throat. “I assume I’m driving?”
“Of course you are.” I put my arm around her. “You’re the designated driver of the harem.”
Esme fidgeted nervously. “Umm… just fly east and we get to the mainland, right? How hard can it be?”
I glanced at the gray sky. The weather seemed pretty good. In fact, the weather always seemed pretty good. It hadn’t rained once since I got here.
Esme sat at the front of the carpet. I sat behind her. Maria plopped onto my lap.
Her behind was so warm. I put my arms around her. My sword grew a few inches.
“You’re so comfy, Remy,” she said. “Don’t let me fall, okay?”
Some sort of magical force was adhering me to the carpet, so that didn’t seem possible.
“Do you even know how to steer this thing?” I asked Esme.
“I assume I just point my finger in the direction I want to go, like with the other mounts.”
“But what about changing elevation and speed?”
“Umm…” Esme scratched her lovely blue locks. “I’ll figure it out, I guess.”
I gulped. “Well, let’s be off, then.”
Esme did something with her hand. The flying carpet lifted off the ground.
Maria clapped. “This is gonna be so fun!”
I held on tightly to her petite body as we ascended into the sky. Soon enough, the city below looked like a toy set. The entire island stretched beneath us, surrounded by a sapphire sea.
“It’s all so gorgeous!” Maria exclaimed. “Who knew we were living among such beauty the entire time?”
The three crescents and the stars in the sky loomed larger, now. The clarity of it all was mesmerizing.
We moved forward over the sea. I spotted a few wooden boats in the water.
“I hope there are no monsters up here,” Maria said.
I stroked her hair. “If so, we’ll have to shoot them down with ice arrows.”
Esme glanced back at us. “Do your stomachs feel all weird?”
I did feel nauseous, though not as much as I’d expected.
“A bit.” Maria reached into her soul storage. She handed us both cookies. “Maybe this’ll help.”
Esme nibbled on hers. “You picked up cooking really fast.”
“I do what I can.” Maria giggled. “You know, I’m super jealous of you, Esme. You were Remy’s first, after all.”
I put my cookie in my soul storage while Maria wasn’t looking. I suspected eating something would probably make me more queasy.
“I was in the right place at the right time,” Esme said. “I’m jealous that you’re so small that you fit in his lap as if you belong there.”
Maria pressed her warm behind harder against my sword. I wished it could break out of its scabbard. Didn’t they call it joining the mile high club, or something?
“You’re both precious to me,” I said. “Esme drives, you cook, and I just enjoy life.”
“I mean, you are the king,” Esme said. “So all is as it should be.”
“Who’s gonna join King Remy’s harem next?” Maria swiveled her body to face me. It was a lot less comfortable, but I suppose she wanted to look into my eyes.
“Whoever it is, it won’t diminish the time I spend with both of you.”
Lightning flashed and thunder roared, almost making me jump off the carpet. The bolt struck the ocean water. Wind howled against us, and the carpet itself began to shake.
“Oh no.” Esme slowed our momentum. “We’re flying into a storm. What should I do, Remy?”
What did pilots usually do when there was a storm? “Maybe try to fly around it?”
But the storm was coming toward us. Dark clouds loomed, and they moved in our direction at a surprising speed.
Lightning coursed within them.
“I think we should turn back,” I said. “Esme, get us home. We’ll try this again another time.”
Maria clung to me. I could feel the nervous jitters course through her body. “Are we going to die? At least I’ll get to die in a fun way.”
“Drowning isn’t going to be fun!” Esme exclaimed.
She turned us around and sped back toward the island. But the dark clouds seemed to be chasing us.
“The fuck is happening?” I said.
The cloud surged forward. It was right behind us. Like a massive beast, it swallowed us into its folds.
Suddenly, it got dark and wet.
“Remy!” Maria called.
“I’ve got you. Don’t worry.” I hugged her tighter. “Esme, you all right? Can you steer us out of this?”
“I’ll try my be—”
A burst of wind sent us hurtling downward, toward the water. We all screamed. And then we hit the waves with a massive splash.
I awoke on a beach. Esme and Tara were lying by my side. I shook them awake. The three of us were totally wet, sand clinging to our clothes.
“Where the fuck are we?” I said.
A seagull squawked and fluttered about in the sky. I had a few fast travel points accumulated, so decided to make one wherever this was.
As soon as I willed it into existence, the floating blue orb materialized in front of me.
“Ugh, did we lose the carpet?” Esme darted her head in every direction, then began walking down the beach in search of our missing mount.
“Shit, guess I’m in debt to Alfonso.”
“That was super scary.” Maria clung to my arm. “Let’s go home.”
I called out to Esme. That’s when I saw someone else, approaching her.
A woman. She had boyishly short blond hair and was about Maria’s height. Athletic build, as well. Her skin was creamy, and she was wearing a tiny pair of shorts and a yellow bra. It left very little to the imagination.
I hurried to catch up with Esme, just in case this woman was dangerous.
The woman smirked and crossed her arms. “Was easy enough getting you out of the sky.”
Wait… did she really mean what I thought she meant? “Did you summon those clouds?” I asked.
“You’re a curseborn,” Esme said. “You’re… I remember you… Filia?”
“It’s been a long time, Esme,” Filia said. “Wish we could’ve met under better circumstances. But I’m afraid you’re all my prisoners.”
I laughed at the mere thought. She was obviously a powerful lightning curseborn, but we weren’t so easily pushed over. “And by whose authority are you taking us prisoner?”
“Emperor Dukas, obviously.” The woman glared at me. “You’re coming with me whether you like it or not.”
“Why, Filia?” Esme asked as if pleading. “Why would you serve the emperor?”
The woman had a deliciously flat midriff, just like Esme. Too bad she was our enemy. “Because he’s going to pay me a fortune.”
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