"Hey Bruce, wake up. You've been sleeping for over 24 hours, but don't move around too much; I just patched you up," Gloria said with concern in her voice.
Bruce woke up to the faint sound of oil burbling in a pan and the aroma of fried eggs and bacon. He could feel the warmth and softness of his sheets—a comfort that seemed too good to be true after the difficult ordeal he had just gone through the night before.
"What happened?" His voice was raspy.
"You passed out after you woke up yesterday morning. You've been asleep for a day." Gloria responded as she busied herself.
He stood up slowly, left his undamaged room and walked to his bathroom. As he splashed water on his face, his vision cleared, and he realized he wasn't in his own home again. This was not his room, those were not his bedsheets, and most importantly, those were not his bacon and eggs.
Gloria rushed to meet him, lovingly holding his arm, and led him to the bathroom to freshen up. She told him to do that and then come downstairs for lunch. "Thanks, but I haven't asked yet, why are you doing this?" He asked, feeling hesitant.
"Let's just say I'm fulfilling a favor from a friend," she replied with a smile that melted his already strained and worried heart. The two shared a brief moment, looking into each other's eyes. He was the first to break eye contact and the tension. He cleared his throat and said, "So where is my daughter?"
"She's in the new world, where Magellan reigns supreme," Gloria answered. There was a look of confusion in his eyes for a moment, but Gloria promised to clear his doubts after he ate.
His eyes lit up with joy as she offered him food. Bruce was the type of person who would sell his birthright for just a loaf of bread. She left him to set the table and prepare the meal. As he took his bath, sad thoughts and fears about his daughter crept into his mind. As he ran his hand through his long hair, the only ray of hope in his mind was the delicious meal that this kind stranger had prepared for him. He came downstairs to find Gloria waiting for him.
"Oh the shirt fits you perfectly, I hope you're comfortable," she said.
"I will be once I find my daughter, but right now, I'm famished," he responded.
She gave him food, and he devoured it like a hungry *wolf*. "Slow down, tiger, the food's not going anywhere," she said. She was surprised by his voracious appetite. He didn't listen and nearly choked on a piece of bread which drew a chuckle from Gloria. Feeling embarrassed he washed it down with a sip of orange juice and asked Gloria,
"So, where are we headed?"
She replied, "Are you not curious why you woke up in a stranger's house?"
"I don't need to be. If that stranger wanted to harm me she would have, instead of nursing me back to health," Bruce responded.
She blushed at his statement and was unable to look at him for a moment. Meanwhile he remained oblivious to the impact of his words and continued eating in a carefree manner. She regained her composure and said, "We're going to a bar. There's someone I'd like you to meet."
Bruce paused and asked, "Does this person know where my daughter is?".His impatience was growing with every single second that passed.
Gloria replied, "Yes and no. He knows her likely whereabouts, on the Dark Lord's Island. Let's just say he has unresolved issues with the Dark Lord. Besides, he's your best chance to reach the Dark Lord's castle... that is, if you don't get on his bad side."
"So what are we waiting for? Let's go," said Bruce. He quickly grabbed his coat and walked towards the front door. As he reached for the doorknob, Gloria shouted, halting him in his tracks. Confused, Bruce didn't move a muscle. She explained that dangerous monsters lurked in the vicinity, making it unsafe, especially for him, to venture outside unprepared.
"Let's use a portal instead. Trust me…
It's not safe out there," she said, firmly holding Bruce's arm.
Bruce wanted to protest, but the genuine concern in Gloria's eyes silenced him, and he reluctantly agreed. As she began the magical chant, the surroundings started to tremble. The ethereal portal left Bruce in awe, the beautiful colors of the spell and the faint sparks of lightning from Gloria's hand captivated him. Slowly, the portal opened; space seemed to crack like broken glass and expanded, resembling a tear in the fabric of space.
Suddenly strange voices and sounds from the other side filled the room, creating an otherworldly atmosphere. The portal was now fully formed and a beam of light struck Bruce's face, causing him to shield it with his arm. When he lowered his hand, he saw the breathtaking sight of the other side.
Cool breeze from the other side of the portal brushed against his skin, and he was overwhelmed with astonishment. Only a few days ago, he was helping his daughter with her homework and telling her bedtime stories about monsters, magic, and witches. Now, he stood before a rift in space, a portal to an entirely different location. Something he and his daughter watched on movies, he was experiencing it.
A man walked by on the other side of the portal and stopped right at the entrance. He looked startled, sensing something was wrong, yet he didn't realize that Bruce was actually watching him.
Gloria chuckled and said, "It's like a one-way mirror. He can't see you. Let's go, Bruce." Both of them stepped through the portal and Bruce suddenly got really cold, and he felt super nauseous at the same time. Gloria reassured him, "You'll get used to it. It's like a rollercoaster ride, traveling at light speed to a certain location... I threw up my first time too."
When they emerged from the portal, they found themselves not at the entrance of the bar, but inside it, right in the middle of a chaotic bar fight. Loud heavy metal music played in the background, drowning out the sounds of punches, kicks, and the destruction of furniture and property. Bruce swiftly ducked to avoid a bottle thrown his way. As he did so, he felt a blunt but painful sensation on his left butt cheek, causing him to quickly stand back up. Before he could react, a punch gently sent him flying.
As Bruce regained his footing, he swung a punch only to be greeted with a fist in return—oh damn… he found himself fully immersed in the brawl. Meanwhile, Gloria elegantly navigated through the airborne silverware, plates, and furniture, making her way to the bar counter. She requested a tall glass of beer, seemingly unfazed by the chaos behind her. Seated next to her was Henry, the lecherous prince of a long-lost clan, known for his raspy, deep voice and self-proclaimed heroics.
"Who's the clown?" the man sitting next to her asked with a raspy, deep, and alluring voice, as if he had just rolled out of bed. It was a tone he always carried—Prince of a dead clan, the hero—Henry the lecherous.
"You look terrible as always... Henry," she retorted.
He took a sip of beer, squinted at her, and in a serious tone asked, "Can I see your panties?"
"In your dreams, shithead," she replied with a disappointed look, almost as if she had anticipated such a remark.
"Your boyfriend's getting pretty beat up... He sucks... Like a lot," he said, glancing back at the ongoing brawl and laughing.
"Go and help him. He's the only normie here..." she responded
"I'll go on one condition," Henry said.
"What's that?" she asked, looking unimpressed.
"Tell me... What color is it today," he said, his nose flaring with lust.
"What..." Gloria replied, looking even less intrigued.
"Your pant-" Before he could finish his sentence, Gloria playfully hit his arm with her fanny pack.
"Ok, ok... I'm going," he conceded.
Henry stood up, his pupils glowing with an olive-brown hue. In one swift motion, he jumped and delivered a powerful punch to one of the brawlers, sending three people crashing to the floor. Bruce, surprisingly, held his ground against these non-humans, fighting valiantly.
Henry observed this and smiled. In less than three seconds, he took down almost all forty-seven participants in the pointless brawl. Bruce was exhausted and assisted to his feet by Henry. Now standing face to face, Bruce couldn't help but feel the four-inch height difference between them. Henry, an impressive and handsome 6'3" young man, seemed slightly intoxicated.
"Hi, normie. I'm Henry, Gloria's soulmate, and future husba-" Before he could finish his statement, Gloria hit him on the head with a goat.
"Wait a minute, that's the little bastard that got me into this fight!" Bruce yelled, pointing to the goat. It was the herbivore that had hit his butt when he tried to dodge a projectile aimed at him as he entered the bar.
"Let's eat it," Henry suggested, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "I concur," Bruce replied, appearing overly serious as his stomach growled. "Let's go back... We don't have time for this," Gloria interjected, her tone serious. Instantly, both men shed their goofiness, nodding in agreement. Gloria opened a portal back to the unknown house, and they all returned together.
They settled down, though Bruce still felt a bit nauseous from traveling through the portals, a sensation he hadn't grown accustomed to yet. Henry made a beeline for the kitchen, grabbing a beer from the fridge, while Bruce tried to regain his composure by sitting on the couch. Gloria stayed with Bruce and called Henry over to talk.
As they all gathered, Gloria reintroduced the two to each other and revealed to Bruce that Henry was a Lycan—the last surviving member of his clan, kingdom, and pack. Bruce was shocked to learn that Henry was of royalty, and the dark Lord had a hand in the extermination of his clan. Seeking revenge, Henry empathized with Bruce, and they both pledged to aid each other in their goals to the best of their abilities.
"It's not going to be an easy task. Going to Impel Rosa and achieving what we both want," Henry told Bruce, who looked confused . "Impel Rosa... That's what his castle is called. Many have gone, but few have returned," Henry continued.
"I would go to the depths of hell for my daughter," Bruce declared, a glint of determination in his eyes. Henry smiled at the resolve he saw in Bruce. "I will try my best to protect you... Just don't slow me down... Bruce." Gloria observed this, realizing it took a lot for Henry to acknowledge another person, let alone offer his protection to a normie.
"Alright, let's teleport to Impel... What's-it-called... We have everything we need, don't we?" said Bruce.
"I can only teleport to places I've been, and it takes a lot of magicules... I'm drained at the moment, so I won't be able to for a while," Gloria said, holding her head with fatigue evident in her eyes. "Are you okay, my queen? Here, sit down," said Henry, displaying genuine concern.
"Take off your clothes, let me give you a full body massage starting from your butt... that would make you feel bett-" Henry was once again interrupted, this time by a hit on the head before he could complete his sentence.
"First off, we need to go to the harbor and board a ship to Cugeria—the land of the pale ones—the Vamprys... Henry, you'll have to keep a low profile. You know how you get around Vamprys," Gloria said.
"I'm so lost right now, but if that's what needs to be done, then I guess we're going there... So, since you can't teleport, how will we reach the harbor? It's an hour's drive, thanks to this house being in the middle of the woods," Bruce asked.
"Magicians drive too, Bruce... We'll take the car; it's parked out back," she responded.
"I'll drive," Henry demanded.
She sighed and agreed, tossing the key to Henry. The three of them came outside, and Bruce was astonished by the sight of a neon red 1969 Mustang parked in the driveway. It was also Bruce's first time coming out of the house. The sounds of birds chirping, the beauty of nature, and the setting sun painted a stunning scene. Bruce had been staying in a luxurious cabin in the woods and could only now appreciate its beauty.
"Hey, what are you waiting for, normie... Let's go," Henry yelled from inside the car, while Bruce was still admiring the view. He quickly snapped out of it and got into the car as they left for their destination.
Halfway through the journey on a lonely road, suddenly, an SUV hit the car they were in from behind. Numerous questions arose in their minds. Where had this car come from? Who was in it? And what did they want from them?