"Hey...good morning Bruce...are you ok...you seemed distant yesterday,I didn't see you and when I finally did you didn't even want to look at me...did I do something wrong" Gloria, happy to see Bruce asked talking fast paced, slowing down on the last three words.
Bruce turned towards her to try and give her a reassuring smile and replied "it's nothing Gloria...I was just really tired...by the way I'm so hungry I could eat a whale right now".Bruce scanned the room quickly for a couch and darted towards it. It was the third strange building he had been to in less than a week. Also, it had been less than a week since he had been plunged into this dangerous and fascinating underworld.
He took his time to admire the apartment he was in and to be fair it was a very beautiful house. The living room in particular which he was in was filled with beautiful artwork, sculptures and paintings. He began to admire these beautiful and ethereal artwork moving slowly and gazing at them. He paused for a moment when he spotted a painting hanging on the wall.
The painting was a portrait of a very beautiful woman. Her emerald green eyes held both innocence and wisdom, while her cascading red locks seemed to shimmer and dance in the light. Delicate features adorned her flawless porcelain skin, and her gown added an air of elegance to the painting.
The background gave an aura of enchantment, captivating the man's heart and mind. He felt a deep connection to the woman's beauty, as if her beauty had touched his soul.
" Beautiful isn't she... that's the former queen of Cugeria...Queen Aggripina...she was as beautiful as she was brave...she fought and died in the great war seven years ago"Bruce heard a voice behind him,it was cerci." You're up... good to see you're fine" cerci continued relieved to see Bruce's current status.
"Madam Cerci...thank you a lot for what you did for me...Henry told me...I don't want to sound ungrateful and rude but please I really need to go get my daughter...she must be very scared...I don't know how's she's doing...I'm really worried please... Please, I need to go to Impel Rosa now to get her…" Bruce pleaded.
"If you go to Impel Rosa now, you and your friends will surely die…"Madam Cerci replied with a sad tone." Don't worry normie, I and Gloria are here buddy...we'd protect you"Henry came into the room and said this trying to lighten the mood. At this time Gloria was in the kitchen preparing breakfast and she called out to cerci to help her set the dining table.
Cerci obliged and went to help her. Breakfast was ready and the four of them were sitting down eating and Cerci asked ," Bruce, Gloria told me you're all headed to Cugeria...that's a smart move because like I said earlier going directly to Impel Rosa would mean certain death...you need help from the Vamprys...this is much bigger than your daughter Bruce.. there's a war brewing... Your daughter is just a piece of it, an important piece though but just a piece and you my friend are insignificant and powerless...you need Allies, the Vamprys would be great Allies if you'd be able to get them on your side".
Bruce, still eating, paused and looked at Cerci inquisitively. He asked, "But tell me, Cerci, why do we need to go to the Vamprys? I already know where my daughter is. Why this detour? What's the purpose of seeking the Vamprys' help, even if they become our allies?". Cerci smiled at Bruce and replied'' like I said before Bruce, there's a war brewing... This war is capable of changing the fate of this continent, Rizzania... your daughter is an important piece that is why you need help... you're not just fighting one person...".
"You're fighting the Dark Lord and his minions...he definitely needs to stopped...he plans to get his partner back...when that happens your daughter forever Bruce, when that happens nothing else can be done...if we go to him as we are now Bruce we won't be able to save her, we need to ask for Vampyrs help and hope that they don't have the same interest of destroying Rizzania" Gloria spoke.
The room was tense and silent for a while, so silent you could hear the gentle rain drops outside, the annoying buzz of houseflies and their breathing." How much time do I have to save April?" Bruce asked, his voice Stern and silent like a whisper.
"Three months, that's when the dark Lord would be able to get his queen back... when that happens, April will cease to exist, but I can assure you that the dark Lord will keep her safe and well-treated until that time... he wouldn't want the wrath of his queen to befall him after she arrives," Cerci replied. "Hmm, okay, let's go then... let's get the Vampyrs' help to kick this Dark Lord's butt and rescue my daughter... Gloria, Henry, please, would you help me?" Bruce stood and spoke with newfound hope and determination, and his companions stood up as well and nodded in affirmation.
"So, Madam Cerci, are we going to Cugeria with or without a portal... I've gotten used to those," Bruce asked."You're going with a portal, not to Cugeria directly but to a small village close to it... there's someone there that will take you to it. It's inadvisable for strangers to just waltz into the town unannounced; you need a guide. I would have followed, but I have an issue with the current ruler. You'll be teleported to a bar; look for Big Sam, tell him I sent you and give him this coin; he will take you to Cugeria," Cerci said as she moved away from the room."Where are you going?" asked Gloria.
"I want to get something. I'll be back in a sec," Cerci responded. "Take your time, dear. We'll wait," Henry shouted, his nostrils flared, and he smiled like a dummy, drawing an eye roll from Gloria and a smile from Cerci.
Cerci left the room, and Henry told Bruce, "We're going to Cugeria... be careful, Vampyrs are cunning and devious... well, except for Cerci, my love. Gloria, don't get jealous; you'll always be my soulmate".
"I'd rather lose the ability to breathe than be your soulmate," Gloria responded. Henry fell to the floor, struggling to speak, "Why, Gloria, why…"
"Here it is," Cerci came back with an object that looked strange but familiar. Henry stood up and asked, "Isn't that a magink?". "Yes, handsome, this is a magink of some sort... it not only stores magicules but also portals…" Cerci answered while smiling.
"You mean you stored portals to particular locations in that magink... that's incredible, Cerci," Gloria remarked with an astonished look. "Anyway, with this 'magink,' I'd be able to send you within touching distance of Cugeria... and as I said before, I won't be able to send you directly to the Vampyr settlement... but I can send you to the neighboring town... so please do not forget to look for Big Sam... without him, it would be next to impossible to get to Cugeria safely…" Cerci explained further.
As Cerci explained, she gestured to Gloria to hand over the magink and, at the same moment, gestured to the other two in the room to give her space for the spell. "Gloria, I need your help for this spell. I'll only be able to unlock the magink's portal function, but you are the one who will actually create the portal… Get ready," Cerci explained to Gloria with a smile, and Gloria nodded. "You can do it my queen!" Henry cheered.
The spell began, and it was amazing. The magink turned from a black hue to a red color, indicating it was ready to generate a portal. The magical pressure was so much that the two non-magic users had to step back. "It's time, Gloria, open the portal," Cerci instructed Gloria.
"It's really unstable... I'll try," Gloria replied. Using maginks was not her specialty, especially not special types. She had difficulty with this magink but still wanted to try.
She kept attempting, but there wasn't any progress.'My magicule reserves are depleting... I'm not sure if I can do this,' Gloria was exhausted and spoke with sadness in her voice. "Don't mind... don't mind... you can do it" Bruce yelled in a cheerleading manner, and Henry followed suit, drawing a smile from Gloria. After a considerable amount of time, a crack appeared in space, in the same position where the magink was – it was the portal, finally opening. Everyone in the room was overjoyed. "Keep it up, Gloria, you're almost there," Cerci remarked, happy and proud of Gloria.
The little crack in space began to expand. Pieces of cracked space began to fall to the ground like a peeled boiled egg and disappear. The portal began to form and enlarge and like a one way mirror they began to see the other side of the portal. It was a gas station in a very quiet and ordinary looking town.
It looked like noon, considering the position of the sun, and a few busybodies were going on with their everyday lives. Sounds and smells began to creep in as the portal grew even bigger and more stable. A toddler and her mother who had just passed the portal's field of vision could be heard. The choking smell of a van carrying goats that had driven past the portal's field of vision could be perceived.
As Henry walked closer to the portal, he could feel the scorching heat of the noon sun. The portal was finally ready, and the three were prepared to depart. "It's ready... Good luck, and I hope you achieve what you set out to," Cerci remarked as the three approached the portal.
They stepped into the portal, stepped out, and were greeted with heavy rainfall. They instantly searched for cover in the gas station they saw through the portal. "Umm, Gloria... Why is it 9:57 PM... it looked and felt like noon before we entered the portal," Henry asked while wiping rain from his forehead.
"Yeah, it's kinda strange... More importantly, I need food... we can't do anything right now; we have to find a place to rest... Stay right here, guys, I'm coming," Bruce replied and went to talk to a random person. "Damn, I don't know how this happened... Anyhow, we got here safe, that's the most important thing... what do you think he's talking about with that guy?" Gloria remarked.
"I have no idea, my queen... by the way, it's raining heavily... come closer, let me warm you up," Henry replied and gestured to his opened jacket for Gloria to seek warmth in it. "Hey guys, there's a motel about three blocks from here... let's go there and regroup... I don't know why and how, but I feel tired... Henry, please, can you get us umbrellas?" Bruce remarked, and Henry and Gloria agreed.
Henry went into the gas station and quickly emerged with two umbrellas."Dude, we're three here..." Bruce asked with disappointment in his eyes."I am aware; one is for you, and the other is for my Queen and me... isn't that right?" Henry answered with a goofy smile.
The three walked towards the motel, and Henry had a frown on his face because his plan didn't work. He was stuck sharing an umbrella with Bruce while Gloria used the other umbrella. "What the hell is wrong with your face, dude... it looks like a constipated baby seal... don't give up, bro... your queen will acknowledge you soon, I'm sure of it," Bruce said, barely keeping his laughter in.
"We're finally here..." Bruce remarked as they reached the motel. What's next? Where's Big Sam, and how will they rescue his daughter? These thoughts danced through Bruce's mind as he stared at the run-down cheap motel. All sounds and sensations stopped as he was lost in thought.