Fairy Tail: Dawn City (Closed)

[BewareTheDream]

The sky above Dawn City was picturesque that day. The happy sun was near its zenith, casting its pleasant warmth upon the many citizens who walked the city’s streets or worked its many fields. The clouds were fluffy and white, like bales of freshly-picked cotton, which, coincidentally enough, happened to be one of Dawn City’s major exports. Anyone who looked up at those clouds could easily imagine plucking them out of the sky and giving them a cuddle.

Local Weather Wizards assured the people that the next several days would be pretty, just like this one, for the next rain storm wouldn’t be for another week. So it was of no surprise to anyone that there wasn’t a single drop of rain falling from the sky.

There was, however, a falling man. That was a surprise to a bunch of people.

Leos Chikara soared over Dawn City’s eastern wall before plummeting like a meteor. Guards atop the wall spotted him first, followed by some of the people on the street. They pointed, yelled out in surprise, and then, when it became clear that the falling man was about to crash into the middle of a crowded plaza, they scattered for their lives.

“Mmmuuuhhh...” Leos regained consciousness. From his point of view, the sky was down, the ground was up, and he was approaching the ground at a velocity that was sure to reduce him to paste.

“Oh balls!” The sudden realization that he was seconds away from death snapped him out of his daze. Guided by instinct honed by years of training, he somersaulted in order to point his feet at the ground. At the same time, he harnessed the magical power that he could feel deep within his belly. When he was only a few yards above the plaza, he thrust both of his palms at it and shouted.

“Telekinetic Blast!” A portion of Leos’s power was expelled as an explosive, invisible force. That force slammed into the ground with a reverberating thud and threw clouds of dust in every direction. More importantly, his Telekinetic Blast slowed his descent, stopped him, and then tossed him upward and backward. Leos backflipped before landing, safely, partially out of instinct, and partially because he wanted to show off to whomever was watching.

There sure were a lot of people watching. The crowd may have scattered when it looked like he was going to crash land in the plaza, but since he landed without becoming a big splatter on the yellow stones, they started to approach.

Crowds can never resist a Mage, Leos thought, smiling. How can they, especially when the Mage looks as impressive as me?

Tall, broad-shouldered, lean of waist, and just the right kind of jacked, Leos didn’t look like a typical Mage. He looked more like a blue-haired pro wrestler, which was a fact he took pride in. Not only did he look like a pro wrestler, he enjoyed working audiences like one, too.

He directed his best smile at the gathering crowd and raised his hands in an ‘everything is a-okay’ gesture.

“It’s all right, everyone. It’s awwwl right. I’m fine. You’re fine. We’re all fine.

“I just experienced a little hiccup while fighting a big, scary monster in the Chamingu Forest.” The mention of a monster caused some of the audience to gasp, which was a reaction that Leos wanted. “But have no fear! The monster’s probably on its way to its lair right now. So I - LEOS CHIKARA! - will head back there and defeat it!”

Leos was new in town, and now was his time to make a big first impression. Originally, he wanted to haul the carcass of the defeated monster through the East Gate and make his big first impression on Dawn City that way. That plan got screwed up by a single superhuman punch, so he had to improvise.

Some in the audience murmured to each other after they learned who he was and what he was doing. Others shouted out questions. But the reaction that Leos really enjoyed was the way they all stared at him. That was especially true for the ladies. He noticed a couple of pretty young maids - sisters, he reckoned - looking at him from the front of the crowd. He gave them both a wink, and they blushed and giggled in response.

A sweaty, mustachioed guard wearing leather armor and a metal helmet pushed his way past the gawkers so he could question the fallen Mage. “Chamingu Forest? But that’s past our farthest field. How’d you get all the way here?”

The damn thing sucker punched me so hard that it knocked me out and made me fly here, that’s how, Leos thought. Of course, he wouldn’t share those embarrassing details with anybody. They were his little secret.

“The, um...the monster turned out to be so powerful, that a single strike was enough to launch me all the way here." Leos replied. "I barely survived!”

That much was true. Licking the corner of his mouth, Leos not only tasted blood, but he felt a sharp sting. He was also reminded of how much his jaw hurt. The monster was a big one, all right, and stronger than he gave it credit for. Even though the Mage had managed to put up his Telekinetic Shield at the very last second, the punch was so powerful that it still knocked him out and sent him soaring.

“But like I said, I’ll return to the forest, find the thing in its lair, and put it down for good. I know what it’s capable of, so I’m ready for it, this time!”

The guard seemed convinced. “Okay, Master Mage. I’ll leave it to you, then. Good luck on your monster hunt.” The guard left, as did much of the crowd. The handful of people who stayed had questions for the Mage, which he was happy to answer in any way that made him look good.

Eventually, Leos separated from the audience. Although his jaw still hurt, the adoration of strangers heeled his bruised ego, and he was able to walk away looking like a brawny hero. In his head, however, he had some doubts.

Can I really take this thing out by myself? It’s a lot stronger than it looks. Maybe I should get some help...Yeah, nothing wrong with getting some help. I knew I’d have to start a team sooner or later.

Determined to find another Mage to team up with, Leos made his way toward the new Fairy Tail guild house in Dawn City.

 

[AmandaAce]

In the forest outside Dawn City, the sun shone down to dapple the grass of a small glade in which a single tall sapling grew. It stretched up to the bright blue sky, shuddered for a moment, and bloomed. Its purple leaves unfurled, the brilliant green heart of it was exposed, and then --- THWACK!

The flower at the top of the plant exploded in a shower of purple pollen, and the sapling's slender trunk cracked.

"Oh, no," a voice exclaimed. Next to the broken sapling, a boy knelt, picking up the ball that had destroyed the plant. He was about ten, with nut brown skin and a shock of white hair that fell over his forehead. He stood up and poked at the plant with his foot. It released another small shower of pollen, and he sneezed.

"Bless you," said another small voice. A scruffy green haired head popped out from between the trees. This second, smaller child regarded the broken plant and gasped. "Oooh, Never. Your sister is going to kill you!"

Never looked up and wrinkled his nose. "I thought I told you about sneaking up on me, Jart. And anyway, no she won't, because she's not going to find out!"

Jart stuck out her tongue. "I'm telling," she said. Before she could disappear into the trees, Never grabbed her by a dirty arm and she let out a howl.

"I'm telling!" she said. "I'm telling Ever!"

"Are not!" Never countered, holding her arm grimly.

"Am too!" Jart kicked him in the shins and he grunted.

"Telling me what?"

Never dropped Jart's arm, and both children hurried to stand in front of the sapling. At the entrance to the glade, Ever Azriel stood. She was tall, slender and as nut brown as her brother, with long white hair that spilled down her back in an unraveling braid.

"Nothing!" Never shouted, but Ever was already striding across the glade toward them. She reached them, and with one swing of a slim, muscular arm, she yanked them aside. When she saw the ruined sapling, she turned to the children, her deep blue eyes blazing.

"It was Never!" Jart hollered shrilly as Ever knelt down next to the plant. Never cuffed her on the shoulder. "Ow!"

"Be quiet!" Ever hissed at them. She closed her eyes and stretched out her hands. The plant shivered. "Chlorophyll Charge," she whispered, and the plant stood up violently as magic poured from her hands.

It stood there, still broken and bobbing up and down with magic. Ever got to her feet carefully, hands outstretched. She motioned with her head, and Never and Jart stepped back. There was a zipping sound, and the plant repaired itself, the trunk of it meshing back together speedily, but the flower was still gone. Ever stepped back.

"Can you fix it?" Never asked quietly. She shrugged.

"Solferine plants are temperamental," she replied. She brushed at the knees of her trousers and turned to them.

There was a low humming. The solferine plant quaked, and a long tendril unfurled from the stem and snaked across the ground to grab at Never’s ankles. He stepped back with a small cry.

"Get away from it," Ever said in an urgent tone. Never turned to run and the tendril snaked up his leg and tightened. Never cried out.

Another humming sound and another tendril snaked off the plant and flew through the grass toward Jart. It grabbed her around the waist and lifted her into the air.

"Ever!" Jart screamed.

Ever started toward Jart but was knocked down by a violent whip from a vine. Jart was high in the air, Never being dragged inch by inch across the grass toward the trunk of the sapling.

"Dammit," Ever said under her breath. She struggled to her feet, smacking away the vines that flowed off the plant toward her, and shoved her hands at it.

"Green Flash!" she shouted. Chartreuse magic poured from her hands, sending her sliding back in the grass. The sapling absorbed it, vines waving, trunk getting plumper and plumper with magic until it popped, showering Ever in purple pollen. The tendrils loosened and Jart fell to the ground with a sharp cry.

Never got to his feet and ran to help Jart. Her dirty face was streaked with tears.

"We're sorry, Ever," Jart sniffled.

"Sorry, Ever," Never mumbled.

Ever opened her arms and the two ran to her. She knelt and embraced them, ruffling her brother's hair.

"I told you guys," she said, leaning back to look into their faces, "don't mess with my spells. Okay?"

They nodded, and Ever stood up. "Let's go," she said. She strode out of the glade, the children close behind her. "I have to get another plant."

"But where?" Jart piped up. "Solferine plants only grow in the -"

"Chamingu Forest," Never finished.

"Exactly," Ever replied. She weaved between two trees and pushed past a bush, revealing the fields of Dawn City in front of them. In between the fields small stone houses squatted, smoke spiraling from their chimneys.

"You can't go into Chamingu Forest!" Never exclaimed. "You only know three green spells!"

"I know four green spells," Ever corrected him. "And I don't intend to go alone. I'll take another Mage."

She reached a stile, and stepped over it gracefully, lowering her high boots down into the mud and striding across the field towards a house.

"From where?" Jart asked. "You don't even like other Mages! You said other Mages get on your nerves!"

Ever, reaching the house, flung the door open. "Never, get your things," she said. "I need you to stay with Jart's family for a few days."

"I can stay by myself!" he protested.

"I know you can," she said gently. "But the Joox's would love to have you, and it would make me feel better. Okay?"

Never nodded.

"But where are you going?" Jart demanded.

"To the Fairy Tail Guild," Ever replied. "To find someone to help me."

 

[BewareTheDream]

Fairy Tail’s presence in Dawn City was a recent development. As the most successful guild in the kingdom of Fiore, it was only natural for its popularity, influence, and market share to spread far and wide. Eventually, it got to the point where having only a single location in Magnolia Town no longer made sense. And so, Fairy Tail’s guild master, Makarov Dreyar, promoted Thazara Thesz to the rank of Local Guild Master and tasked her with establishing a Fairy Tail in Dawn City, all the way in the western part of Fiore, right by the coast of the Cloud Sea.

Master Thazara was given her quest of expansion barely two years ago, and she attacked her quest with gusto. In that short time, she secured a building, converted it into Fairy Tail’s “western satellite office”, and recruited over 30 Mages. Every Mage who was recruited was at least competent, and some were quite powerful. Dawn City Fairy Tail quickly established itself as a top guild in the city, and the quest requests came rolling in like the tide.

Leos Chikara was one of the newest members of Fairy Tail, and already he was popular. He didn’t just enter the guild house that afternoon - he kicked the door open and practically exploded inside. All eyes were on his big, brawny frame filling up the doorway, which was exactly how he liked it.

“Hello, my babies!” he yelled. In response, the crowded tavern area burst into cheers and greetings. Leos felt his strongest when he had an adoring audience in front of him, and there was never a shortage of adoration in Fairy Tail, which was why stepping into the guild house had quickly become his favorite part of the day. With his bare chest puffed out and his ego filled to brimming, he strode toward the bar, behind which stood a brown-haired minotaur who was wiping down the countertop.

The guild’s minotaur bartender, Durham, was a Taurus Spirit from the Celestial Spirit World. Technically, Durham was one of the Celestial Spirits of Master Thazara, but instead of waiting for her to summon him when needed, he instead chose to keep himself summoned on a more permanent basis so he could tend bar and watch over the guild house while the master was away. He was good at both jobs. After all, even Mages weren’t that likely to misbehave when there was a freakin’ minotaur policing the room.

“Hey, Leos,” Durham said with a big, toothy grin as Leos slid onto a barstool. “Whatcha thirsty fer?”

“I’ll have a rum and soda, my good bull.” Leos replied, cheerfully, before placing a 500 Jewel bill onto the bar.

Nodding, the bull-man left his cleaning rag on the counter, snatched up the money, and began to pour the TK Mage his order. “What happened to yer face?”

“My face?” Suddenly concerned, Leos gazed at the large mirror hanging on the wall behind the bar. Looking at his reflection, the first thing he noticed was that his spiky, dark blue hair looked awesome - naturally. But when he glanced down at his handsome face, he saw that a bruise had spread on the right side of his jaw and his cheek.

“Aw, man…” Without taking his eyes off his reflection, he turned to the left and touched the bruise gingerly. It wasn’t an especially big bruise, but to Leos it looked ugly and massive.

“What were ya fightin’?” Durham asked after the Mage failed to answer him. He then placed two glasses in front of the Mage - one filled with rum, the other filled with soda.

Frowning, Leos finally took his eyes off his reflection and turned to the bartender. “You know that request to kill the ogre in Chamingu Forest?”

“Ohhhh.” Durham nodded, knowingly, while stroking his handlebar mustache. “Is this one a’ those, ‘You should see the other guy’ kinda situations? Or did the ogre send ya away with yer tail tucked between yer legs?”

Leos glowered, which was the only response Durham needed to start laughing. The bullish laughter made him glower more.

“Moooha ha ha ha! Oh, don’t take it so seriously, Leos. How much does the job pay? Seven hundred thousand Jewels? With that much scratch on the line, of course the thing is tough!” Durham resumed chuckling.

“Yeah, yeah.” Leos downed all of the rum in a single shot, but took his time sipping the soda. “It’s 750,000 Jewels, by the way. Anyway, I’m not through, yet. I just came back to rest up a little, and maybe form a team.”

Durham returned to cleaning the bar. “Yep, that’d be wise. Get yerself some backup.” He pointed at the giant request board near the bar. There was a group of colorfully-dressed Mages browsing the various quest requests. “Plenty a’ people to choose from, as always.”

Leos glanced over his shoulder. Dawn City Fairy Tail wasn’t that big yet, so he knew most of the Mages there, and he immediately recognized all four who were standing in front of the request board. There was Lumina, the Light Mage, who Leos teamed up with once before. There was Rhapsody and Dirk DoWell, who’d been a team for over a year, and who recently announced they were dating. And finally there was Mia Chung, the Mimic. She and Leos didn’t get along.

Choosing not to look for teammates right away, Leos turned back to the bar. The quest could wait for at least an hour or two. He knew that if he had trouble with the ogre, then anyone else in the guild would, too, and that there wasn’t that much of a rush to slay it and complete the quest request. So he ordered a few more rounds of rums and sodas, ordered a couple of rounds for everyone seated at the bar, and had himself a good time.

 

[AmandaAce]

Ever trudged through the city gate, nodding at a guard as she was waved through next to a stout man and woman pulling a large rickety cart of pearapples. She armed sweat from her brow and shook her head, her long white hair falling the rest of the way out of its braid.
She had brought little with her in the way of belongings - the soft leather bag she carried slung over her shoulder had in it only a change of clothes, a flask for water, a bag of seeds, a small jar of healing salve, and all the Jewels she had to her name. The only other thing of value she had on her person was a thin gold chain that held a gleaming fire opal. It hung around her neck, tucked in underneath her blouse.
She followed the cart with the pearapples idly, looking around as they wove through the streets to the market. The sea air was strong with salt, and Ever took a deep, appreciative breath.
"Nothing like it, that fresh salty air," the woman pushing the cart said to her. Ever looked around, startled, and the woman nodded.
"Oh!" Ever exclaimed. "Yes, it is."
"I'm Loriel, this is my husband Vernon." The man grunted a greeting.
"Ever Azriel, pleased to meet you." She fell in step next to the woman as they made their way down a cobbled avenue.
"You from around here? You looking for work?"
"No," Ever said. "I mean, yes. I mean -"
"Don't hurt yourself," Loriel remarked drily.
"I am from around here," Ever clarified. "I live in the Eastern Fields. I'm not looking for work, not exactly. I'm going to join the Fairy Tail Guild."
The man, who had been ignoring them up to this point, let out a low whistle.
"A Mage?" Loriel asked. Ever nodded. "Wouldn't have guessed it."
"I'm not very - I'm new to it, you could say." What Ever did not say was that she had only been learning Magecraft for about a year, that her father had only begun teaching her after it was clear he wasn't going to survive the sickness, that he had had less time than they thought.
"Well," Vernon volunteered, "You be careful with those jobbers over there!"
"Hush!" Loriel scolded him.
Ever laughed. She agreed with Vernon, honestly. The few Mages she had met in person, besides her father, tended to be more raucous than most, and Ever had never been great at working with other people.
"I will," she said.
They reached an intersection and Loriel gestured to the right. "That's the way you're headed. Good luck." Vernon tossed her a pearapple and turned the cart creakily to the left.
"Thank you!" Ever called after them. Loriel raised a hand without looking back.
Ever could see the Fairy Tail Guild house, down at the end of the road to the right. She rubbed the pearapple on her blouse and took a huge bite as she strode toward it.
She could hear the Guild House several minutes before she reached it. There was a low humming sound coming from it that got louder and louder as she approached, and when she gingerly opened the door, she was almost blown away by the din.
A short man with a bald head stumbled out of the door, nearly bumping into Ever. He peered up at her, held his hand to his mouth to stifle a belch, and then gave a small unsteady bow.
"Scuse me, love," he said, and stepped around her. Ever turned to watch him weave down the road for a moment, then with a sigh, she entered the noisy hall.
It was dim inside, crowded with brightly dressed Mages, and every single one of them was stinking drunk. A woman was standing on a table, doing her best to lead the crowd in some kind of song. They were screaming and hooting at her as she attempted a jig and almost fell to the floor.
Ever picked her way through the crowd to the bar. She could see the bartender bending over behind it. She leaned forward.
"Excuse me," she said. The bartender straightened up, and Ever flinched back. He was a Minotaur, with a luxurious handlebar mustache and a set of horns that nearly reached the ceiling.
"Hullo," he said. "I'm Durham. Can I help you?"
Ever glanced down the bar. Everyone else seemed to be completely unfazed at being served drinks by this giant Celestial Spirit. The blue haired man next to her was paying more attention to his reflection in the mirror than the bartender. She composed herself.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Ever," she said. "May I have a celery tonic?"
Durham boomed laughter. " You can have a gin and tonic," he said. "Fresh out of celery."
"Okay," Ever said hesitantly.
"You come to join the Guild?" he asked her. "Never seen you in here before." Ever nodded. "Don't be put off by all this. They're not usually this drunk. Not this early, anyway.”
Durham set two glasses on the bar in front of her. Ever rummaged in her bag for money, but he stopped her with a large outstretched hand. "It's been paid for," he said.
"Oh," Ever said. "Thank you."
He shook his head. "Don't thank me. Thank Leos. He's the one who's been buying rounds all afternoon." He gestured to the blue haired man sitting next to her.
Ever turned to him. He was large, muscular and quite handsome, with a large spreading bruise on his cheek. "Thank you for the drink," she said.

 

[BewareTheDream]

Lumina the Light Mage was the one who stood atop a table and lead the rest of the bar in a song. Although she sang off-key - which was surprising, because she normally had a pleasant singing voice - the other guild members sang a surprisingly melodious tune. Someone in the back was even harmonizing.

Leos found the entire scene to be hilarious. Cracking up as he watched, he slapped his knee when Lumina lost her balance, fell off the table, and landed on top of some of the people standing closest to her. The Mage pile-up caused a fresh round of boisterous laughter to explode around the room.

“Oh, man, she’s always been a lightweight,” Leos said under his breath as he knuckled a tear away from the corner of his eye. Lifting a glass to his lips, he was just about to down another rum when someone thanked him. With only a dab of rum on his lips, he turned and saw a white-haired, brown-skinned beauty who he’d never seen before. Immediately, he lost interest in his drink as well, as his unfinished quest, for his new quest was to find out who the lovely stranger was.

Leos flashed her his brightest smile. “Don’t mention it. As long as my guild mates are happy, then I’m happy, and alcohol makes everybody happy!” Swiveling on his stool, he faced her more fully. When he did, Ever saw that he wore a button-down shirt that was unbuttoned and wide open, thus leaving his chest bare. It was obvious that he dressed like this to show off his chiseled, tanned physique. The Fairy Tail logo tattooed on his bulging left pec was also easy to spot.

“You are a guild member, aren’t you? I thought I know everybody here, but I’ve never seen you before. Are you looking to join?” The muscular Mage set his drink down before offering her his big hand for a shake.

“I’m Leos. If you want to join Fairy Tail, then I’m the man to talk to!”

 

[AmandaAce]

Ever extended her hand, and Leos shook it, his large hand nearly swallowing hers.
“Ever,” she said with a smile. “Ever Azriel.”

The celebration continued in the bar around them. Someone had helped Lumina to a chair, but the rest of the Mages continued to sing, loudly, clapping their hands and slamming their glasses on the tables.

“I am,” she continued. “Looking to join the Guild, that is.” She paused. He grinned at her, flashing his white teeth in a dazzling smile, and Ever blushed and dropped her eyes.

He was really very handsome, and he obviously knew it. He sat there, leaning back cockily on his stool, his shirt unbuttoned to the waist to expose his tanned, muscular chest and stomach. Ever realized she was staring and with difficulty wrenched her eyes back up to meet his.

To cover for her stare, she pointed to the Guild tattoo on his chest. “Are you the Guild Master? I had thought-“

She was interrupted by a crash as a large drunken Mage flew through the air and hit the bar next to her. Ever was jostled nearly into Leos’ lap, and she dropped her glass, spilling the contents of it all over both of them, mostly down the front of her blouse.

“Out!” Durham bawled, charging down the bar to grab the Mage by the collar.

“Shit!” Ever exclaimed. She looked up at Leos and blushed again. “Sorry.”

 

[BewareTheDream]

Leos always enjoyed it when women checked out his body. In fact, that was one of the only three main reasons why he worked out as much as he did:

1) Because he knew that his magical power was enhanced by his physical fitness. As a child, he had learned from one of his earliest teachers that mind, body, and soul were all important and connected; to let one atrophy meant that all three would eventually atrophy.

2) Because a majority of Fairy Tail quests entailed beating up monsters or bad guys, and it was a lot easier to do that when you’re built like a man-beast.

3) And, as mentioned earlier, because he loved it when women devoured him with their eyes.

Leaving his shirt open was his invitation for anyone to take a gander at his goods. Ever had accepted that invitation, and it made her blush. Leos liked how her cheeks looked when she blushed, and he liked how she stared at him even more. Not so subtly, he flexed his abs and made his pecs pop while her gaze was still on his torso. When she forced her gaze up to his, she saw him grinning at her, triumphantly.

He was about to tell her that he wasn’t the guild master, but before he could, Perry the Pear - who was notorious for being a clumsy drunk, and who was affectionately called ‘the Pear’ because he had a pear-shaped body - fell and crashed against the bar. The sudden crash caused Ever to hop off her stool, spill gin all over her blouse, and also splash some of it onto Leos’s mostly naked torso.

When Ever jumped, Leos instinctively placed his two, big hands onto her sides, just above her hips. His hands felt like they belonged there.

“Whoa, there. There’s nothing to worry about. Durham’s just going to take outside so he can cool off some.” The two of them watched Durham the Minotaur escort Perry the Pear out the door. Leos’s hands lingered on her sides for several more seconds before he let her go. Then he glanced down at his chest. “It’s a shame to waste good booze like that.” There was a touch of laughter in his voice.

The gin ran in rivulets down his chest and abdomen, flowing around his muscles like a stream would flow around rocks. His flesh glistened enticingly, and whether Leos realized it or not, he flexed again. (Oh, he definitely knew what he was doing.) Not only did his chest and abs tightened, but the V-shaped muscles that peeked over the waistline of his jeans became more pronounced, as well.

“Oh man, what a mess.” Leos still made no move to get something with which to wipe himself off. He just stood there, glistening, flexing, and showing off.

 

[AmandaAce]

Ever was beautiful, really beautiful, and in some fashion, way in the back of her mind, she knew that. She was especially pretty right now - soaked, her blouse clinging to her full breasts, blushing. Because of her looks, she was not unused to attracting the attention of men, but the attention of this man in particular was throwing her off severely. His big hands settled on her waist, nearly encircling it (god, he was just so large), and she blushed more deeply.

They watched the Mage get escorted out, and it wasn’t until he had disappeared out the door, guided by the Minotaur, that Leos let her go.

“It’s a shame to waste good booze like that,” he said to her calmly. His eyes sparkled with amusement. He was very tall, tall enough that when he stood, Ever, who was tall herself, only reached his shoulder. This put her eyes directly at the level of his chest. The gin rolled down his muscular chest and stomach. Before Ever could look away, he flexed, and his muscles rippled impressively, all the way down his bulging chest to his lean stomach to the top of his jeans.

“Oh, man,” he said. “What a mess.”

“Oh,” Ever said softly. Then, realizing, “Oh!” She looked back up at his handsome, amused face. Was he teasing her? He was, she decided, and to her chagrin, this made her blush even more.

Durham had returned. “Here,” he said, leaning over the bar to hand Ever a towel.

“Thank you,” she replied gratefully, and dabbed at her soaked blouse.

Durham set another glass on the bar. “Here’s another drink, if you want it. Sorry about that.”

He turned to Leos and held out another towel. “Hey,” he said. “You wanna clean yourself off or are you just gonna stand there dripping gin on my floor?”

 

[BewareTheDream]

Of course Leos checked out Ever’s breasts. He’d been checking her out ever since she thanked him for the drink. After all, he was a virile, young man, and not a corpse. However, he didn’t leer at her too obviously. No, it was only a moderate amount of leering.

When Leos didn’t immediately take the towel offered by the minotaur bartender, Durham threw it at his head. It hit the side of his face, wrapping around it some. The Mage laughed and finally took it. “Okay, okay. The last thing I want to do is mess up your immaculate floors.”

“Damn right,” Durham snorted.

Chuckling, Leos used the towel to wipe the gin off the front of his body. Much to the detriment of anyone with eyes and an appreciation for the male form, his chest and abs no longer glistened. Once that was done, he tossed the towel onto the bar top, reclaimed his seat, and got back to business with Ever.

“I’m not the guild master,” he said. “What I am is an important member of the guild. If you want to join, I can help.

“But first, tell me...what kind of Magic do you use?” It occurred to him minutes ago that she could be the one to help him slay that monster that sucker punched him earlier today.

 

[AmandaAce]

“Green,” Ever said. And I’m not very good at it, she didn’t say. She took a sip of the new gin Durham had given her and stifled a cough.

Someone started to play the piano, a jolly sounding rollicking tune, and the Mages cheered.

“A Green Mage? Trees and that?” Durham asked, shouting over the noise. Ever nodded. “Not seen many of your kind around here. Where you from?”

“The Eastern Fields,” Ever said. “My family - that is, my brother and I, we have a farm there.”

She looked at Leos. “That’s why I’ve come to join the Guild. I need a particular plant, from the Chamingu Forest. I thought I might find help here.”

 

[BewareTheDream]

“The Chamingu Forest?” Leos repeated. “You don’t say.” He couldn’t help but laugh at his good fortune. “It just so happens that I’m on a quest to slay a monster there.”

Durham interjected while simultaneously pouring a beer for another guild member. “Yeah, the same monster that kicked his…”

It was Leos’s turn to interrupt. “IT’S THE SAME monster that gave me this bruise.” He practically yelled the first few words. He glared at the minotaur for a moment, but his expression softened and his smile returned when he looked back at Ever.

“There’s an ogre in the Chamingu that’s been attacking traders on the road. The merchant’s guild will pay 700,000 Jewels to whoever gets rid of it. I tracked it down this morning, but it got a really lucky shot on me that launched me all the way back to town. I came back here to rehydrate before going back and finishing the job, and that’s why we’re now talking.

“How about you and I team up and go after the ogre together? It’ll be your guild try-out: I’ll check out what you can do with your Magic, how you work on a quest, and how you work in a team. If I like what I see, then you’ll be welcomed as the newest member of Fairy Tail! Heck, if we work fast, maybe you can get your guild tattoo before nightfall.”

I already like what I see. There was a lecherous quality to his gaze that hinted at what he was thinking.

He continued. “Now, even though you aren’t a guild member yet, you’ll still get a share of the reward money. It’ll have to be a smaller share, of course - I’ll take 500,000, and you’ll get 200,000.

“What do you say?” The Telekinetic Mage got to his feet, acting as though he already knew what Ever’s response would be.

 

[AmandaAce]

“Wait,” Ever said. “I don’t know —“

“Don’t worry,” Durham said from down the bar. “He’s trustworthy. Got an ego the size of the moon, but he’s trustworthy. “

Two hundred thousand Jewels was a lot of money, Ever conceded to herself. And if she was allowed to join the Guild, there would be more. More than enough to make sure the farm was taken care of, to make sure Never was taken care of.

But still, an ogre, especially one that was powerful enough to send a beast of a man like Leos flying all the way back to the City - that was very serious indeed. And Ever didn’t know very many spells.

She knew a few, though, and besides that, she could fight. Quite well, in fact. Might that, along with the spells, be enough?

It might. And there was another thing. She looked up at Leos, who was smiling dazzlingly at her. He intrigued her. She hadn’t intended to come all the way from the Eastern Fields to get distracted by some loud, handsome Mage with a big ego, but that’s exactly what was happening.

She wasn’t completely sidetracked, though. They were both going to Chamingu Forest, he could help her, she could help him, and then she’d be able to join the Guild. That she couldn’t stop staring at his bare chest was completely irrelevant.

“Yes,” she said. “Yes, that sounds like a good idea.”

Durham snorted. “Have fun with that,” he said.

“Do we- do we go now?” she asked Leos.

 

[BewareTheDream]

“Yeah, we gotta go right now!” Leos confirmed, enthusiastically. “For all we know, somebody else might be hunting the ogre right...this...second! We gotta move!” He gestured for her to follow him before making a beeline for the door. On the way there, a couple of the other Mages had to step out of his path, because it looked like he would’ve strode right over them.

Someone as large as Leos generally didn’t move for other people; instead, other people moved for him.

Outside of the guild hall, the blue-haired Mage continued to walk with a purpose. He had a long stride, so Ever had to move quickly to keep up. Lucky for her, they didn’t have far to go, for instead of heading toward Dawn City’s eastern gate, they went to a building down the street.

“I’ve got to pick up my bike. It’ll get us there faster than walking.”

The building he lead her to was a squat, single-storied garage made of red brick. Above it was a wooden sign that had the symbol of Fairy Tail and the picture of a tire painted upon it. There were no words on the sign, because those two symbols were all that were needed to let people know that this was where the guild’s magical vehicles - or MVs - were repaired or stored. The garage had three bays, each with their own door. Although all of the bays were open, only one had a vehicle in it - a pink convertible that had its hood up. Someone in overalls was bent over underneath the hood, and the crisp sound of ratcheting could be heard as Leos and Ever approached.

“‘Sup, Krystal,” Leos greeted the person in overalls.

Krystal paused what she was doing and glanced over her shoulder. “Hey, Leos.” Smiling, she pushed herself up and turned around. Fairy Tail’s resident mechanic was short but definitely not petite. Her sleeves were rolled up, so anyone could see her thick, smudge-covered forearms. There were smudges on her round cheeks as well, but there weren’t enough to conceal her freckles. From underneath her baseball cap, only a little bit of dirty blonde hair poked out. Her hair must’ve been cut short.

Krystal noticed Ever, so she gave her a friendly nod before looking back at Leos. It was evident by her expression that she was waiting for an introduction.

Leos got the hint, easily enough. “Krystal, this is Ever. She wants to join Fairy Tail, so I’m taking her out on her test. Ever, this is Krystal. If you have a magical vehicle that needs a fix or an upgrade, she’s your woman. She’s really handy with all sorts of machinery, though, not just MVs.”

“Keep talking like that and you’re liable to make a girl blush,” Krystal said as she wiped her hands off on a rag. “Let me guess - you’re here to pick up your Beaut?”

“You know it!” Leos replied. “Ever and I aren’t headed far - we’re just going to the Chamingu Forest, but we’re in a bit of a hurry.”

“Heh, figures. She’s in her usual spot.” Krystal lead the two other Mages past the pink convertible to a door in the back. Through that door was the part of the garage where magical vehicles were stored. At present, there were four cars, five motorcycles, and a buggy. Barely paying attention to any of the other vehicles, Leos strode past all the cars to get to one of the motorcycles.

“There she is!” Leos gave the fuel tank of Beaut, his bike, a caress - the kind of caress one would give to a lover. Beaut was the biggest motorcycle in the garage. Its chrome bits were especially shiny, and its body was painted in a shimmery blue that was only a shade darker than Leos’s hair. Lightning bolts were painted along its sides, and a pair of fingerless, leather gloves hung from the handlebars on cords.

Beaming, Leos turned around to face Ever and Krystal. His clear, blue eyes were on Ever’s face. “This is Beaut. She’ll get us where we need to go, in a jiffy.”

 

[AmandaAce]

Leos left the bar, walking so briskly that Ever had to double her strides to keep up. He cut a swath through the crowd of Mages like a ship through water, and she trotted close behind him, trying to close the distance between them.

She couldn’t, but it didn’t matter, because he finally stopped and waited for her once they reached a building down the street. Ever barely had time to look up at the sign, which was painted with a Guild symbol and a tire, before Leos was ushering her into the building, a garage of some sort, and introducing her to the mechanic, a friendly woman named Krystal.

Ever had been on a vehicle before. Amberson Joox had an enchanted tractor that he let the local children ride around in the back fields. Her father had had an old truck that he had rigged to a wagon for them to use to take goods into the City. She knew vehicles, but she had never seen a magical vehicle like the one Krystal was working on. It was as pink as bubble gum and it sparkled with magic.

Ever stared as Krystal led them through a door and into another section that was filled with beautiful, shiny cars and bikes. She stopped to look at them, but Leos kept going, striding towards the back of the shop. At the end of the row was parked the largest, shiniest bike of them all. Leos reached it, and laid a hand on the shimmering, dark blue body of it. It was as good looking as he was, and Ever couldn’t decide which one she wanted to touch more.

He turned to look at Ever. The strength of his clear, blue gaze nearly made her blush again.

“This is Beaut,” he said. “She’ll get us where we need to go, in a jiffy.”

“Is it safe?” Ever asked. She didn’t care. He could have told her it was going to crash and burn up as soon as they left the garage, and she would still have gotten on that bike.

“Safer than safe,” Krystal said from behind her. Ever had completely forgotten she was there. She turned to face the mechanic.

“Leos is the best rider in Dawn City. You’ll be fine,” Krystal continued. “Just hold on tight.”

“Hold on to what?” Ever asked.

Krystal’s freckled face crinkled, and she let out a chuckle. “To him,” she said. She threw her towel over her shoulder and strode back out into the main room.

Ever turned back around slowly. Leos was still standing there next to the huge bike, grinning at her. She took a deep breath.

“Okay,” she said to him. “Okay, let’s go.”

 

[BewareTheDream]

Leos swung a long leg over Beaut’s seat and settled down, his weight barely causing the bike to bounce. The amount of Jewels he had spent to upgrade his ride would have shocked most people, so of course it had the best shock absorbers that Krystal could find. Once he was comfortable, he picked up the two gloves hanging from the high handlebars and slipped them on. Instantly, he felt a coolness at his palms, for the gloves began to draw his Magic Power out of his body and convert it into fuel.

“There you go,” Leos whispered to the bike as though it were a living thing. “Drink your fill, girl.” Before long, his hands felt cold, even though the rest of his body felt warm. The gloves always made his hands feel like that. Whenever he fueled up Beaut, he couldn’t help but think of it as a Magic vampire who fed off his Magic Power. Sure, that thought was creepy, but Leos liked the idea that the bike couldn’t run without him.

He flipped the switch that turned on Beaut’s engine. VAROOM! The garage filled with the sound of the engine roaring to life. An instant or two later, the sound dropped to a low purr. Leos turned toward Ever, grinned, and revved the engine a couple of times just for effect.

“C’mon, Ever. Plenty of room for two.” Playfully and invitingly, he patted the black leather of the seat behind him. It was true - the motorcycle’s seat was designed for two.

What Krystal said was also true - Ever would have to hold onto Leos during the ride. What she discovered by doing so was that his body felt as solid as a tree trunk. He felt warm, too. And because his button-up shirt was wide open, there was a very good chance that her hands would press up against his naked muscles no matter how she held onto him.

There was a row of lockers against the wall nearby. Each of the locker doors had a rectangle of yellowish tape stuck to the top of them. One of the doors - the one with the name ‘Leos’ scrawled onto its tape - swung open, manipulated by the invisible fingers of the Telekinetic Mage’s abilities. The inside of the door had multiple pictures of pin-up girls taped to it, some in bikinis, some dressed like scantily-clad Wizards, and all of them smiling.

A pair of broad-lensed sunglasses floated out from the locker and drifted lazily through the air before they came in for an easy landing right on Leos’s face.

“Hey, Krystal! Open the door, would ya!” he called out as he adjusted his shade and checked himself out on one of the circular mirrors attached to his bike’s handlebars. There was no response from the mechanic, who was busy repairing the pink convertible out front. Grumbling, Leos glanced at the garage door controls, did a finger gun gesture toward them, and then used telekinesis to press the ‘Up’ button. The mechanical door started to rise, letting more and more sunlight into the garage as it did.

Once the door was open all the way, Leos revved the engine one more time. “Okay, Ever, here we go!” he said over his shoulder. It may have seemed as though he was going to peel out of the garage, but he didn’t. Instead, he drove onto the Dawn City streets at an almost leisurely speed. After all, the city had strict rules about the operation of magical vehicles within its limits, and Leos and Ever weren’t in so much of a hurry that he’d risk getting in trouble with the law.

So the two of them had a nice, easy ride to the nearest gate. They passed by a few horses, a few wagons, and plenty of people, many of whom stared at them and the lightning-adorned motorcycle they rode upon. When they got to the gate, the guards let them pass without question. And when the paved streets turned into a wide, dirt road beyond the walls, Leos sped up, but not by much. They really didn’t have far to go, and he didn’t want the ride to be uncomfortable for Ever. But if she asked to go faster, he would.

The ride was a good opportunity to discuss strategy for their quest. “Time for a pop quiz: Imagine you’ve got a 10-foot tall, 2-headed ogre charging right toward you. He’s 30 feet away and closing in fast. In one hand he’s got a boulder, and in the other hand he’s got an uprooted tree.

“What would you do?” Leos asked this as they drove past a huge field of golden wheat. Both of them could see that there were only a few more farms between them and the Chamingu Forest.

 

[AmandaAce]

Ever slid on to the bike seat behind Leos. There was plenty of room, but in order to get her arms around him, she had to press herself against his back. He was so big, her head barely came up to his shoulder. She slid her arms around his waist and held on, trying not to think about the fact that her hands were pressed up against his bare, muscled stomach.

Ever watched as Leos used his magic to put on his sunglasses and open the door. He was such a show off, she thought, but for some reason it didn’t bother her. Probably because he was ridiculously handsome, but also because there was no malice in it. He had an ego the size of the moon, like Durham had said, but he was still a nice guy.

They rolled out into the street, and Ever squinted in the sunlight. Leos maneuvered the bike carefully to the gate. People in the street watched as the huge, glittering vehicle went by. The guards let them through the gate, and they were off.

The road outside the gate gave way from cobbles to dirt. Leos sped up a bit, and Ever tightened her grip. The fields whizzed by, red and golden in the afternoon sunlight.

“Time for a pop quiz: Imagine you’ve got a 10-foot tall, 2-headed ogre charging right toward you. He’s 30 feet away and closing in fast. In one hand he’s got a boulder, and in the other hand he’s got an uprooted tree. What would you do?” Leos asked.

Kick him in the nuts, Ever thought. She didn’t say that, though.

“Umm,” she said. The bike wove down the road, between golden fields of wheat. The forest loomed dark green ahead of them.

“I would cast Green Flash on the tree,” she answered. “Wind the roots around its arm and throat. Use the roots to make it smack its head off the boulder. Would that work?”

 

[BewareTheDream]

“If you think it’ll work, then it’ll work,” Leos said, matter-of-factly.

It may have sounded like an overly simplistic way of looking at something so deep and wonderful, but it was actually a fundamental truth of Magic - if you believe in Magic enough, it can accomplish the impossible. It was with that truth that Leos was able to use his Telekinetic Magic to simulate a feather-light touch or smash a boulder into bits, some Fire Mages were able to use their flames to lift objects without setting them on fire, and Wizards of all other sorts were able to push the bounds of reality.

That truth was easy to explain, but difficult to wrap one’s head around. It took Leos years of rigorous training and study just to begin to understand it. And of all the Wizards around the world, only a few truly grasped it. At least, that’s what Liora and Aranfel, his twin mentors, told him.

Even though Leos drove down the wide, dirt road at an easy clip, his bike still kicked up a cloud of dust behind them. Raising his voice so he could be heard over Beaut’s engine, he continued to strategize with Ever. “On the off chance that your Green Flash move doesn’t knock out the ogre, use your Magic to hold it still for a few seconds, and then I’ll rush in and kick his ass. I’m wasn’t kidding about the two heads. It’s basically like fighting two ogres, so it’ll probably take both of us to take it down.”

Remembering how the two-headed monster quite literally sent him flying with a single, massive punch reignited Leos’s anger. Not only that, but his jaw was still bruised and sore. Although he would’ve liked to beat the ogre up (or was it “ogres”, plural, since it had two heads?) by himself in the rematch, teaming up with another Wizard to take it down for sure was the smarter option. Besides, payback was payback.

The two of them passed by multiple farms on both sides of the road. On their right were fields blanketed in white - the cotton that Dawn City was famous for. On their left were fields covered in edible crops, like wheat that was tall enough to reach Leos’s pecs, or corn stalks that reached higher than his spiky, blue hair. All of Dawn City’s farmland was magically protected and enhanced by Wizards who utilized Green Magic, like Ever.

The Chamingu Forest was already within sight and growing bigger. In only a few minutes, the two bike-riding Wizards would disappear among the ancient forest’s trees.

“Where do you live?” Leos asked out of nowhere. Between strategy or small talk, he didn’t want them to ride in silence. “I mean, you’re new in Dawn City, right? Or have you been around here for a while?”

 

[AmandaAce]

Ever nodded as Leos confirmed their strategy. It was possible that her magic wouldn’t take the ogre out, but it was equally as possible that it would take out the entire forest. Despite a great deal of natural talent, Ever hadn’t been practicing long enough to be able to control her spells in any reliable way.

Her father, Seb, had been rigorous in his control, able to isolate the smallest leaf of the smallest vine of a plant three fields away. Ever’s magic was brute, unfocused strength. Never’s magic was - strange. Strong, but indeterminate. Their mother had wanted to send them to school, had intended to find a teacher for both of them, but when she died, they had been forced to stay on the farm. Ever had barely learned any magic, except for what Seb had managed to teach her in the months before he became too ill. Never had learned none at all.

She wasn’t worried, though. Leos was clearly quite capable (and very big), and between the two of them she was sure that they would be able to take the monster down. Their plan had to work, really. So it would.

“Where do you live?” Leos asked. “I mean, you’re new in Dawn City, right? Or have you been around here for a while?”

“I’ve been to the City before,” she replied, “but not often.”

The trees of Chamingu Forest were tall in the distance, and getting taller as the bike approached. They whizzed easily past cotton and fields of wheat and tall corn. Ever could see small cottages, much like her own, placed at the corners, so that the Green Wizards could more easily place and tend their spells. She tightened her grip around Leos’ waist and spoke louder, over the sound of the engine.

“We have a farm in the Eastern Fields,” she continued. “It’s just my brother, Never, and I.”

They passed a field of tall sunflowers. The edge of the forest was close in front of them.

“What about you?” she asked him. “Were you born here?”

 

[BewareTheDream]

“Nope!” Leos replied over the growls of his bike. “I was born way out east, in Akane Beach. I’ve been in Dawn City - let’s see - three or four months, now.”

Akane Beach was the most popular tourist city in the kingdom of Fiore. It was known for its bright beaches filled with fit, summer bodies, and for the way the lights from its amusement parks, hotels, and restaurants made the city sparkle at night like a chest full of gems. It made sense that Leos was from Akane, for if the place had an avatar, it would've looked like him.

“You got a brother, huh? Older, younger? Or are you twins?” Because of they were named Ever and Never, Leos figured they were twins.

The two Wizards drove past the last of the farms. They also passed by a few travelers on horseback, in wagons, or on foot, all of whom were headed in the opposite direction - toward safety. There weren’t that many hours of daylight left, and regular folks generally didn’t like being outside the walls at night. No, only Wizards, mercenaries, and other crazies would willingly remain on the wrong side of the walls when the sun went down.

Leos didn’t tell Ever anything more about the ogre they were hunting. He figured she’d learn everything she needed to know when she saw it.

*****

Leos and Ever hiked deep within the Chamingu Forest. Because Beaut was noisy, and because where they were going was off the road, they left the Magic-fueled motorcycle near the edge of the forest, hidden beneath a pile of branches and leaves. Leos had tracked the ogre to its lair earlier that day, so he lead the way from there.

It was getting dark within the Chamingu. There were at least another couple hours of daylight left, but the trees that towered above them blocked much of the light and made it look as though twilight had come early. But despite the dim light, the two of them were able to find their target in no time at all, because they just had to follow what sounded like two monsters arguing.

“We don’t need ta cook it!” one voice bellowed. “Lemme eat it as it is!”

“Don’t be daft!” yelled another deep voice. “Meat tastes better when it’s cooked! It’s healthier, too. The fire burns away any nasties. Why do we always gotta argue about this?!”

“Because I never agreed that meat tastes better cooked! It’s better raw, like nature intended!”

Some birds, startled by the yelling, burst out of an especially large tree that stood between Leos, Ever, and the source of the commotion. The two Wizards crept to that same tree, hid behind it, and then peered around its trunk to see who was arguing. What they saw was the ogre - the objective of their quest - standing in the middle of its camp. In front of it was an unlit campfire. Behind it was a simple, ogre-sized tent that looked like it had been weathered by many years of use. Beside the campfire were the carcasses of two deer.

“Yep, that’s him,” Leos whispered. “Or, I guess, that’s them.”

The monster was at least twice as tall and twice as thick as Leos. It had twice the number of heads, too. The two heads were the ones arguing. The head on the left had a rhino-like horn protruding from his forehead, and the head on the right had only one eye, like a cyclops. The ogre’s body was a combination of fat and brawn - it had a big, bare gut, but its arms bulged with muscle. If not for a kilt made of animal hide, the monster would have been naked.

The two heads continued to argue while Leos and Ever watched. After several seconds, the ogre picked up a couple of thick sticks and started using them to light the fire. It was at that point that Leos ducked behind the tree and got Ever’s attention.

“Now’s the time to get ‘em,” he said. He stretched his neck with some head rolls, then he followed up by stretching his fingers and his arms. He made it seem like they were about to engage in a friendly sparring session, rather than get into a life-or-death battle with a dual-headed monster.

Once he was done stretching, Leos looked Ever in the eye and smiled. “You ready for this?” He sure looked ready.

 

[AmandaAce]

Ever peered around one side of the massive tree trunk, her eyes wide. The ogre was huge, as Leos had said, tall and solid as a tree, with two equally ugly heads, one with a tough horn, the other with one monstrous eye.

It stank. Even from twenty feet away, it stank, powerfully, of dirt and blood and rotten meat and who knew what else.

Leos watched from the other side, both wizards watching for an opening as the monster bickered loudly with itself - between it’s selves - and rummaged up two large sticks to start its fire.

Leos ducked behind the tree and tapped Ever on the shoulder. She turned to face him. “Now’s the time to get em,” he said.

He stretched his neck and shoulders, and Ever tried again not to stare at his impressive physique. She could hear the ogre thumping wood around, could smell the thin smoke of the new fire.

“You ready?” he asked her with a grin.

She nodded. She supposed so.

The two of them peered around the tree again, this time on the same side. The ogre was standing over the still holding one of the sticks.

“I smell something funny,” the horned head said. It lifted its nose to the air and sniffed loudly.

“Shut up!” The other head said.

“But I do! Smells like -“

The ogre turned around in circle, sniffing.

“Smells like - wizards!” It bellowed, pointing directly at the tree they stood behind.

It lifted the stick and started toward them. Ever, startled, flung her hands out.

“Green Flash!” she shouted. The ends of the stick erupted with new growth that spiraled out of the cut wood and around the ogre’s arm.

 

[BewareTheDream]

Ever’s Green Flash worked! The ogre’s branch-wielding arm and torso got enwrapped by wild growth, and that arm got pinned to its body. If it were smarter, it would’ve immediately realized that it still had one free arm with which to attempt to free itself. Either that, or it could have used its free arm to defend itself against the two Wizards it had sniffed out. But it wasn’t that smart, so instead of trying to free or defend itself, its two heads got to arguing.

“Look what you did, stupid!” the horned head shouted.

“I didn’t do nuthin’!’ the one-eyed head whined. “The stick do this by itself! And don’t call me stupid, stupid!”

“How it do that?!”

“I dunno. Maybe it’s dee-feck-tive!” Finally realizing that it had a free hand, the dual-headed ogre reached for vines that bound it. But by then, it was too late.

Unlike the monster, Leos didn’t waste any time. He sprung out from his hiding place, flung his hands forward, and got a solid, telekinetic grip of a branch on an old tree behind the ogre. Bark splintered, wood cracked, and the Mage grimaced as he mentally wrestled with the huge, thick branch until it snapped free. His improvised club was even bigger and heavier than the one trapped in the ogre’s grip, yet the way it floated through the air made it seem like it was as light as could be.

With the branch now within his magical, invisible fingers, Leos swung it at the ogre’s legs like a giant baseball bat. Much of it shattered when it smashed into the backs of both knees. In unison, both ogre heads screamed out in pain and surprise as their legs crumbled, and the whole monster toppled to the ground with enough force to make both Leos and Ever bounce a little.

Again, Leos wasted no time. Once the ogre crashed onto its back, he used the shattered remains of his floating club to repeatedly bash at both heads, one after the other. He telekinetically lifted the biggest rock he could spot and used that to bash at heads, too.

“I don’t know how well you handle the sight of blood, so you might want to look away,” he said to Ever, his voice raised so he could be heard over the thwack thwack thwack coming from a short distance away. The two heads groaned under the brutal beating, but that noise stopped after a few hits, each. And soon thereafter, the sharp, heavy sound of wood and stone striking skulls gave way to a wetter, messier sound. Leos continued the bashing for several seconds before stopping, just to be sure.

“Whew.” Leos tossed his now bloody weapons away, and they disappeared among the trees. Even though he didn’t do anything physical, there was some sweat on his brow, which he swiped away using a muscular forearm. “That went a whole lot better than my first meeting with it.” He grinned, big and bright, at Ever. “See? We make a good team!”

His grin disappeared when he was reminded how much the area stank. “Wuff! It stinks worse now that it’s dead.” Reaching into a back pocket, he removed a bandana that had the words ‘Dawn City’ sewn into it in bright red thread. He tied the bandana around his face so that it covered his nose and mouth. The covering only helped a little with the smell.

Leos approached the ogre corpse, tip-toeing over blood and brain matter that had splattered upon the ground or shrubs. It took him less than a minute to find what he was looking for - the bloody and only slightly cracked horn from one of the ogre’s heads.

“Sweet!” he exclaimed as he picked the horn up with his telekinesis. “This is all we need to claim the reward.” Once again tip-toeing around blood and brain bits, he made his way back to Ever. “Mission accomplished!”

Victorious, the two Wizards were free to return to Leos’s bike and then leave the Chamingu. The forest seemed more pleasant now that their job was done. And once they were away from the dead monster’s camp, the foulness of the air got replaced by floral scents and other pleasant smells of the wilderness. Nocturnal birds and insects chirped and buzzed around them, celebrating the coming of night. Night may have been well on its way, but the two Wizards were on their way out.