Romeo hums, lacing his fingers together thoughtfully as he tries to summon the right words to explain the weird statement he just made.

After a moment, he nods and looks at Jesse. "Alright, I'll try to explain this simply. So you know about your heart, and how as long as it exists in Cosmos, you won't die. Yes?"

Jesse nods. "Yes."

It was one of the first things explained to them, so... yes, they get it.

"And how soul magic was made illegal?"

"Yes."

"Okay." Romeo crooks one finger, making an image swim over his face in the mirror.

For a moment, Jesse looks over their shoulder to make sure there isn't a shadowy figure standing behind them, but thankfully it just seems to be in the mirror.

"A century or two ago, the first woman lord of Cosmos began to rule Hizelk. Her name was Himira."

The image changes to show the shadowy woman talking to people, although a little glowing heart that's in her center seems to be cracking. "Ivor warned her that being chosen as the first woman lord would be a huge burden, as people would try to give her more trouble and heckle her back out of her role. She didn't listen."

"And she began to pay the price."

Jesse is holding the mirror tightly as the image changes to show the heart splitting into three pieces. "Himira knew that if she kept up trying to help the people of Hizelk the way she was, she was going to run herself ragged. And she thought 'what if'," and now three more figures are forming, one around the pieces of the heart, "'what if I were three people running the district instead?'"

"It took a lot of pleading and teaching. Ivor gave in eventually; he did think Himira was the best fit for the job, despite how much doubt was going around about the world's judgement, but they managed to use a spell to split Himira's soul and heart into three separate beings."

Jesse watches as the image splits into a triangle of sorts, each person being illuminated faintly by a role, almost like the sun glowing through a sunlit stained glass window."One would be in charge of leading the army and the guards, one was in charge of diplomacy, and primarily for dealing with the people and holding court, and the final piece would be to help the people so that everyone would be happy."

"But what neither of them expected, is for the fragments of Himira's soul and heart to begin developing their own souls."

Mevia, Harper, and Isa appear. "They still share the same heart, and killing one will result in the other two dying, but for all intents and purposes Himira has disappeared, and she is now three different women. Soul magic was outlawed after that; if your soul could be completely consumed by a new soul like that after splitting it, can you imagine the consequences?"

So soul magic being outlawed is a... somewhat recent occurrence.

Romeo is absentmindedly speaking now, although his voice is still audible. "While they technically share bits and pieces of the same soul, undoing the spell at this point is near nigh impossible and would, in fact, be using soul magic to reverse it, which isn't possible because of how... different the souls are. They may share similarities, but they are no longer the same soul."

The images dissipate, revealing Romeo's face.

Jesse holds still, still clinging to the mirror as they consider this entire thing rather thoughtfully. "... So Harper, Isa, and Mevia are all technically... Himira?"

They blink a moment later. "... did Himira just take the first three letters of her name and assign random names based on that?" they ask, releasing the mirror and making a few gestures.

Lukas hums, making them twist around to look back at him. "Actually, I think the story goes that Ivor kept referring to her as Himira and they'd all respond 'yes' simultaneously, so after a while he got sort of exasperated and just pointed and went "H, I, M. Pick names based on that."

"The story going that way is true, I asked Ivor and he halfheartedly grumbled something about it being the most annoying thing he'd ever had to deal with in his many years of life," Petra replies drily.

Jesse gets a little fit of the giggles at that.

Romeo rolls his eyes. "He's the wisest out of all of us, and yet somehow I repeatedly forget how practical the man can be. Anyhow, is there any reason you called me?"

He pauses. "Or was it an accident? Since Jesse's new to magic and I figured Gill and Aiden were going along and they're no great shakes at magic-"

Aiden gives him a withering glare that, unsurprisingly, leaves Romeo not too withered.

"- I just made it so that you had to call my name and wait before the call went through." He pauses, before frowning. "I feel like that sounds more like a human invention."

Jesse would tell him that it's basically the telephone, or alternatively Siri, but someone else beats them to speaking.

"Oh, then it was an accident. I mentioned you in conversation," Petra says somewhat apologetically.

He nods, apparently not seeming all that put-out by it. "I figured. In the future, if you wish to call me, just say my name and then wait for a minute. Even a pause of a second and a half will do. I can end the call, so don't worry, I won't bother you incessantly."

"Got it," Lukas says respectfully (although Jesse swears they can hear Aiden mutter 'good' under his breath). "Thanks."

"Of course." The lord pauses again, brow furrowing, before red and gold eyes flicker to them. "Did Stella mention something about a group of burglars in Hizelk?"

Aiden gives a loud groan, his apparent goodwill leaving. "Ugh, this again. Look, if Stella didn't get it, you should. You're our lord. We can handle a bunch of run-of-the-mill bandits. The corpses in Narvid are good evidence," he retorts.

Romeo ignores his tone. "You can handle run-of-the-mill bandits. Yes. But can you handle ones that deal with magic?"

"Magic?" Maya's leaning forward now, brow furrowing. "Hizelkian people don't have a good handle on magic. Not like in Enchantra. Not enough for their scheme to work every time, like what Stella said."

The demon lord gives a shrug. "Say what you will, but that's what the reports are indicating. The robberies tend to occur quite close to Sky City, so you should still make it on time and not have to spend the night in a tree-"

"Again," Gill chimes in.

Romeo raises his eyes to the sky. "Dear lord, you children. Fine, again, but do be wary when dealing with them. Only two of you are skilled in magic, and the other four... well..." He pauses, perhaps trying to find a better way than simply saying 'you're all terrible', especially considering Jesse's blinking at the mirror.

"I think we can handle it, if we've got Lukas and Maya," Aiden replies bluntly, ignoring Romeo's hesitation.

The lord regards the six of them for a moment- Maya, standing crookedly even though he can't see the bruise on her leg, Gill, who (in all fairness) does resemble half a panda, Aiden, whose bruise creeps onto his neck despite the heating spell Lukas keeps renewing, Jesse, clutching the magic mirror with Reuben leaning over to look at them, Petra with one hand on her hip, Lukas with his blindfold over his eyes and his arms crossed in a way that betrays a vague, cloudy sort of concern.

His final words to them stay with Jesse long after the mirror reverts to Jesse's big green eyes staring down at a reflective surface.

"If you say so."


Hizelk is different from Narvid.

Jesse hasn't been paying too much attention to the scenery while travelling, but now that they've slowed down again Jesse can spot noticeable differences.

Instead of tall trees with black trunks, the trunks faded from black to gray to pure white, the leaves red or black or (occasionally) also white, leaving the red grass looking too stark against ghostly beautiful wending shapes against the red sky or red and black foliage, and Jesse can also spot white flowering vines swaying in the breeze.

Aiden seems to like the perfume that permeates the air, faint enough that if Jesse really inhales, I mean really breathes in deep and closes their eyes, they can smell a whiff of jasmine and chocolate and rose perfume dancing on the air before the wind steals it away for themselves.

"Is that from the flowers?"

He looks around at them, looking curiously at where his usually stony face has softened. It hardens again, but only slightly. "The ones on the vines? Yeah, they're called Rayiha. Pretty sure it's an old language that literally means scent."

Reuben is sniffing the air happily too, which makes Jesse hum and run a hand over the little pig. "Are there any bad effects from Rayiha flowers, then?"

"From just smelling them? No. Eating them, yes. Don't eat the flowers. Some flowers are edible, but not these. You'd much rather have your insides dipped in lava than eat these," he warns them. "Some demons get ideas because they smell like they're edible."

Jesse sniffs. "Yeah, 's a bit like tea."

Aiden pauses. "Well, you're not wrong. Don't eat anything with Rayiha flowers in it. To put it simply, you'll be pretty badly poisoned to the point of near-death, and then you choke to death because Rayiha decides 'oh, we've fucked up your systems, now let's put you out of your misery.' It can be stopped or slowed down, but magic and potions tend to speed it up."

"Look at you, being all magicky over here," Lukas teases him.

Aiden rolls his eyes at the blonde half-demon in reply. "I've only seen herbal treatments do any good, and even then it's a very limited amount of 'good' that it's doing."

A moment later, he abruptly realizes who he's explaining this to, and his stony expression returns. "Either way, just don't eat or get Rayiha flowers in your bloodstream. It's not pleasant," he mutters gruffly.

Jesse hums, admiring the eerily white blossoms with a black center regardless. "I'll be sure to remember that," they reply seriously.

Abruptly, Bob comes to a screeching halt, snorting loudly. Reuben gives a little oink as Jesse accidentally squashes him a little.

He's not the only one to stop. Petra stops as well, scanning the flowered vines and the ghostly trees, brow furrowing until she looks downright suspicious.

"Pet-?" Jesse begins, but Lukas puts his finger to his lips, so the human contents themselves with carefully sliding off of Bob.

The horse butts his nose against their face, the heat of the flames from his mane momentarily brushing their face, before disappearing in a soft crack and wisp of light that Jesse suspects might be in order to avoid being noticed. Reuben hovers in midair for a moment before Jesse hops up and catches him to avoid having the little pig plop onto the floor.

Petra is still suspiciously scanning the path ahead. Maya's shoulder is pressing against Gill's, but unlike how he'd usually push her away and complain that she's invading his personal space, and then she'd snap back it was his own fault (Jesse was vaguely certain they were flirting somewhat, but then again what would they know about relationships?), neither of them say a thing about it.

Then:

"Hey. Stop lurking and come out here."

Petra's blunt words echo in the air for only a moment.

And then, without any warning, Jesse blinks and a ring of people in dark clothing have surrounded them. Many of them, to Jesse's relief, are holding gnarled wooden staffs or short sticks that very much resemble wands.

So hopefully there won't be as much blood and gore and death as last time.

Aiden crosses his arms, regarding the ring of people evenly. "Oh, well, it looks like we're popular today. Let me guess, we've got a toll to pay?"

A woman that Jesse can only assume is the leader (she's got shiny embroiderings on her dark clothing; each moving forward sends colored light dancing across the ground) steps forward, spreading her arms in an almost expansive gesture. "Actually, we have a deal to make with you."

"Does this deal involve giving up all our stuff?" Petra asks, as flat as a pancake.

"Funny enough, it does, but we're reasonable people. Not as... kind as Jupin's people, perhaps, but, well," the leader of the robbers gives a dry grin, red eyes gleaming in the light, "we have magic, it's only fair that we do something with it."

"Plus we're bored," another demon pipes up.

Jesse is seized with the odd desire to laugh at that.

"So how about this? If even one member of your party is able to resist a quick blast of our magic, we'll leave you be. Else... we'll have to have you hand over everything that's of interest to us. Money, supplies, anything valuable..."

The demon shrugs. "You know, we've got to make a living somehow."

"Owning a shop in town could probably make more regular revenue," Maya mumbles sardonically.

Aiden rolls his eyes. "You're not handling the right people," he calls to the leader. "We'll just handle your blast of magic in a jiffy and then be on our way to Sky City."

"Don't brag, Aiden," Lukas murmurs back, his head turning slightly to look at his friend. "You're not the one with a higher magic resistance."

"Be that as it may," the leader calls to them airily, either ignoring the whispering or just not caring, "we still do need you to have the test. Pick whoever you'd like and put them in the center of the circle, and then come over to us- we'd so hate for you to get caught in the crossfire."

Somehow, they're fairly certain that none of the robbers would really care.

Jesse more senses Lukas's movement forward than sees it, and their eyes flicker over to confirm it. "Lukas..."

Maya waves Jesse off. "Lukas has a really high magic resistance, considering he's a half-demon. He can usually handle a general wave of magic in his direction without having to worry about any repercussions afterwards."

"... oh."

For some reason, Jesse still has a bad feeling, but they obediently let Lukas shuffle into the center as the others retreat to the sidelines, Petra retaining firm hold on them in case any of the other demons care to bother them.

From what it looks like, the red-and-black clothing is working wonders, as most of the other demons barely even look twice at them.

The blonde half-demon looks much lonelier surrounded by all the dark figures. A heavy weight settles on their shoulders as the bad feeling grows worse.

And then a moment later, they realize that the heavy weight isn't actually just emotion or worry, it's an actual weight, and they open their mouth to ask what is going on.

Not a full second later, Lukas is blasted backwards.

Jesse gives an involuntary cry as the blonde half-demon tumbles backwards, does a sort of flip, and lands on one knee, coughing weakly for breath as though he's been completely winded.

His hands splay against the ground, fingerless gloves steadily getting stained a darker color as dark red leaks out of the corner of his mouth.

"Oh, what a shame." The leader of this group gives him a mocking pout, lowering the staff slightly as he regards the blonde half-demon. "It looks like you're not as tough with magic as you thought you were, huh."

Maya's face has gone white at where Lukas is now coughing, looking winded as blood dribbles out from between his lips.

She's not the only one; Aiden looks actually worried for once and Gill's hand has tightened on his gun.

Jesse looks over at Petra; the redhead's hand has tightened on her shoulder. The weight is slightly heavier now, but Jesse is relieved to find it's not any more crushing than before.

"What the... Lukas has the highest magic resistance in the whole group," Petra mumbles to herself, looking as though she's not even noticing Jesse and Reuben's worried expressions from how she's gazing at the half-demon struggle back to his feet, breathing ragged.

The next thing Petra says makes a cold hand wrap around Jesse's heart and squeeze it.

"If Lukas was taken down in a single shot by this magic, the rest of us don't stand a chance."


A/N: Oh dear.

Replies to reviews!

LegendEmpress: Heh, fair.

TheAmberShadow: Yep! / They're just nameless. Hizelk is a district that focuses more on art, beauty, and building. Magnus and Porkchop wouldn't really care to stay there; or use magic. / Explained :3 / Yes. / You haven't; Merry belated Christmas to you as well!

That's all for now! See ya, so long, and g'bye!

x.X. A.L. X.x