The smile Madgick gives me seems to radiate, and lights up her tired features. I know I am probably beaming right back at her. My friend is okay. She's actually okay.

"Araya, thank the stars, you're alright!" Madgick says joyously. "I was so worried that you could be ... that you were ..." Madgick's face crumples with emotion, and I hug her tighter.

"Don't worry, Madge. It's over now. Thank the First Mage, it's over." She smiles through her tears.

"Oh, and for the record, I'm glad you're okay, too." Madgick stares at me for a moment, before bursting into fits of laughter. After a confused moment passes, I join her. We hiccup and giggle, and are soon out of breath. Madgick heaves, and we both start cackling again. I'm not sure why, but it feels good to laugh after all these days of misery. To laugh until my side hurts. To joke about n—

"I'm sorry, girls, but there are things we must discuss." We glance back at Vincent, who is looking upon us with a stern but fond expression. Madgick hurriedly composes herself, and I get the surprising impression that she's trying to appear cool. Madgick nods.

"I want to know everything. Like why is Araya with you, brother? And what are all the soldiers doing standing behind you?" Vincent sighs.

"I think we should let your friend tell you what happened to her first. Then I'll tell you about our ... complicated past." He gestures for me to begin, which I do with a smile.

I tell Madgick about what happened after she escaped. How Captain Val Cath was furious, and ordered his guards to bring me up to the rooftop. I tell her about how they held me over the edge of the roof, and were about to drop me. She looks horrified at this news, and opens her mouth to interject, but I raise my hand to cut her off. I think it's better if I continue on. I explain how all of a sudden a random man arrived just as I was about to die, and enquired about his sister, who, of course, turned out to be Madgick. Val Cath was utterly shocked to see Vincent standing there, and ordered his men to help me back onto the building as per Vincent's demands. I was so confused. How did this man know Madgick? Was he really related to her? If so, how in Alyncia would he know Val Cath, a Valdorian from another world entirely! I peppered them both with questions, but was ignored. The two men seemed to be in a heated conversation, and Val Cath became increasingly agitated.

"You know it is the truth, Val Cath," Vincent said at one point. "That is what happened. You know I don't wan—" Before he could finish his sentence, Val Cath lunged at him. However, before Madgick's brother could be harmed, a soldier darted forward to restrain the captain.

"Let go of me!" Val Cath screamed, but the soldier did not obey.

"We are honoured to be in your presence, Sir Elios," the soldier said. The other men nodded, and knelt to the ground. The soldier holding Val Cath forced him to kneel as well, though he struggled relentlessly. Soon I was the only one standing, apart from Madgick's supposed brother. I felt a blush creep onto my skin, and slowly lowered myself to join the Valdorians.

"There is no need to kneel. I am not some king." Elios waved his hand dismissively, and we clambered to our feet.

"Now, where is Madgick? I need to know she is safe." The Valdorians shifted their weight, and wouldn't meet Elios's gaze. His fierce emerald eyes finally met mine.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Araya, sir."

"Do you know where my sister is, Araya Sir?"

"Er ... it's just Araya, sir." My eyes widened. "Oh, I get it!" Elios laughed good naturedly, and was soon joined by the soldiers.

"Forgive me," he said at last. "I'm only playing with you. But what would life be without a bit of humour?" I nod meekly.

"So, my sister..."

"I'm not sure if Madgick's ok. I HOPE she is. She escaped from the warehouse. But ... Val Cath fired a strange human weapon at her. There was a lot of blood." I stare down at my feet. Why didn't I stop Madgick? If I had simply stayed away from her on that street, maybe none of this would have happened. But, selfish as it sounds, I'm glad she and I became friends.

Elios's features hardened into an expression of pure hatred. He turned, tackled Val Cath from the soldier's grasp, and flung him to the ground, as if he weighed nothing.

"If Madgick is dead, Val Cath, I will make you regret every stepping foot into this world. I will destroy everyone and everything you care about, and make you watch as they die. And then I will destroy you." He grasped some of Val Cath's unhelmetted brown hair, and wrenched him to his feet. "Is that clear?"

Val Cath seemed unfazed. He tutted disapprovingly. "Not very heroic of you, Elios."

"Vincent! My name is Vincent!"

"How very human." Val Cath smiled.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but should we not be looking for my friend?" I asked quietly. Elios — Vincent — startled, as if he had forgotten I was there at all. He composed himself.

"Yes, I think that would be smart. I need to explain some things to her."

"Like how you're actually Valdorian royalty or something?" I blurted. Val Cath guffawed.

"Did you hear that?" he asked the soldiers. "Royalty, she says!"

"No, I'm not a Valdor family member," Vincent said calmly. "I'm simply a Valdorian citizen who possesses unusual powers."

"Like what?" Madgick asks breathlessly, breaking me from my story. I'm suddenly back in the run-down city street, surrounded by guards, Madgick and Vincent. I turn greofly to face my friend.

"Like the power to destroy us all."