"You know, Emily… all jokes aside, that wasn't funny. I could've died from misinformation," Luminous said.
"Really? I could've been chopped into tiny fairy pieces before you even woke up, and that would've been the least of your problems," Emily retorted.
"I can't apologize for falling asleep. It's one of the basic human needs," he said.
"I wonder if we don't need to have life first before thinking of naps," she said, pretending to ponder it like she was planning to wipe out humanity with that logic alone.
"Still… umm… I… uhhh… can't know everything that goes on when I'm asleep," Luminous muttered, clearly realizing he was about to lose this verbal argument.
"And here I thought dragons were the greatest beings in the galaxy." Emily rolled her eyes dramatically.
"Firstly, I'm a dragonkin."
"Same thing, asshole."
"Rude."
"Nah, I'm just spicy."
"Yeah, I don't swing that way."
"Huh? Swing? What's a swing? And what way is it supposed to go exactly?"
"Umm… that's… a lot of questions that—"
They were interrupted by a pack of wolves bursting through the brush.
"You know, I thought a maze in the middle of a forest would be like a walk in the park," Luminous said.
"A walk in—"
"Not the time, Emmy. Let's deal with some shitbags."
"Now that I understand. After you."
"With pleasure," I say, lunging at the nearest wolf.
For some reason, I still haven't mastered magic—or even channeled anything, really. It's frustrating. Aren't all isekai supposed to start with a magic selection screen for fuck's sake? Yet I get thrown face-first into chains and a realm of chaotic imbalance.
And while I'm wallowing in self-pity, there's an annoyingly happy fairy yelling power names like a kid in a candy commercial. I'm envious enough to drop dead on the spot. Life really is a bitch.
"FLOWER TSUNAMI!" Emily yelled with the biggest smile on her face.
To my surprise, the flowers swept through the wolves, then morphed into a giant fist that pounded the poor creatures into meat paste. It was disgusting enough that I actually felt sorry for them.
"Yep. This proves everyone I know here is sadistic," Luminous muttered.
"Did you say something, Lumi?" Emily asked as she flew over and landed on my shoulder.
"It's fine. When did we stop fighting long enough to use nicknames?" I asked, a hint of a smile tugging at my lips.
"You know, they always say trouble brings people closer," Emily replied.
"No shit, Sherlock. Even I know that."
"Can't you ever let me say something smart?"
"No can do, princess. You know I love making comebacks to your statements."
"So boring."
"Yet you love it."
"Keep telling yourself that."
"Huh? You don't?"
"Of course I do, idiot," Emily said, turning her face away to hide the blush creeping up her cheeks.
After walking for a while—
"Come to think of it… have you really been navigating us? Because I've just been walking wherever I want."
She flinched—tiny but obvious.
"Don't tell me your elf genes are more dominant?" I gasped dramatically.
"Shut up. I don't want to talk about it. I didn't want you to notice. It's embarrassing," she said, flying off on her own.
"No, Emmy, please don't leave. Let's talk about this and work something out," I said, running after her.
"You won't get it. Just leave me alone!"
"We won't know unless you talk to me."
"There's no point. I'm not capable enough. My fairy appearance is the only fairy-like thing about me."
"Oh great, so it's convenient to forget cheekiness, pettiness and greed," I thought, rolling my eyes internally.
"So what of it? I don't even know the other half of myself. I only know I'm part-dragon. Yet you can take pride in being part of two wonderful worlds."
"No, it's not the same. Everyone's right—half-bloods are useless. What good is being part of two worlds when you can't do the most basic things when required?"
I growled, startling her.
"Emmy, you've been through a lot. You survived because you used your fairy mind and elf powers. Without those, you wouldn't be here today."
"You're just saying that. I'm sure pure-bloods can handle torture too."
"Sure. I'd love to see which of those entitled pricks could handle an ass-whipping."
"That sounds dirty."
"It was meant to sound that way, princess."
Emily giggled. "You know… you should be more disappointed in people. We aren't always what we claim to be. We can be overconfident and haughty."
"Is there a need for we? Can't this fairy just admit something bad about herself?" I thought, holding back an exasperated sigh.
But she was right. I was probably defending her because she's a friend—and that's normal. Something about her words felt wrong in a dangerously familiar way. Then suddenly my thoughts stopped being my own.
My surroundings gradually faded and that's when another memory hit me like a bullet.
ON EARTH - 2016
The door slammed open.
"Boss, run! You need to leave this place now!" the goon yelled.
"Ugggh. Silence, mongrel. What are you spouting this time? Trying to be inventive because you messed up again? This would be the third time. I'll have to let you leave the family—by death," Zack (Luminous) said, still focused on his Scrabble match against the computer.
"No, sir! I swear on my life I didn't!"
"Oh please. How much is your life worth anyway? You could be gone in the next few minutes if I want it."
"You don't understand—"
"What is it I don't understand, you bitch-ass cocksucking motherfucker? Spit it out already."
"Bellamy betrayed us."
"What the hell did you say?" Zack turned so fast it was unnatural.
"Is that information true?"
"As true as the amount of wealth in your pocket, asshole," Bellamy said, walking in.
"No… this can't be. We crawled up from hell together and built this," Zack whispered.
"You were always naive. Calling me big brother. My only satisfaction is that I tainted your soul."
"You used my smarts, didn't you?" Zack said, eyes going vacant.
"Correct. Your second usefulness was your ability to land business deals. But you lack ambition. I needed you—until now."
Bellamy pointed a revolver at his head.
Goons rushed in to protect their leader, but geared-up enemies poured in and shot them down like flies.
"I forgot to mention," Bellamy continued, "my potential was realized by the most powerful mafioso. I'm his right hand now. We always knew we'd end up in hell, but partner… you deserve rest. So go burn. Save me a seat. Even though the thought of burning beside you is nauseating, at least I'll get to gloat before I turn to ash."
He smirked.
"Goodbye, asshole."
He pulled the trigger.
BACK TO ELARION
The memory slammed into Luminous so hard he started convulsing.
"Luminous?! What's wrong?" Emily rushed to him and pressed her tiny palm to his forehead.
"Oh my god—you have a fever. What am I going to do? We're in a forest, the maze isn't done, the party is tomorrow, we still have to get herbs and the artifact—oh gods, we're dead. We're so dead!"
While Emily panicked, she didn't notice Luminous' soul being pulled into a void where "darkness" would've been a mercy.