“The magic item if you would please.” I said, holding my hand to her.

Lucy reached down and picked up the item, clutching it into my hand. I turned back around and aimed it in front of me. I held onto the button and the crystal started to charge up more energy. Releasing the button, a larger bolt shot out and instantly, the whole room rippled and distorted.

What was once just a narrow room became a giant oval shape with no ceiling. The night sky hung overhead with the stars accompanying it.

“What is that!” Lucy exclaimed, running to a chest full of weapons at the front.

The room was littered with piles of gold, scepters, and jewels.

“There isn’t anymore surprises right?”

“The magic item removed every illusion in here, we should be fine.” I said, conjuring a pink rose and handing it to her.

She walked forward to the gold pile and started drizzling it down her hand like playing with sand. I walked to the side, scanning along the piles of jewelery. I picked up a crown.

What is this? When was a crown last worn? Even the Phaorah Wizard has stopped such showy accessories.

Walking along the piles, something sparkled in the midst of every other shiny thing around it. Is this it?

I crouched down and leaned forward, a ring with a blue jewel glinting at me. A flash of light blinded my eyes and I fell onto the floor.

“What in the world.” I rubbed my eyes, opening them to the ring on my middle finger.

“You okay, Leo?”

I looked behind me to see Lucy walking towards me with random weapons in her arms.

“It’s nothing.” I felt a buzzing in my head. “Nothing at all.”

I stood up and walked over the edge. I conjured my cloud and jumped on, ascending upwards.

“Leo! Where are you going?” Leah yelled after me, running below me.

“I have some business to take care of darling. I’ll see you when I get back.” I said, snapping my fingers, a rose appearing in front of her.

Now then, time for a visit.

***

Overlooking the small hut, I held my arms out and pooled a great amount of mana.

“Living vines.” I uttered, a giant glow coming from underneath the house.

Giant vines sprouted from the ground and speared through the hut all around. The tore the place up viciously, going through one side and looping back when it came out the door.

I grinned, seeing that my vines caught a peculiar person in the midst. I descended the cloud lower and hopped onto the ground, walking up to the bonded Nymph.

Her wrists and legs held by the vines with scratches all over her body. She isn’t dead is she?

Her hand started to glow and before she could cast any spell, I ordered the vine to cut her palm.

“Now now, let us not be too ambitious.” I said with a smile, leaning in close to her.

“Is this how you repay your debts boy? By killing a forest guardian? The gods do not take kindly to such atrocious acts against us.” She muttered, spitting blood onto the ground.

“I am not here to kill you, I merely want what was taken.” I gestured my fingers, another vine coming quick to cut her once more.

Now this, this is pleasure!

“You do not know what you are messing with.” She whispered, coughing erratically.

“I’ll take my chances. Now where is it?”

With her bound hand, she wearily pointed to a broken mirror on the floor.

I walked over to it and picked it up, examining the cracked glass. I could see traces of magic layering the intact pieces.

Waving my hand over it, the mirror became fully repaired and the magic trace now made sense. I wiggled my fingers and shoved my hand at the glass.

Instead of the glass breaking, it went inside of it and pulled out the cube artifact. I tossed it in my hands and held it up for the guardian to see.

“Thank you, that will be all from me. “ I clenched my free hand and the vines retracted, dropping her onto the ground.

As I walked away, the ring started to glow along with the etched symbols in the cube. A bright flash blinded me again, obscuring my vision once more.

I could feel that something around me changed. My eyes fluttered open seeing a black vastness with stars glittering all around me. Space?

A bright object came closer towards me, outshining every other star around me. When it came in arms reach, I noticed the pants, the uniform. The hair may be longer, but there is no doubt about it, this is me.

“Sorry, but I’m not yet finished with my business.” I said intimidatingly, holding my arms out and using vines to bind this gaudy version of me.

He smiled at me, he brought his hand to the side and cut through the binding like paper. His arm glowing with a jagged aura. Light magic?

“Congratulations. Being the first to have seen this far.”

“Well, of course I will outshine the rest. It is only natural that a rose will stand out in a patch of weeds. Now then, what are you?”

“I am a spirit in the image of your greatest desire. I am power, I am love, I am you. If you wish for me to infuse myself with you, you must show your true strength.”

“Have I not already shown my true strength? I have control of this body do I not? What more is there to see.” I said, conjuring a circle of floating roses around us.

“You merely beat the previous host while he was injured, showcase me something more believable. You will be tested on your skills once more.”

“I’ve been taking tests my whole time in that forsaken consciousness. Beauty overrules all.” I said, bringing a hand to my forehead to pose.

A bright light formed in the middle of his palm.

“Very well, it seems you are more comfortable in that confinement. I will adhere to your comfort.”

“Wait n-.”

The beam shot out, blinding my vision once again. I felt my consciousness fading away.

“No!!”