Little of Magic and Mayhem

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  Maria POV

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  Damn, because of Cesar and his circus life, I was once again in a stupid movie-like situation. Even though I liked the dark castle theme, it wasn't the kind of scenario I liked to be a victim of in real life - but that was exactly what was happening right now.

  I was now in a stone room, dimly lit by the faint glow of an ancient torch hanging on the far wall. The dampness and stench were as horrible as this unsanitary place suggested - a cell in a medieval prison. Looking around a bit more, I could see that my hands were bound by a strange medieval contraption - iron cuffs, crudely forged and now corroded with rust, but still far stronger than my own strength. I also noticed several skeletons with horrible expressions in the other cells opposite mine.

  Horrible lizard men were watching me. They were standing in the corridor, savagely devouring some kind of meat. One of them looked me in the eye and then laughed, speaking in a language I didn't understand, but I could tell it was mockery. Nearby, I saw a table with a deck of talismans - Tamamo's creations, the ones she had given me to protect me in moments like this. And now they were lying next to those man-eating monsters.

  My hands were chained. I couldn't even get close to the cell door. All I could do was wait to be rescued by Cesar... what a load of crap.

  "Hey...Maria...over here!"

  For a moment I heard a faint voice, barely audible even though it was right next to me. It was coming from below, from the ground. Worried, I looked down. Between my legs, Tifa peeked out timidly, looking around anxiously. She looked on the verge of tears - the poor little fairy had once again been dragged into an adventure she had never signed up for. I tried my best to hide her with the limited movement my body allowed.

  "Tifa? What are you doing here?"

  "How the hell did you end up here?" I asked.

  "I was watching television with you, remember?"

  "I was sitting right next to you... when that circle appeared on the floor."

  "When we got here, I hid in your clothes. There were too many scary people in the room."

  "..."

  "Forget it. I'm so small... it's normal that you don't notice me..."

  With a bit of fear, I looked back to see what the monster guards were doing. They seemed too busy eating, drinking and arguing with each other to pay any attention to me. After all, I was just a simple human. Compared to the other enemies they had to face, the dangers lurking behind the prison door with them were far more worrying than anything inside my cell.

  "Tifa, this is not the time to feel down about your size."

  "Don't you see where we are?"

  "Sorry... I'm so sorry."

  "Just let it go..."

  "..."

  "Hey, you think you can get me out of these chains? The lock is over there."

  "I'll try."

  The tiny girl flew to the lock and slipped her hands into the mechanism. She struggled to turn it from the inside. Despite her efforts, her frustrated expression told me she wasn't getting anywhere. Suddenly, one of the lizardmen slammed his fist down on the table. Tifa darted back into hiding with a yelp. One guard had drunk too much and slumped forward, snoring loudly with his face on the table. The other hadn't even made it that far - he was already asleep, sitting up straight in his chair.

  "What a guard these guys are."

  As soon as I said that, my eyes fell on the deck of magic talismans lying on the table next to the careless guard. With them, escape would be easy. But I couldn't reach them - not in my position. For Tifa, it was different.

  "Hey, Tifa, I really need your help."

  "You see that deck of talismans on the table? Could you grab it for me?"

  "Are you crazy? It's right next to that lizard man's snout!"

  "You're the only one who can reach it."

  "You can slip between the bars. I'm chained."

  "This is your moment to be the hero of the story!"

  "The lizard has only to twitch in his sleep and I'll be sliced in two!"

  "Tifa! Please!"

  "We'll be in even more trouble if we don't get out of here!"

  "All you have to do is bring me the deck. That's easy. I'll take care of the rest, I promise!"

  "Hmm... I don't know... It still feels like it's missing something... more rewarding"

  "Fine, I'll give you the fancy pudding I've been saving in the fridge."

  "Just keep it a secret from the others."

  "Okay, deal."

  "Damn little scammer..."

  "You couldn't eat it all in a week if you tried."

  Tifa took a deep breath, her small frame hovering just a few inches off the ground as her eyes fell on the lizard guard snoring on the table. His massive snout shifted with each breath, a trickle of drool dripping lazily onto the floor. The deck of talismans lay tantalizingly close, glinting in the dim light, inches from his monstrous jaws. It was right there. The only thing standing between Tifa and her prize was this giant beast, lost in monstrous dreams.

  "Come on, Tifa, there's no time," I murmured from the cell.

  Without answering, Tifa began to move towards the floor, like a small shadow that slipped between the bars of the cell with quick, stealthy movements. She was a fairy, after all. Her tiny size gave her an advantage as the perfect being for this situation, but it also meant the terror of approaching the sleeping monster, whose mere breathing echoed off the walls.

  "Damn, what I would do to not have to do this."

  "'That pudding better taste like heaven at least," I heard the little fairy say from a distance.

  With a small huff, Tifa approached the edge of the table. The lizard man snored, the vibration of his breath heavier than gravity itself. The fairy flew with extreme caution, her tiny wings buzzing in the air. She approached the edge of the table, and though she trembled with fear, she reached out with her tiny hands.

  "Just a little further!" I said carefully, trying to encourage her.

  Tifa stretched out her hand and grabbed the deck with a sigh of relief. She had made it. But before she could return, the other guard, who seemed to have had enough to drink, let out a heavy yawn and slumped back in his chair, his head resting on the table. The talisman deck fell out of Tifa's hand for a second, almost making me scream in despair.

  "Don't do this to me, Tifa!" I said, my nerves getting the better of me.

  But the little fairy remained calm. She flew back to the table, grabbed the deck again, and with a quick flap of her wings, slipped between the bars and returned to her refuge. The relief was immediate, but the tension was still there. Tifa was exhausted, her small form trembling with fear, but with a shy smile she showed me the loot.

  "I... I did it!" she said proudly, happily.

  "It wasn't the most heroic thing I've ever seen... but thank you."

  "Now... what do we do?" she asked, a spark of hope in her voice.

  I picked up the deck with the free hand I had left and ran my fingers over the cards, searching for something that might help me escape. A lightning spell would certainly do some damage, but not to the chains. A water spell was useless in this situation. Move earth? What for? Oh, this is good, a pillar of Tamamo's signature blue fire.

  "Blue fire!?

  "Are you crazy!? That's Tamamo's special fire!"

  "That thing is super powerful! It's the signature attack of a evil goddess!"

  "There's nothing in the world that can contain that fire!"

  "I know, but we're talking about Tamamo."

  "She would never harm us in any way. The fire contained by the talisman will follow her will."

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  "And what do you want to do with the fire?"

  "Use it and watch it burn absolutely everything from the origin of the fire pillar?"

  "......."

  "Please don't tell me you..."

  "If it can melt a tank, surely it can handle a bit of rusted iron."

  "Damn, this will probably sound strange coming from a fairy married to Cesar, but every day that passes, you look more and more like your brother in the worst possible way."

  Tifa's last comment echoed louder in my head than I expected, almost like an insult, but I didn't have time to think about it; I had to get out of here and survive first.

  Still chained, I began to prepare one of the talismans in my hands, hoping the magic would help me escape. The lizardmen were still sleeping, unaware that their dinner was about to escape.

  "Well, Tifa, get ready for action, time's up."

  "I don't like the sound of that..." the little fairy murmured, still trembling.

  I took a deep breath, feeling the adrenaline push the fear to the back of my mind. I took the fire talisman of the goddess between my fingers and activated it with a whisper.

  "Tamamo, don't let me explode now!"

  The magic symbol glowed. A warmth enveloped me, not intense but gentle, just perfect to calm my nerves, and the fire pillar erupted with a roar, burning the chains as if they were strands of straw. The blue light flooded the cell, casting disturbing shadows on the stone walls. The chains melted and fell to the floor with a hiss, followed by the prison bars.

  "Look out!" Tifa screamed, clutching my shoulder like a frightened brooch.

  The metallic sound woke the lizardmen. One barely opened his eyes, the other staggered across the table, trying to remember what had woken him from his wild dreams. Both sniffed the air, their nostrils flaring as they caught the scent of burnt iron and magic.

  "Oh no! Oh no! We're dead!" Tifa screamed, flapping around frantically.

  I quickly searched the deck for another spell, the one with electricity, and threw it at them, hitting one on the skin and the other with the same bolt. Shortly after, I shot down the hallway, feeling my boots echo against the wet stones as I sought freedom.

  But just as we passed the stairs, a loud noise echoed behind me. I turned slowly, my heart in my throat, only to find something that hadn't been in my plans: a female figure with exaggerated curves, reddish skin, long horns, and eyes that glowed like embers. A succubus like the one I knew before, but less evil looking.

  "Well, well, what have we here?" Her voice was seductive and warm, like melted honey, but with an implied threat that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

  "An intruder and her... pet insect?" she continued, pointing at Tifa, who quickly hid in my hair.

  "We were just passing through."

  "Sorry, I don't have time, but I have other places to go, see you later." I tried to sound casual, but the succubus just smiled, showing a pair of perfect fangs.

  "Ah, dear, I'm not worried. It's just that it would be a shame to let such a... delicious soul slip away."

  She took a step toward me, her sweet, intoxicating scent filling the air. My legs trembled at the thought of what this creature might be, but also at something I definitely didn't want to face right now.

  "Back off! I have magic talismans and I know how to use them." I raised two of them at random, although my voice sounded less threatening than I had hoped.

  She let out a deep laugh.

  "One talisman for healing blisters on your feet, and the other for washing fruit."

  "How charming, such a beautiful and innocent little sorceress, I feel like eating you whole."

  "Let me show you what real magic is, little girl."

  "I call this the Life Eater."

  The toothless mouth of the succubus's tail opened grotesquely and seductively, moving like a creature of its own, opening and closing with a viscous, chilling sound. A shiver ran down my spine, and my brain screamed one word: run. But my feet were glued to the ground, as if the very presence of this creature was draining my will.

  "Oh, dear," the succubus said with a wicked smile, her fangs peeking out just a little.

  "You have no idea how delicious the fear you're exuding right now is."

  With the talismans in a trembling hand, I fumbled for something - anything - that might help. My fingers brushed over small healing talismans, shields to protect against the wind... Nothing offensive! Damn Tamamo and her homemade spells, they're supposed to be for emergencies! This is one!

  The succubus took a step closer, her tail stretched out towards me, ready to wrap me in that damned lustful thing.

  "Don't worry," she whispered in my ear.

  "I'll be gentle as I devour you."

  Out of the corner of my eye I saw a shadow move with a mind of its own.

  "Damn, another fucking whore."

  "Why is there a plague of them in this castle?" said another voice behind the succubus in front of me.

  I watched as a cruel, dark blade easily pierced the girl's chest, then she fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Only to reveal her executioner, who placed her foot on the victim's body and pulled violently on her scythe, slicing the demon who had almost taken my life in half, the brutal waste of blood filling such an act.

  Blue skin that shone in the darkness, horns that curved back with deadly elegance, badly styled hair, an incomprehensible smile of madness, and black eyes with centers of flame that burned like embers from a hell much deeper than any simple demon. Lisa, once again, of all the beings of evil, madness, and nightmare she represented, was the one I was happiest to see, ironically saving me from a succubus worse than the one I had just interacted with.

  "Lisa!?"

  "What are you doing here?"

  "Aren't you supposed to be in Japan with my mother?"

  "What are you talking about? I was at home when that stupid magic circle appeared."

  "Your mother told me to call you for lunch when I saw that thing."

  "It looked a lot like when Cesar was taken to that other world, so I decided to jump because you obviously need more help than he does."

  "The problem was that I ended up in a different place, which slowed me down."

  "Actually, I regret that you had to see this," the demon said, pointing to the chunks of flesh that were the corpse of the monster that was her sister.

  "......"

  "Yeah, that looked ugly, but I don't think I have the luxury of criticizing right now."

  "....."

  "Can you help me get out of here?"

  The succubus folded her arms and closed her eyes. It seemed as if she was thinking about something important, as if the decision weighed heavily on her as she made different faces while sorting out the few thoughts she could still articulate, broken as she was.

  "Lisa! Don't tell me you aren't going to help us!"

  "......"

  "It's not that......"

  "......"

  "It's just that I don't remember where I came from."

  "I didn't pay much attention to the path," she said, touching her head.

  "........."

  "That can't be! Are you lost too?"

  "......."

  "It doesn't matter, we just have to go up, right?"

  "It's not that hard, any idiot can do it, maybe with a little effort, even I could do it!"

  "........"

  "I didn't expect this...."

  "But I always expect not to expect anything from Lisa, so it doesn't count."

  "Well, that's the Lisa we know, right?" Tifa said with a fake smile, knowing as well as I did that the succubus' mind would always be a kind-hearted mess.

  "Look, just follow me, Lisa."

  "I'll do the thinking for you, okay? You just concentrate on defending us," I suggested to the succubus.

  "Oh... well... that's much better."

  "I'm not very good at making plans with more than one step."

  "All right, I'll follow you."

  We set off again, climbing the stairs, trying to find a way out of the prison. The sound of Lisa's footsteps echoed off the stone walls as I, with Tifa on my shoulder, tried to keep up. But even in this environment I couldn't get the thought out of my head, I had to know now, this was the chance.

  "Hey, Lisa, can I ask you something?"

  "What? Do you regret being with me?"

  "You know, I always thought that succubi fed on... well, you know? To survive," I tried to say casually to Lisa, trying to avoid such a sensitive subject for her.

  "'That'? I know how I look, but please, I'm not a whore."

  "Then how...?"

  "Haven't you ever seen me eating at the table with the others?"

  "Succubus can eat normal food like everyone else."

  "...."

  "Aren't you paying attention? We've been living together for a while."

  "Well, yes, but I was just curious after seeing the other succubus."

  "Can you eat with your tail? Do you have a mouth there?"

  "I thought that was part of their job."

  Lisa shrugged with an almost contemptuous glint in her eyes.

  "That's only what the weak do, the ones who can't control their own power."

  "I'm not like those useless ones, I'm not weak."

  "You know? I don't have to steal from anyone."

  "Why waste time with that when I already have everything I want?" Her eyes softened for a moment, and her voice, though a bit chaotic, sounded... sincere.

  "I have César, my husband, and that's all I need."

  "He's much stronger than anyone I've ever met, why would I need strength when I'm already at the top of the food chain with him?"

  "Now keep moving those legs or I'll lose my patience, I'll carry you over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes and start flying at high speed," Lisa hummed without stopping or turning around.

  "Don't you dare, I can barely keep the urge to vomit from the nerves I already have," I grumbled, almost panting.

  And at that moment I remembered what it was like to be with Lisa. It was like living with a storm that never stopped, but a storm that always found something beautiful in the chaos, even as everything else crumbled around her. She wasn't the calmest or the most logical, but... she had her own kind of goodness, strange and unpredictable.

  "All right," I said, taking a deep breath.

  "Let's get going before someone else catches us."

  Lisa nodded with a cruel smile, but there was still something behind it, something that told me she was somehow there to protect me. Even if her way of doing it was... well, very much her own.

  "Yeah, yeah, let's go."

  "But do you promise to stop complaining about my methods?" she said, waving a finger in my face, her whiny tone almost adorable.

  "Yes, yes, I promise," I replied, smiling, though a little scared.

  And so we walked on, the idea of escaping this damned castle still in our minds, while Lisa kept talking about Caesar, his plans or whatever he had in mind. But in the end, all I had to do was stay close to her... or at least close to the protective fury that emanated from her chaos.

  I just hoped that her madness would lead us to a good ending.

  Luckily, after a bit more walking, we reached a large door, which I saw my brother walk through at the same time as us. He was with Tamamo at his side, and we all sighed in relief when we saw each other. When Caesar saw Tifa, he nearly had a heart attack, seeing the poor fairy in a place like this and realizing what she had gone through to save me. He congratulated her on her bravery, but it was clear that he was worried about what had happened as he searched the place. He was the one who told me what was going on - about Dracula and how it had been a secret Atlantean church in ancient times. But most of all, he told me that there were more things he had to do tonight and that we were far from being safe.