The Morgi Ox paws at the ground, its massive horns glinting under the burning skyline. It lowers its head, a guttural roar shaking the cracked pavement as it prepares to charge

  Sid stands his ground, calm and utterly still, a sword glinting faintly in his hand. He rolls his shoulders once, flexes his fingers around the hilt, then tilts the blade slightly downward, settling into a stance that looks battle-hardened and precise.

  The Ox roars again and lunges.

  Sid sighs.

  He doesn’t move. Instead, he raises his free hand—the one with the strange red glow seeping through his skin—and snaps his fingers.

  A black hole tears open in the air just above the charging beast. The Ox has time for one strangled bellow before its body warps unnaturally, legs twisting as its enormous bulk is yanked upward. In seconds, it is crushed into nothingness, the void folding in on itself with a soundless pop.

  Sid sheathes his sword with a flick, not even sparing a glance at where the creature had been. He simply starts walking.’

  A Morgi Rat skitters across the ruins—gone with a snap.

  A snake lunges from a pile of debris—gone.

  One by one, ten more creatures vanish without Sid breaking a sweat, each erased from existence with the same quiet precision.’

  By the time Alexia comes running up the road, Sid is brushing a bit of ash from his shoulder as if nothing unusual happened.

  “Sid!” she calls, catching her breath.

  “This should be the last big one,” Sid says evenly, nodding at the ruins. “What’s left is just trash—rats and snakes.”

  “Oh, wow… that was fast,” Lemres says, giving him a suspicious side-eye.

  Sid shrugs, voice calm. “The military’s getting smarter. They knew exactly where the portals would open and dropped bombs before most of the creatures even made it through.”.

  Lemres lets out a weary sigh and raises one hand. A shimmering portal to Mauna Loa spirals open behind him, and with a flick of his fingers, chunks of rubble and shattered concrete lift off the ground. One by one, the broken remnants of the street float through the portal, vanishing into the dead world as Lemres quietly clears the ruins.

  “This should help with the rebuild,” Lemres says as the last of the debris disappears. He turns to Alexia. “Hey, would you mind if we checked on your house? I want to see how bad the damage is.”

  Alexia nods hesitantly. “Sure… let’s get it over with.”

  In an instant, Lemres teleports the three of them across the ruined city. They appear in front of what’s left of Alexia’s home—and freeze.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  The house lies crushed beneath the massive, cracked shell of a Morgi Rooster egg, the impact having caved in the roof and shattered the walls.

  Alexia stares in disbelief. “…Man, I wish roosters didn’t lay eggs.”

  “Normally they don’t,” Sid says dryly, resting his red-glowing hand on her shoulder.

  Alexia groans, rubbing her face.

  “I… got it to work…” Lemres mutters, swaying before dropping to one knee. A rough cough rattles his chest, his breath unsteady. “Haven’t had to worry about mana sickness in a long time…”

  Before him, a new house shimmers into existence. Sunlight catches on freshly conjured walls, glass windows, and a chandelier that gleams as the last fragments of magic snap into place.

  Alexia runs inside, eyes wide. “Oh, I love it!” Her voice echoes as she darts through the gleaming rooms.

  “Why don’t you explore?” Sid says with a faint smile. “We’ll be out here.”

  The front door closes behind her.

  Sid steps closer to Lemres, his voice calm but edged with weight.

  “I thought your name sounded familiar,” he says, narrowing his eyes. “You’re that former wielder.”

  Lemres jolts, his hand twitching toward his coat.

  “Relax,” Sid says, lifting his red hand slightly in a nonthreatening gesture. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just… didn’t expect to meet another Mauna Loa survivor here.”

  His voice softens. “Please don’t tell Alexia. I just… I want a normal life when all this is over. I think you understand that.”

  The front door swings open, and Alexia comes running out, eyes sparkling.

  “Come on, Sid! You have to see this!” she calls, grabbing his hand and tugging him inside.

  She pulls him into the kitchen, practically beaming. “Look at these pans—they’ll be so much easier to clean. And—come outside!”

  They step into the backyard, where a brand-new pool shimmers in the sunlight.

  “Oh, you’ll love seeing me in a swimsuit,” Alexia teases, catching his hand and pressing it against her chest with a mischievous grin.

  Sid blinks, caught off guard, then clears his throat. “Uh… so, I don’t exactly have a house right now.” He gives her a sidelong look. “Can we… maybe move in together?”

  Alexia giggles, leaning against him. “I’d love that. As long as you don’t mind the fact that they’re in the house too.”

  She guides his hand down to her stomach with a teasing smile. “Which means… we’re going to have to be a lot quieter at night.”

  Sid smirks faintly, his red hand warm against her. “…Why don’t we just kick them out?”

  Alexia blinks. “What?”

  “I mean,” Sid says casually, “give them another house. Didn’t Lemres tell you about… eh, I’ll let him explain that himself.”

  Before Alexia can reply, Lemres calls from the doorway.

  “Hey, Alexia! You ready to go back to Markus? We should check on him, in case Liddle forgets a health potion. Markus can’t survive very long without those acting as his vitals.”

  Alexia rolls her eyes. “You really think Liddle would forget anything about Markus?” She shakes her head with a small smile. “That lovebird would never forget.”

  Lemres lifts his hand, and a portal of golden light shimmers into existence, swirling with quiet energy. “You don’t get to fight dragons and live,” he says evenly, “if you don’t take precautions.”

  Alexia turns back to Sid, giving him a playful wave. “Hold down the fort,” she says with a small smile.

  Sid leans against the doorframe, his red hand tucked into his pocket. “Go do your job, healer.”

  Alexia’s smile softens. She has a job to do—and a boy waiting for her. Without another word, she steps through the portal, ready to heal Markus.

  The light swallows her, and the portal snaps shut, leaving the house quiet once more.