Yuki cracked her eyes open as light began filtering through the thin crack between the curtains that covered the window in her room. Rubbing her face, she sat up and checked the time. It was a bit later than when she normally woke up.  

‘She left already,’ Yuki thought. She vaguely remembered stirring awake for a moment as Yuna left the bed. ‘She does have matters to attend to.’

Reaching to her side, she shook Akira who was curled up beside her, trying to rouse her. It took a little bit, but soon Akira’s eyes cracked open and she gave Yuki a sleepy smile.

“Had fun last night?” she asked. 

“Is that a rhetorical question?” Yuki said, smiling back. “Come on. We have work to do, sleepy head.”

“I could hear from outside,” Akira said as she sat up. “A bit muffled, but you didn’t hold back did you. The poor girl.”

“If you felt bad for her, maybe you should have intervened, hmm?”

“Oh, I didn’t want to intrude on your private time though.”

“There’s always more room. For me at least. But that time, that was probably the wiser decision. I think it being just us two made it more intimate.”

“Definitely what I was thinking,” Akira nodded. “I actually went to sleep with Erica, but then I noticed that Yuna left a few hours ago so I crept in here.”

“Oh? Well, I don’t mind. Speaking of Erica, can you wake her up for me? I’ll make something to eat, then we’ll need to get prepared for the day. We don’t have much time to get this plan going.”

“I’ll do that,” Akira said. “What are you making?”

“I’m not sure. Something quick,” Yuki shrugged. “Now, go wake her up.” 

She leaned in and gave Akira a quick kiss on the lips before getting out of bed. Tying her hair up, she went into the kitchen and began looking around in the refrigerator for anything.

‘I guess eggs and sausage should be good enough,’ she thought. ‘Some toast if they want it.’

She took out the ingredients and began to prepare the day’s breakfast. A minute later, Erica came shuffling out with her hair all messy. As she yawned, she went over to grab her mug from the countertop.

“Good morning, Erica,” Yuki greeted as she fired up the stove. “Had a good night’s rest?”

“As good as they come,” Erica replied. “Sausage?”

“Yep.”

“Nice. I’m going to make some coffee. Want some?” 

“I’m fine. Can you make tea for me?” Yuki asked. 

“Sure. Let me go do that first,” Erica said. 

Yuki began frying things on her pan while Erica dug around in the cabinets. Akira appeared a moment later from the bathroom. 

“So. Akira said we’re going to be working today,” Erica said as she sat down at the kitchen bar.  

“Yeah,” Yuki replied, glancing at her for a second. “We’re going to start the operation. I need to get my side of the deal done before we can really get going. You two remember the plan, right?”

“Of course,” Akira said. “We protect you while you work. Will that dragon, Vermilion, be watching as well?”

“I think so,” Yuki nodded while cracking a few eggs. “He wants proof, so he might come to watch me.”

“You can do it in a day?” Erica asked.

“Possibly. I wouldn’t bank on it, which is why I wanted to start as soon as possible. It might take a while.”

“Have you tried this before?”

“Nope. Here’s your food.”

Yuki plopped down three plates onto the kitchen bar and pushed one toward Erica. 

“You’re going to do this for the first time?” Erica frowned. 

“I can do it,” Yuki reassured her. “Trust me. Since it’s been done before, I’m just replicating it. Just stand watch and make sure nothing happens while I’m distracted. Akira, you know the other part of your assignment, right?”

“I do,” she replied as she took her plate. 

“Alright. Then eat up and we’ll get going.”

---

 

Yuki stared at the air before her, her eyes in their dragon state. The wall of mana that shimmered before her would be the first obstacle in their way. The barrier curved gently around the base it protected. The base itself couldn’t be seen as the barrier hid it with an enchantment. 

“This is the place,” she announced. She turned around and gave Erica and Akira a nod. “Akira, you can go scout now. I’ll set up here. Erica, you take my left. Mathali?”

“Yes, my lady?” he replied, dropping down from a tree. 

“Take my right,” she instructed. “If Vermilion drops by, tell him not to bother me, but let him stay and watch.”

“Got it,” Erica nodded. 

“I’ll be back soon,” Akira said before vanishing into the trees. 

“I’ll get to work as well then,” Yuki said. 

She looked for a relatively clear place to sit before the barrier and went to work inscribing runes in a circle. Then she crossed her legs and took in a few deep breaths, focusing herself.  

‘Alright. Let’s do this.’

She closed her eyes and began to chant the words of the spell, her voice firm and level. The mana within her rose up with her words and infused themselves into the runes around her.  

Then she began the painfully slow work of directing the mana. The words of the chant rolled off her tongue with barely a thought. She repeated it countless times as she urged the mana in the barrier to heed her call. 

She imagined the spell like an amplifier, a megaphone that shouted her voice out to the sleeping barrier to rouse it. Her mana reached out, tapping the barrier at various points before being jolted back as the barrier resisted. That only served to encourage Yuki to go after it harder.

With her mouth still chanting the spell, she continued to speak to the deaf ears of the barrier. She shouted and poked and prodded, trying to gather the attention of the wall of mana. Time was nonexistent now. She didn’t know how much had passed. It was only her and this barrier.

Then, without warning, the barrier seemed to awake. Yuki couldn’t see it, but she felt it at the edges of her mind. The barrier was curious. 

Seizing upon this, she redoubled her efforts, urging the mana to heed her calls. She sang toward the wall of mana as her own mana reached out to brush against it while her lips continued chanting.  

A hole. She felt it with those mana tendrils that brushed against the barrier. A momentary lapse in the structure of the barrier created by her pleading. With her mind, she reached at it and shoved her mana into it to prevent it from closing. The hole resisted. She didn’t have much time.

From that lapse, she spread her control of the barrier, seizing the mana that made it. Then, with practiced thoughts, she gave it a set of orders in rapid succession before pulling away from the wall. The hole sealed shut the moment she withdrew.

At last, she opened her eyes. The sun was nowhere to be seen. The stars greeted her in response. With her chest heaving, she laid down on the ground and glanced to her side. Someone else was here. 

“Satisfied?” Yuki asked, each syllable split between breaths.  

“I don’t believe it,” Vermilion whispered. He looked down at Yuki. “The barrier. It changed right before my eyes.” 

“I told you,” Yuki smiled.