“So, you lost four people?” I asked the four people in front of me, clarifying their words.

“Not too bad.” Vern remarked. One Hero group had lost twenty people in the first hour. That wasn't even one for a Lord Candidate prophecy. 

“Yeah, we lost them when we were also attacked and betrayed by our captain, though ours tried to blow up the boat so it was much more chaotic and easier to kill… um…” The dark-skinned man in the ragged shirt began, then glanced at his companion obviously having not even bothered to commit the lost to memory. She misread this, and replied:

“It’s okay Zeke. We all miss Diana, Gavin, Tanya and Wade.” She patted him on the back as he returned the gesture with an utterly baffled look on his face.

I stared and turned to Vern.

“Well, Terra, looks like we’re down two pairs.”

“I think it's three. There should be another pair right?"

“I’m sure they’re on their way."

"On their own?"

"Perhaps three pairs died." Vern shrugged.

We then got back on the boat to unload it while the others went inside.

A half hour later we were in the mansion introducing ourselves in a sitting room of sorts, just formally this time.

“Well, whose gonna go first?” Asked Sairah looking around at us.

The boy, Zeke, coughed and poked his red-headed friend dressed in a school uniform. She started, having zoned out and then began, “Oh! Yes, hi there. My name is Amber Umber. I’m seventeen and eleven-twelfths old. I’m also a Hero- with a capital H. I’m also single if someone cares.” She tried to wink but clearly had no idea how to.

Zeke shook his head at that last part and groaned. He turned to the group and shrugged. “Well, I apologize for her informality. Guess she set the template though, so here I go. I am Ezekiel Zsasza, but you may call me Zeke. Everyone but my mom does. I am eighteen and a roommate of Amum back at High Silin Academy, where I was used as a mostly her tutor since that’s what Shields apparently do when their Hero is a dumbass. Also, I have no interest in relationships, as I already have one.” He gleamed mockingly at Amber at that last part who blew a raspberry back at him.

"Please tell me we don't all have to state our relationship status.” Remarked Fredericka who sat next to me.

I shrugged, “Seems like a good way to avoid any... issues if someone has feelings for someone that's like married or somet- Ooooh. You're just worried someone here will like Vern, aren't you?"

“What else would I be worried, Terra?”

I laugh and turn back to the center of the room. A blonde girl with long hair and grey eyes wearing clothing that was simple and yet clearly expensive approached the center and coughed. She spoke confidently yet shaky, it was weird.

“Hey, um, my name is Layla Vermillion Quincy, age twenty. I am a hello- sorry, Hero. And I have no relationships of the sexual or romantic variety and would be open to one if the chance- um, arose.” She glanced nervously at Vern. I could feel Fredericka burning irons at her as she did."

“One. The only one who has someone is the guy. I’m getting peeved.”

“Oh? Did you want him as a rival as well?” I tease her, leading to a sock to the shoulder. It hurt more now.

Next up was a small, framed girl with messy black hair and heterochromatic eyes dressed in some strange garb. It looked like the outfits the church priestess wore back in the times when we worshipped them like deities, but a bit less expensive and a bit more handmade. She looked vaguely familiar, but then her hairstyle and face were a common sight in the region where I had grown up. I had probably seen her at one of the few galas I was drug to so the nobles could show of the Heroes that had been chosen in their domains. She opened her mouth and spoke in a creamy, low and sultry tone- with the added touch of a cruelity that made me feel uncomfortable, “Greetings, fellows. My name is Ophelia Eros Holly, age eighteen, stepsister to- and current servant via circumstances- Layla. I am single, for the moment, but I already know those who I’ll be with.”

“For the last time that fortune telling shipmen was a fake, Ophelia.” Sighed Zeke shaking his head as she sat down.

Me and Vern looked at each other as we began to feel the force of the water, we had chugged down this morning to stay cool while moving the stuff off the boat. I nodded for him to go first, and he raced down the hall in search for it.

Sairah looked ready to push Hayli up to do introductions when I pushed Fredericka into the middle of the room. She glared at me and then basically yelled out in anger, “Well, I guess I have to go, since our Hero had to go. I’m Fredericka Gallahorn, age nineteen. A friend, currently, of my hero who is in a bathroom. Single but not looking for anyone.” She stopped as Vern re-entered the room. 

Vern walked over and gave me directions and I told him not to wait for me. He smiled and began to introduce himself as I ran down the hall, about ready to burst.

I swing open the door to a small room and find a small porcelain throne. Next to it was a tub with porcelain legs. I wondered why they’d put a bath down here. None of the adjacent rooms were furnished at all, though they were rather spacious. II shrugged and after a minute of thinking if I should stand or sit down, sat and did my business and left. Perhaps it was for if one of use got filthy outside without having to trudge to wherever the…

I suddenly remembered that this was supposed to be only the Heroes abode and chalked the impracticality up to that. I supposed it was a mixed house now that our numbers had dwindled from fifteen to nine.

I returned as Sairah proudly announced she was married.

Amber noticed me return and yelled, “Hey, you! Do your introduction now!”

“Um… okay?” I winched at her loudness and then introduced myself, “You can call me Terra. Err, Terra Thornell. I’m eighteen and the baby sister of the hero Vern, as well as his official shield." I glanced at Hayli who was shaking her head and giving me a thumbs up. I assumed that meant she had already said it. "I’m… um, al-already dating Hayli… as I guess you know already.”

They nodded and I sat back down. Vern stood in the middle of the room and loudly announced that since the introductions were over, we should explore the house or whatever. We began to talk among ourselves mostly ignoring him

“Hey, Ophelia.” Fredericka began, “What is up with your outfit?”

Ophelia ignored her as she read from a small black book. Layla responded to her, “Oh, she… well, I guess the proper term now for her would be Arcane Seer."

“Can see tell me my fortune then?” Amber said walking over to the crowd.

Apparently happy to have someone take interest in her craft, Ophelia smiled and responded, “If you would like to, I shall.”

I tore myself away from what would be a boring séance or whatever and joined Zeke and Vern on the couch.

“So, you two. Where you from?” Zeke asked us.

“Lacada, currently.” Vern answered.

“Cool. I’m from Erzka in Verst.”

“Isn’t that the one with…?” I began.

Zeke quickly interrupts me, “Yes, the one with a naked statue of our town’s founder. Please save your jokes, I have heard them all.”

Vern looked disappointed, “But, why is he naked?”

“The artist we hired found out about a tale where…”

I returned my attention to Ophelia and the others.

“Okay, you will become richer than you could imagine on this journey.” She said to Sairah.

“You will discover a sacred weapon.” She said to Amber.

“You will still be a loser.” She said to Layla who flipped her off.

“Your father will give you a choice.” She told Hayli who gave a worried look back.

“And finally,” She turned to Fredericka, “You will find love, when the times are bleakest.”

I, despite half believing them to be bull, committed them to memory, just in case one of them became important.

Hayli walked over to me. “She just sprouted clichés, r-right?”

I nodded in agreeance. I glanced to my left as Ophelia walked over to me. 

“You… hehe.” She giggled. “You will be tested this journey, by the forgotten sibling.”

“Um. What.” I ask but she had already rejoined her sister. I turn back to Vern.

“Why am I the only single guy here?” He complained.

“Because you have a horrid personality?” I smile and shrug.

“Hey, I can get a girl anytime.”

“Then accept Rica’s feelings.” I say.

“Wait, the loud chick likes Vern.” Interjected Zeke.

“Yeah. She is crazy obsessed over him.”

“She stalks me.”

“That sounds hilarious.” Zeke laughed.

“Hey at least I’ll know my girlfriend for longer than you have, Terra.”

“Wait, how long did you know the lizard girl before you started dating?”

“Um, about an hour technically.”

“Technically?”

“Terra is a pretty new thing for her.” Vern chuckled.

"Oh, you're... cool." He grinned, "Same by the way." and rubbed his chest.

"Thanks?" I replied, unsure what he meant.

“So, without Fredericka as an option, I guess your brother has… Well, I wouldn’t suggest Amber to anyone, so two options.”

“Oh, great. I get a holy knight and a demon-lover.” He sighed. 

“You’re projecting again.” I say. He glares at me with malice.

“Well. Want to explore this place?” Zeke asked standing up.

“Nothing better to do.” Vern replies as we join him.

“Yeah, sure. Not like Vern was going to let me stay here and rest.” I say following behind.

We walked north from the entrance slash sitting area we were in and into a large open space. Above us a domed stained-glass ceiling let in light from above. Paintings of the winged-ones lined the wall. A door lay in each direction.

“North?” Vern asked already heading that direction.

“Fine.” I sigh as we follow him.

He swung open the door and revealed the room. A large dining hall with an oak table set in the middle of the room with thirty chairs situated around it. A door to the left side lead to a kitchen, a small opening cut into the wall beside it to allow cooks to be berated by the hungry dinner guests, I guess. Opposite it on the other wall was a dumbwaiter leading down to an empty hole since the place didn’t have a basement and up to a single upstairs room.

“Going to need to thin the herd on those chairs.” Zeke remarked looking at them all.

“That- This is…” Vern counted on his fingers “Fifteen to twenty-three more than we would have needed.”

“They have to be planning on selling this after we leave.” I say as Vern wanders towards the dumbwaiter.

“So, where are the stairs?” Vern’s voice echoed up the shaft of the dumb waiter.

I paused. In Duchess Nathers mansion they were at the front entrance, but the same wasn’t to be said for here.

“Well, if we keep looking, we’ll find it.” Zeke yells as he starts to exit the dining hall. We jog after him and turn left and open the next door.

A pantry.

A fully stocked pantry.

“How much rice do we need?” Vern said flabbergasted by the wall of rice bags in front of  him.

“Why do we need jugged water? Can’t we just collect some? There has to be a freshwater spring around here, or something?” I say corking and uncorking some jugs.

“And… nada on the spices. Except salt.”

“Plain rice in salted water I guess” Vern says defeated.

“I mean we can hunt and fish. I mean you can fish.” I hate fish. Except Tuna. I like that. I doubt we could catch any of those though.

“I actually brought some sealed spices in my trunk.” Zeke said. “Plain food is only good for those with weak stomachs.”

“Oh, sweet deities thank you!” I said.

“Good job. Ezekiel, the Hero of Spices.”

“Do either of you have trouble with spicy food? Like you dislike it or can’t take it?”

“My brother is a bit weaker but I have a problem making food without making people’s mouths burn. I got kicked out of a cooking apprenticeship that way.”

“I like your style kid. Amber hates spicy foods.” He cocked his head. “I assume you must have come from a border town then? Lacada isn’t known for spiciness.”

“Yeah.” Vern replied. “Though Terra got her stomach through Demon cuisine.”

“Nice, I’m glad to have someone that will be able to help me taste test some rarer recipes. You two ever have (I can’t transcribe Demon-speak. It’s guttural and not really a written language)?”

“Yep. One of the only meals a friend cooked for me. Nearly killed me. Thought someone had set a fire spell in my mouth.” Complained Vern.

“I don’t think Qua- I don’t think I ever got to.” I said.

“Well then, I’ll have to make you some. Luckily it goes great with white rice.”

Vern walked towards the next door. Or set of doors and swung them open to reveal a back entrance and twin staircases. Vern took a single step up and then turned to ask, “What is your specialty, fighting-wise I mean?”

“Oh, me? I’m a hand-to-hand type of guy, but I’ve been dabbling in the healing magic section lately since that is my inherent type. What about you two?”

Vern smiled “I’m a swordsman, second best in my family. Plus, I am naturally adept at mirror and good at using plant magic weapons.”

“Mirror magic? That’s a new one on me.” Zeke looked confused.

“It’s new to anyone who hasn’t seen it. State secret level stuff.” I reply for Vern. “And adept isn’t what I’d call him with it.”

“Hey! I’m the only one that can use it… now.” He said indignantly then sadly.

Zeke turned back to me, “And you?”

“Swords. I can’t use magic.”

“How?”

“Well, I mean I physically can’t. Like I think the doctor said my potential was wrong.”

“Well, I mean you have that.” Vern said.

“That isn’t magic."

Zeke interjected. “Care to give me an explanation?”

"I have... power that's basically a perversion of mirror magic. It's not something I can control."

"Okay. That all?" He looked towards the black marks on both of us.

Vern shook his head, "Not something that's useful unless you want collateral damage, or cruel utilitarianism."

"I mean it looks kind of... demonic."

Vern ignored him and continued up. Zeke took the hint and stayed mum about them.

We followed my older brother to the upper level. It was a way bit smaller than the lower levels, managing to contain three bed rooms, if you could call two of them that. The biggest room had the smallest beds, four in all (twins, I think), lined up in what should have been the corners of the rotund room. Large windows with thin curtains lit the room and it’s fresh, yet to be stained carpet. A small bath with a limestone throne and a shower sat on the northeast side. The one closest to the size of the ones we had back at home had two beds, probably full sized. The room was hard wood with no windows, a horrid looking rug and absolutely no windows, save for a pair of barred ones the size of a book in the shower, no toilet bathroom. The best room had a single King Sized Bed. Or technically it was two beds on a king bedframe, but the two had nearly no gap between them, so it was fine to ignore that fact. It had the smallest amount of actual room in it yet easily had the most enviable bathroom of all, with a full tub, counter with sink and best of all, a porcelain throne. Not to be rude to the craftsmanship of the limestone one, but it probably felt awful.

Vern counted aloud and shook his head “Two less than we need.”

“I mean technically if we had all managed to get here, it would be enough for you Heroes.” Zeke said. “But that isn’t the case and since I don’t feel like finding the servant quarters, we better divvy up the rooms. Who are we doubling?”

“Should we be making this decision? Seems like the others may take offense to us doing this.” Vern said.

“First come, first serve. Now, Vern, as the only Hero here, how would you do this too few beds situation?” Zeke asked.

“Easy, Put Sairah, Amber, and us two,” He pointed at Zeke and him “In the big room. Have the sisters double up with Sairah in the rug room and finally since theirs one single bed in that room it's only fair to force my sister and Hayli in that one..”

I yelled in shock and somewhat horror, “W-What!? We just started dating.” Seriously, in the same room would be fine but the same pseudo-bed was just a bit too fast for whatever I was supposed to consider Hayli and me.

“Geez, for someone that has slept in the same bed with her before, you sure are embarrassed.” He said with a face that even mom would have loved to punch. 

“That wasn’t on purpose. I passed out from the potion.”

“Well then, are you saying you don’t want to room with her?"

“No… Okay, if she agrees, sure.” I give in. The other roommate options seemed to be worse honestly. Hayli would be the best company for me right now.

“So, the sisters’ share and the only couple here shares? Personally, I’m cool with the rooms.” Zeke said.

“The ones who have to like it are the ones who we left downstairs.” I commented.

“Well, before we tell them are perfect rooming arrangements, shall we see what they have in storage up in the attic?” Vern asked, hands on a string that was hanging from the ceiling.

“Sure, why not?” Zeke nods.

And we went thusly up into the attic, coughing the dust we kicked up when the door was opened.

Zeke casually tossed a sustained light packet, breaking it against the floor, to bring light to the space. It got lighter the further it got from the packet oddly. (Light magic is weird, I can’t begin to figure out the science behind it.)

The cramped room was full of rusty, dusty weapons; drawers filled with clothes that were fashionable a couple double decades before, and chest full of tools.

“Hmm, looks like no one has been up in here in a while.” Zeke whistled, sliding his finger against a pane of glass on a small dresser.

“I think my mom would have called this dress out of date.” Vern said holding a ragged number up to his body.

“I think this might have been left over from when the past heroes stayed here. Unless no one has stayed here before.” I say spinning a sun hat around my head.

“I don’t know.” Vern shrugged and turned to Zeke.

“No clue either. I really hope they didn’t think we’d find these needed.”

“Well, let’s grab some extra blankets for the rooms and rejoin the others.” I say sun hat still on my head.

After tossing the blankets into the rooms we managed to rejoin the other girls.

Amber ran up as soon as she saw Zeke, “Geez. You three took a while.”

“Yeah, sorry Amum, this place is pretty big.” Zeke laughed.

Vern sat down on the sofa with Fredericka, the furthest edge away from her as possible. Layla was right next to Ricka, talking to her. Ophelia motioned for me to join her, Sairah and Hayli.

“Welcome back, Terra Thornell.” She greeted me.

“Um, hi?” I asked unnerved.

“Hey kid.” Grunted Sairah.

“H-Hi, Terr-Terr.” Hayli smiled, blushing slightly.

I narrowed my eyes, “Lady Sairah, and you. Good to see you haven’t moved at all.”

“So, by the by, how do you feel about Ophelia over here checking your magical potential?” Sairah asked. I assume they had theirs’ done when they were gone. "Potential meaning purity of inherent ability and connection to the source if you were unsure."

Vern hearing a chance to show off walked over, “What scale do you use?”

“A simple zero to one hundred one. The calculations to get to that is a bit complicated but it works well. For example, Hayli here is the best I’ve recorded outside of this one demoness. A ninety-five out of one hundred.”

“No decimals?” I ask.

“No. I don’t mess with those. Anyway, before you ask: I am a ninety, the bear is a seventy, my slave master is a forty-eight, the annoying one is a sixty-nine, and Zeke is a sixty-one.” 

“Heh, now check me.” Vern cockily said. 

Ophelia sighed and touched my brother’s forehead. His pupils severely and rapidly dilated for a brief moment, and then returned to normal as she removed her hand.

“Hmmm. Ninety-one. Pretty good.”

“Heh, guess I’m not as good as she was. Figures.” He turned to me, “Huh, how will you work?”

“Uh…” I shrugged.

“Well, Terra, it is your turn.” She placed her open palm on my forehead. I went near blind as my pupils dilated.

“S-So?” I ask shaking my head as my vision returned.

“Um, I don’t know. To be clearer, it is a number that is not real. Like a division by zero. Imaginary and yet not.”

“Yeah, that sounds right.” I smile.

“How.” She narrowed her eyes in confusion.

“Well according to the doctors, my sister was born with a quote-unquote ‘void that was and will be after the creation of that which reflects all’ on account of my twin and I’s birth breaking her womb or whatever because of our Mirror Magic. Not really something I understand and neither does she. Oh, and that which reflects all, my magic.” He finished with the focus on him.

“Mirror Magic? Hmmm. I haven’t heard of that one.” Ophelia gained a look of upset unknowing.

“Yeah, not many people have.” I respond for Vern. 

“I’m mighty interested in it as well. Vern, care to elaborate?” Sairah asked leading Vern and Ophelia over to the truly comfy chairs.

Hayli pulled me into the chair she was sitting on, and I leaned in on her. Her face grew deadly serious, and she forced me to look her in the eye. “So, what do you think?”

“About what?”

“The other girls. D-Did…” She trailed off.

“I am offended you think I'm that kind of girl. I mean we just started dating four days ago."

“Okay, that’s good. That’s great.” She looked unbelievably relieved.

I decided I should make her aware of the bed situation now, before she was dragged into a conversation with someone else and I became too nervous to interrupt and do so. “So, um, there’s three bedrooms upstairs, and we have to have to people share beds and Vern 'suggested' we should share the single bed one.”

Even Hayli’s scales reddened as she tried to respond, “Well I-I… I mean that, um, i-i-it, um- I- heh.”

"We could probably separate the bed in two if it's awkward for us."

"I mean, I- And you- dating- and um..." She looked around the room wildly until she locked eyes with Sairah.

Sairah yelled back to us (I saw the looks on your faces and told her what we had decided for the rooms- Vern) “She’d love to, Terra. Hayli just watch the tail.”

I turned to the water dragon next to me and looked for direct conformation from her. She nodded rapidly, face flushed red. Sairah had said she'd get like this. I felt myself burning red as well.

Fredericka snuck up behind us and wrapped her muscular arms around us. “Well, now that well finally got the rooms sorted, I guess we can eat.”

“Who’s cooking?” I say pointing at Zeke.

“As the only qualified-” Zeke began.

Loudly Amber coughed, “Ahem?!”

He rolled his eyes, “Sorry. As one of the two most qualified to cook the boring shit they gave us, I guess Amum and myself will be the cooks.”

“Hey, I can cook.” Sairah said.

“You can only cook fish. Which you always burn.” Hayli corrected her mentor.

“Everything else was cold.” Said Fredericka.

“Well then, I will go and collect my spices from… storage.” He announced before running down the hall where the bathroom was. We had thrown our things into a large room that was unfurnished.

Amber asked me to tell her which door the pantry was. I told her and she dashed off to collect rice and water.

“So… What do you think they’ll cook?” Ophelia asked her sister.

Layla turned to Vern. “What is there here?” 

“Rice, water, spices- and I think a few vegetables? Maybe?” Vern was basing his assumption on the garden we could see from the windows upstairs.

I pulled myself up, and motioned toward my girlfriend, “Hayli, help me set the table, please.”

“Sure thing, Terr-terr.” She jumped out of the chair and followed me.

We arrived at the dining room, and I had her barge into the kitchen as I found the point where the single table split in half and then half again and detached it, so we wouldn’t be burdened with the whole table. I pushed the rest as far as I could down the room along with the twenty-ish extra chairs. The table was still a bit too big for my taste, but at least it wouldn’t seem as empty.

Hayli emerged with arms full of plates, bowls, and cups and silverware (real silver!) and I hurried over to help her set them in place, before she broke any of them. After we finished up, Zeke walked in from the kitchen, and asked us if we were allergic to chili peppers or onions. We both answered negatively, though Hayli wasn’t sure on the chili pepper part, and he returned to cook our meals. The others joined us and a handful of minutes later Amber and Zeke emerged to fill our plates and glasses, and we began to feast.

“So, Layla, Ophelia, where are you two from?’ Frederica asked mouth full of food, like the pig she was. (Screw you- Fredericka)

“West Erostha.” Replied Layla.

“Lovely.” Fredericka replied rolling her eyes.

Layla turned to Vern, “Why did you bring two shields, Vern?”

“Don’t ask, eating.”

I picked at my food avoiding joining those two in their conversations.

“Hey, can we make the room situations clear? I wasn't paying attention.” Amber asked to no one in particular.

Zeke answered his friend after letting out a sigh, “Well, Amum, you are with me, Sairah and Vern in the big room in the middle. Layla and Ophelia will have to share a bed in the no toilet room with Fredericka. And Earth and Hayli are sharing the big bedroom.”

“To be clear, is that cool?” Vern asks Layla.

“Yeah, I sleep with her all the time. I’m more worried about them.” She glanced at Hayli and myself.

“Sister, don’t worry about the couple.” A monotone Ophelia jested.

“But…” She began but decided arguing with Ophelia was apparently pointless.

Fredericka finished up and pulled Vern and Sairah along with her to help move our stuff up the stairs. The rest of us continued with our meal, talking among ourselves, mostly about how we would deal with the lack of toilet in the one room. Amber offered to allow them to us theirs, as long as they didn’t wake them in the night. She apparently can’t go to sleep if she gets woken up at night which would be a hard thing to do in the first place. 

Hayli and I decided to test out our room (Read: Use the huge bathtub) (Seperately!) while the others decided to spend a bit more time talking in the sitting area.

“This bathroom is amazing. The one at the palace is just as good as this one is. How’d you convince them to let us, have it?”

“Vern is a lot softer on sisters than brothers." I joked.

“You are cool staying with me, right?”

“I mean Vern and Fredericka are going to tease me for sleeping in the same bed as you, but it's nothing I can't handle. Besides you are the only one I could have stood being with.”

“Hmm, well okay. You can go first.” She motioned her head towards the bathroom.

I quickly took a bath, and made myself busy organizing my belongings while waiting for Hayli to reemerge from it. I rebounded some lose paper in the journals. I tossed a few unreadable pages away and hid the good ones under my clothes. I didn’t want anyone reading my stuff, especially with how bad I considered some of it. (Vern and Fredericka are at least useful for editing later.) 

Hayli walked back out, towel tightly wrapped around her body, and tossed a nightgown on simultaneously, not exposing her body once. I was by then lying on the bed, dressed, and on top of the covers doing nothing, per usual. I sat up and moved over.

“So,” Hayli moved next to me, and wrapped her scaly tail around my legs, arm locked with my own, “What should the two of us do, now? I mean two girls alone, in the same room, with one bed?”

I moved my face closer to her, smiling. She burned like usual, and I tried hard to stay calm and not blush as I smiled, “What two people are supposed to do in bed.”

She stammered and started to freak out, “A-A-And w-what is t-that?”

“Sleep of course. What else.” I pushed her off of me and leaned over her shocked and angry body to blow out the candle on the stand. 

Immediately the room filled with darkness, making it nearly impossible to see. I tossed the covers over us and Hayli scouted onto the pillows. We laid facing each other, I think. Again, it was dark.

I assume she was glaring at me after that joke, but I couldn’t see her at all.

"You're lucky that potion made you cute." 

She tightened her tail around my stomach and pulled me closer before flipping herself over loudly. I grimaced as she held onto to me and try to not move as I fall asleep in her vice like embrace.