It was a grand room where walls were painted white, and a dazzling chandelier made of gold hung above everything. It was well lit. In the middle was a wooden table with comfortable blue chairs on each side.

Arislaw Megumi was sitting on one chair, holding a tea cup in her hand. Her vibrant pink hair were tied into a high bun, while two bangs framed her head. She was wearing a crisp red shirt, and a white skirt. It was all quality material.

"How's it's been, Kobo Daichi?" She smirked like a bird, as she sipped on her tea. It was flavorful.

Daichi wasn't looking much interested in here. He was hunched, overcame by boredom. "Get straight to the point," he commanded. "Why am I summoned here?"

He scratched his wispy black hair. Megumi looked annoyed, closing her eyes. "Is that how you talk to aristocracy, Kobo Daichi? "Where are your manners?"

"Hid behind the curtains from the sight of you," he thought to himself. "Arislaw Megumi, the oldest of three daughters of the Arislaw family. I don't know from where they get their money from. In fact, nobody does. I just know she was in the same college as mine, same classes."

Megumi chuckled, slamming her glass on the table. "Don't you-" she gazed her golden eyes at him. "-try doing something naughty with me, haha! My guards would stab you first, gather information later."

"Am I supposed to be scared?" Daichi yawned. He was so nonchalant about sitting inside one of the most expensive mansions ever.  

Megumi pointed at him. "That!" She collected herself, still shaking. The roam felt like a boat floating to her. "Kobo Daichi, you are a man who isn't scared of anything. That's why you are called here."

She explained, "You must know as of now, that we have the coveted Aladdin's Lamp in our possession. It's stored behind a certain wall in this very mansion, a secret passage known only to me, grandfather, and father."

"Go on." He was still much disinterested. "I am listening."

"You see, many factions are trying to get their hands over it. Like, of course, if there is a wish granting device, everyone would engage in a death battle for it."

"Greed." Daichi rolled his eyes off, crossing his arms. He leant himself back in the seat. "One evil man, one evil wish. We all would be done for."

Megumi came closer to his face, blushing. She used her finger to bring her hair behind her ear, smiling. Daichi gulped. "She smells like sweets."

Megumi put her finger on his nose. Daichi was momentarily startled. She said, "That's why you are the chosen one. A man with no ulterior motives. Who says what he means, and means what he says. Only someone like you can be hired to protect Aladdin's Lamp without getting corrupted by its limitless potential."

Daichi had a choice hung on his neck like a sword. Either deny the job and continue his monotonous life—waking up at eight, going for office work, come home, eat, and sleep at eleven—or... "How much is the pay?" Accept it to become a hero.

Megumi recoiled back into her seat. "Whatever the amount your heart desires!"

"Deal."

"Deal!" She clapped her hands in joy. Then her expression shifted to tension. It was all serious. "Though, I should tell you that... Kawashima Shinzo is after Aladdin's Lamp."

Daichi's world shook for a second, shattering right in his heart. "Kawashima... Shinzo?" The temperature of the room dropped by several degrees.

***

In the dimly lit room, the old man and Shinzo sat together. Shinzo was trying to read the expressions on the old man's jovial face, locking behind million emotions. He pointed that out: "What is that you are hiding?"

The old man was surprised. "Huh?"

"If you want me to work for you, be more open with me." Shinzo traced his finger on the wooden table, making drawings of the lamp within the dust. "I require transparency from my employers."

"Okay, okay. I was scared that you'll leave the job upon hearing this." The old man wobbled his head. "Thing is, the Arislaw family has hired Kobo Daichi to protect the Aladdin's Lamp."

"Kobo... Daichi?"

***

In the mansion room, Daichi was in a state of deep contemplation. It was like walking on a path of fire with no shoes. "Kawashima Shinzo,-"

***

Shinzo clenched his fists, and gazed straight at them. His vision narrowed in a certain seriousness. The flames of passion ran colder. "Kobo Daichi,-"

Daichi said, "-a man of thousand skills.-"

Shinzo said, "-a man with nothing to win,-"

Daichi said, "-Master of all trades, jack of none-"

Shinzo said, "-and nothing to lose-"

Both whispered to themselves, thinking of every single outcome that can unfold in their inevitable clash, "I fear him."

***

Watanabe Fumiko was sitting outside in the middle of the night, on a swing in a hushed park. She was deeply lost in a world of her own, forgetting about her existence here. 

The beautiful moon was complete tonight. It brightened up her black hair, flowing down till her waist, but her blue eyes had no shine, as they only gazed downwards.

One word was in her mind: "Germany." She was under great pressure. She thought, "Mama is sick, and dad called me for that. I want to see her. It has been almost three years, and I haven't seen her face-to-face. Last time I talked to her was on a phone when she was healthy. I want to talk to her again."

Her grip on the swing tightened. "But how? They are in Germany, and I am in Japan. I don't have enough money to travel abroad. I can't! I just passed college last month, and am doing job at a retail store. How... Mama... I miss you."

Just like that, she fought tears back from falling. She liked the company of the silent darkness around her. She liked the moon. "I wish," she said, lifting her head up at the celestial beauty. "A prince would help me sail across the seas, and let me meet my parents. Just that."

"Hahahaha!" Someone broke the silence with a lavish laugh. It was enchanting to hear, but somehow annoying. Fumiko was annoyed. "Did someone heard me say that?!" She jumped on her feet, embarrassed.

"Hahahaha!" The sound came from her back. The wind rushed past her, chilling down her spine. She turned around, and was frozen by the sheer sight of what she saw.

In front of the moon stood a tall silhouette, jittering as he laughed wholeheartedly. "Hahahaha!" His movements brought forth melodies of chiming jewelry. It was all sonorous to hear.

Each hand of his had nine bangles crafted out of gold, and on his chest were places three gold necklaces. They were fashioned by multiple gemstones from all around the world. They shone in vibrant blasts of colors. His left ear had a pure gold earring, finishing his attire consisting of a white robe.

"Hahahaha!" He was the definition of enchanting with his flawlessness. Fumiko was startled. She summoned some courage into her weak heart. "Who... Are you?"

"Me?" The silhouette stopped his harmonies of laughter. He placed his hand on his chest, calmly smiling. "I am Sinbad of Baghdad."

"Sinbad?" Fumiko was confused. "Is that someone I am supposed to know?" She felt like all of her life she was living under a rock.

Sinbad waved his hand in air, dismissing it. "No, not necessarily."

"Why were you laughing? Were you laughing at my fairy tale-esque wish?!" Fumiko was concerned that her childishness was shown to someone.

"I was laughing because I can fulfill that "fairy tail-esque' wish."

"You can?"

"Yes!"

"You can... But... How?" She was skeptic of him. All humans should be skeptical of men like Sinbad in the middle of the night. "And why?"

Sinbad hummed to himself, tilting his head to one side, then the other side. He paused. "That's right! You see, I am from the Arabian region of this world. I am a great sailor, one who has the wealth seen by no other men who has ever walked on this Earth."

"You'll give me some money?" Fumiko was surprised at this unexpected kindness. Sinbad let her down: "No."

"Then, how will you help me?"

"You see," he continued to explain in his soothing voice. "I have one treasure of mine, stolen by a secret aristocratic family. Arislaw, they call themselves. My treasure, Aladdin's Lamp, has the power to grant the user three wishes. Literally any wish you can think of. Money, treatment, travel. Anything!"

Fumiko crossed her arms, taking a step back. "Why should I believe you-"

"Knew you would be skeptical." 

Two gauntlets made up of gold materialized on either side of him, floating in the air. They were radiant in an otherworldly energy. Their aura alone pushed Fumiko away, making it difficult for her to breathe.

The gauntlets blasted in brilliant yellow light, leaving behind a wave of sparkles. "Is that enough proof that magic is real."

"H- h- how?!" She was shaking, trying to make sense of what she just witnessed. Her brain had fried from the overload.

Sinbad laughed. "Hahahaha! As the legendary hero, Hero of Sailors, Sinbad of Baghdad, I am the ruler of all the riches. All the treasure is mine to possess. All the sites are mine to be explored. Is that so hard to understand?" He smirked devilishly.

Fumiko collected herself, shoving her scared head behind her knees, which had black socks on till the thighs. She was trembling from fear. "How- how will I get that 'treasure' of yours if the people will use that kind of magic to protect it? I'll get killed on the first try!"

Sinbad laughed again. His opulence shone under the ethereal moon. The wind ran colder. He said, "That's why I have a friend for you. I can't use him on my own, because only a human can summon a Fiction. I am a Fiction myself, how will I summon one! That's why, I am here for you. I give you this."

He threw a sleek card at her. It spun many times in the air, then stabbed in the ground nearby her. She lifted her gaze up, looking at it. There was a blue hammer drawn on it. "H- hammer?"

Sinbad explained, "This is your ally. Just pick it up, throw it on the ground with all your might, and call its name."

"Its name?"

"Yes, the name!" Sinbad explained, "He is God of Thunder, Hero of Asgard, Odin's son Thor!

"Th- Thor?" Just as she thought the night couldn't get any weirder, she was given the opportunity the summon Thor himself. Her fingers trembled as she pushed them ahead to pick the card up. She was scared, but the thought of her sick mother pushed her forward. She could not stop moving.

"Say his name, Fumiko." Wind blasted past Sinbad. He had a determined grin. "Say his name!"

Fumiko stood up with her shivering knees. The bones of her were weak, but the resolve was of steel.

She shot the card forward. It pierced through the atmosphere like a scissor sliding on paper. Her blue eyes burned bright with some little spark of courage. "I summon you, Odin's son, Thor!"