We stood in a desolate expanse of white, the remnants of the Amon dungeon scattered around us like the debris of a shattered world. Walls, once towering and imposing, were now nothing more than piles of pulverized stone. Intricate pathways and multi-layered caves had collapsed in on themselves, reduced to a uniform expanse of gray gravel and swirling dust. Even the air, thick with the lingering scent of ozone and shattered magic, felt heavy, oppressive.
It had been four days - well, four days inside the dungeon, a mere handful of minutes in the outside world, thanks to the time dilation. Four days of trying, and failing, to control the overwhelming power that surged through our veins.
We'd tried to hold back, to focus our strength, to refine our movements, but every attempt had resulted in more destruction. A casual step created a crater. A flick of the wrist sent shockwaves rippling through the air, shattering stone, pulverizing earth.
And now, all that remained was this – a white void, a silent testament to our destructive potential.
Rem hovered gracefully a few feet above the ground, her blue hair flowing around her like a silken waterfall, a faint shimmer of telekinetic energy surrounding her.
Even in this desolate landscape, she radiated an aura of elegance, of- definitely not control-, I could sense the strain in her posture, the way her brow furrowed in concentration, the way her hands unconsciously clenched and unclenched as she struggled to contain the torrent of power that surged within her and around her-.
Elegance- she still seemed so elegant in her dress and maid uniform combo that looked extremely good on her.
Morgiana, her crimson hair a stark contrast to the white backdrop of destroyed reality, sat slumped against a pile of rubble, her arms crossed.
Her usual stoicism had crumbled, replaced by a weary grimace that tugged at my heartstrings.
The weight of her enhanced strength, the constant effort required to restrain her newfound power, had clearly taken its toll.
She tried to stand, her body instinctively rebelling against the enforced stillness.
The ground beneath her feet, no longer solid stone but the shimmering, almost translucent surface of what I am going to refer to as 'hard reality', cracked and buckled under the pressure.
But without any stone left to shatter, without anything actually existing there, without any physical matter to give way, the cracks sealed themselves, the fabric of reality knitting itself back together, evidence of its resilience, its refusal to be permanently broken, even by forces that could obliterate mountains and split oceans.
I, meanwhile, was still trying to figure out how to walk without triggering a localized seismic event.
"Just stop using so much force!" Ram complained, her voice sharp with irritation, her pink eyes narrowed, her perfectly manicured nails drumming impatiently against the surface of a conveniently intact rock. "I mastered this whole enhanced strength thing in, like, five seconds. What's taking you so long?"
Rem, trying to land in front of her sister but overshooting and skidding across the ground, causing small cracks, began, "Ram-," she stumbled upwards and landed with a slam in front of her sister by sheer luck.
She started again, pretending that the stumble didn't happen, her voice a gentle but firm reprimand, "Ram, please! It's just a matter of focus and practice. I'm sure we'll all get it eventually."
Morgiana, from her corner of rubble, simply groaned, burying her face in her hands.
I avoided their gazes, my cheeks flushing with a mixture of embarrassment and shame.
Damn it.
I just realized something.
I could have just fixed this at the beginning.
I could have brewed a potion for perfect control of the soul, body, and mind.I had the knowledge, the ingredients, the skill.
But I'd been so focused on learning how to control our new power after Ram shredded Amon, that I'd overlooked the most crucial element- making another damn potion!
"Well…" I stammered, my voice hesitant, my gaze darting between the shattered remnants of the dungeon and their expectant faces. "There might be… a solution."
Everyone looked at me with a scowl and deadpan, as if they knew what was coming.
"I think I can make a potion for this. Maybe for control?"
Ram's eyes widened, her irritation momentarily replaced by disbelief. "A solution?" she echoed, her voice incredulous. "You mean you could have created a potion this entire time and you just… forgot?!"
Her voice rose in pitch, her pink hair practically vibrating with renewed annoyance. "Tereda, you absolute idiot! Do you have any idea how much easier this would have been if you'd just… remembered? We could be out there exploring, having fun, instead of playing hopscotch in this dusty expanse of bland garbage!"
"Now, now, Ram," Rem interjected, her voice soothing, though her gaze remained fixed on me, a flicker of disappointment in her blue eyes. "I'm sure Tereda had-"
Rem looked around, trying to find a reason to excuse my forgetfulness.
She shook her head and flew towards the side.
She clearly overshot a bit and just started to sulk.
I winced, shrinking under Ram's gaze, the heat of her anger a palpable force.
"I'm sorry," I mumbled, my voice barely a whisper. "I was distracted."
Ram threw her hands up in exasperation, her composure momentarily shattered, her prickly nature resurfacing. "Distracted? By what? The existential dread of facing a god? Oh wait he's dead! The thrill of turning a perfectly good dungeon into a pile of rubble? That's impossible because that's like watching paint dry! You- You already have an enhanced mind Forgetting something so simple should be- UGH!"
Ram stomped off, shaking her head.
Morgiana, from her corner of rubble, simply groaned, lifting her face from her hands to look at the white expanse of sky for guidance.
This-.
I can fix this.
—
I arranged the ingredients on the ground before me, my telekinetic hands moving with a practiced efficiency my real hands currently couldn't replicate.
My enhanced mind sifted through the vast library of potion knowledge stored within my soul.
"Perfect control," I murmured, my voice a low hum in the silent, white expanse of the shattered dungeon. "No more accidental earthquakes, no explosions, no more 'hulk smash'."
The potion took shape, a swirling vortex of silver and gold, pulsing with a faint, ethereal light. It was a delicate balance of ingredients, a symphony of energies, a showcase of my years of study, my countless failures turned successes, my unwavering determination to master the art of potion making.
Four doses.
One for each of us.
I carefully poured the shimmering liquid into four vials, the pressure of responsibility weighing heavily upon me. This potion, this elixir of absolute control as I had dubbed it, was the key to our future, the bridge between our raw power and our ability to wield it with precision and grace.
Without it, we'd be stuck here for weeks, and every time we had a massive powerup, we'd be right back here, maybe destroying planets this time.
I stood up and grasped the vials.
"Here," I said, turning to offer the vials to Rem, Ram, and Morgiana, my grin widening, my heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and relief. "Drink up, everyone. It's time to upgrade."
But as I took a step forward, my enhanced legs, still not quite calibrated to my newfound strength, betrayed me.
I stumbled, my foot catching on a loose piece of rubble, my balance shifting, my body tilting precariously.
The vials, clutched in my hand, flew towards the ground, a collective gasp echoing in our shared mindscape.
"No!" Ram shrieked, her voice a mix of horror and disbelief. "Tereda, you clumsy idiot!"
I reacted instinctively, my telekinesis surging, a wave of invisible force snatching the vials from their downward trajectory, halting them mere inches above the ground and halting my trajectory.
But the sudden jolt, the abrupt shift in momentum, sent cracks spiderwebbing across the delicate glass, a sickening crunch that made my heart sink.
"Damn it," I muttered, carefully examining the vials, my fingers tracing the hairline fractures, my enhanced senses probing for any leaks.
Thankfully, the damage was minimal. The potions were still intact and the spiderwebbing was only in between the glass and the sealant. Their precious contents secured within the cracked but unbroken vials.
"Close call," I said, my voice shaky with relief, handing the vials to my companions. "Drink up, before I drop them again."
They accepted the potions, their expressions a mixture of amusement and exasperation.
"You're a walking disaster, Tereda," Ram said, shaking her head, but a playful smile softened her words.
"Just drink the potion, Ram," Rem chided, her blue eyes giving Ram a side-eyed look.
We downed the potions, the liquid cool and smooth, a tingling sensation spreading through our bodies, a sense of calm focus settling over our minds.
And then, it hit us.
The power, the raw, untamed energy that had been threatening to overwhelm us, suddenly felt… different. Tamed. Controlled. Focused.
I took a step forward, my foot landing softly on the ground, the gravel beneath my boot remaining undisturbed.
No tremors.
No shockwaves.
No craters.
I grinned, a genuine, unrestrained expression of pure joy.
"It worked!" I exclaimed, my voice a normal volume, no longer amplified by my uncontrolled chi.
Rem and Morgiana, their movements mirroring my own newfound grace, exchanged smiles, their eyes shining with relief and excitement.
Morgiana, her pout fading, her red eyes widening, cautiously stood up, her body no longer a threat to the structural integrity of the dungeon.
"Amazing," she whispered, her voice laced with awe.
Ram then spoke up, "Why did I need one again?"
—
We made our way out of the dungeon, our steps light, our bodies moving with a newfound precision and control, the weight of our enhanced power no longer a burden, but a tool, a weapon, a source of strength.
The golden left-side door swung open, revealing the familiar desert landscape, the sun high in the sky, the air warm and dry. The scent of sunbaked sand and distant spices wafted on a gentle breeze, a welcome contrast to the stale, oppressive atmosphere of the dungeon.
There, just next to us, pushing impatiently against the shimmering telekinetic barrier we had placed, were Aladdin and Alibaba. Aladdin, his blue hair tousled, his expression a mixture of frustration and determination, pounded his small fist against the invisible wall. Alibaba, his blonde hair plastered to his forehead with sweat, his face red with exertion, leaned his full weight against the barrier, his efforts futile. Their voices, raised in frustrated shouts, were a jarring contrast to the serene silence of the desert.
We exchanged amused glances, a silent chorus of laughter echoing in our shared mindscape.
Idiots, Ram thought, her mental voice dripping with amusement. They really think they can brute force their way through a telekinetic barrier? Talk about a lack of imagination.
I grinned, enjoying the absurdity of the situation.
With a shared, silent agreement, we turned and walked away, our footsteps silent against the sand, our enhanced senses alert for any sign of pursuit. We moved with a fluid grace, our bodies blending seamlessly with the desert landscape, shadows slipping through the shimmering heat haze.
We kept our distance from the dungeon, circling wide, our laughter muffled, our movements hidden by the undulating dunes.
Finally, when we were far enough away, out of sight and earshot of the oblivious duo, we let our laughter erupt, a joyous release of tension, a celebration of our newfound mastery and our escape from the clutches of the self-righteous Aladdin and his clueless companion.
"I do what I want!" I shouted, raising my voice, letting it boom across the desert, a declaration of freedom, a challenge to the very concept of fate. I threw my middle finger towards the sky, a gesture of defiance, a silent message to any gods or Djinns who dared to stand in our way.
The world stretched before us, a vast canvas of possibilities, a playground where we could rewrite the rules, reshape the landscape, and forge our own destinies.
And we, empowered, liberated, and united, were ready to play.