"Consider it done," the second said, beginning to channel magic into the mirror. Dark energy coalesced, forming images that shifted too quickly to follow—glimpses of sleeping faces, twisted landscapes, nightmare scenarios playing out in rapid succession. "By tomorrow night, your thorn will be removed. Permanently. And our debt will be settled. After this, we're even. No more favors. No more appeals to old friendship."
"Agreed," the first figure said. "After this, our business is concluded. We can go back to pretending we never knew each other."
The two figures stood in silence as dark energy continued building in the chamber, causing the temperature to drop and frost to form on the broken windows. Then, without further words, the taller figure turned and walked back to where their portal had deposited them. Space rippled, and they stepped through, disappearing with controlled urgency.
