We were back in the empty throne room. No friends in sight. No enemies. Nobody.

Just us. Akios and me.

"Well, it's time to finish what you started Calytrix," Akios said but I didn't react because a sudden pain in my stomach made me crunch down. The last time I ate was yesterday. I planned to eat along the way but I didn't imagine this place to be so run down, besides with all the things that happened I didn't have the time or place to eat.

My stomach growled loudly. "You're hungry?" Akios asked but I felt too embarrassed to speak. My stomach growled again. "I am guessing you didn't eat anything today." He clutched his head as though he was having a headache "We'll have to go through travels basics from scratch. "Instead of an answer, the sounds of hunger echoed the room. "Here!"Akios took out sandwiches from a small portal he quickly opened and closed.

The portal could have led to a very small world where there was enough space only for the sandwiches. Maybe they were all that existed there, but maybe there were very little creatures there too. I would have liked to peek at it but there was no time. I was truly grateful for the food he shared but before I could say anything I had to take a bite.

The sandwich was delicious. It contained everything I liked: ham, cheese, green salad and an egg. Simple, but effective. It seemed to be handmade. Maybe Akios was making these before we met here? That thought made me giggle.

Akios casually sat down on the throne as he ate. He didn't have any royal dignity but he didn't have the aura of townsfolk or a villager neither. Us magic wielders were a category for itself.

"Aren't you going to sit down Calytrix?" he asked and I shook my head. "A causal meal should be enjoyed in an appropriate manner."

"Transfigurno" The small red carpet in the middle of the room became a fluffy red blanket comfortable enough to sit down. The blanket was so soft that I could barely stop myself touching it. Cuddling with soft materials was one of the best things in the world.

Akios decided to join me. Maybe the fluffiness of the blanked drew him in or he just agreed with me on the casual approach to sandwiches. Akios didn't feel the blanket. He took out of the miniature world a few green water bottles and in that moment I felt such strong thirst that I immediately grabbed one to drink.

It wasn't plain water, it was full of bubbles. They tingled my insides. This water was cursed! I-I. It was too late! I swallowed it.

"The-the water it is c-cursed!" I looked at Akois.

His eyebrows raised high as he gulped down a whole bottle of the cursed water. "Alive,", he said.

What will happen to us now? The tingling sensation faded. It lasted only when the water was in my mouth. I looked at the bottle and saw bubbles forming in it. The bubbles were formed quickly but they also disappeared at the same speed.

"Relax," Akios put his hand on my head. "It isn't cursed. Haven't you ever heard of carbonated bubbly water?"

I thought hard about it. Carbonated bubbly water? There was no such mention in any of the books I read nor did I hear anyone talking about it.

„Carbonated water is that has been infused with carbon dioxide gas under pressure," I didn't understand his words at all. Carbon in water? But it wasn't black. The water was transparent like it normally is. I looked at the bottle from all directions.

"Nevermind," he said." I wouldn't poison you. That would be quite the opposite of my goals."

Since our contract was still effective I trusted his words without doubt. At least for now I can relax. Akios took out more bottles but he still didn't let me catch a glimpse inside the small portal he opened.

A sudden knock, no, a kick made me want to jump up, but Akios stopped me.

The door violently flung open as long strands of black hair fluttered in the air. A flash of intense crimson stood in front of us. Rheya smiled brightly as she looked at us: "Calytrix, Akios, enjoying a quiet, nice picnic, I see,"

"Please, do join us," Akios faked a smile.

"Rheya, you..." I tried to stand up but Akios stopped me once again.

"You must excuse her, Calytrix doesn't have many friends," Akios said.

"That's okay, neither do I,"said Rheya with a similar fake smile."Is that carbonated water?"she looked at the bottle.

How did she know about it? Did she also make a pact with Akios?

"My girls were the first to invent it and put it on sale, it was just last month" she carefully examined the bottle from all sides and angles "It looks very familiar, but this isn't something they made. Were did you get this?"

"From a place very far away from here, filled with treacherous paths and dangerous monsters," Akios calmly explained. His source was surely from another world and not from Rheayet kingdom. Rheya listened to Akios with a serious expression on her face. She seemed to believe his lie and sat down to chat with us. They exchanged some small talk and pleasantries. Unlike them, I had no intention of spouting fake words one after another. As I watched them I couldn't imagined two more shady people but each of them was different and unique. Both of them had black hair but Rheya'was silky and really well maintained while Akio's hair seemed to be of a lighter shade, curly and wild. His eyes reminded me of the blue winter skies while her eyes reminded me of blood but I couldn't look at either of them for too long because it made me uncomfortable.

"Calytrix, you're always wearing the same style," Rheya turned her attention to me."Golden and black look nice on you but maybe you should try some other colors too."

"I think blue would fit her well," Akios suggested.

"That would not be bad," Rheya put a finger on her chin as she carefully thought about the suggestion." I'd love to play dress up with you sometime again Caly," she winked and me but I got the shivers.

"I'll think about it," those were the best words I could think of to avoid conflict.

"You two never said what you were doing here," Rheya said while smiling but her eyes looked sharp.

"Isn't it obvious," Akios said" We're here to make Calytrix the queen!" Rheya's smile disappeared in an instant.

"A queen? Just like that? She was born a witch and now she suddenly gets to be the queen?"Rheya couldn't hide her aura of hostility anymore." Without all the hardships, blood, sweat and tears that a princess has to go first?"She stood up.

"Yes," Akios calmly said as he remained sitting down leisurely. I stood up ready for and incoming attack but he didn't stop me.

"Rheya, I..." I said but her scream nullified my voice. "Rheya I don't want to be a queen!" She was unable to hear my words. There was a rise in her magic power but she was too distressed to properly focus.

Rheya called forth a puff of smoke and attacked us with a few drops of water. There was no point of raising a barrier or doing anything against such weak attacks.

Whenever I tried to say something she screamed and I wasn't sure what to do. I looked at Akios who seemed to get more annoyed each minute.

The worst attack Rheya managed was to splah Akios's face with a little bit of water. He raised his right hair in the air but it wasn't for an attack. Akios snapped his fingers which caused Rheya to teleport somewhere far away.

He was getting better at magic. Could he became as powerful as Andrezey one day? I shivered at the thought because people shouldn't be that powerful.

Akios stood up and looked at me from head to toe." Now that the nuisance is gone it is time to crown you."

At that moment a solider in shiny amour entered the throne room."This kingdom won't accept you!" he yelled but instead of entering into conflict he was on his way out. If he gets out and spreads the world it would be bad.

"Dona mihi vents!!!" I used air magic to close the door before the knight could ran off to his comrades.

"Calytrix?" Akios tilted his head to look at me.

"There's been a misunderstanding!" I said and the knight turned to me without saying a word.

"I don't want to be a queen!" The knight didn't believe me and had defense stance even though I didn't try to attack him. "Like I'd believe you!" the knight increased his aura of hostility.

"What do you want to do then?" Akios calmly asked."Being the queen is the best choice. You get status, power, riches, people who have to obey your every word."

I shook my head. The knight interrupt the moment between me and Akios as he tried to violently pry the door open. "You'll never get what you want!"

"As I said I don't want to be a queen!" I yelled as I focused the magic to keep the door closed.

"Trust me, became a queen," Akios said."Why are you here if it isn't for a coup d'état? What will you do in life that would be better?"

"No!"I repeated"Isn't it obvious what I want? I wanted it from the start."I said"I am a witch! I want to be a powerful witch!"

I called forth protective magic around me and Akios while keeping the door closed. The knight can go out only when we clear the misunderstanding.

"It's a shame but," Akios eyes shined for a moment."I understand."

Akios dispelled the barrier I created and as the knight finally went into an attack, he jumped in front of him but there was no battle. Akios touched the knight with his left hand which caused him to collapse. A few seconds after only snoring noises could be heard. He casted a powerful sleeping magic I couldn't even detect.

He put his hand on my right shoulder „Think of the fire spirit, calm you flames down," Only then I noticed that I called forth fire around me. I immediately extinguished the flames.

"I'll help you became a great witch," Akios said with a warm smile.

We left the throne room and silently walked down the hallway. Gunfire and screaming echoed the castle. The outside wasn't any better either from what I could see. Instead of green grass and bushes I saw all the gradients of gray smoke and some silver armor flickering through it.

The hallway we walked through was oddly empty even though the rest of the castle seemed to be in an uproar.

I remembered the path leading to the entrance and Akios followed my quick pace. We shouldn't stay here for too long. I don't want to get caught in enemy crossfire again.

"Calytrix," Akios softly said."You've been quietly all this time,"

"I was just thinking... what will happen with this place?"

"Who knows? It's none of our business." He said disinterested.

We continued to walk in silence. Will Akios be my travel partner now? He said he'd help me become a powerful witch. Does that mean he'll teach me how to teleport? That... I'd love...

The insides of the castle were becoming messier. There was burnt wood, destroyed staircases and castle materials blocking some of our paths. It wasn't too dangerous for us but what about the people who lived here? Is it okay to just leave them like this? It certainly wasn't our business but seeing someone suffer wasn't right. There wasn't anyone injured in front of us but what if there was someone in need of help in the rooms we passed through?

As we were close to the exit a large figure run past. He ran frantically bumping into walls and obstacles. The high-quality fabric clothes he wore were badly damaged. It was such a shame. I wasn't sure if it could be ever fixed.

Maybe he needs help? Akois ignored him. Losing all his royal dignity prince Frederic looked at us with tears overflowing. Was he sad about the state of the kingdom? "I lost to a woman," he cried.

I had the urge to kick him, but I remained calm and ignored him like Akios. Was that what triggered him the most in this situation? I couldn't believe it.

He ran outside and stumbled on a fallen knight. Prince Frederic didn't bother to talk to the knight or to even look at him. The knight growled in agony, but the prince acted as though there wasn't anything in front of him. How could he do that? As I ran to the knight the prince ran away. The knight was unmistakably his subject because the blue emblem on the armor as the same one I saw in the castle.

I focused on the knight while closing my eyes trying to detect the source of his pain. There were several critical pain sources, but they weren't life treating. I'll use only a little of my magic and it should work instantly "Spirituum dona mihi virtute sanitatem!"

"T-thank you" the armored knight slowly said. "It was nothing," I said without looking back and walked towards the smoke. It was unavoidable because it consumed everything.

"Don't you think we should tie loose ends" Akios asked. I stopped and nodded. He silently stood next to me. Despite the gray colors of his cloak Akios stood out in the fiery fog.

I closed my eyes once again to focus on my magic.

"Spirituum dona mihi sanctus pluviam," I called forth the help of the water spirit to clear the area. I could feel that it didn't reject helping me. The rain on my skin and hair felt so nice. Even Akios didn't bother to cover his head. Our surrounding slowly returned to its original state. The earthy colours, green grass and the blue skies were back but the uncomfortable smell of smoke still lingered.

"Calytrix's you learnt to control water magic and you were able to merge it with your healing powers," Akois said in a joyful voice. I-I. I don't recall hearing him so joyous. "Why are you blushing?" he asked. I didn't answer and just shook my head.

"Whatever"he was back in his monotone voice. "Aren't you forgetting something?" Forgetting? I cleared the smoke and fire. With the state of the fire spirit fire shouldn't be burnt for no purpose or rather bad purposes like this. I made a vow in my heart to stop all the unnecessary fires I sad along my way until the fire spirit grows stronger. The sudden clearance must have shocked everybody, so it was all silent. There was nothing else to do.

"Why didn't you ask the knight for a reward?" Akios peered deeply in my eyes like I did something wrong.

"Why?" I asked.

"Money makes the world go around. Without it you'd go hungry and could hardly cover the expenses for your journey." I felt a sudden headache. It was true that there were a few times I got hungry because I didn't carefully plan my actions. "You aren't some rich noblewoman that can go out on and adventure and work for free."

There was nothing in the witch code saying anything about these types of situations but I remembered that there was a certain other group of people. "Haven't you heard about a doctor's oath? Helping injured people or people in life endangering situations should be done for free,"

"Doctors again" Akios said sarcastically „Should I call one again to give you his salary because you did his job?"

"Don't..." I cast my gaze down. The last time the doctor had no purpose and with magic zombies were created. But the way Akios's attitude quickly turns for the worst when I mention a doctor must mean he had some kind of trouble with them.

Explosions echoed. The fight between Rheya's girls and prince Frederic's remaining forces continued. I immediately looked towards the direction of the sound but Akios held my chin with his hands and focused my gaze on him. "Don't let anyone bring you down, not even me" he said and I kicked him with my leg.

He stumbled back in surprise "What was that for?"

"I won't let anyone bring me down." Akios was too close, holding my face and I had to get away. I felt my face burning up a bit.

"How about we call it a night and make future plans tomorrow when we're fresh?" Akios said and snapped his fingers. He was focusing an incredible amount of magical energy. Sunshine was replaced with the darkness of the night. All of the sounds ceased too.

He might have been sleepy but I still had lots of energy. Akios headed back to the castle. Did he plan to go sleep there?

"Don't tell me that you plan to sleep in the royal bed?" I ask.

"Of course I do. That is the most comfortable place. Where else would I sleep?"he answered and quickly walked towards the castle again.

How about some modesty? I kept my thought to myself and quickened my pace to join him. Why was it all silent again? Everybody was probably shocked by the sudden change to the night? We were walking into enemy crossfire again.

"Given the situation it isn't a wisest decision to go back there," I said.

"Why not? Nobody will bother us," Akios said.

I stopped to look around. I could hear only Akios's footsteps. There was no breeze nor a night insect flying about. The grass on which Akios trampled upon made a strange noise. As though it was frozen. It didn't bend naturally. I carefully treaded on it and noticed that it felt like I was walking on something straight that couldn't bend and we were actually kind of destroying it.

Akios didn't pay attention to me as I ran around to check the surroundings.

After a while I saw beautiful shiny colors of a night butterfly. Adorned with stardust, each wing had a different pattern but it stood still in the air. That was far from natural. Without flopping its wings it should have been on the ground.

"You finally noticed,"Akios yawned,"I temporary stopped time so nobody would bother us."He said it like it was a normal thing to do but my body shock from the realization. Changing the time of the day and freezing time? That was the type of power that even the spirits didn't exactly have.

What or who was Akios?I looked at him while he was facing me with his back but nothing I could came up with as an explanation made sense.

Akios yawned again. "All of your questions and our future plans, let's discuss them after a sleep,"

„Okay" I lacked the right words to say. For now I'll do as he says and rest for the night. The morning will give us a fresh start and maybe answer some of my questions.

I matched his pace on our way to the castle.