Magic. It’s all you’ve heard about ever since you arrived in this kooky burg. Your interactions with witches and wizards have been relatively limited, but one thing’s for certain: magic is NASTY! Crap, you can still hear the sound those cultists made when that LARIUS guy popped their heads like grapes! You’re… you’re gonna need therapy!

One step at a time, Anton. In any case, your musings wander over to a concept… one stemming from those long nights practicing sleight-of-hand tricks in your room:

What if you could make that magic… DISAPPEAR?

You don’t have your wand, hat, or trusty assistant anymore–lord knows how you convinced her to wear that outfit in the first place–but the basics are still there! You just need to fight magic with MAGIC!

https://youtu.be/MvXUZKEkhDA
NEW SPELL–DISPEL MAGIC: Choose a CREATURE, OBJECT, or MAGICAL EFFECT and CONCENTRATE… presto-change-o! The magic or spell is GONE! Careful, though–the further, smaller, and/or more powerful the spell, the harder it is to remove… just be careful not to ENHANCE it!

A rattling gasp rips free of your throat as you return to reality to find Toppel looming over you with intense concentration etched into her expression, no doubt encouraged by the even more intense look Oti’s giving her from her side!

“There…” She grumbles as she sends a withering glare your way, “Debt paid. Get out.”

In a minute, you fire back, prompting her beastlike brother to bristle a bit, there’s one more thing you want before you let her go–

“Out of the question!” Snarls the sorceress with a petulant stomp of her foot! “Obber’s MINE! I had to deal with his antics growing up–he’s MINE! End of story!”

You, uh… you don’t want her freak brother, you answer as you send an apologetic glance over to the smiling Sangiuphage, you want INFO. Info on TRI-

“NOPE! NOPE! NONONONO! NO!” She interjects with wide eyes and trembling lips! “I’m lucky enough to have escaped from our last encounter–I’m not about to ring a dinner bell for-”

“You are… and you WILL.” Oti interjects with the usual cuddliness in his tone. “Consider it this way: the sooner you provide us with sufficient answers, the sooner you’ll be able to scurry away like a totta.”

Toppel opens her mouth to retort, but pauses when her jaw slackens and her eyes glisten with… recognition?

“... You…” She mutters under her awestruck breath, “It’s… it’s you, isn’t it!?”

For the first time in your ‘friendship’, you watch Oti tense up… almost as if he were… embarrassed?

>CONTD.