"Smells like rain." I remarked as I got dressed.

"Oh, you can tell?" Cier asked.

I nodded. "It's that almost chilly scent, like the air itself is getting ready to be cleansed. Almost like breathing in air from an air purifier. Not that you'd know what an air purifier is." I walked over to the window and took a deep breath. "Alright. Please take me to Lady Lissana."

Cier nodded and led me through the estate until we reached a room. He knocked and said, "My Lady, your guest has a message for you. May we enter?"

"You may enter." I heard.

We stepped into the room, which looked like some sort of study. Bookshelves lined the walls, and in the center of the room was a large desk, which had papers strewn across it. Lissana sat in the chair, a pair of reading glasses on her face. She removed them and looked at me. "What is your message?" She asked.

"The individual in the sealed room wishes to speak with you today." I said. "I was told that I would allow you in, and that you would only be allowed inside for five minutes. No more, no less, and that I was to escort you out at the allotted time."

"Making contracts behind my back, are we?" She asked.

"I made no contract, I'm only repeating what I was told, it's a different matter if you heed the message." I said. "The individual did try to make me swear a contract, threatening my life in the process. I stood firm, because I'm your guest, even if involuntarily, and no matter the reason, I won't act in any way that will endanger my host."

"Then why deliver this message?" She asked.

"Because hiding the fact that I was whisked away in my sleep by someone who told me to deliver a message is foolish." I replied. "Not only would you find out about it eventually, but openly defying someone who threatened to kill me is just asking to be killed. I delivered my message, and that is all I care to do unless you decide to speak with your-" I began to choke again, which resulted in the same thing as last time. "-really getting tired of that." I muttered.

"Then it would be prudent to speak with this individual." Lissana said. "Very well."

She stood up and we were led to the door.

I turned on my smartphone, which still had at least twenty battery. I set a timer for five minutes and opened the door. "Five minutes." I said. "I'll start the timer as soon as the door is closed."

Lissana nodded and walked in. I shut the door and started the timer.

"What a curious object." Cier stated, reaching his hand out.

"Don't." I said. "I don't want to risk you messing with the timer. Five minute isn't a lot of time, but if I don't keep direct track of it, then I might miss the right moment altogether."

He pulled his hand back. "I see..." He said.

"That, and it has a limited charge, I may have a charger for it, but I don't have the means to do so. Well, if I had a hundred and ten pounds of potatoes, I could charge it."

"Potatoes?" He asked.

"It's a root vegetable." I replied.

"I know what a potato is, I am curious as to why it would be necessary." He replied. "Does this artifact consume potatoes?"

I shook my head. "No. A potato can generate an electric charge-" I sighed. "Electricity is what lightning is made up of, on my world, we generate electricity to power machinery which does a lot of the hard work for us. Instead of relying on a fire to cook our meals, we channel electricity through a coil of metal- such as copper- to generate enough heat to effectively cook something."

"I see..." He said.

"You're just saying that so you sound like you're keeping up." I said.

"I will admit this much." He replied.

Half of the time had passed already, I was becoming a little concerned regarding the amount of battery I had left, if only I had a means to charge it. Like a water battery-

"A water battery." I remarked. "I remember making one that's capable of generating nine volts, but would that be enough to..?"

"Would this suffice?" Cier held out a pale yellow crystal.

"What's that?" I asked.

"A Lightning Shard." He said. "Low quality, barely enough to zap someone, let alone do any real damage. They're considered little more than waste, useful only for setting off magical wards or traps. Even you could get your hands on some just scrounging the streets for money."

I took the crystal and felt a slight buzzing on my fingers. I touched my tongue to it, it felt like licking a ten volt battery.

"Are you daft?!" Cier shouted. "Licking a Lightning Shard! You are fortunate it is such a weak one!"

"I think it'll work." I said. "But I might need more than one. Oh, and I'll need a lot of copper- thread. Thread made from copper, about as thin as..." I looked around. "About as thin as the width of Lady Lissana's necklace. You do know what copper is, right?"

"I am aware of what copper is, it's a common metal used for common jewelry."

"So it's not expensive?" I asked.

"Not necessarily." He said. "But to have it made into thick thread? That may be costly."

"Then I'll work off the debt." I said. The timer went off and I opened the door. I walked in and the door behind me shut. I walked forward and stepped up to Lissana.

"It's time." I said. She didn't respond. I rested my hand on her shoulder. "It's been five minutes." She wasn't moving, I sighed and said, "Alright, don't hate me for this." I stood in front of her, her eyes were unfocused, as if she were in a trance. I made a timer for one second, held it up to her ear, and let it go. A loud alarm jolted her out of her trance and she looked disoriented. I then took her hand, had her stand, and led her out of the room before she could fully get her bearings.

I opened the door and led her out. She stumbled and began to fall, Cier caught her without fail. "My Lady!" He exclaimed.

"Please, set her down gently on the floor." I said. Cier shot me a glare, but obliged. I rested my fingers on her wrist and pressed. I could feel her pulse, but it was weak. Slowly, over time, it began to grow stronger.

"Whatever happened to her, it's fading." I said. "Do you have any sweets? A pastry, candy, something she can eat?"

"It would take no time at all to procure such. Why?" He asked.

I let go of her wrist. "Because we're going to want to bring her to her room, lay her in her bed so she's comfortable, and have the sweets nearby so she can recover." I said.

Cier nodded and lifted her up carefully. While he rushed to take her to her room, he did so with all of the grace that would likely be expected from a servant. He glanced at me as he set her down.

"I can remain behind in case she wakes." I said. "At the very least, if she's angry, she'll have someone to focus that anger on."

He nodded and rushed out the door. I took a deep breath and felt her pulse again. Beyond the pulse, there was something else, something I hadn't felt in a long time.

There was a period of time when I was younger that I turned to what was essentially a form of witchcraft to try to get some control over my life. I had always believed it possible, I'd encountered things I couldn't explain, but there was an incident that had caused me to run away from it. I didn't remember the specifics, I'd blacked it all out, but it had terrified me enough that I ignored it.

Yet now, I could feel it again. That tingling sensation when one who is more spiritually aware can sense the energy of something that isn't quite there physically. I'd always understood it to be the energy used in magic at home, the energy coupled with the will and intention to change circumstances in your favor.

I took a deep breath and opened myself to the world, and I channeled a calming intention. I hoped that perhaps this would have an effect in this world.

"So." I heard her say. "This is your world's magic."

I looked at her. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"She is my ancestor." She said. "But she is also the Maiden of Death." I saw tears collect in her eyes and she began to cry.

"If you need a shoulder to cry on, mine is available." I said.

She didn't take me up on my offer, she simply laid on her bed and wept. Cier entered with a small tray covered in sweets.

"Lady Lissana." I said. "I need you to sit up, Cier has gathered a tray of pastries and other sweets, eating some will help."

She was able to sit up, and after Cier offered the tray, she took one and took a bite from it. She finished it with little care and took another one. After three more, she was calmer. She waved her hand and Cier set the tray aside and waited for further instruction. I didn't say anything, I waited for her to speak.

"She is... lonely." Lissana said. "It is a deep void that she cannot escape."

"Was her message important?" I asked.

"She simply wished to see me." She said. "If you had not come to take me from her room, I would have died. Any sooner, and I would have become violent, any later and-" She looked at me. "I do not remember you coming for me."

"You were in a trance." I said. "It doesn't really surprise me."

She took my hand and traced her index finger along its lines. "I have no doubt that you are from another world." She said. "It is clear you have the aptitude, but it is so laughably weak, it does not even properly manifest. Your attempt at healing, it would not even heal a cut."

"Glad to know even on another world I'm completely useless." I remarked.

"The odd thing is, you have a vast amount of power, it is as though you are only capable of it trickling out."

"Hm... Maybe it's the difference in how it's done." I remarked. "The magic of my world requires a lot of preparation and knowledge, rites and rituals that must be observed for anything more potent to manifest." I thought for a moment. "I would need a lot of candles." I sighed. "Though, I doubt I actually know anything useful enough to make a difference."

She took my hand in her other hand and I felt that tingling sensation intensify, almost to the point where it was unbearable. It tore through me, knocking my breath away, and she spoke a phrase I didn't understand. She opened her eyes and said, "Your curse, is it gone?"

I pulled my hand away and stood up. Better to be safe than sorry. My name is R-" I didn't choke this time, which was good, but my voice stopped, as if the words hit a brick wall. "I'm not choking at least." I remarked.

"That is good. It is still a concern that you cannot speak your name, and you still appear to be lying when you speak a truth, but you are no longer a direct threat to others."

I crossed my arms. "Maybe my resistance to magic is a factor?" I asked.

She shook her head. "It is not that, my spell was able to penetrate that, because it was not strictly magic. My ancestor gave to me this one power, and only once to use, so that you would be free. The divine gift to kill a malignance such as the fel curse upon you. I had hoped it would do more."

"It's done enough." I said. "My gut was starting to hurt."

She laughed, it was the first out-and-out laughter I'd heard from her. Usually, she restrained her emotions and reactions, ever a Lady, she was likely expected to never show weakness. She laughed heartily, as if it was the first time in a long time since she'd laughed so hard.

"My apologies." She said, "I did not mean to laugh."

"Laughter's good for the soul." I said. "And considering what you went through, it's a welcome outburst."

She looked at me with an almost tender expression. "You are a strange Human, Rex. I have all but bound you here as a prisoner, and yet you find it within your heart to be kind and, to a degree, respectful. You care little for my status, yet it is not meant in a rude manner. You always apologize for inconveniencing those whose job it is to, essentially be inconvenienced."

She stood up, "You are so utterly alien, I am almost always surprised when I remember you are a Human."

"Well, I can't help but try to be a decent person to everyone I meet." I replied. "Even you having me here isn't meant with malice, you wanted to keep other people from harm because of my curse, and that's why I've tried as hard as I can be to be a gracious guest."

She nodded. "Then, as per your request the other day, I will allow you to perform some chores as needed. They are normally risky, due to volatile magic, but someone of your resistance should do the job without issue. You will be paid for the work done."

"Awesome. Thank you." I said. "With that in mind, I need some copper in the form of thread about this thick." I held my fingers around a centimeter apart.

"Copper thread?" She asked. I nodded. "I do not know what purpose this may serve, but I will see what I can do."

"Thank you." I said.

"Cier, please show Rex what these chores are, I am sure you are familiar with them?"

Cier nodded. "I am." He said. "Follow me, sura..."