“Babe! you’re alive,” Dominique shouted, jumping into her arms, “now are you going to tell us what’s going on in there?”. The crowd was eager to hear her story until the temple itself separated into architectural segments that floated up into the air where it reassembled. Telenon was left standing on the green and walked over to them. They grew jubilant and a couple at the front called out to him saying, “Telenon! We are so grateful for your help during the war. You are always welcome here” and sent their son to hand him a flower that they had picked. The bowler took it and held it high, “A toast! To all of you! Thank you for defending our world with your unwavering strength”. The crowd cheered vociferously as Priya rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Another local stepped forward, “Have you come back to tell us about the other dimension, or is there another danger on the horizon?”. “Yes, there is, and I have come to warn you all about it,” he began, and pointed straight over to Priya, “this woman has betrayed me, and in doing so has worsened things for all of you”. “What do you mean?” the locals asked as a pall swept across the crowd. Telenon continued, “During wartime I granted a loan. Maybe you thought that it was regular power, for a lack of ability to describe it, but in truth it was much more. It was my magic that I offered, and this thief is the one that wants to steal it away. It is by my foresight and wisdom that I have sanctioned its use amongst yourselves”. Priya turned to the crowd and raised her voice, “Ha! He just wants to hog all the magic for himself, but I say … and who is with me … that we should all have the right to use magic!”. At this they went silly in uproarious agreement to her suggestion. Telenon could see the crowd grow feral, and stray from his grasp. Their desire for magic was innate and unrelenting. “Trust my judgment. I am your champion!” he urged, but they would not listen. “Don’t believe him!” Priya exhorted. Random cries of “Let us have the magic!” erupted from the crowd. Dominique was loudest of all. She belted out at the top of her lungs, “You holding out on us!” and the mob jeered. Annoyed, he took the flower, and taking a deep breath sent the pollen scattering into the air. “Since you all are so adamant, I'll let you have some” he grinned. The crowd gasped as the pollen continued to grow in magnitude until giant grains of various colors disseminated, and crashed into the buildings of the city, like wrecking balls. Even the university was not spared. “What is going on?” Felicia gasped, seeing the spheres smash through towers. Panic struck the crowd as a massive grain hurtled towards them, threatening to smush anyone it landed on. “Not so fast!” Priya cried and casted out a bolt of mirror lightning, detonating the ball and pulverizing it into dust. When things had cleared, she could see Telenon was standing at a park vending machine, and put a quarter in. “Hey, he stole that quarter from me!” the little boy that gave him the flower earlier complained, pointing. Telenon opened a bag of potato chips and munched on them one by one as he drew closer. Reaching his hand in, he took out a chip and held it up in front, “Priya, there are so many who honestly deserve revenge on you. They can no longer be heard, as they are drowned in the light of the echo seal. Let this be the beginning of what is to come” and tossed it towards her. Perception heightened. Priya felt time abate and watched in slow motion as the potato chip spun towards her, and when it was near it phased to become immaterial like a ghost and entered her head. Gripping her temples with both hands like a vice, she could feel the agonizing pain as salt multiplied and spread throughout her mind, permeating it all, layering onto the ridges and furrows of the cerebrum. She could feel the sharp edges of the crystals embed themselves. With a seizure from the shock Priya fell to the ground and blacked out. Pleased with himself, Telenon retreated back into the temple that drifted above, and moments later it vanished through the clouds.
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