The Lightning Mage

47 | The Midwest Misadventures, Part I

Note: This chapter and the next contain a bonus adventure that Cydney undergoes, but does not contribute much to the overall plot.
Feel free to skip these two chapters to get straight to Cydney meeting Lyn!

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It was one thing to be transported to a different world—a world where magic replaced all the technologies she was so used to—but it was another thing to end up in a different country as well. As if traveling alone in a foreign world was not difficult enough, Sin-Ni now had to deal with culture shock.

For example:

1. The dispenser for soda required some kind of magic that she did not have, but as long as she was thick-skinned enough to ask someone for help, water and soda were free in any restaurant. Was that a "magical world thing" or an "American thing"?

2. Trains and buses still existed in this world, although they did not seem to be powered by fuel. But they came by so rarely she doubted anyone actually used them for daily transportation. How did people get to work? Was this a "magical world thing" or an "American thing"?

3. Occasionally, she chanced upon groups of hikers that camped together; they provided a decently enjoyable community that she appreciated. On the other hand, some places would call the cops on her if she were to just sit on a public bench. Was that a "magical world thing" or an "American thing"?

She had been asking herself the same question so much in the past three months that the answer no longer mattered to her. As she stared into the six eyes of the giant three-headed snake, it didn't matter at all if this was a magical being or a normal animal found in the United States. All she knew was that she needed to kill this three-headed monster.

Oh wait, it was now four-headed. What?

"You idiot!"

The three questers that were in front of her exploded into a heated quarrel.

"Why did you cut its head off?" bellowed the apparent leader of the trio. "You're supposed to cut all the heads at once, or else they'll grow more heads!"

"I was going to die! What was I supposed to do?" the idiot who sliced off the head shouted back.

"But how are we going to kill it now? There's only the three of us! Unless one of us can somehow cut two heads at once, we'll end up with... erm, with..."

"Seven heads," the third person chimed in.

"Exactly!" The leader gestured towards the math guy. "Seven heads! And then we will never be able to de—Ahhhh!"

Amidst their bickering, the snake monster had made its way next to them, snapping its massive jaw. The three questers scrambled on the spot and became a mess—the leader attempted to pull his friends to one side, while the math guy scurried towards the other end. The idiot had already lifted his sword, all ready to strike again, despite being reprimanded for that just seconds ago.

Sin-Ni let out a sigh. Even after three months of questing, she still had not met a single fighter that was competent. Where were all the good fighters in this world? Was the Masked Ninja the best one out there?

Before the three questers could be swallowed up by the monster, Sin-Ni threw out her wristwatch. It transformed into four short blades midair and, with a swing of her hands, sliced through each of the heads, cutting them clean-off and at the same time.

Four heads dropped on the floor with a loud thump. The three men spun around and stared at her in shock.

"Quest completed," she said.