Goldcrest was just like any other. People of all kinds lived in this town with a great sense of community. Half of the population knew each other enough that you could tell someone wasn't here.

  Sam greeted others coldly as she walked by. Faces she and her family recognized. People Sam knew since she was a child. But even then, she tried to distance herself from these folks. A sense of responsibility kept her from mingling with others. Ever since she was awakened by Mia, Sam grew suspicious of others. For years now, Sam fought countless foes that emerged from the shadows of the world.

  When duty called, it was her who answered. Showing them all that she was not to be reckoned with. Her skills even brought her to new challenges. Battling the fearsome lieutenants of the vile Vanzyr. But she was not alone. Three followed her path and joined her quest to vanquish evil.

  The brawn of the four: Himiko! A transfer student from distant lands! She first believed that her life wouldn't be so different when she enrolled at Goldcrest High, but she thought wrong. Mia, the proud familiar of Sam, awakened the foreign student and granted her power beyond her wildest dream. And bestowed to Himiko the hand of the Wizard King: Desolation Torment. A mighty gauntlet imbued with great magical energy that gave her the strength of several giants.

  Born in a wealthy name, Cassandra Wallace. The only child with only a few friends. Despite her origins, she was not your stereotypical rich girl raised with a silver spoon. She was a dependable and trustworthy friend, who placed everyone's safety before hers. And when the opportunity to save more lives arose in the form of Mia, Cassie was not hesitant to accept. Now she wielded the Immortal Loyalty, a mighty shield that could protect her friends from all attacks.

  Then there was Penny, the strongest, bravest of them all! There was no need for introduction.

  These four heroes kept the world safe from Vanzyr’s wrath. Together they save millions. And with the power of friendship, there was no challenge they cannot beat.

  Despite it all, she could only trust herself. That's why she went alone to face the final boss without asking them for help! Such a selfish decision-

  “Cut that out!” Himiko slapped Penny on the back of the head. “Just because you wanted to join in on the action, doesn't mean you can make Sam feel bad about leaving us behind!”

  Penny rubbed her head as she followed Sam and the others on the way to school. “Oh come on! Aren't you just as upset as me? We spent the whole day worrying if she was ever coming back.”

  “But everything went fine, didn't it?” Cassie argued, but her voice was almost just a whisper. “We should just be glad that Vanzyr is weakened. The next time we encounter his minions, we will have the upper hand.”

  “You're right and all, but I wanted a taste! She had all the fun to herself! Can you imagine? Us, charging into the castle of the final boss! Risking it all to save the world!”

  Sam ignored the three as she focused more on walking. Penny grew distrusting toward Sam after her little stunt. Or simply that she felt left out when Sam faced the last bastion of their enemy.

  Penny was always the hot blooded fighter. It even showed with the way she dressed. A leather jacket with spikes on her shoulder. Her wild hair dyed red with a purple streak. Chains around her belt. Steel toed boots with more spikes. Penny was like a punk rockstar. Even her shirt had the word “Rebel” on it. It was also noted that she would pick a fight with a lot of people who she disagreed with. But she's lucky that she had her friends to hold her back.

  Himiko was the shortest of the four. Raven black hair styled in a bob cut which was kept short. She dresses far more modestly compared to Penny. A simple pink bardot top and a black skirt. Of course her style wasn't complete without her handbag. The only thing that clashed with her clothes was the knapsack she carried for school. Himiko was a no-nonsense kind of girl. She would always be the responsible of the four. Sometimes she even acted as the leader if Sam wasn't in the mood.

  Cassandra was simpler with her choice of attire. Ankle long skirt. A sweater. Hair neatly tied to a bun. She was a shy girl, the oldest of them all as well. She mostly kept to herself when she wasn't around friends. But don't let her demeanor fool you, she was the kind of person to jump into danger if there was a life at stake.

  Sam on the other hand only wore a grey hoodie and a black skirt. Long wavy blonde hair tied behind her back. Face remained expressionless as she walked with her friends. Her eyes showed no interest in the subject as she focused on walking to school.

  As her friends walked and talked, someone suddenly stood in their way. “Well, well!”

  Everyone but Sam took on a battle ready stance as they encountered someone they knew was a danger to humanity. Purpura. Or her secret identity: Jessica. Gone was her fancy witch attire, replaced with an even fancier set of clothes that showed off her wealth. Her red hair free to flow with the wind.

  “It’s nice to see you losers here!”

  Penny shoved her face close to Purpura’s, and invaded her personal space. “Can it, Purpura! If you hadn't noticed, we have you and your boss on the run!”

  Himiko crossed her arms as she eyed the witch carefully. “And I doubt you and your forces have enough to take us on. Now that Sam destroyed the last of your bases.”

  Penny chuckled mischievously. “Yeah! Guess the cat can't send anymore monsters to fight us! What will you ever do?”

  Purpura growled. Her eyes then spotted a boy walking by and quickly snatched him by the collar of his jacket. “Morgan! Where are you going!? Don't you leave me to fight these four alone!”

  “Fight?” Morgan questioned in a hush voice. Gone was his chaotic personality.

  Morgan acted as if he didn't know what was happening. Or perhaps he was completely a different person. Throughout the years they've known him in school, Morgan, or James, was always a recluse. Kept to himself when he wasn't needed in a fight. The boy even grew out his bangs just to avoid eye contact.

  “But… Jessica, we have class.”

  “That can wait!” She hissed. “We can't disappoint our Lord Vanzyr!”

  “Are you bunch larping again?” Another voice joined the conversation. And from out of nowhere, a boy appeared between the two opposing forces.

  Everyone but Sam and James collectively groaned.

  “Nerd. Can you stop interrupting us?’ Penny asked politely.

  “Boy oh boy! If you guys need a max-leveled wizard, I'm your guy!” They called this boy nerd, but his real name was Albert. There was nothing special about him as he was just someone who didn't mind his own business. Especially around this particular group. There was nothing notable about him. He dressed like a geek, acted like one too.

  Purpura growled as she glared daggers at Albert. “You just ruined the mood. Let's go, Morgan.” Purpura dragged her partner away.

  “Hey, wait!” Albert gave chase. “You definitely need me if you're going against those four! I heard Himiko is a powerful fighter!”

  The four sighed in relief as they watched their enemies and Albert walk away.

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  “Making a lot of noise so early in the morning.” Penny froze when someone else spoke. A familiar voice the four recognized well. “You girls sure are a bundle of fun.”

  “Mike!” Penny straightened her posture as she greeted the tall boy. “Funny meeting you here!”

  Mike was a brunette with a kind heart. Always wanted the best for everyone. The kind of guy people would depend on as he was the type of guy to help without asking for a reward. The three girls couldn't help but admire the boy for his past deeds. Not only was he known by almost everyone in town, he was popular at school. Guys wanted to hang out, girls wanted to know him better. This was the kind of guy you'd find in a movie.

  “Just heading to school, like everyone else is.” Mike smiled warmly. “To think, it’s our last year. It feels as if it was just yesterday when Penny pranked the whole school by stealing all the chalks and turned the parking lot white.”

  Penny laughed awkwardly. “Yeah! Good times!”

  “Penny was such a racal, wasn't she?” Himiko added as her face turned into a shade of red.

  “Yeah,” Cassie whispered. “Our little trouble maker.”

  Sam said nothing as she coldly stared at Mike.

  “You girls should get to class soon. This is our last year, and we better make the most of it.” He waved them goodbye as he walked away.

  The three watched as Mike vanished around the corner. Once they were sure Mike was gone, they swooned. Sam merely stared ahead.

  “I can't believe it! Mike talked to us!” Penny smiled as she felt her heart flutter.

  “He always talks to us, idiot.” Himiko reminded the punk girl. “And… I like it every time.”

  “Sam is leaving.” Cassie told the other two.

  Penny sighed tiredly. “Sam's right. We gotta focus on school. I need to get some study in since it's our last year. Don't want dad to scold an ear off.”

  The three followed after their leader. Cassie fiddled with her thumbs as she brought up a question. “So, where will you girls go for college?”

  Meanwhile, Tracy was back home in her kitchen, eating her breakfast which was kept warm by Vanzyr. As she did so, Tracy informed the two of the events that happened when she went to help her fellow employee, and who it was. She still remembered how strange, and shocking it was to discover the person she considered as a friend turned out to be a mouse. A talking magical mouse to be in fact.

  Ever since last night, her world had turned upside down.

  Everything about this world unraveled to her. The discovery of magic was something she never would have thought possible. Much more, the fact she practically aligned herself with evil. She had no choice, not like she cared about it that much. Tracy wasn't really one for the battle of good and evil. She had a life to live. And right now, that was under threat.

  As she ate her delicious meal, Kincaid floated about, deep in thought as he assessed the situation.

  As for Vanzyr, the giant was occupied with a book he found in the apartment.

  Tracy, for a moment only, peered at the cover. It was one of her romance novels she kept as a paper weight. The genre barely interested her at all, so she hadn't really read the book. Though it was Mia’s Christmas present, which bothered Tracy a little since she didn't give the time and day to appreciate the gift. The book that was given to Tracy by her friend who she cherished despite current circumstances.

  The young woman flinched when Vanzyr slammed the book close. “Quite an ending.” He commented.

  “No way you already finished that!”

  Vanzyr chuckled at her accusation. “My speed is far superior to a mortal’s. In a matter of a day, I will be able to read your collection.” She can't help but believe him. He was extraordinary and beyond her understanding.

  “My Lord, we must focus on the task at hand.” Kincaid reminded them of their next hurdle. “It won't be long before Sam and her friends will find us. Considering how close we are to Goldcrest High, the moment they learn of our location will be catastrophic.”

  “He's right. I'm gonna have to follow a mouse later to investigate my lie!”

  Vanzyr shook his head. “This is a trivial problem. There is no need to be concerned as I have already devised a plan that will throw Mia off our trail.”

  As Vanzyr explained his plan to the two, Sam was at class staring out the window. She didn't listen to the teacher, and instead lost herself within her mind. A daydream of a world beyond this one. Free from the shackles of duty. Free to live and choose. Sam couldn't help but scowl. Everything was not how she wanted things to go. Stuck in this classroom. When she could be out there, fighting. Facing down the tides of enemies Kincaid dared to send.

  Slaughtering them.

  Her hand started to shake as she imagined herself amidst the chaos. Blade slicing through the air as she strode through the barren world of what was once alive.

  “Sam!” Penny snapped her out of it. “What's the answer for-”

  Sam said nothing as she shoved a crumpled up paper into Penny's hand. It seemed the girl had the foresight to expect Penny to ask for answers for the test.

  The punk girl grinned wickedly as she began cheating on the test she didn't study for. As for Sam, she went back to daydreaming.

  Soon enough, the bell rang and the students filed out one by one. Of course the four stuck together, especially when danger lurked around the corner. It had always been like that ever since Mia showed up in their lives. Gone were the days of mundane and regular. Now they swore to protect this world from the clutches of evil.

  The four entered the cafeteria and lined up for lunch. Once they had what they wanted, the girls sat down at their usual table. Funny enough, no matter how crowded the cafeteria was, this particular table was always empty. Which gave them their own little corner away from their peers.

  “Man, days are getting longer and longer! I felt like I was trapped for years in that class!” Penny said as she munched on a slice of pizza. “It's like cardboard, but tastes amazing.”

  The other three continued with their meals.

  Himiko cleared her throat and caught everyone's attention. “Listen, I know this is a little too early to ask. But this is our last year. So, I want to know what career you three will go for?”

  “In pursuing my goal to be the best rockstar in the country!” Penny announced proudly. “Everyone's gonna be hearing my music on all devices!”

  “We’re being real here, Penny. I'm talking about college.” The foreign girl frowned. “A music career is good, but you need an education to fall back to.”

  “Big whoop.” Penny rolled her eyes. “All I need is to get out of high school and I'm all set. I can work at my aunt’s car shop if I need cash. You think I'm dumb? Sorry to burst your bubble, but this girl has it all figured out!”

  “I can help if you want. My dad has a lot of businesses…” Cassie suggested.

  “See? Cassie has my back! With her help, I can make it big!”

  Himiko rolled her eyes. “As for me, I'll be studying archeology.”

  “You just wanna be a licensed grave robber?” Penny tilted her head to the side.

  “Yes. Sure.”

  “What about you, Cassie? Any big plans once we get out of this place?”

  The shy girl looked away. “I'm not exactly going to college or anywhere.” She confessed to them. “My dad is gonna give me a manager job at one of our branches in town. And then when he thinks I'm ready, I'll be inheriting his company.”

  Penny frowned. “Right. The princess has her supportive family to keep her afloat. Hey, you offered help earlier, so you better not chicken out.”

  “I wouldn't! What are friends for?”

  Himiko faced their fearless leader. “What about you? Any plans?”

  Sam takes a moment to finish her food before answering.

  Penny arched her brow. “Really? You're just gonna join the police force?”

  “Am I the only one in our group who is leaving this town?” Himiko questioned.

  “Well, Sam is always the heroic type. Doesn't surprise me.” Cassie commented.

  Penny waved a dismissive hand at the shy girl. “Or Sam just wants the thrill of a fight. You're always so gung-ho when there's a monster. Especially if we found the bad guy's bases back then. And I thought I was the hot blooded fighter of our team.”

  “This reminds of the time Sam turned a monster into dust with just a flick of her finger.” Himiko reminisced about a moment in their past.

  The three remembered it so vividly. A creature of iron was terrorizing a steel mill, sent by Kincaid in order to steal raw materials for his dastardly plans. The four, of course, arrived to deal with the problem. But something that day was different. In particular, Sam was acting differently. The moment they appeared ready to fight, Sam marched up to the golem and turned it into dust.

  This solidified why Sam was the leader. She not only had brains and the tactical superiority over them, but she was far stronger as well. There were times they knew she was holding back just to prolong the fight. After that encounter in the steel mill, they realized how much of a war freak their leader was despite her quiet nature.

  The four continued with their meal, when suddenly someone else took a seat at the same table. Two of them as well. It was none other than Purpura and Morgan. The former grinned wickedly as she faced the heroes, showing them that she was not scared despite her master hiding from Sam. As for Morgan, he waved to them hello and went on to eat his lunch.

  “Well, talking about your future? As if, the moment Lord Vanzyr executes his master plan, there won't be a future for you four.”

  “Can it, witch!” Penny sneered. “Whatever plan your boss has, we can stop it!”

  “Actually, I'm curious about your plan b, Purpura.” Himiko said. “What if your master is defeated? Where will you go?”

  “As if! But if you must know, I am going to inherit Kincaid’s oil business. We have it all planned out in case this whole evil stuff doesn't work out. Even then, I'm sure Lord Vanzyr would make quick work of you four.”

  “Yeah… Lord Vanzyr.” Morgan said between bites of his sandwich. “I actually want to go into a medical career if I'm being honest.”

  “Why medical? We've seen you without your shirt; you're more fitting for some sports team. Maybe football?” Penny suggested.

  Morgan blushed. “You've seen me what?”

  “I really prefer this version of Morgan,” Himiko said. “More manageable for sure.”

  “We're not here to talk about college!” Purpura reminded them. “I am here to gloat about our upcoming victory over you and the rat.”

  “Mouse.” Cassie corrected.

  “Tomato tomahto.”

  Morgan stood up. “Listen, I need to study today, so we can play next time.” The girls watched as he left, finished with his lunch and eager to fill his mind with knowledge. Despite still having time before the next class.

  “Anyway!” Purpura pointed an accusing finger at Penny. “Where's my book you borrowed!? It's been weeks!”

  “I'm not done yet!” Penny told the red head. “I'm only at chapter 3!”

  “Why do you even read!? Stick to being the dumb one!”

  Penny bared her teeth as she cracked her knuckles. “The dumb one? You want your book!? Then fight me for it!”

  “I will wipe the floor with you!”

  “Girls!” Himiko pulled Penny back into her seat. “Behave or I call the teacher.”

  Purpura sat down as well. “Fine. I better see that book back in my hands, or I will curse you with itchy bones.”

  “Ha! As if your magic can do anything against me!”

  The two argued, but Sam chose to ignore the commotion as she finished up with her lunch. She said goodbye to her friends and Purpura first before she went off on her own. As she exited the cafeteria, a lunch tray flew across the room as Purpura and Penny began brawling. She paid them no mind knowing the teachers would soon break it up.

  Classes went by like a blur, and Sam was already on her way home. She tried to take a scenic route, but her friends kept her from doing so.

  She walked the sidewalk she was so familiar with. Her memory of her surroundings was so accurate, that she didn't need to look where she was going. Her eyes are merely glued to the red clouds above.

  One by one, her friends separated from the group as they headed home. And once they were gone, Sam stopped in her tracks. She kept staring at the sky. Not caring if someone saw her in her oblivious or distracted state. Some would think she was daydreaming. But in truth, she was staring back.

  High above the stratosphere was an eye, floating beyond the reach of mortals.

  Sam raised her hand and pointed at it. To a human, it would be impossible to see such a thing. It was too far for anyone’s range of vision. Yet here she was, staring right at it. With a whisper, a flash of light escaped her fingertip. The eye couldn't evade the attack as magic turned it into dust. With that, Sam continued her way back home. It wasn't a proper fight, but she felt satisfied with her actions.

  Vanzyr took a moment to compose himself as he lost vision of Sam. It was foolish to believe he could just spy on his archenemy. This was a troubling situation. And to think, he was bound to fight her one day. As it was his end, no matter the change. But he would simply surrender to fate. Vanzyr vowed to change it and escape this mysterious prison he found himself in. This unbreakable loop. There must be a way to finish it.

  Or else he shall suffer the same fate as his previous life cycles.