Giant Potion Portal and Side Bets

“You sure you ladies don’t want a diving suit? Taylor said it was going to be cold in the streets of Atlantis,” Shannon asked Luke’s “bodyguards”.

The four ex-warriors (Plant Jinn: Willow, Thorn, Viper, Nectar) all eye Shannon’s giant pregnant figure. She wore a skin-tight gold diving suit.

“It’s super easy, with my 'Arcane Transmogrify' ability,” Shannon said pointing to her own suit.

“I can make you girls custom diving suits perfectly tailored to your … pre .... personal... figures. It will be a second skin,” Shannon said avoiding the P word. The warrior’s 6 of 9-year pregnancies were a sensitive topic.

“Yes, we are sure. We Jinn are resistant to the cold. The princess is the exception, she hates getting wet,” Willow said frowning at Ruby.

Shannon looked to Ruby. The Fire Jinn wore a skin-tight hot pink wet suit. She was fussing with a swimming cap.

“What?” Ruby asked noticing Willow’s and Shannon’s gaze.

“Nothing,” Shannon said raising her hands in defense.

Everyone gathered in the main courtyard. Luke smiled as he scanned the expedition-team. They all looked so cute in their custom diving suits.

Sixteen of Luke’s women stood close to the pool.

• 'Soul-Casters': Rebecca, Shannon, Ashley, Liz, Amber, Charlotte, Himari, Keyleth, Sabrina, Samantha, and Noutha
• 'Mental Casters': Willow, Thorn, Viper, Nectar, and Ruby

While the other twenty women stood watching everything from a distance.

• 'Soul-Casters': Holly, Rose, Tai, Penny, Olivia, Katie, Brinda, Lilly, Susy, Faith, Oasis, and Ginger
• The Mansion's Enchanted Staff: Hanna, Linda, Danielle, Julie, Serenity, Lee, Sofia, Uume

“The portal almost ready?” Luke asked scanning the pool’s swirling tie dye colors.

“Just a few more minutes,” Sabrina said pouring a giant cauldron of green goo into the mansion’s pool.

The Life Binders' Martial Charlotte Bridges stepped close to the pool’s edge

“You masters had 3 and half days. You said we would be leaving at noon. It’s already one o’clock. The longer we take the weaker our allies become,” Charlotte said angrily.

“You can’t rush these things,” Keyleth said reviewing her spell book.

Luke rested a hand on Charlotte’s shoulder. The Chief of Police glanced back but calmed as Luke gave her a one-arm hug.

“This can’t be good for the pool,” Rebecca said shaking her head.

“Did you want to walk to Atlantis instead?” Samantha said helping to spoon the green goo.

“Kind of …,” Rebecca said eyeing the water full of strange animal parts.

“It’s going to be fine. Mass teleportation magic is simple, so long as you follow the recipe to a T,” Noutha said cutting the head off a purple raven.

Rebecca stepped away from the edge as Noutha tossed the bird’s severed head into the water. Rebecca failed to notice Noutha’s giant grin. It was hidden behind her famous mask.

“You sound happy,” Luke said noticing Noutha’s cheerful tone.

“Why shouldn’t I be? This is the biggest spell I have ever been a part of. It’s fun to spend so much of someone else’s money,” Noutha said grabbing a giant jar.

“Ya … I have been bleeding money ever since the Breeding Ritual,” Rebecca said subconsciously holding her baby bump.

“You ladies sure that liquid is safe?” Luke asked mending down and sniffing.

“Don’t worry. As nasty as it seems, you won’t be touching the potion. The material components will be consumed by the spell,” Noutha said emptying a jar of small eyeballs into the pool.

“She’s right, I confirm the mechanics of the spell before they started,” Rebecca said passively touching her forehead.

At that Ruby, the fiery Jinn princess floated over the surface of the pool.

“What are those eyeballs from? they look familiar,” Ruby asked watching the small eyeballs pop and dissolve.

“Nether Toads, famous for portal hopping,” Keyleth said stirring the giant potion with a pool scrubber.

At the courtyard doorway, two Jinn Soldiers stood silently watching.

“Korg, I bet you a gold nugget that their stupid spell will fail. And they will have to ask the Queen for help,” the orange-skinned Wood Jinn said ribbing his partner.

“Groot, what do you have against them succeeding?” the Korg rubbing his ribcage.

“Nothing, … It’s just … why are they going through some much trouble for the Sirens? The Queen’s first consort Merlin was killed by those man-eaters. She even order us to stay out of it,” Groot said frowning.

“Didn’t you hear, an Elder Lich is after the Trident? If he gets it, he could conquer the Elemental Plaine of Water. Don’t you have any sympathy for our Water Kin?” Korg asked elbowing his partner.

“Why should we full-bloods care about the Genasi?” the Groot replied rubbing his side.

“Shh, don’t let the Grand Breeder hear you,” Korg whispered.

The Stone Jinn scanned the courtyard. His eyes rested on Luke Smith. After a moment he sighed in relief.

"You shouldn't say such things. Princess Ever-Song is half human," Korg said spotting Ruby fly over the water.

"No, she isn't. Her father was a Life Wizard. Mating with 'Soul-Casters' creates full-blooded Jinn," Groot shot back.

“Regardless, the Half-Jinn Kingdoms are just as powerful and honorable as the Land of Dreams. My brother retired to the Elemental Plaine of Earth. It’s nice. In fact, I was thinking of taking a human wife too,” Korg said proudly.

“Shut Up, you can’t be serious. What soft-skinned human would want a rock head like you,” Groot said rolling his eyes.

A long moment passed in silence.

“You met someone, didn’t you? Is she into fucking rocks?” Groot said scanning his friend’s face.

“Fuck off,” Korg said angrily.

“Spill it, or I tell Captain Bishop,” Groot said with a grin.

“Fine, … you’re such a child,” Korg said defeated.

“Master Keyleth gave me a potion to disguise my grey skin. She invited me to a human club to lift weights. She called it a GYM,” Korg said sheepishly.

“So, you found a human who has a fetish for 400 pounds of muscle?” Groot asked sarcastically.

“Yes, in fact. She is a class of humans called “Body Builders,” Korg said proudly.

“IT’S READY!” Samantha shouted.

The two Jinn soldiers snapped to attention.

“Quick before they start, a gold nugget if the spell fails? Groot whispered.

“Make it two,” Korg said watching the sorcerer's spellcraft.

“IT’S READY!” Samantha shouted.

At that, everyone scrambled into position. The expedition-team stood holding hands on the pool deck. While everyone else huddled on the grass. Luke followed the stay-team to the grass.

“On three,” Sabrina shouted as Keyleth and Samantha took her hands making a closed circle.

“Luke!” Samantha shouted seeing her baby daddy out of position.

“One sec,” Luke yelled before turning back to kissing each of his baby mamas.

Samantha rolled her eyes but quickly smiled as she watched Luke show his affection to each of his women. Luke kissed each of his women’s baby bumps and gave everyone a long personal kiss goodbye.

“Watch over the others while we’re gone,” Luke said to Holly and Rose.

“Will do,” the two older women said in unison.

With that Luke rushed over to Shannon and took her hand.

“Ready? … One … Two … Three!” Sabrina shouted.

Everyone watched in silence as the three Arch Sorcerers began to chant. After a moment the sky darkened as a crackling storm cloud formed over the courtyard of the mansion.

Crack!

Everyone jumped as a lightning bolt hit the pool. As everyone recovered and blinked away the afterimage, they stood dumbfounded. The lighting strike was frozen in time. But three seconds later the lighting began to crawl onto the surface of the water. Ten seconds after that the lighting formed a small 5-foot ring of light.

Snap!

Everyone jumped as all the pool water disappeared.

“Awesome,” Luke thought as the ring of light formed a rune circle in the empty pool

The three Arch Sorcerers yelled out one final chant.

Crack!

A second lighting bold stuck the rune circle. The rune circle grew and grew until it encompassed the whole pool.

“QUICKLY EVERYONE INTO THE PORTAL,” Samantha yelled.

The expedition team still holding hands jumped into the empty pool now capped with a portal. The three Arch Sorcerers holding locked together followed after.

Snap!

The portal collapsed leaving the courtyard in silence.

“You owe me two gold nuggets,” Korg said with a smirk.

“Fine,” Groot said tossing him a small bag of holding.

Korg pulled out a gold nugget and began eating it like an apple.