Secrets revealed and knowledge gained

Rachel sits the group of you down in a meeting room and sits across from you. You can see a surprising combination of tiredness and resignation in her eyes.

“We need to stop having meetings like this. Next time I’ll invite you to my place for dinner or something.”

Everyone chuckles, and she continues. “I need to come clean with you four. The HPP is moving faster and more aggressively towards your group than we expected. So here it is.”

Rachel takes a breath and looks you in the eye. “As you probably guessed, I am more than just a counselor and administrator here. I am part of what you could call a board of directors. Additionally, I am the only member of the board who is both human and born in this world.”

Maya speaks up, “Well, it’s not surprising that there would be a mix, monster girls aren’t the only ones who came through, I’m sure.”

Rachel nods. “There’s more to it than that, though. The portals have been around longer than most people know. The oldest ones are almost a hundred years old. And the most important thing is, they let magical energy seep into this world.”

You interrupt, “So what does that mean for us?”

Rachel smiles, “So impatient. Put it this way. Monster girls are magical. They can’t survive without magical energy in the world. The seeping of energy is allowing girls like Maya and Elys to survive. But, it’s also permeating our world, and before too long, our world will be as magical as the other.”

Anna speaks quietly, “I don’t mean to interrupt, Miss Rachel, but you seem to be implying that the two worlds are becoming the same?”

“Correct. And based on what we know, once that finishes happening, the portals will no longer be one-way. I explain this because of two reasons. One, the HPP has been used as a front for an organization planning to control both worlds through magic.”

Rachel holds your eyes with her gaze, “And two, they seek out natural born mages on our world. Josh, I think you have powers you don’t know exist.”

Shocked silence fills the room, and finally you answer, “Me? Why would you say that?”

Rachel looks at you, and her eyes flash green, “Because I do too. I can see magic auras, and you have one, a very specific one. Would you be willing to help me with a little experiment? It’s harmless, I promise.”

You glance at the girls. Maya take a your hand and smiles, and Anna gives you a nervous nod. Elys is simply watching curiously. You look back to Rachel, “Ok, no harm in it, I suppose.”

“It’s really no big deal, I just want you to hold this gem and concentrate on it.”

Rachel holds out a red gem. It’s spherical and about the size of the baseball, and its softly glowing. You take it and stare into the depths, instinctively reaching out with your mind. You faintly hear gasps from either side of you as the gem in your hands fades to an opaque black.

Your concentration breaks and you drop the now-black gem to the table and grab your head. Something feels like it changed, and you don’t know what. “W-what happened? What did I do?”

Anna grabs your hand, and you hear panic in her voice. “Master, are you ok? Did that hurt you?”

You shake your head. “No, it just...it was weird...Rachel, what happened?”

“Simply put, you woke your innate power. Josh, you’re an absorption mage. You can drain magical abilities from items and they become your power. The stronger the mage, the more powerful items can be drained.”

She looks at the gem and raises an eyebrow, “Based in what I just saw, you could be very powerful indeed...”

“So, what did I just...absorb?”

“That was a minor telekinesis orb. Try moving something with your mind.”

You concentrate again and are rewarded with a surprised squeak from beside you and a exclaimed “Master!”

Anna is clutching her shirt, which just had all of its buttons opened suddenly. Everyone else laughs, and you apologize. “Sorry Anna. I couldn’t resist. I won’t do it again. So...this is going to be interesting.”