Meeting The Mystic

For the second time in an hour, Nick found himself nervously in front of a door. A part of him knew he should take Sarah find the Hero League. Trust that they could find a way to undo her transformation and put this whole thing behind them.

Unfortunately, the fact that this door had appeared in his apartment filled his mind with paranoid questions: Was the Mystic watching him right now? Would the Mystic be angry he talked about going to the Hero League? Would him wanting his 'boon' reversed be considered offensive? Did he really know what he was getting himself into?

Regardless, he couldn't live with himself if he didn't at least make the attempt. So with a resigned sigh, Nick knocked on the door in the middle of the room.

A heartbeat later, it opened to reveal an almost cozy space. A large fireplace sat across from the door while bookshelves with thick tomes filled the walls in either direction. Two leather bound chairs sat in front of the fireplace, one empty and inviting while the other held the man he saw in the video.

The Magnificent Mystic sat there with a confident smile. His tuxedo from the fight had been replaced by a velvet smoking jacket and in his hands he held a crystal tumbler filled with a dark liquid.

"Well don't just stand there, my boy," The Mystic said cheerily gestured to the other chair, "Come in, sit down."

Nick suppressed the urge to run as he walked into the room. What he couldn't see from the doorway was that the room wasn't a room but a hallway. A hallway that didn't twist, turn, or even seem to end. He tried to follow the countless line of bookshelves but every time his eyes flicked in that direction, his brain hurt.

"Try to be careful, lad. Lesser minds tend to react poorly in this space." The Mystic said, snapping Nick out of his stupor.

"Yeah, it's... something." Nick said as he sat in the surprisingly comfortable chair. Sarah happily knelt beside him and looked eagerly up at him.

"Let me offer you a drink." The Mystic said and made a gesture. Another crystal tumbler appeared in Nick's hand. Nervously, he took a sip and tasted expressive whiskey. A few seconds passed with the only sound being the crackling of the fire.

"Now, tell me what brings you to me. It's not often someone seeks me out after a casual meeting. "

"Mr. Mystic-" Nick started before being cut off.

"Please call me Armond, The Magnificent Mystic is merely my title."

"Armond..." Nick said a little incredulous about using a notorious villain's first name, "It's about Sarah."

"Oh? I find it hard to believe your helper is inadequate in some way. I can assure you my work is immaculate."

"No, it's... I mean she's..." Nick stumbled for a moment before he sighed. "I just need you to change her back."

The Mystic's eyes turned cold and his face blank. The shadows around them grew darker as the fire shrunk and Nick instinctually pressed himself back into the chair.

"I mean she's sexy, bubbly, and a great cook now, like one time she burnt a pot trying to boil water, how do you do that? Oh and she's sexy, I already said that, but she is, incredibly sexy, so tempting it hurts. I've never wanted anyone more in my life but she's my friend and we've been friends since college. I couldn't take advantage of her like that. So, please just change her back..." Nick rambled out in one breath as the shadows seemed to be reaching out for him.

The moment dragged on as the fire continued to shrink and Nick stared into the stony glare of the Mystic. His heart pounded in his chest. His knuckles turned white from his grip on the chair. He felt his sweat drip down the back of his neck. In the back of his mind, he idly wondered if he could grab Sarah and make it back thru the door before the Mystic turned him into a slug but figured he wouldn't make it.

It was when the fire was down to embers and the shadows had almost completely engulfed the three of them before the Mystic spoke again.

"So you want me to undo the artistry of what your friend had become?" A dark voice that seemed to come from everywhere at once asked menacingly.

"Yes...Sir." Nick barely croaked out as his throat didn't want to work.

"Ha!" Nick blinked at the Mystic's laugh and just like that: the fire fully burned, the shadows returned to the edges, and the jovial expression was back on the Mystic's face.

"You impressed me again, my boy." The Mystic said as he toasted Nick with his drink. "A man stands up for what he believes in, even in the face of insurmountable odds."

Nick just chucked nervously as he tried to **** his muscles to relax.

"Now don't don’t worry about your friend, to reverse the spell is as simple as: One. Two. And-" The Mystic flicked the crystal glass in his hand.

The ting rang out and seemed to echo up and down the endless hallway. Sarah groaned and Nick watched as a soft glow surrounded her body. In moments, her hair, clothes, and measurements returned to how they've always been.

Upon seeing his friend back to normal, Nick let out the breath he didn't know he was holding. "Thank you... Mr. Armond. We don't want to take up any more of your time. So we'll just be go-"

"Hold on. I've got something to say." Sarah said from her position, still on her knees beside Nick's chair.