The Dream (Memory?) shifts forwards.

The air begins to shimmer around you as soon as you enter the bawdy tavern. Before you can react to the strange turn of events, the scene around you changes completely!

Five weeks have passed since the fateful day you met Autumn. In that time, you had not been idle, meeting countless new faces and picking up the pieces of your shattered life.

You learned firsthand about the harshness of reality, spending your days as a waitress and your nights as a dancer. Your employer, Eddie, is fat, selfish and more lecherous than the patrons leering at you while you grind your nubile body against the dancing pole. The only payment he provides for your degrading work is stale food and a closet for you to sleep in.

Indeed, the only reason you haven’t fled this damned place is the six young people working here with you. Apart from Autumn, there are three other women and two men, all orphans who had turned to Eddie out of desperation. They are all three or more years older than you, and they treat and protect you almost like a little sister.

*Creak!*

A loud shuddering noise jolts you out of your thoughts, signalling that you have reached your destination. You’re standing in the upper landing of the inn where the workers sleep, on the loose floorboard just outside Autumn’s room. For a single hour every Tuesday - between six and seven at night - you get your only period of free time. And you always spend that magical hour with your best friend, talking and dreaming about a better life.

You turn the handle of the door to Autumn’s room and are met with an unexpected resistance. Unlike the previous four weeks, it is locked. At first, you think of knocking on the door, but something makes you lean your ear against it instead.

“mmmmhhh...p-please Eddie! You’ve got to stop t-this! Ohhhh!” You hear Autumn’s moans faintly through the wood.

“Why you ungrateful bitch! If not for me, you’d be out there in a gutter whoring yourself out to survive!”

“nnnfff...T-thalia will be here any minute t-though! P-please...we can do this later…”

“Hell, no! I’m sure even that dumb blonde will get the idea once she finds the door locked! You did lock the door, didn’t you, slut?”

“Please...mmmm...she’s too...ahhhh...young to risk seeing this!”

“Hah! Too young!? Maybe I should call that bimbo up here now and fuck the innocence right out of her!”

You’ve heard enough. Your best friend is getting **** by that repulsive pig and you’re going to stop him one way or another.

“Releasio.” The flimsy lock on the door doesn’t stand a chance against your spell. You barge into the room and see Eddie and Autumn rutting on the bed, the most carnal of their acts hidden beneath the covers.

“The fuck!?” Eddie growls. “So you couldn’t even lock the fucking door, you stupid whore!?” He backhands Autumn across the face and she whimpers.

“Get the hell away from her!” You shout at him.

“Or what!? You want to take her place, bitc-”

Your anger manifests as a fiery ball in your palm, which you quickly extinguish. Instead, you settle for a thought-influencing charm: “Obscura Veritas!”

Eddie falls silent almost instantly, his obese body growing slack and his eyes becoming unfocused. Though there’s nothing you want to do more than hurt him, you realize it would only ruin the other workers’ livelihoods. So you tell him instead: “You’ll get the hell out of here and forget this ever happened! If anyone asks, you spent the entire night drinking!” He heaves himself off the bed and waddles out the room, leaving you all alone with your crying friend.

“S-so when were you planning on t-telling me you were a mage, Thal?”

“Soon,” You lie smoothly. “I just wanted to learn a more impressive spell to surprise you first!”

“Well, w-what you just did was m-more than impressive...you spared me from that...that...” Autumn trails off.

“And I’ll make sure he never does it again. To any of us. Here, let me show you another trick I know.“ You walk up to Autumn’s side and lay your hands on her cheek where Eddie had struck her. Though the gesture may have led to something more in another, happier time, your intentions are completely innocent as you whisper a healing spell.