3/26/2019

  11:15 AM

  Lian locked the master bathroom door. Empress Cai and her were the only ones with Daniel in the bathroom. The latter has no idea what the two were planning to do. Lian snapped her fingers, summoning a waterproof mattress.

  "Lie on your stomach," she said. "Also, clothes off. You can keep your undergarments on if you want."

  Daniel was silent. He looked at the two to see if they were alright before he did. His black slacks and T-shirt were placed on the counter, and he lay on the mattress. That was when the other two put towels over his back. He remained still and talked. "What's the benefit of this?"

  "This is a rare opportunity, as this is usually a private activity for the Women of Raal," Empress Cai said before putting her hands on his back.

  "So, Solomon or other men haven't?" Daniel asked. When they hummed in confirmation, he had a follow-up. "Why did you choose me as an exception?"

  "You are our bridge to Earth," Empress Cai said. "We were looking for a representative with resilience and uniqueness compared to the rest of Earth’s society. Lian sends the findings to us on the candidates before we make a decision. When she chose you, that was when you got the two books."

  Daniel felt the massage amping up along his shoulders. "What part as a candidate makes you decide I’m a fit for this?"

  Lian, who was on his left, lowered her head and whispered into his left ear. "When I was reviewing you for a few days, I did read your mind…And I liked it. You're a unique and thrilling man. Most don't have the latter, but you do."

  "I accept the compliments, but I don't think I have the other." Daniel attempted to turn, and the two prevented him from doing so.

  "No, you do. Many agreed to pick you. We aren’t the only ones."

  Daniel chuckled before easing his mind as the two massaged his upper back. All was relaxing until he heard a loud crack. Not one but multiple, like popping a vast bubble wrap. Midway through the numerous cracks was when the pain erupted. He didn't scream, only grunted. Empress Cai told him that they had just broken his bones. Both scapulae, humeri, and clavicles. All fractured, explaining the sudden sharp pain from the back down to both of his elbows.

  "Hold still. I'm going to perform a shock," Lian said. She summoned orbs of qi on both palms and rubbed and scrubbed her hands together until they turned leafy green. Once it was overloaded, she went for repetitive hard compressions like performing CPR. It hurt so much that Daniel had to hammerslam the floor with his fists. Strong enough to damage it. Despite this, he still didn't scream.

  "And…we are done with this step," Empress Cai announced. "Do you now feel the pain fade away?"

  It took Daniel a few seconds to recalibrate. With some focus, they were right. "Yeah. It's gone. What was with those compressions? Are you two now chiropractors?"

  “What the fuck is that?”

  “Never mind. Keep doing what you're doing.”

  If the pain wasn't already a challenge, the mid and lower back were even worse. It mentally drove him insane that Empress Cai had to apply some kind of different magic to keep him stable. Five minutes of hell that he thought he was in a boiling pot, tearing his skin and insides apart. Lian would continue the process, and Empress Cai amped up the pain relievers before moving to his legs. By then, Daniel's process of pain was temporarily cut off. However, the sounds of bone fractures remained unpleasant in his ears.

  "It is finished," Lian announced, followed by a snap of her fingers.

  A wave of water splashed onto his back thrustfully. Loads of energy revived his entire body, and his mind was reenergized. Daniel was allowed to move around and lie on his back. He found himself surrounded by them, soaked in sweat, which was ironic because he thought it was a little chilly.

  But that wasn't important. The main thing now was that he may not be certainly stable following the massage. If it turned out to be bad in the coming minutes, it could be a horrendous experience to endure.

  3/26/2019

  12:35 PM

  Daniel left the open walk-in shower. He tried to comprehend what he had just experienced for the past forty-five minutes. New knowledge and a roller coaster of emotional restructuring and high adrenaline. His chest was breathing deeply. It wasn't the dirty actions, as that didn't happen. His body underwent some delayed effects from all the pain he endured. Leaking blood like a water balloon was dreadful. The showering was really a stabilizer to check if any mistakes or issues were left. If it weren't for the two accompanying Daniel, he would've been in deep trouble, so he was grateful for their help in enduring the risky procedure.

  For the past minute, nothing was shallow. He grabbed multiple towels and handed one to each Empress Cai and Lian. They were hard not to look away from; the muscles, power, and firmness that resonated on them. But he had to, as he was getting dressed.

  "A pact," Daniel mentioned. "Based on your conditions, it doesn't sound like much for me to give up."

  "And are you sure?" Lian asked as she put the towel on the counter. Still naked, she viewed the mirror before dark qi surrounded her. She was then dressed in a casual fit. Following some examples, Lian wore a T-shirt and baggy pants.

  "Yes. I'm certain."

  Something was with the two because Empress Cai also followed Lian's clothing choices, and they looked great in anything.

  "Are humans on Earth really off track to that extreme?"

  "Not all of them, but enough to be a pivotal factor. A grand intervention is needed to stop the poison from progressing and setting us back."

  “What makes you think we can be the better or the ones fixing humanity?”

  Daniel put on a new pair of pants and a dark red T-shirt. "Your culture takes discipline and resilience to learn all the magic and knowledge from The Raal Art of Magic (魔术的 Raal艺术)."

  "But we lost our home," Empress Cai mentioned as she checked out her new casual fit.

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  "It doesn't have to be the end after losing your home planet. There's always a new path ahead."

  Lian opened the bathroom door. "He's right, you know. We didn't come here for nothing after all that effort. They're waiting for us to open the bridge."

  Daniel walked with the two out of the bathroom, headed out to his bedroom, and back to the hallway. "Is it one entrance or is there multiple?"

  The two nodded, and Empress Cai muttered as she dashed out to the kitchen, where Daiyu had just finished her cooking. “We won't open it all at once. Luckily, the Middle Ground has plenty of time to last for the few billion of us.”

  "Earth is small. We are tiny," Daniel said as he sat down at one of the kitchen island's seats.

  “By the time all of us have resided on Earth, it will be just like the old Raal.”

  Daniel hummed. The idea of an expanding Earth sounded very fantastical and unbelievable. However, with the Art of Magic in existence, it might be possible. One problem was the planet. A systematic reaction rather than certain parts. Gravity. And that was only the start of the domino effect. Daniel realized that, and before he could utter, Daiyu came out with a few plates of her Yangzhou Fried Rice.

  "Eat up," she said.

  Lian noticed. "You were about to say something?"

  Daniel took a plate and took a few scoops of fried rice. He then shrugged. "If we do this, it will be catastrophic. I'm sure you are well aware of the sudden gravitational changes and immediate side effects to life," he said as he took a bite.

  "Yeah. Plus, your home getting renovated is just a starting point. If Earth expanded right now, this place is the only one that is going to survive." She pointed to the refaced ceiling and the surrounding walls.

  Everyone else gathered around the kitchen island, taking their portions of Daiyu's fried rice. Another conversation gathering began as the high chairs came. Suddenly, as they were catching the pace, the crowd became like a spitting contest, disrespecting etiquette.

  All ideas were great, but there was tension over the disagreement about what to do first or initiate. Daniel and Empress Cai shared the idea of focusing on the case with the Mayor and the multiple assassination attempts. Attention then turned to Helda. Daniel grabbed his phone and opened a notes app. At the latest, he had typed, he told her to set up a meeting with Mayor Burman tomorrow at lunch. "At the usual place. We three had gone there on multiple occasions."

  "What are you planning?"

  "You know what I'm doing."

  Helda sighed and went briefly silent. "…Reservations, then. Outside on the balcony?"

  "That would be great, thank you."

  "Please, don't make it a mess," Helda said.

  "I can't promise that. Once it happens, that's it."

  Helda quickly finished her plate. "I'm getting my stuff here," she said and left the residence.

  "She took it better than I thought," Rebecca muttered.

  Daniel was hooked on the fried rice. "There ain't…a perfect time until now. She knew this was the chance to escape that life with him."

  3/27/2019

  12:12 PM

  Despite this being a safe place and a little high-end restaurant, Daniel's alertness was on the tipping point. He was around twenty minutes early. And the place allowed early arrivals, so he was directed by a waiter to the table outside on the second floor. The latter asked if he wanted any drinks or sides, and Daniel ordered soda. Afterward, he was left alone, viewing the street.

  Downtown was five minutes away. Midtown Colemond was the best place for all the restaurants and its walkability. From morning to midnight, every street in the district was conquered by pedestrians. His viewing of the scenery and the busyness was briefly therapeutic. But the sensitivity from his new high qi made his mind an endless rollercoaster. The thought of him being set up again roamed.

  The waiter came out with a glass of soda and a refill bottle. "Can I get you anything else, Daniel?"

  "Not at the moment, thank you, sir," Daniel said and took a sip of fresh soda through the straw.

  Alone again, he pulled out his phone as the mental rollercoaster stayed constantly rampant. A few text notifications were sent with a mix of thumbs up, "Ready", and "Set." He turned the phone off, putting it on the table. By some timing, obvious footsteps echoed and headed towards him. Mayor Burman arrived early. Not part of the plan, but not enough to derail.

  Daniel stood up, greeting him.

  "Woah, what the?" Mayor Burman looked at Daniel for a moment. "You're not wearing heels or any of that fake stuff to make you taller, right?"

  "Why would I? That's just uncomfortable."

  "I haven't seen you in a while. Are you alright?"

  Daniel nodded, not sharing a hint. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just getting things sorted out, please sit down. Let's catch things up like the usual."

  The waiter came out and was ready to take any orders. Both said the usual, which the waiter jotted down and headed back inside.

  "Nobody has entered your office since you've been taking time off," Mayor Burman said. "Not one maintenance crew member or staff were permitted to enter."

  "Are they opening soon?"

  Mayor Burman nodded. "Yeah. Warrants were authorized for tomorrow."

  "How about the site where the perpetrator stood and the surrounding areas downtown?"

  "It will be authorized as well."

  Daniel gulped his soda, filling the subtle awkwardness. “I want to ask you something. There's something that I've been thinking about for a while.”

  Two waiters came out; one held Mayor Burman’s plate, and the other had Daniel's.

  “Please,” Mayor Burman insisted.

  Daniel put the glass down on the table on his left side. “It was you, wasn't it?”

  “What are you talking about?” Mayor Burman asked. His eyebrows raised. The eyes tensed up to where Daniel's veins appeared around them. Catching up ceased, and now the truth was waiting to be leaked.

  "You know what I'm asking. It's been six months of playtime. All the dirty work I did for you, and this is how you pay me after all this time," Daniel said as he did a shortcut gesture on his phone that sent a certain text message to the few recipients not long ago.

  "This is nonsense rubbish you're bringing up. I thought we were having a good lunch, catching things up. I'm worried about you."

  Mayor Burman tried to steer away. Daniel remained silent as the former picked up his utensils and dug into the plate of steak.

  Daniel looked out at the roof of the strip building across the street. He quickly raised a thumbs-up gesture. Without hesitation, he leaned forward over the table until his face was only a few feet away from Mayor Burman. "Don't worry about me. I'm worried about you. I know you want me out because I'm taking the credit. The truth is, if we had a conversation with each other instead of this standoff, we would have been a legitimate team." He cut a piece of the steak and took a bite with mashed potatoes mixed with gravy. "Only one of us is going to make it out of here alive."

  That was when Mayor Burman completely dropped the facade and placed his utensils down without struggle. He didn't even look around him except for Daniel. "You're making a big mistake. They'll find you."

  "Sure, they will, but that's the least of my concerns," Daniel responded with a smirk. "What I want to know is who you work for?"

  "I have nothing to hide. If you know, then you have everything needed." Mayor Burman pulled out a gun, firing it. Daniel dodged, followed by another loud bang. He felt something wet hit right on his hair.

  Thump.

  One was down. Mayor Burman's lifeless eyes stared right back at Daniel as his head lay to rest on the balcony's concrete floor.

  Bang!

  Daniel grunted and tumbled out of his seat. He grabbed his left arm as blue blood leaked out of his body. Shit! Ignoring the pain, he got back up, grabbed his large napkin, and tourniqueted the arm. Screams on the street echoed multiple blocks left to right.

  On the phone, Daniel opened new messages and glanced over them before putting his phone away in his pocket. While sitting on the chair, he reflected on the past week. No regrets came to fruition. His shoulders felt light and relaxed as the breeze flowed along the bliss, keeping him cool. Eventually, the sirens came to his ear, and flashing vehicles arrived at the scene.