I Am Totally a Real-Life Wizard (Not Clickbait, I Swear!)

Vendetta shuddered. "Lavasheeps."

Dawn vibrated. "So cute, but so deadly."

Vendetta shook their head. "We know Cody's signature is necromancy, but what's yours, Khalil?"

Khalil sighed. "I can see the future. Well, a version of the future."

"The future can be quite nebulous, so my future-sight isn't always exact. What I can say for sure, though, is that my future-sight involves astronomy. To me, the stars are the purest form of beauty." Khalil smiled softly, looking past them as if he were stargazing in his imagination.

"That sounds neat." Valeri's eyes were wide. "I hope I get something just as majestic and useful!"

Cody smiled. "All signatures are majestic. Perhaps not in the traditional sense, but it's a manifestation of who you are. That sounds pretty majestic to me."

Khalil chuckled. "You're so sappy, dear."

Before Cody and Khalil could get all lovey-dovey again, Valeri interrupted with, "So what do we do once we get to that wide-open place? Meditate or something?"

"Or something. There are actually a few potions that can help you unlock your abilities. Usually the first one or two combined with meditation work, but there have been times when the strength of the third potion is needed..."

Vendetta drummed their fingers against the car door. "Do we have everything for those potions?"

Khalil nodded. "We should. I'm pretty sure we packed everything."

While Khalil rummaged through one of xer and Cody's packs, making sure they had all the materials, Cody pulled up to a Chippotle drive-thru and placed their orders. The banshee at the window tapped in their information with a bored expression, then motioned them forward.

"How much longer until we get to the St. Louis Arch?"

Cody glanced at the GPS. "A couple of more hours."

Dawn sighed. "I'm bored."

Vendetta tapped its blade gently. "You'll be okay."

While Dawn grumbled and turned white spotted with orange in the backseat, Cody received a bag of food from a different window. "Eat up, everyone!"

Dawn heaved another long sigh. "I would if I could."

"Does Dawn always complain like this?" Valeri whispered. "Or just when it comes to eating?"

Vendetta shrugged as they accepted their food. “They haven’t been much of an complainer this far.”

Dusk hummed. “It’s the staying still. They don’t like not being able to move around freely.”

“I can hear all you talking about me.” Dawn sighed. “You’re stage-whispering.”

Valeri blushed and sat back in her seat with her chicken bowl. "Well then, if it's all the staying still... can we take a break somewhere?"

"There's a gas station nearby," Cody commented.

"Yes!" Dawn exclaimed. "I can't wait to breathe some fresh air again."

Dusk chuckled. "Oh, Dawn. Never change."

Dawn hummed. "I wasn't planning on it. Unless that's you revealing your master evil plan."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"Like, isn't it normal for beings to change and grow? So Dusk, if your evil plan is to outshine me by making me stay the same... Well, then I'll vow to change immediately!" Dawn hummed and glowed a solid yellow, then burst out laughing.

"Huh?" Dusk hovered a little closer to their sibling. "Dawn, I think too much time in the car's messing with you..."

"What are you talking about? My name's not Dawn; it's Apollo. Why are you calling me Dawn?"

Dusk stopped glowing. "Dawn, you're scaring me."

"How much longer until we get to the gas station?" Valeri eyed Dawn nervously.

"Two minutes."

Dawn started cackling. "Fear me, mortallllssss!"

Vendetta laughed nervously. "I hope this is an elaborate joke because I don't like this."

Dawn vibrated harshly. "You will rue the day you mocked the Immortal Blade of the Rising Sun!"