Chapter 68 Meteor.

Chapter 68: 68 Meteor.

Ayra was especially curious, repeatedly attempting to peek through the blinds until I finally blocked the living room windows with blankets and instructed Juniper to spray her with my spritzing water bottle every time she got close to one.

Elsa was more easily satisfied by the promise of a full-body massage, and Juniper seemed content to explore my bookshelves in between spritzes, showing interest in an old encyclopedia set the previous owner had left behind.

"Your world’s knowledge is fascinating," she commented, flipping through a volume on marine biology. "So systematic—it’s amazing a society can make it this far without magic of any kind."

Throughout the afternoon, I occasionally stepped outside to check progress, answer questions, or offer cold drinks, playing the role of a typical homeowner improving his property. The installation crew was very efficient and did good work, especially considering the rushed job I expected them to do. By late afternoon, a tall, black vinyl-slat fence stretched along the entire roadside boundary of my property, blocking the view from any passing cars or nosy neighbors.

The crew finished just as dusk was settling in. The foreman handed me a clipboard with the final paperwork, which I happily signed.

"That’s an impressive fence," he commented, glancing back at their handiwork. I could tell from the tone of his voice that he was prying without prying, slipping an implied question into the statement.

"Just value my privacy," I answered smoothly, handing back the papers after adding a generous tip for the entire crew.

As the last truck pulled away, the girls finally emerged from the house, examining the new barrier.

"Most impressive," Elsa declared, running her hand along the smooth vinyl. "Though it lacks the grandeur of proper castle walls. And now my feet are tired from the walk here."

"It’s just meant to block the view, not repel an invading army," I reminded her.

"For now," Ayra added with a wink. "Does this mean I can be naked outside, too?"

I frowned even as Grey: 2 Penis 2 Furious smiled inside my pants.

With the fence completed and the workers gone, we had about an hour before our nightly monster encounter. I suggested we use the time to properly brief Juniper on what to expect.

"So every night, basically without fail at this point, a portal opens in that field," I explained as we walked toward our usual battle spot, which we’d already shown her. "Something comes through, we fight it, sometimes I level up, and then we go back to bed."

"The types of monsters vary," Ayra added, bouncing along beside us. "Some nights it’s something easy like skeletons or zombies. Other nights it’s more challenging—trolls, behemoths, even ground dragons!"

"I see," Juniper said thoughtfully, her tail making sinuous patterns in the grass as she moved. "Yes, no beast whose essence categorizes it as a flying type could make it through a grounded portal, so that checks out. And you believe these portals are somehow tracking Grey specifically?"

"They seem to follow him as devotedly as he follows me," Elsa confirmed. "For he loves me most, you see. Anyway, we accidentally tested this theory once when we ventured to the human shopping center a bit too long. The portal that night opened there instead of here."

"Which is why Sheriff Miller has it in for me, long story short."

Juniper’s crimson eyes focused on me with new interest. "Fascinating. I’ve never heard of anyone with such an... attribute. It must be connected to your role as our champion, and the reason why our quest takes us here and now of all times and places in the multiverse."

In the field, we headed to where the portals typically manifested, basically the same spot as hers the night before.

The night air was cool, and stars twinkled behind and around a canvas of midnight blue clouds overhead.

The new fence was easy to spot in the distance, forming a darker shadow against the tree line.

I wasn’t sure if it would hide the purple light of the portal, but it would make it a hell of a lot harder for unwelcome folks to snoop around.

"I’d like to attempt whatever comes through tonight by myself," Juniper announced after a pause. "I want to see firsthand what we’re dealing with, and I should demonstrate some of my capabilities for Grey."

"Are you sure?" I asked, concerned. "Some of these things are pretty dangerous."

She smiled calmly, revealing slightly pointed teeth. "I’ve faced worse, I assure you. And you can rush in if you feel your help is needed—I grant you that blessing."

We agreed to Juniper’s proposal, with the rest of us hanging back at a safe distance. As midnight approached, the air began to distort in the previously appointed location. A wavering, heat-mirage effect preceded the purple tear in reality by several seconds.

"Here we go," I murmured, gripping my sword hilt out of habit.

The portal ripped open with a pop and a crack, expanding into an oval large enough for something substantial to emerge. Thick, gnarled fingers gripped the edges from the other side, followed by a bulbous green head with beady eyes.

"Oh, cool, it’s just a troll," I recognized immediately. Such a monster no longer seemed as imposing as it used to. Fond memories of my encounter with one the same night I met Elsa played through my mind.

"Perfect," Juniper said, slithering forward as the creature fully emerged. She positioned herself between us and the troll, which stood nearly nine feet tall and roared aggressively upon spotting her.

The troll charged, but Juniper remained perfectly still. As the creature closed in on her position, she pursed her lips, cupped a hand beneath her chin, and blew—not a forceful exhale so much as blowing a kiss. A sparkling cloud of icy fog flowed from her mouth, engulfing the troll’s body.

Frost immediately formed across the troll’s green skin, icicles dangling from its chin and fingertips. Its movements slowed somewhat. Each new step moved noticeably slower than before, more of a laborious trudge.

"That should inhibit its regeneration," Juniper explained calmly. "Cold suppresses the magical healing factor of most regenerative species. He’ll break free of the effect soon, but not before I finish him, I hope."

She raised her hands next, fingers splayed. Bolts of arcane energy shot from her palms, striking the troll with flashes of purple light. While visibly painful to the creature, the attacks didn’t seem to cause substantial damage. After a few more magical projectiles with similar results, Juniper glanced back at me.

"This might be a good chance for you to show off, Champion. My basic magic projectiles don’t seem particularly effective against its hide, and I’d prefer not to do something needlessly over-the-top, like call down a meteor."

That’s all I needed to hear.