The Weaponry

"Oh, okay. I have so many, pick one." Kaitlin threw off her sandals and walked barefoot to her walk-in closet holding all her bags. Jackie also took off her sandals and along with Tiffany, hurried in after Kaitlin.

They walked into a slightly smaller closet than the one with all her clothes. Designer and custom made handbags were lined up on all the walls, set on glass shelves, sorted by brand and color.

Scanning through the shelves, Tiffany and Jackie immediately found bags to match their gowns.

Tiffany chose a Dior 'Diorama' white lambskin clutch with a silver-tone crest clasp and chain. There was an elegant graphic cannage motif design decorating the outside.

Jackie meanwhile chose a 'Miss Dior' promenade pouch in blue lambskin, which featured a blue enamel clasp that was both elegant and practical.

Both handbags were unequivocally feminine and modern.

Kaitlin however didn't chose hers fast enough. She had been stressing over which one to pick and finally decided on aa section of 'Chanel' that would fit with her dress well. However, there was too many to choose from, and at the same time none of them matched with the dress.

Tiffany came over to her and asked, "Do you need help?"

Kaitlin nodded immediately and they started looking for a clutch, preferably black, for her to carry. Tiffany scanned through the rows and rows of clutches and found one that would match Kaitlin's gown perfectly. She took it carefully off the glass rack it was on and handed it to Kaitlin.

Kaitlin eagerly grabbed it with a breathy "thank you" then stared at the clutch. It was a python patterned black and ivory, with a detachable gold metal chain. A piece of the chain was also lining the outside of the clutch, between the two colors.

"Now we need to enchant them to enlarge themselves within, not externally. It won't disfigure the clutch, just make it bigger internally for us to fit multiple large equipment in." said Tiffany looking worriedly at Kaitlin.

"Oh that's fine, I've done it before," replied Kaitlin with a careless wave of her hand.

Jackie nodded, "Then let's do it."

They all set their clutches one of the tall platform tables and stepped back. Tiffany waved her hands and cast them downwards in a slow motion. Kaitlin and Jackie did the same in front of their clutches. Then they all whisked their hands fluidly towards their clutch and let them drop. The bangs glowed a dim blue color then returned to normal.

"Now there shouldn't be a limit to how much in carries," said a satisfied Jackie.

"What do we put inside?" asked Kaitlin. She had opened her clutch and her whole arm disappeared within her clutch as she reached inside to feel the bottom.

Tiffany laughed, "First, we put our weapons and containers of fairy dust inside. Second, you won't get to the bottom of that clutch, it's completely bottomless and would fit everything, or should be if the spell is cast correctly."

"What time is it?" asked Jackie, looking around the room.

"Um," began Tiffany pulling out her phone, Kaitlin copied her motions. "it's almost 10."

Kaitlin cut in, "She means it's 9:54 right now."

Jackie nodded and said, "Then let's just gather all of the weapons and fairy dust that we have for now."

"But I have some at my house," Tiffany said, "A large stock of fairy dust, in case I ever run out of magic or energy."

"Then let's just gather the one's in my house for now and before meeting up here again at 3, we can go to your houses and take those." Planned Kaitlin carefully.

Tiffany nodded her head, "Good idea."

"I'll get the poison from the kitchen," suggested Jackie.

"I'll get some stuff from your stock," Tiffany offered.

Kaitlin inclined her head, "Good luck with that Tiffany."

Tiffany looked at her confusedly, "Why?"

Kaitlin laughed and shook her head, "then I'll get the fairy dust."

They all split their ways, each getting their required item. Tiffany thought curiously back to Kaitlin's words as she exited the closet and turned down the glass stairs to the first floor. She walked directly to the door behind the stairs and tried to turn the door knob.

The door handle suddenly shrieked and Tiffany jumped, staring down at it. The smooth silver handle had turned into an ugly face of a sea dragon. It had a long goatee matched with two thick whiskers that branched out from each side of his mouth. The sea dragon's eyes were large and round, but currently, they were staring half opened with a piercing gaze at Tiffany.

So this was what Kaitlin had been talking about.

"Watch where you put your hand will you?" The sea dragon said gruffly, still glaring hard at her. "Can't you see that I'm right here?"

Tiffany rolled her eyes and asked crossing her arms, "How do I get in?"

"Well, you can answer my riddle," the sea dragon answered thoughtfully.

"Alright, what's your riddle?"

The sea dragon cleared his throat and recited pompously, "I am greater than God, more evil than the devil, the poor have me, the rich don't, and if you eat me, you'll die. What am I?"

"Um…" hesitantly, Tiffany thought over the riddle.

"Well, if you eat poison, you die. Is poison greater than God? I don't know, but it is more evil than the devil... right? But the poor don't have poison, how would they afford it? So, it's not poison." Tiffany was muttering quickly and quietly to herself, racking her brain for the answer.

"And, then there's the part about the rich doesn't have this, but the poor do? The rich had everything, the poor has barely anything. So, that doesn't make sense. How will the poor have this and the rich doesn't? The poor have nothing." She said that grimly.

Then it clicked. "The answer… it's nothing! Nothing is greater than God, nothing is more evil than the devil. The poor has nothing, but the rich has everything. And if you eat nothing, you will die of hunger!" Tiffany exclaimed triumphantly.

"Correct," the sea dragon said dismally, he swung open the door and added as an afterthought, "No one has cracked that code in such a long time."

Tiffany lips turned up slightly and entered the cool dark training room. The light clicked on automatically and she glanced around at the mats and other equipment used for training. There were many shelves that lined the room but only a few weapons were lined up on the wall.

Tiffany went straight to the back of the storeroom and found what she was looking for.

A book shelf, on which were spell books. She grabbed the right side of the book shelf with one hand, and with the other, Tiffany waved it in a circular motion, all the while pushing the book shelf. Slowly, the book shelf rotated and stopped at half way point.

Grinning, Tiffany released her hand and stepped into the crevice that the shelf had revealed. The frigid cold air hit her like a blast and she shivered. It was completely dark inside, so she was barely able to see anything. Then as she fully stepped through the crack in the wall into the room, the book shelf swung shut again with a snap.

The grin had slipped off Tiffany's face by now, she looked anxiously around into the gloomy darkness. Suddenly, torches lining the walls flared to life, illuminating the room she was standing in.

It was a stone room, this time filled completely with weapons. Shelves upon shelves of weapons lined the crevices caved into the wall. Tiffany walked slowly through the room, looking at the different weapons. She pocketed a few of the iron and silver daggers, knowing they would come to use in time.

Near back of the room, Tiffany spotted a 5 feet tall cupboard propped up on a table. It was marked 'Potions' in spindly green lettering. She walked straight up to it and opened the two doors with difficulty, they hadn't been opened in a long time and the screws had rusted.

Inside were yet again a bunch of shelves, but on these shelves, were glass jars filled with multicolored ingredients.

Tiffany waved her hand and a purse sized leather pouch appeared. She reached her hand into the cupboard and picked up a corked skinny glass bottle filled halfway with a bright lavender liquid. Recognizing it as Itinze, a very strong healing potion, she put it carefully in the pouch.

Then, Tiffany picked up a small vial filled to the brim with a blood red chunky substance.

"Blood-bane," hissed Tiffany. Everyone knew that blood-bane could kill you in seconds if injected into the bloodstream. Shaking her head, she set it back down on the shelf to select another potion.