Prompt: Within the confines of a crime-filled city, you and your team stumble across a mythical relic of mythical abilities, capable of granting any wishes. But remember, nothing comes without a price to pay.

***

Aden was not among my favorite places because it was home to the most notorious gangs. Nonetheless, I was sent there by none other than the king's younger son, Sol, who entrusted me with delivering a message to Damian, the leader of the Loyalty gang.

I knew I had to stay hidden to avoid other gangs' detection, so I planned to blend in until I found my target. That's when I ran into Sessom, one of the king's soldiers, who seemed embarrassed, as if worried I'd recognize him. I didn't want to encounter anyone familiar, so we stood awkwardly. Sessom was heading to the Four Sepulchers with a strange group to look for a missing friend. They treated me like one of their own once they realized I knew the soldier, which puzzled me. Despite not wanting to accompany them, I didn't want to disappoint them either.

The group was quite amusing, especially Dupe, who was half-human, half-dragon, claiming he turned into a dragon at night and a goofy brown-winged human by day. Tobi, the dwarf, was also funny and constantly worried about being late from somewhere. There was also a grumpy elf girl who kept glaring at me. I watched Keenan, the orc, with concern until I found out he was married to Nerina, the wizard, which reassured me.

Nerina had business at the bazaar, so I accompanied her while the others stayed behind to watch the performers. Dupe joined us. They were the friendliest in the group, and I was glad the soldier stayed behind and didn't ask questions, likely suspecting I was on a mission to deliver a message.

Aden's streets were crowded, a labyrinth of narrow paths, with the stifling heat eased by a pleasant sea breeze. The city was charming with its many flowers, ornate white buildings, and the blue-green sea. The view was almost idyllic until one encountered a suspicious-looking individual and wondered which clan they belonged to or if they were an assassin. I surveyed the area, noting the layout, realizing it would be harder to find Loyalty than I thought.

I wanted to stay and browse the bazaar but ended up accompanying my companions to the wizard's shop. I love such shops and their strange, exciting wares. After a long whispering conversation, Nerina disappeared with the shop owner, an old woman. Dupe and I stayed, browsing.

"Will this take long, you think?" I asked the winged man, who was trying not to knock anything over on the small shelves.

"I hope not; I have bad memories of this place. I bought a potion from an old woman like this one here that prevented me from fully turning human."

"Do you really want to be human? If I could choose, I'd be a dragon. Or even more, an elf girl..." I wasn't satisfied with my appearance either.

"An elf girl? I bet you want to be different, too! I can see it in you; you understand me!" Dupe replied, and we both knew we shared similar feelings.

Just then, the door opened, and a girl entered, carrying something carefully wrapped in paper under her arm. She looked sad, perhaps more confused, and when she saw the old woman wasn't there, she cautiously placed the package on the counter. "Would you be so kind as to give this to the shop owner?" Her voice sounded like an old woman's, but she looked young.

"You can wait; she should be back any minute," Dupe replied. I expected him to tell her his life story and invite her to join us.

"I'm in a hurry, darling; I just want to be rid of this..." she replied, her voice trembling.

"What is it?" Dupe asked, moving closer to the package. He reached to unwrap it, but the girl swiftly grabbed his hand.

"Be careful; this is no toy! But if you're that curious, I can sell it to you." She unwrapped the brown paper, revealing a small mirror. "This is a magic mirror. It grants any wish."

Dupe looked very interested in the item, while I was worried such mirrors weren't sold lightly.

"How much do you want for it? I could definitely use it..." Dupe said eagerly.

"I bet you could!" the girl laughed, her big eyes glinting mysteriously. "You seem like good souls. I'll let you have it for ten gold coins."

Dupe looked at me as if he needed to hear correctly. "That's a good price for a wish-granting item! I'll buy it and hope to get the money back! It's already worth it!"

"There's a catch, isn't there?" I stepped closer to inspect the mirror. It looked ordinary, with a silver frame and perfect glass, not even ornate.

"Does it even work?" Dupe began to doubt.

"If you try it after I'm gone, I'll sell it for five gold coins," the girl leaned in.

"I told you, it's a trick mirror!" I shook my head.

"Don't you think it's worth five gold to try? Maybe it works!" my new friend hoped.

"It works, I swear! But I want nothing more! I've used it enough!" The girl's mournful face radiated unexpected honesty. So, I took out my purse and counted my money.

"I'll give you three gold coins." I handed them to Dupe. "How much do you have?"

Dupe scratched his head awkwardly. "I'm broke; I spent all my money trying to become human."

"Alright, three gold it is." Before we could say more, the girl took the coins from my hand and quickly left the shop.

I put away my purse, and Dupe was already holding the mirror. "How do you think it works? Do I just look in and make a wish?"

"I suppose..." But Dupe straightened up before I could finish and cleared his throat.

"I wish to be completely human, day and night, without these silly wings!" He closed his eyes tightly and peeked one open, looking at his reflection. But nothing happened. "You try; maybe it works for you," he handed me the mirror. I was sure it was worthless, so I looked into it for fun.

"I wish to be an elf girl!"

As soon as I finished speaking, I felt a strange dryness in my mouth and saw Dupe's eyes widen. I looked back into the mirror and couldn't believe my eyes. "Am I really an elf? Or is it just the reflection?" I asked Dupe.

Dupe grabbed the mirror and made his wish again, but nothing happened. I looked at my hands, now extended and delicate, with slender fingers. I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Help me, say my wish! Maybe it doesn't work for me because you paid for it!" Dupe pleaded.

Still in shock, I couldn't believe what I saw. I looked back into the mirror and saw myself, though my appearance was that of a graceful elf girl. Dupe impatiently motioned, so I turned the mirror towards him and, unsure of what to say, managed to utter, "I wish for Dupe to be fully human."

Before I even finished speaking, Dupe's wings disappeared as if they had been cut off. He rejoiced.

"Hey, it worked! I can't believe it!"

I wanted to be happy, but something felt off. The smells. Or was it the dust in the air? My throat felt dry, and I had to cough. Why hadn't the stale air bothered me before? A heavy, musty smell mixed with something sharp, like human waste... earlier, I admired the various wares, but now I looked at them with disdain, thinking how shabby they were. It was as if I had entered a different place.

And Dupe seemed so coarse; was he the one with that foul smell? And why was he so happy? Then I saw Dupe stop, survey the place, and glance at me.

"Something's changed," I started uncertainly. "Don't you feel something strange?"

"I was going to say I feel different, too," Dupe replied, standing a bit straighter, hands on his hips. "It's like I'm not even me."

He was right; I felt the same way. I was aware of my surroundings, noticing things I hadn't before.

Then Nerina returned with the old woman. They thought we weren't the same people when they saw us, only recognizing me by the mirror in my hand.

"Did you try the cursed mirror?" The old woman asked sternly.

It was definitely the old woman who smelled like a musty old doormat. This thought didn't even bother me; it felt natural. I handed her the mirror. "Can I change back? I didn't realize being an elf would be so unpleasant."

"If you sell it to someone, the wish is undone," she said. "How much did you pay?"

"Three gold coins," Dupe groaned, visibly sweating. "Is it normal to feel so awful as a human?"

"I'll give you one gold," the shopkeeper frowned. As I nodded, she found a coin and handed it to me.

I never thought I'd give up so quickly on the elf girl's looking. When we left the shop, Dupe and I were back to our original forms, and I felt good in my own skin because it was totally me.

I bid farewell to Nerina and Dupe, remembering I had something important to do. I still had a message to deliver. After watching suspicious characters all day, one finally led me to Damian for a reasonable price. He was throwing knives at targets with some friends.

I almost got into trouble, as a dozen knives were suddenly aimed at me when I approached them. Only after I said, the secret password did Damian call me aside.

"I brought a message from Sol," I began. "Go down to the Four Sepulchers and make sure Morte is dead. If he's not, kill him."

I usually don't think about the messages because this works for me. But now, when I spoke the words, I suddenly felt terrible. Dupe and his group were also heading to the Four Sepulchers, and I just hoped they weren't involved in this story.