- NUALLIS -541Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQM8FVW5Yl
"I'm done," Nu said curtly. 541Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2QT5baV9FO
She turned away from the Cordis, who watched in mild amusement as the blessed rainwater closed the wounds on his thighs.
"Neither stiff nor sore," the blonde mused as he stood up and stretched. "Well done, Nuallis."541Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPLgV342ZN
He reached out to rustle her hair playfully, but she jerked her head away from his touch and hugged herself. There was a discomforting amount of eyes on her: Gideon's emotionless gaze, Caecius's plotting eyes, and the several Umbras all around, their perpetually drooling mouthes that led to bellies that were never full.541Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjLKh6sorW
Jayden, Van, Magpie ... wherever you all are, please be safe. 541Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXirQDyVJT
"Gideon, Caecius," called Cordis, "let's get going. That level four might have gotten himself in a mess with the others."541Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkCywdrVBG
"Level Four?" Caecius cocked his head, "you don't name your lesser pets?"
"He didn't name me, imbecile," retorted Gideon, catching the slight.
Lower level Umbra approached Cordis, these ones capable of simple speech it would seem. The banter continued between the aeromancer and the Umbra lord, much to Cordis's irritation.541Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfjRj9eXFW
"Shut ... " Cordis snarled through gritted teeth at the bickering duo, his annoyance visceral, " ... up!"
Gideon raised his nose and straightened his tie and Caecius crossed his arms, the argument silenced.
"Good news, boys." Cordis gave Nu an apologetic look, "... and girls." He waved off the lesser Umbras at his feet. "We've found my other half. There was some mischief at some theater. Off we go. I hear our little faery is also with him."
No, thought Nu, he's going to hurt Jayden, or worse. What should she do? What can she do? She felt as useless as Ladnavia had said with her last words. What's worse, she may be used as a hostage against Jayden. I have to delay them somehow.
She ran. She didn't know where and not entirely why. Perhaps, it was she was sick of all this, and by some miracle, she would find some exit to this nightmare. She decided to go back and hide in the stadium.
"After her!" she heard Cordis shout from behind, "you too, Caecius."
At the sound of the blonde's command, she thought defensively. She raised a thin wall of ice behind her to stymie her pursuers. At the double doors of the stadium, the same one's Cordis had opened with his scythe earlier, she shifted a puddle of water into a few spikes, as high as her head. It would not hold them back for too long, but it was better than nothing; she felt ready to faint from the effort anyway.
Her nose began to bleed heavily, blood drizzling on the floor. She felt dizzy and weak.
She bulled into a dark room, furnished with wooden benches and rusty lockers. There were showers in it, though no account of privacy was taken in their making, unlike in the fancy apartment she shared with her friends at the start of this whole adventure.541Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sOyZhEnAc
One of the lockers was just big enough for her to hide in.
- CAECIUS -
Caecius let the winds ball around his fist. He blasted the upward-growing icicles, the air quickly shattering and melting the ice. Gideon struck the obstacles with his tentacles.541Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtbetCfT5f
"Should we split up?" asked Caecius as he squeezed through the doorway.
"I suggest we follow the trail," responded Gideon, pointing a tentacle at the wet footprints.
"Right," conceded Caecius, taking the lead.
While following the trail, they heard footsteps coming from a direction opposing it.
"Must be her," said Caecius.
"Perhaps," Gideon mused.
The duo changed directions and they ended up out in the field, overgrown with tall grass and wild weeds.
"I feel like there is someone else here," thought Caecius out loud. "You sense it too, Umbra?"
But Gideon was no longer behind him or anywhere near. However, there was someone in the open gate. A woman with short hair, he could tell by the shape. It was the one called Magpie.
"Come out there. We've no means to fight." Caecius called.
An interesting person, she was, having several magical talents. They were quite different from his people; she did not appear to be limited to certain elements. He remembered hearing that she had shot a lighting bolt at Cordis and lived to tell about it. 541Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvUz5Gf6p3
An interesting feat, that one. The power to create lighting fascinated him. He and Vulcan could conjure the same effect, combining air and fire. He would ask her more about it, as well as the nature of Shadow and his creation of illusions.
"Say," began Caecius as they walked down the empty halls of the stadium, "you didn't happen to run into Nuallis, have you?"
"No," Magpie said flatly, "and I wouldn't tell you if I did."
"I'm sure your lover would have been more cooperative," said Gideon stiffly.
"I told you," the woman said, her wrath rising, "He's not—"
"Hey," interrupted Caecius, "look here."
He bent down and placed his fingers in a dark puddle that sat near the door of a room.
"That's blood." Caecius walked into the locker room, Gideon and Magpie following behind.
Gideon took one ally of lockers while Caecius took another farther ahead. At the far end, he could see a door slightly ajar. He approached it slowly, his winds gathering around him.541Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJatQ91a4q4
Within, Nuallis slept, her bloody nose staining her clothes.
Must have passed out from all that work to keep us away. This was easier than I thought, and we even found another! It won't be long now ... Neith ... I need you.541Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZVygqDIHO
He picked her up, her unconscious body slung over a shoulder.
"Alright, Lord Umbra," he said gesturing to the captive, smiling under his mask, "let's get back to Cordis. Maybe he'll pat you on the head, being a good boy, and all."
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