Within the span of a single minute, the girl stopped panting, and began screaming instead, causing Cromwell to glance in her direction. He was far enough away now that it was unlikely the shapeshifter would catch a glimpse of his familiar.
What he saw before him held little interest. Raker had allowed the child to run, he caught up a few times—easily, naturally—slashed at her a few times, then let her flee again. Each time was harder than the last. Cromwell knew this was the last time as Raker had crippled one of her legs. Within mere moments he was upon her, tearing her clothes off in an act that Cromwell had no desire to witness.
The lich tuned it all out. He had already seen the same committed upon the sister of the girl, and he merely wished that Raker would finish so they could move on. While he ignored the scene in front of him, Cromwell let his mind wander. The sorcerer wasn’t just violating his victims but also consuming them. To him, this likely meant that Raker was gaining mass at an unprecedented rate.
They must be getting close, then. Caed hadn’t fled too far from his domain…Which caused Cromwell to reconsider his options. Had the sorcerer in question had any sense, he would have ridden as far from Ashvale as humanely possible. The goddess Istvar would have known about Adrian, about the God of Many Faces and how likely it was that the Dark Stranger would push Adrian towards Veleria in the end. So why hadn’t he? Of course, Raker was here too. Alk’Hath rarely brought this one out unless she found it entirely necessary.
Whatever it was the sorceress needed, it was clear to Cromwell now that she was desperate. Normally, her desperation would be a good sign; however, her reliance on Istvar meant she already had the pieces. She just needed Caed to touch those pieces and paint her a grander portrait.
From deep within his earthen abode, Althalos Cromwell wove another spell into his avian familiar. Far from his form the bird began to distort, to tear, to be manipulated into duality. It split into two. Both birds were smaller than the first but no less potent. He sent the original back to Adrian, and ordered the copy to remain in observance with Raker.
He glanced back towards the sorcerer. The girl should be dead, but Raker hadn’t allowed her that peace. With sorcery as potent and complicated as his, it was second nature for Raker to use simplistic methods of necromancy to keep his victims directly on the edge. He was still inside her while he ate her. She was conscious for all of it.
Cromwell knew that if Adrian were here this would have gone poorly. The man could not stomach so vile a display as this.
* * *
Adrian raised an arm for Cromwell’s familiar to perch on. For the moment his horse was grazing, so Adrian was allowing himself a short rest. They had ridden for nearly three hours.
Were he anyone else, he wouldn’t have noticed the minor changes in Cromwell’s bird.
“Did you get smaller?” He asked.
have split this summon to keep an eye on our target.
“Are you really following that lunatic?” Adrian frowned. “You really think he’ll bring us right to her?”
Talking as he patted the horse, he began looking through his things before Cromwell could respond. Just knowing they might have to even see Raker was giving him anxiety.
He is a hunter of great renown, and I have deduced that he must be seeking the other sorcerer. Due to the changes in Veleria, it is unlikely that I can pinpoint her location using magic alone. She is able to block me out, but Raker can—
“Why would she want to do that?” Adrian shook the bird off, and Cromwell planted his familiar on the back of the saddle. “I can’t imagine Veleria wants to be with her captor much longer.”
She may be doing it without realizing. As I told you, it is up to Veleria to tell you the truth.
“If she doesn’t even realize…Whatever, I just decided that I don’t care. You love to remind me why I despise wizards.” He climbed atop the horse. She whinnied in response, so Adrian pet her and gave her mane a good brushing between his fingers. “So, how far a distance do we need to keep from him?”
The bird hopped onto the horse’s head. She didn’t appear to notice.
He is sensitive to magic. Use the mask when I tell you to hide your presence. I expect we may find our target within two days or so.
Nodding, Adrian prodded his steed along.