Both the sorcerer and Vos’iin left the premises together two days later.
Veleria felt a sense of elation as she allowed her body to heat. Small fires wound into the rope binding her, releasing a sweet, smoky smell as they fell off one by one. She exhaled quietly and made for the door.
We likely have very little time, but if we can get Adrian some distance away then we can at least fight.
I know, she told Caellach. I just hope he isn’t hurt too badly.
Not bothering with any tricks, Veleria merely melted the lock off the door. Doing so made her disguise waver for a second, which caused Caellach to comment.
It would appear that higher heat damages the veil.
Veleria slipped through the door then, looking around at the home for a few moments before she saw the numerous glowing magic circles Corvus had set about the home. With the mask on she could see how far their triggers reached by noting what looked like narrow, stringy lights rising out from them in the shape of a dome.
Simple traps, said Caellach. Avoid them. Adrian is in the adjacent room…I can still sense his body heat.
Another lock turned into liquid metal. Once more the disguise faltered. Once it settled, Veleria opened the door to find a truly heartbreaking sight. She placed a hand over her mouth, croaking out Adrian’s name through shallow breaths with each step she took towards him.
He was black and blue in many places. His hands were crusted in blood from a lack of fingernails on the majority of his fingers, and small cuts and gashes wound through his exposed chest. Most of his muscle definition had faded.
Despite her horror, Veleria immediately went around to his back. She found where his bindings knotted and a space between the manacles holding him that she could burn through.
Adrian groaned awake, rolling his head only to jolt at the smell of fire.
“Alessa, what the…Hell…”
“Don’t move, Adrian. This kind of precision is hard for me.”
It was a bit different, but Adrian would recognize her voice from anywhere. He relaxed himself against the chair so as to not disrupt her. While he had a million questions, he let Veleria work. Within seconds he could feel the pressure on his wrists subside. His legs suddenly felt like gelatin once the ropes binding them were off.
“Okay, I can’t get the manacles off without burning you, so I’m gonna have to leave them on. They’re separated though, and I’m sure we can get someone in Almor to finish the job. Can you stand?”
Still in her disguise, Veleria walked in front of him.
Adrian blinked at her.
It finally dawned on him.
“That bitch knows you have the mask.” He felt a growl rumble his dry throat while he said this. He tried to stand, stumbled, and then Veleria offered him her shoulder. With her help he was able to get to a rickety standing position. He knew he wouldn’t get very far in his current state. “Alessa…Corvus knows you’re wearing it.”
“That doesn’t matter anymore. I won’t let the sorcerer stop us, but I need to get you somewhere safe first.” Veleria slowly led him towards the door. She was practically dragging him, but not once did she let this bother her.
Veleria kept moving.
Moving him between the traps was difficult, but Veleria managed. They were at the door when she heard the sound of a cat meowing. Looking back, she saw a black cat standing in the hallway.
“It’s her familiar,” said Adrian.
“Oh…”
Veleria pushed open the front door anyway. She meant it when she said they weren’t stopping. Fading twilight greeted them, as did an unfamiliar figure clad in black leathers. They were casually leaning against the aging fence that surrounded the house. In one hand they flipped a coin into the air.
“Normal captives don’t burn through their bindings without harming themselves, and they especially can’t melt a lock.” Corvus said, turning their piercing gray eyes to meet Veleria’s own. “Now then, how about we meet for real, Valenne? If that is your name.”
Veleria slowly lowered Adrian down against the door frame.
“Wait, don’t…What are you doing? You can’t…”
Veleria didn’t even look down at Adrian when he tried and failed to grab her ankle. She merely stepped past him and towards the figure.
“We’re leaving,” she told Corvus. “I can’t guarantee your safety if you try to stop me.”
Corvus stared at her for a moment. Then, they laughed. They laughed so hard their ribs hurt.
“Fuck off,” they shouted through a maniacal grin, “and take off that cheating mask, Veleria!”
Veleria nearly yelped out in surprise when an uncountable number of ethereal appendages erupted out from the ground beneath her. They grabbed at every inch of her, pulled her limbs against her, and began to wrap their way up Veleria’s body.
Before one of the hands grabbed at her face, Veleria shouted the only thing she could.
“Caellach!”
Corvus was still laughing. The woman was nearly entombed, and whether or not she was wearing the mask for the entire duration of the trip back, they knew it was Veleria beneath the disguise. They had their target.
But the sorcerer suddenly felt something that nearly petrified them with fear. It was raw. Raw, unfiltered magic. The power they felt radiating out from the cocoon of arms in front of them did not originate from the leylines but instead from something within the woman herself.
It was not of this realm.
Flames ripped through their summoned appendages. An explosion of orange and red melted their magic and encircled an effeminate figure. Upon dispersion, Corvus finally saw her.
The olive skinned woman was just as they remembered her. Black hair flew about wildly within the confines of a red ribbon, and when Veleria pulled a featureless white mask off her face they saw that her eyes were an otherworldly molten gold.
Veleria tossed the mask behind her, although not she, nor Corvus would see the Stranger catch it. Instead, the golden-eyed woman merely stood tall before the sorcerer.
Corvus took a step back. While not particularly potent, their summons were too easily dispelled. They furrowed their brow.
No…Not dispelled. They had been utterly destroyed.