Fate - First Reply Crimson Trails

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh felt a sense of relief as Liliana prepared herself to go out. Sure it may have looked ridiculous, but it would give her that extra edge. Because while oxygen was going to be sparse, Everleigh didn’t want her to suffer more than she had to with the smoke. There was no way that they were going to make it to the boats and get off the island without any issues. Chances of that happening were probably one in five-hundred. Or less.

Everleigh nodded her head in response to Liliana, taking a deep breath. The toxins in the smoke wouldn’t affect her much, but it would hinder her breathing and using gas-like poisons, especially when the flames were at their peak. She wouldn’t tell Liliana this.

With the perfect poker face on, Everleigh followed after Liliana, passing out the tent and seeing the pet guard just arriving with a glass container in hand. Lamp oil. Perfect. With surprisingly quick reflexes, Everleigh kicked the bottle into the tent that they had just left so it fell to the ground and chattered. Throwing the lantern into the small spot of oil, Everleigh turned her back.

She could hear the flames come alive as they were fed, quickly catching onto the canvas tent. One down, many more to go. Hopefully this fire caused the pirates to head over here and away from the boats, but if that were the case then Everleigh figured they might be running straight into them. Good thing Liliana was a smart girl.

 

[Liliana]

In the distance Liliana could still hear fighting even as the flames flickered into life behind her. The chaos they had earlier sown was a good distraction, but it wouldn't last much longer.

She frowned for a brief moment, but then began to move forward. The guard almost immediately stepped close to her, as if In guard of her. A small smile touched Liliana's lips, though for a brief moment she wondered if the compulsion she'd placed on him had been a bit too strong.

She'd done such things before, and the end result was...usually not pretty.

Not that she much cared, but the mind could only handle so much of her magic. Eventually one started to degrade mentally, and the compulsion began to drag away at the very heart of the mind. She had witnessed it first hand more than once, and it usually ended with nothing less than a drooling dog.

"This way." Liliana whispered as she cut forward through the tent city. The next canvas was doused in lantern oil, then the next, and then the next.

By the time they stepped off the little cresting hill the fires had begun to rage all around them. Smoke rose in a torrential outpour, and in the distance Liliana could hear cries from the Pirates who were not in the midst of battle.

Liliana darted through the smog, moving as quickly as she could. The Guard was still on her heel, but every now and again she looked over her should, making sure that Evie was still behind her. Just as they reached the main camp, the first of the pirates began to appear. Some held buckets of water, others swords, all of them wore a lock of shock as they spotted the Scion of House Lorel and her companions.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh stuck close to Liliana as she led through the maze of tents. This was a decent size base, but soon the flames over took it. Greedily they jumped from one tent to the next, the lamp oil being a good idea to speed up the process. Even when the smoke picked up and embers were starting to fly around, Everleigh didn’t lose sight of Liliana.

She was quite surprised that Liliana turned around as often as she did to even check and see if she was still behind her. Perhaps that was more so to do with making sure that Everleigh wasn’t trying to stab her behind her back.

The moment they came across the pirates, Everleigh didn’t stop. With a burst of speed she sprinted ahead of Liliana, heading to her first target: the closest pirate holding a bucket of water. Like lightening, Everleigh grabbed the bucket out of his hands and tactically threw it at the mushy face of the pirate next to him. After all, Mush Face was one of the pirates with a sword in hand.

Disarming the first pirate, Everleigh easily slashed her flat blade across his throat before knocking him into Mush Face with a strong roundhouse kick. A third was coming at her, sword in hand and raised above their head. They had a reach advantage and so Everleigh sidestepped and lunged forward as their sword came crashing down.

She grabbed his sword-hand, pulling him forward right as she raised her knee up— his face crashing into her knee. As he stumbled back, her flat blade was already being stabbed into his neck and he soon fell to the ground.

 

[Liliana]

Liliana never allowed the approaching pirates to get close.

She had learned early on that fighting in any standard way was not how she would win. Though House Lorel was filled with soldiers, she was most definitely not one of them. So the Academy had taught her how to adapt, overcome her slight stature and make the best of what she had.

The whip which had sat coiled on her hip flexed outward in her left hand, right clutching the dagger that had sat at the small of her back. She moved through their enemies like a whirlwind. The snaps of her whip lashed at faces, blades, and legs, catching the pirates off guard just long enough to let her dash forward. The blade of her dagger cut across throats and through tendons, disabling, but not instantly killing.

It was quick, brutal.

Liliana was a flurry of movement. Never staying put in one place, never letting any of the men get close to her without a lash of her whip. She slipped through the party, only glancing back to see her pet guard slice his sword brutally across a man's chest.

A smile pulled at her lips, and then she noticed something through the smoke. "Evie!"

Her voice burst out through the scarf wrapped over her face, a bolt of light and fire suddenly bursting through the smog and exploding upon the ground between the two girls.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh and Liliana worked well together. They were outnumbered, even if one included the pet guard, but despite the fact that they were both dreadlord initiates, Everleigh and Liliana moved without ever getting in the others way. Like partnered ice skating. But deadlier and bloody. And without the ice.

The pirates didn’t stand a chance, they never did. With Liliana’s whip cracking through the air, which somehow never seemed to strike at Everleigh no matter how close the poison eater was to the blonde, and Everleigh’s poison, the pirates were dropping like flies.

Everleigh should’ve known something this easy wasn’t meant to last.

Everleigh had just stabbed another— she noted she’d need to reapply poison based on the eye movements of the opponents— and was going to wipe the blood off the blade until Liliana shouted her nickname. She turned and just to see that flash. It was pure instinct that caused her to leap back, albeit unsteadily.

“Fuck,” she cursed under her breath, almost falling back completely as she stumbled back further due to the dead bodies splayed about. Dull eyes were narrowed in the direction of that blast, knowing that the mages were coming. A part of her wanted to run, escape. The blast did cause a large cloud of smoke and debris to fly up between the trio.

That logical part was soon swallowed by the frisson that coursed through her, causing Everleigh to grin as she steadied herself. Looks like the party was about to finally start. Her eyes glowed, and she pricked her finger on the blade, easily spreading her blood all over it within seconds.

 

[Liliana]

Liliana found herself slowly standing up from the ground, the explosion having tossed her nearly half a dozen feet. Whip and dagger still in hand, she glanced about for her two companions. Everleigh was standing not too far away, but her pet guardsmen was nowhere to be seen.

Save for his leg which lay on the floor.

A grimace flickered over her features for one brief moment, head shaking. He'd been so useful.

That was the only slight bit of remorse that Liliana felt. The man had made a good shield, and puppet. Probably done better than Greggory would have in fact. Her head shook in disappointment, then gaze flickered to the other end of the clearing.

Through the smoke she could just barely make out the figure of the mage. The mage that stalked through the shadows was cloaked in black, his face half hidden by a hood.

Liliana frowned, and then noticed his hand coming up.

Before she could do anything lance like spears of fire burst from his fingertips. Three of them launched towards Everleigh, the other two towards Liliana.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

There were times when Everleigh wished she had a different magic. Sable’s magic would have been handy right now, or Zael’s. Heck, even Trix’s troublesome vines or roots or whatever plant thing she could use. Anything that could reach that mage meters away from them.

Long range had always been something Everleigh struggled with in the academy. Her magic only useful when it could reach the opponent and get in their bloodstream or airways. Once she found purchase in her target, then she was fine. But she had to figure out how to get close to the mage who could throwing fire-spears at the two of them with ease.

Their odds weren’t looking good, as could be noted by the crazed grin on Everleigh’s face.

She had nothing to deflect the fire, and so she sprinted forward, arms pumping at her sides straight towards Liliana. First spear of fire missed, going to the spot Everleigh was originally at. The other two were careening towards her, and she leapt forward.

Pulling her knees up higher than she normally would as it was an explosive jump not just for distance but also height. At the peak of her jump was when she twisted and threw her flat blade at the attacking mage. It fell too much to the left, missing them by a few inches before stabbing the ground.

One spear went below Everleigh’s feet while the other whizzed by— if she hadn’t twisted it would have caught her square in the chest. And then Everleigh was falling down to her feet, right into the burst of fire. Her ankles buckled from the shock of incredible heat and Everleigh was on her knees; hands blistering from the flames to only immediately shrivel up and pop. Oh, the scars she was going to have to match all the others.

With a roar of encouragement just for herself Everleigh then dived into a tent, patting frantically at her clothes, thankful that her hair had damp and hadn’t caught on fire. It took her all her life to grow it as long as it was now.

 

[Liliana]

Liliana's method of dodging were...not dodging at all.

One of the Pirates that had been reeling on the earth, his tendon slashed and his mouth agape in pain would feel the lash of her whip around his throat. Liliana's grip tore upon the weapon, pulling him back and upward. In an instant she crouched behind him.

Then heat washed over the man's body.

His screams of pain became howls of entire agony as he was struck by the fire flame, and then quickly the second. Liliana could practically feel the magic rush against him, the flame pouring over her form and singing the edge of her clothes.

A breath escaped her, and she tossed the charred corpse to the side.

Her head turned, gaze flickering in search for Everleigh. "Ev-"

Before Liliana could finish her words a figure suddenly snapped into being within the smoke in front of her. The mage seemed to appear from the smog itself, his hand jutting out like a viper. Before she could do anything fingers like heated magma grasped at her throat, digging in and searing her flesh.

The Mage raised her off the ground, choking her as he tugged her into the air.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh could feel the radiating waves of pain of her palms, her fingers, and even the tip of her nose. The sensitive skin had on her hands had shriveled up to reveal red, bleeding flesh that looked squishy and inflamed. Everleigh stared at her raw hands, seeing the fluids ooze out in a feeble attempt to start the repair process. Inside the burning tent Everleigh had thought she would regroup with Liliana, escape out and try and make it to the boats.

Where the boats even still there?

But more importantly, where was Liliana? Perhaps she hadn’t seen where she had gone? Everleigh turned around only to be met with a horrific sight: the shadows of Liliana and the mage were silhouetted against the canvas of the tent thanks to the light from the flames. There was a moment when she noticed her body was ready to pivot and turn her back on the shadows and escape by herself. A moment that was so extremely brief that Everleigh wondered if she had thought it at all.

Perhaps it was just habit, that sort of mentality because, despite the searing pain that caused even Everleigh to moan and whimper, she pulled out two throwing spikes. Eyes glowed gold, and unable to produce a suitable amount of saliva, she rubbed the spikes between her palms quickly.

Everleigh shot out of the tent, slightly behind Liliana’s right side but she threw the two spikes— and this time her aim didn’t let her down. One went to the Mage’s neck, the other at his exposed wrist. They didn’t need to be deep in the skin, they just had to break through it.

“Liliana.” Everleigh gasped, as she lunged towards her. She reached out for the Mage’s arm, using her hand to chop down at his elbow joint in an attempt for him to free Liliana. She wasn’t sure how human these things were, there was a possibility her poison wouldn’t work if it were some form of necromancy.

 

[Liliana]

The mage was no necromancer.

As Everleigh rushed over towards the two and chopped her hand down onto the mage's elbow he seemed to reach back almost instantly. His palm flickered to where the needles had buried themselves, a yelp escaping him as he let out a swear.

"How dare yo-"

The words died on his tongue as suddenly he found his blood frought with poison. Eyes popped open wide, his mouth seemed to dry almost instantly. A sickness wound in his stomach, and then he seemed to half heave over.

Liliana didn't even a breath.

She fell down onto the floor as soon as Everleigh appeared, her fingers extending outward and snatching her blade from where it had fallen.

The knife flipped in her palm, and then quickly buried itself in the underside of the mages throat. His eyes bulged open, panic flickered over his gaze, and then blood spurted from his mouth. "Fuck!"

Liliana swore, finally gasping for breath as she swayed.

"We need to get the fuck out of here." She spat.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh was more than relieved when her poison took effect. She hoped the mage could feel everything, their organs shutting down, the slowing of their blood, and even the moment their heart could no longer beat. She reached out to steady Liliana but stopped, more so because she was used to not touching others instead of feeling that Liliana could steady herself. Everleigh’s chest was heaving up and down, the smoke starting to really get to her now. Her throat and mouth felt so dry, like a desert that hadn’t seen rain in years.

“Let me lace your dagger,” Everleigh rasped. She wish she hadn’t given up so many of larger weapons, but maybe if she hadn’t they would have had to fight more pirates. Although now this large group was thoroughly disposed of. And, luckily, one mage down. One out of seven. There were six more. Where? And then, a thought occurred to Liliana. She looked at the young noble, her face grim.

“You’re not going to like this,” Everleigh said, coughing and then clearing her throat. “The other six must be close by. Could you use your mind control magic on them the way you did with the guard? If you can get one to fight for us…” Everleigh trailed off, she knew Liliana knew where she was going with this. “If the collar is an issue, what if their mind was weakened? I can probably get them to hallucinate or have an out of body experience.”

Everleigh knew at this rate, they only had two options. Get to the boats and run, or finish all the mages first.

“They could blow us out of the water if even one is still alive.” Everleigh added, as if to make her suicide mission make more sense.

 

[Liliana]

Liliana's head was still pulsing from being choked, the smog in the air, and the rush of adrenaline that was now coursing through her veins. She frowned slightly as Everleigh offered to lace her dagger, and quickly flipped the weapon towards her companion.

At that moment they needed every advantage they could get.

A hiss of frustration passed her lips as she considered the two options. Briefly she wondered if it might not be better to just run, get off this island and admonish whomever had set all of this up. They had been practically made to fail.

Plus just the information of the cult would be valuable. Perhaps instead of a bunch of Initiates they would send actual Dreadlords next time.

Lips thinned for a brief moment. "Third option."

She said quietly.

"We take one." Neither she nor Everleigh's magic was well suited to defend them as they left the bay, but perhaps one of the mages could. She doubted that even with one of them under her control they'd be able to kill the other five, but they would most certainly be able to escape. "Bring him back home, give him to the Proctors."

They would survive and the Guard would have someone else to interrogate. "I just need him...dazed."

Stronger minds were harder to control, but she could do it. At least...at least she thought she could.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh nodded her head at Liliana’s third plan, grabbing the dagger. Understanding one’s limitations was a valuable trait. Plus, as Everleigh glanced down at her hands, she wasn’t well suited for continued fighting. There was no telling how long it would take to take out each mage and how much damage they would both sustain. To go after each mage was suicide.

“I can daze him,” Everleigh said swiftly, no hesitation in her voice as dazing someone was easy. A little bit of something to relax them, mild hallucinogenic, and maybe even some delayed nerve-toxins to seal the deal. “Do you think breaking the collar would be beneficial to us?” She asked as began focusing building up saliva.

All she had to think of was the excitement of how even going after one mage meant they could both die. The drool came instantly, eyes glowed gold, and she licked Liliana’s blade as fast as possible before handing it back to her.

She pulled out her two throwing spikes from the mage and signaled for Liliana to follow her. They were going to backtrack a bit but it made the most sense. The other mages had to be behind them.

 

[Liliana]

The smog was still raging all around them, fires having caught on more and more tents. In the distance she could hear pirates shouting, ordering to fetch more buckets of water and ensure that everything would be set straight. "I doubt it."

She said in regards to the collar.

A part of her wished that her little toy Guard was still alive. He hadn't known much, but he'd been a precious resource for her to use. A small breath flowed into her lungs, still filtered through the scrap she had tied around her face.

"I think they're just a means of subduing other mages." Liliana explained, remembering from her book. "Not connected to the rituals."

Not that she could remember anyway.

Eventually they cut back further into the burning encampment, and Liliana had to squint in order to keep the smoke from her eyes. As they walked, three figures came into view. One of them wore the same strange robes, the other two the simple garbs of pirates.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

The scorched air was uncomfortable, more than uncomfortable. It reminded her of proctor’s punishments, and Everleigh did her best to not constantly lick at her lips that were beginning to crack and bleed. Crouching low, behind a set of barrels, Everleigh’s gaze quickly looked over at their new set of opponents.

Another mage. More pirates.

“Bad leg,” Everleigh whispered to Liliana, pointing to the pirate on the left. She wasn’t sure what it was, but it was obvious that he was favoring one leg over the other. Perhaps their feeble army had actually managed to injure someone?

The throwing spikes had to be used for the mage. Unlike when she had used her toxin’s for Liliana’s dagger, Everleigh’s eyes glowed faintly as she wiped the blood off of the spikes. She licked them, figuring that if there were still lethal remains, at least the mage would be alive for at least ten minutes. And they really weren’t too far from the boats.

Everleigh took a breath, waiting for the trio to walk just a bit closer. The moment she popped her head out from their hiding place, their cover would be blown. Everleigh thought after she threw the spikes, she would rush the pirates, hopefully giving Liliana the time she needed to do… well, whatever she did for mind control.

A few meters away from them now. Everleigh could feel her burned hands become dumb. Finally the adrenaline was kicking in and blocking her pain receptors. She stood up, lightening fast and deftly threw the spikes at the mage. They both hit, although one had gone through the cloak— perhaps not actually making it’s mark.

But Everleigh didn’t have time to figure that out, rushing out and over the barrels, charging at the pirates. Before she knew it, she had been thrown back by a gust of air, embers swirling towards her and singed her clothes and exposed skin. Meanwhile, with a disgruntled yell, the pirates were advancing towards the poison eater, swords raised.

 

[Liliana]

If the world was to be equated to a game of Chess, Liliana knew that she was the Queen. In her mind, she would always be one of the most important pieces on the board, but also one of the most useful.

There was a time and a place for her to involve herself, and more often than not she had to wait for that time to be right. As Everleigh darted forward and engaged the trio in combat, Liliana waited. She did not hesitate, she did not cower, she simply waited. An opportunity would arise, and when it did she would stri-

Before she could even finish the thought, Everleigh was suddenly tossed back.

The pirates charged forward, though the mage remained behind. He seemed to sway slightly, off-kilter likely because of Evie’s poison.

Liliana saw it, and then darted forward. The two pirates roared. Moving towards Liliana’s companion with their blades raised. The scion of House Lorel let out a scoff, her whip lashing forward. It wrapped around one of the pirates legs, pulling his feet out from under him. She darted between the two, her blade cutting the falling mans throat.

The other man seemed to look at her, glance just long enough, but before he could react her blade was sent impaling into his foot. A scream echoed from his lips, but Liliana ignored him. The knife remained in place, buried in his foot as she moved past him.

Fingers furled, and then a net of her magic was cast out over the Mage.

The cloaked figure was still stumbling, flat-footed, but then the magic struck his mind. A twisted expression fell over his face, and then Liliana all but jumped onto him. His eyes caught onto hers as she tackled him to the ground, straddling him. ”Hello, darling.”

She purred, taking her right place in the center of his universe.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Liliana was fast, faster than Everleigh would expect her to be. As she finished off one pirate, Everleigh was back on her feet. The pirate that was still alive would be hers to steal the kill while Liliana moved to the mage. He was struggling with the dagger in his foot but Everleigh had pulled out a tin needle, licking it and then stabbing it into his neck.

The pirate’s eyes rolled back as his throat constricted. Everleigh pulled out Liliana’s dagger from his foot right before he fell onto his back, a seizure taking over. She walked up to Liliana and handed her back her blade, tilting her head slightly.

She was close by, more so because if the magic didn’t work, she was ready to finish him. However, considering he was letting Liliana sit on him, she figured the magic had work.

“Tell me when I can take my spikes out,” Everleigh coughed out to Liliana.

 

[Liliana]

The mage seemed to struggle with a whole range of emoiton. His gaze flickered between Everleigh and Liliana, confusion pulling over his features every time he looked at the latter. His eyes closed, head shaking as though he didn't understand.

"I-"

"Shhh." Another weave was thrown over the man's mind, another net cast over his thoughts. She had to be careful, careful not to utterly destroy him. The man was a mage himself, powerful, and she needed that power in tact.

Her voice was calm, soothing. "It's alright. It's alright."

She bade the man. "You just want to help, don't you? Protect us? Get us out of here?"

There was a brief moment where the man stared at her, his lips parting. It was as though a battle were raging on inside of him, one that he couldn't quite understand. After a few moments his voice came out in stuttering desperation.

"Y-yes. O-o-of c-course."

His voice was dim, but his intent true.

"You can take them out." Liliana said as she slowly stood up from the ground.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh felt a sigh of relief quietly disperse from her lips. It had worked. She couldn’t tell exactly what Liliana was doing, couldn’t tell if she struggled or not, but she did note that this took longer than when she had used it on the guard. Perhaps from fatigue?

She knelt down, pulling out the spikes quickly, wiping the blood off once more before reapplying poison.

“Let’s go,” she rasped, pivoting on her heel and dashing off. Now that they had this mage, Everleigh wanted to get to the boats as fast as possible. She hoped there was still one unscathed by the flames, especially considering how embers were flying all around them now.

Dashing ahead, Everleigh was still weary. Especially as they got closer to the boats, a din of voices could be heard. Once reaching the edge of the camp, Everleigh could see that the pirates seemed to have handled the small army from before.

Sucks they died, but at least Everleigh could go and pick up some of her weapons that were beside their unmoving bodies.

 

[Liliana]

Liliana and her new pet followed along with Everleigh.

Unlike with the guard, she watched the mage more carefully. There was something...different, about what she had done. Liliana couldn't describe it, she wasn't even sure if she could even repeat it. Yet she could sense it in the lines of her weaves.

It was more intricate, more exacting. She hadn't just influenced his emotion, hadn't just directed it, but had somehow...entrapped his very mind. It was something she had never thought herself capable of before, and yet here she was.

Every few seconds she glanced over towards the mage, every few seconds she found herself wondering.

As they reached the beach and Everleigh came to a stop, Liliana followed suit. She looked up at the mage, pondering, and then mused out loud. "Tell them they need to help with the fires, that they need to bring more water."

The man seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if his mind was still fighting against the net cast over his mind. Then slowly he dipped his head in a nod.

"Y-yes."​

As he stumbled forward towards the beach, Liliana watched. He did exactly as directed, not just as a puppet, but something more. His voice raised, and he barked a command to the pirates. Within seconds they gathered up what they could, rushing past where Liliana and Everleigh hid and towards the flames within the camp.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh waited, anticipating tickling her nerves. The waves of pain from her skinless palms had started to pick again, and the young woman gritted her teeth. With narrowed eyes, she waited for the pirates to by. Tin needles, laced with poison were in her hand, as the pirates ran by she threw them, aiming at the back of their necks.

They hardly noticed, and by the time they would realize, it would be too late. They’d be writhing on the floor. A sour look had befallen the poison eater as she got out from the hiding spot. Everleigh rushed over, grabbing her valuable throwing spikes and flat blades as quickly as possible before reaching a boat resting on the shore.

She had chosen a boat that looked to be the best out of the three on the shore. Upon quick inspection, the sail looked to be rather intact. As long as there wasn’t some hidden hole in the boat, Everleigh was sure this would work well enough to carry them back to their main ship.

She tossed the sack full of collars into the boat before glancing behind her, expecting to see a line of mages waiting for them and to blast them all to hell.

 

[Liliana]

There was no line, only Liliana gently patting her new pet's cheek and reassuring him that he was doing the right thing.

Whatever weave she had used to make the man more compliant than usual was still holding, but she was weary. The young Initiate didn’t quite understand what she had done, but nor did she have the time to really inspect or think about it. Not in this moment anyway.

Eventually she glanced over to Everleigh, spotting that she was ready with the boat.

”Come now, darling.” Liliana urged quietly, motioning towards the boat. The two of them quickly joined their companion, with the mage still holding a look of confusion on his face. It was clear something in his mind was still fighting back, though barely holding.

The three of them climbed into the boat, Liliana motioning for the mage to push them off.

Just as they settled into the waters, she could spot figures moving through the smog and towards the beach. Five, it appeared to be, through the smoke made it hard to see. ”I need you to protect me, okay sweetheart?”

Liliana said to the man.

”We have to get away.” She said. ”I can’t imagine what they would do if they caught up to us.”

A frown flickered over the man’s face, and then slowly he nodded. Turning towards the edge of the boat and preparing himself.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everything was set. The boat was ready. It was time to go. They needed to get going. Another glance back— still clear. Liliana and the nameless mage was in the boat. And they were out, on the water, beginning to finally leave the island. Everleigh couldn’t relax yet.

Body still tense, she looked ahead and then back. Of course the third time she looked back she could see the figures moving forward. She looked down at her bleeding palms and then brought her gaze to Liliana.

“Sometimes I wish I could control the weather,” she said, a faint smile on her lips. Shortly after she said it the hum of magic began to reverberate through the air. Everleigh could feel it, that tang of burnt minerals had settled onto her tongue as her saliva began to pick up again.

Everleigh ducked down, feeling that burst of force. She looked up, expecting to see the sail on fire or maybe completely blown off or shredded up and useless. But it was still intact. But that wasn’t the force she had felt. No, something had blown over her head but no fireball.

The boat was jostled, Everleigh falling over to hang off the side of the book to only see something she didn’t expect: they were out of the water, slowly rising up. Everleigh cursed, and looked behind her. It seemed the five mages were working together to telekinetically lift the boat out of the water. Five sets of arms were lifted up as if praising some god.

 

[Liliana]

Shit.

The boat was floating, quite literally floating. What the fuck was she supposed to do against that? Worse, Evie had somehow gotten herself tossed over the side of the whole thing.

Liliana clung to the bottom of the boat, holding herself steadfast even as they jerked backwards and were seemingly dragged back towards the shore. She let out a curse, and then quickly pulled away and grabbed Everleigh's arms.

"DO SOMETHING!" The noble shouted at her pet.

The mage looked back at Liliana for a moment, and then stood.

As he rose to his feet, the Noble grabbed Evelerigh as hard as she could. Fingers dug into the other girls shoulders, and then with a powerful wrench she tugged her back into the boat. Using all her weight to counterbalance the two of them.

Beneath them the boat seemed to jostle and shift, but that didn't seem to matter to the mage. His feet settled, and his hands parted. A spark of lightning erupted between his fingertips, lingering for a brief moment, and then it shot outward in a great flashing arc.

The mages on the beach scattered, the explosion breaking their concentration and sending the boat dropping back into the sea.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Arm strength was not Everleigh’s forte, despite her natural body type giving her a figure that was lithe in general, even with training, her shoulders and arms had remained petite. Toned, sure. But regardless, hanging off of the boat, trying to lift herself off, despite the rush of panic, was proving difficult. Especially considering her hands were felt as if they were screaming at her for holding on to dear life when they were skinless and bloody.

Everleigh grunted “thanks” in relief as Liliana helped to pull her over the side, just in time as boat dropped back into it’s rightful place— back in the water. Water sloshed over, drenching the two dreadlord initiates once again. Everleigh spat out the salt water, dull violet eyes narrowed as she looked back at the beach.

The lightening had done what was intended, thank goodness. Those mages were separated. And hopefully they wouldn’t try something as ridiculous as lifting an entire boat out of the sea again.

But that left them one other option.

As Everleigh expected, a ball of fire shot out from one of the mages on the shore— however, it wasn’t as powerful as the ones before. The poison eater watched the ball of flames just barely miss the boat and she looked over at Liliana, with a quirked brow.

“The further away we get the worse their aim will be. I think we took care of their main pyromancer.” She said as the boat rocked.