Victoria worried for her safety. She had been on the run for weeks, only chasing after this Mistress that could help her. She had run straight into the enemy's nest, nearly avoided capture and now that same Mistress she had worked so hard to see, somehow put her with a boy from the West?
She sat, disgruntled, in her shabby room alone. She had excused herself after Elias had taken her to some shady part of town to 'rest' while he got his Guild emblem.
Why didn't he have his Guild emblem before? She wondered. She hadwitnessed the familiar magic emanate off Elias when he disabled not one or two, but five whole spells all at once without breaking a sweat. She wondered how much mana her now escort had.
"If the Mistress put it on him, he surely must be worthy…" Victoria bit her nail as she thought quietly to herself - a bad habit she had developed long ago. The purple glyphs weren't something anyone in this day and age would have easy access to. It was… old magics.
A knock broke Victoria out of her thoughts.
"Ma'am?" An elderly woman's quiet voice came from the door. "I'm here with your lunch."
Victoria carefully stood up and unlocked the door, slowly opening it to see the elderly woman with wrinkles and a large smile standing with a tray of food.
"My husband told me to bring this up to you since you're Elias' friend." She lifted the tray.
Victoria hesitantly let the old woman in, who sauntered straight in and set the tray of food on chest.
"Elias is a recent addition to the Mistress' shop. We adore their services and for always helpin' us. If it weren't for them, we'da been deep in debt. Everything you see here is the hard work of the Mistress' gracious loan and hardwork from Elias." The old woman jibber-jabbered without care in the world. She turned to Victoria and beamed another smile before heading back the way she had come. "You'll be safe here. The Mistress' power protects us."
Victoria nodded at the woman, thanking her before shutting and locking the door behind the old woman's exit. She turned, lightly pressing her back against the wooden door as her eyes looked to the food.
Her stomach grumbled for sustenance. She let out a sigh and made her way over to the tray and took a good look at it.
It's not bad. Certainly not the worst thing I've eaten since I had to flee… Victoria picked the tray of food up and began to eat. Maybe this is the boon of luck she had been waiting for. Maybe… just maybe, the Mistress's words to go East would help her find the answer.
- - -
"Elias, there you are dear!" Gertrude beamed her signature smile as I stepped inside the Brooch. "I just brought your friend some lunch. Do ya want some?"
"What's today's special?" I asked, sliding into the seat.
"Potato meat stew and some fresh bread!"
"Fresh bread?" I raised an eyebrow at Gertrude. "You're really in your element, Mrs. Gertrude."
"Ah, you're a dear." She blushed. "I'll fetch ya some food. If you want to see yer friend, she's up in the room eating right now."
"Thanks, Mrs. Gertrude. I'll go and check in on her then." I excused myself, lifting myself off the seat and turning.
"I swear if I see that bastard I'll crush his head in!" A familiar voice spoke. The knight from the other day walked in with another man in civilian clothing.
"I can't believe he has ties directly to the King." The other man responded as they stood in the entryway. "If it weren't for that, you coulda got away with much more."
"That bitch of a captain suspended me. It's that fuckers fault!" Aldric twisted his hands into fists. An eye glanced my way and he took a double-take. "You! You fucked me over!" He marched over, buddy in tow, as he cornered me from leaving. "Because of you, I got suspended. You're going to pay for what you did to me!"
"Suspended?" I raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't the one who didn't think about what spell he was casting. You would've wiped the district, killing hundreds!"
"It's a small damn part to pay for that fucking girl! Do you even know how hard it was to track that woman all the way to Camar? She came straight into our country without a care in the world! She's a fucking leech who will kill anyone in her way!"
Aldrich grabbed my shirt and pulled me in. I felt his hot breath as his mana twisted like his anger. I looked to his buddy who was hesitating.
"Y'know, attacking a civilian will get you jailed, Aldric." I warned him. "Fired, too."
Aldric's face twisted with rage as he raised a fist. His fist went, connecting with my jaw and swiveling my head to the right. He pulled me, turning and throwing me out into the streets and customers and passerbys screeched.
I cracked my jaw and lifted my hand to check my face. No blood, yet. I lifted myself up, but was whisked by Aldric's strength and slammed into the brick wall with an easy thud.
What's with this dude's strength? I noticed as he slammed me into the wall again.
"Where'd all the bravado go?" Aldric snickered. "You're just a puny mage who can't do anything when a big guy like me won't give you time to cast, huh?"
I laughed. I genuinely let out the loudest laugh, stopping everyone in place. Even Aldric was taken aback by my laugh.
"You think… Oh, you modern magic users are so funny. I can't take it anymore. Stop telling such funny jokes!" I spoke between chuckles. My eyes locked with Aldric, who was even more pissed now. Rewrite hummed, agreeing with me. "I don't need magic to beat you, dipshit."
I kicked, locking my foot with his balls. Aldric screamed in pain, dropping me as he collapsed to the ground, clutching his family jewels. The other knight stood there, shocked, whilst others watching, hissing in sympathy.
"Maybe I should stop by your barracks and make sure you never work as a knight, again." I threatened. "If having you as one of the knights, I wouldn't feel protected at all." My eyes flicked to his buddy. "And you. Are you going to stand here all dumbfounded? Do you agree with your buddy because I can easily make sure you and him are out of jobs. Hell, dipshits like you might be better off as slaves."
"You little bi—" Aldric's fist lit with magic. He lunged forward, grappling me and pulling me down into the cobblestone road.
I swore under my breath as I tried to rip Aldric off me.
"What're you doing? Get him!" Aldric barked at his friend. The second knight marched forward, swinging a punch into my stomach. I lurched forward as another punch flew across my face, followed my another.
"You little rich prick!" The other knight shouted. "Looking down on us! I'll show you what happens when you mess with us!" He balled another fist and went for a swing when a golden shield covered me. "Huh, what?" The knight asked before he dropped to the floor.
Red crossed my vision, hair like flame, eyes sharp with resolve. She hadn't been hiding like I thought. She had been watching.
"Decento." Victoria whispered, flicking the spell's energy towards the Mud Trap. The ground gave away into nothingness.
Aldric fell onto his buddy, both groaning as Victoria turned to me, lending a hand.
"Are you alright?" Victoria asked.
"Dandy." I replied, grabbing her hand and was hoisted up with immense strength I was not expecting.
"You speak odd, you know that?"
"Yeah, well… where I'm from, it's mostly sarcasm."
"We should leave. Too many eyes." Victoria turned. She grabbed my hand and before I could even agree, I was whisked away too quickly.
The city and the landscapes moved way too quickly. Probably a speed spell, Victoria had used without a chant — not too crazy — but maaaaaan was this too fast! Soon, we came to a stop. The smell of nature filled my senses.
"I think I'm going to be sick." I turned to the side and pressed a hand onto the nearby tree and dry heaved.
"You've never done such a thing like that before?" Victoria asked with a scoff. "You're a strange mage."
"I've only learned what Lady Tyresa taught me." I replied, lifting myself up after a couple breaths. "Studying modern spells takes time and I definitely never seen that one before."
"Because that isn't a spell, it's all me."
I stared at Victoria with a blank face. She cracked a smile and stifled a chuckle.
"What?" I said a little too loud — very impressed. "Damn, I must be slacking, physically then."
"You were taken off guard by those two idiots. Anyone would react the same way. I'm more impressed you managed to get a good hit in on that man." Victoria imitated the nut shot kick and chuckled. "All that mystery and bravado you had earlier was certainly lost with such a… well placed kick."
"I take the easiest way out of a fight if I have to." I smiled. "Certainly, will kick any man's jewels to get away if I can."
"So you'd do it again? You really aren't what I thought you'd be."
"What?" I raised an eyebrow. "Mysterious, handsome, and powerful? Nah, I could never try to imitate something I'm not. My Mistress might be different but I'm nothing like that."
"So, did you pass the test, then?" Victoria asked, switching subjects. I nodded, pulling out a bronze emblem. She studied the emblem, eyes quickly lifting in shock. "C-rank? How'd you manage that?"
"Supposedly an S-rank party, Cerberus, is looking for someone to take under their wing and I impressed all of them."
"And you… agreed?" Victoria asked.
"No," I shook my head. "I declined. Not my style. Too much energy, honestly." I slipped the emblem back into its place.
"Why would you…" Victoria stopped mid-question with a dumbfounded look. "You're crazy."
"C'mon." I motioned, leading the way. "Let's get to Briar's Bridge while we have sunlight."