"Archmage Amerys, I would speak with you."
Amerys stared at Cognita as the Truestone Golem casually strolled through the wards that surrounded her cell. Not that it was a real cell. Wistram had a few of those, but the spineless cowards who had ambushed her didn't have the stomach to put her in one of them.
They were academics, not fighters.
They didn't know what it was like to risk their lives for a cause. For the thrill. For a [King].
"Hmph." She grunted through the restraints they'd placed on her. Bite one [Mage]'s fingers and get muzzled... At least the other Archmages were capable of learning. It was just a shame they weren't smart enough to approach her without lightning wards. She'd almost gotten Feor with her spit last time.
If the wards didn't drain and suppress her mana so much, she'd have succeeded.
At least with hurting him.
"I will interpret that response as a 'yes'." Cognita moved closer until her huge body blocked the line of sight to the two [Mages] that were on guard duty at the moment. The golem then opened one of her giant hands and revealed a scrap of paper.
Archmage Amerys,
I would like to discuss more practical applications of electricity with you, and how it might be harnessed/generated using magicore as a battery.
Please send for me again.
Signed,
Blackmage
Amerys stared at Cognita's emerald eyes. She knew that the golem would win the contest of wills. She didn't need to blink, and she also wouldn't be cowed. Not now. Not even when Amerys had been at the peak of her power. It would take someone like Flos to bend her.
...Although it was more likely that Cognita would break instead.
Amerys respected that, even if she didn't respect Cognita herself. She understood the golem better than her 'fellow' [Mages]. She served her Master. That was why she didn't rise up and take control of the school. She had no need. Even in death, Zelkyr was the true [Ruler] of Wistram.
It was just a shame that Cognita had chosen to follow such an unworthy man. Zelkyr might have been a great mage, a real [Archmage], but he was no [King]. He did not have the presence, the drive, the vision to inspire others. Instead he created his own followers.
...Eventually the pain in her eyes was too much, and Amerys blinked.
She could handle discomfort, but her body's natural need to wet its eyes could only be put off for so long. It was like trying to hold in a sneeze. It was inevitable that she'd eventually blink.
Amerys looked down at the piece of paper again. Oh, right. The reason Cognita had come to her.
Blackmage?
Who was that?
What a stupid... Oh! Right. He was the child from Earth. She knew him, even if she didn't bother to remember his name. So he wanted to speak with her again? She had been nearly positive she'd scared him off for good last time. She'd been planning on letting him settle down for another week before summoning him again.
It was nice to explain how lightning worked to someone that had a clear head on their shoulders. Most [Elementalists] lacked a fundamental understanding of the very forces they tried to control.
Amerys looked back up to Cognita's face and nodded.
She'd see what Blackmage wanted to talk about. She had a hunch it wasn't about magicore batteries.
I needed to wait until Aaron had gotten to see Amerys before I could pinpoint her location. The biggest hurdle in this endeavor would be finding that out.
...Okay, it might not be the biggest hurdle. There were still so many things I didn't know about magic that I couldn't rule out anything. I think a good general guideline was, 'if a Shard can do it, then plan around it.'
That meant that there was every possibility of there being 'observation-based' defenses. Sort of like how Threat Sense worked. In other words, my very perception of Amerys might alert the rest of the Archmages. If that was the case... Well, I'd burn that bridge when I got to it.
For now, I was minimizing my risks.
Case in point, having a drone invisibly follow Aaron was a step too far. Even the golden sphere drone had too much of a chance to be noticed. Since I couldn't Craft another, I wasn't going to potentially put it in harm's way. A lesser, reproducible drone would be an option, but the simple fact of the matter was - they had to affect their environment to work.
They displaced air.
They distorted light.
Sound waves echoed off of them.
None of them were perfect - nothing was, so the answer had to be something that wouldn't arouse any suspicion even if it was noticed. Curiosity, perhaps, but not understanding of what the person had 'seen'.
If there was one thing I had absolute confidence in, it was Optimize's ability to be discrete. That was a trait that every Shard shared. They didn't evolve to be multi-dimensional entities that experimented on other species without being subtle.
So, the question was how to leverage my information Perks. Tongue and Ears of Babel were invaluable and were the perfect encryption/decryption power. I could use them to relay details that would be next to impossible for anyone else to even notice - let alone parse.
That was why I'd put a very, very tiny Low Frequency transmitter underneath Aaron's skin.
It was something I'd 'designed' with the greatest Bio-Tinker on Earth Bet: Riley. Mainly, she provided the blueprint for a benign cluster of cells that would merge with skin. Basically, it turned into a small cyst under a person's epidermis. Riley used them as a time-release vector for, well, anything. I used them for conduits for my other Perks.
Of course, there were limitations. They weren't capable of complex actions. I couldn't get them to relay information to me, because they couldn't access any. They weren't like my spy cameras that would broadcast their data. There was no data, except their location.
Thus, a constant, encoded emission was pretty much the extent of their capabilities. Anything more esoteric like quantum entanglement or multi-dimensional fluctuations was beyond a cluster of cells. What they could do would work just fine.
A Low Frequency transmitter used waves that were kilometers long. Unlike normal radio waves that were much, much smaller, it was impossible to detect any information from them without a large antenna. Even then, Tongue of Babel let me use a language that was effectively impossible for anyone else to decrypt.
I'd made sure to test this with Michail's amulet. It wouldn't do for a [Translation] spell to clue others in.
So, while the transmission was limited to effectively: 'Aaron Vanwell is here'. That would let me figure out the exact location where they were keeping Amerys.
Getting in, and then speaking with her undetected would be the next hurdle.
Feor's forehead beaded with sweat as he concentrated. He needed to focus if he was going to get this just right.
Threads of mana split apart. Then they split again, and again, and again. Each one latched onto their target and slowly flowed along it until they got to the base. The impossibly fine strings of mana were each no thicker than a strand of hair. The gossamer web was so very fragile, and their payload was so very rare.
The potion was imported from Chandar. Feor would have preferred to have it created in Wistram, itself, but the Stringfolk were the experts at making it. They were the ones with the classes and the practice. While the application he used it for was different from theirs, it still worked nicely.
A fraction of a drop was carried by each thread. Such a minuscule amount for what it would do. His mana reached the end, and the liquid pooled there.
He was breathing heavily now. This was far more difficult than the mana exercises he habitually practiced. As always, he thought about his decision to do it all at once. It would be so much easier to split it up... but doing that might ruin the result. Their might be gaps or overlays. Such a thing would be a disaster.
Besides, it WAS better practice to do it all at once. It kept him on his toes.
The trickle of liquid finally stopped...
Feor looked at himself in the mirror. "Good." He stroked his beard. "Good." It looked a wonderful silvery-white - and the potion would keep it that way.
He sat down with a thump, and took a deep breath. Dying his hair was such a chore. Doing it with free-form mana was even more so, but it was the best way that he had. A [Skill] or a [Spell] would work better, of course, but he would never accept a class that gave him such a thing.
Annoyingly, the only record of a [Spell] that might aid him came from [Color Magic]. Only [Shamans], [Witches], and other non-stringent spell-casters could use such a thing.
Low-level [Dyers] or [Barbers] could only do so much. It would take considerable skill, but less than his own, to properly dye hair. It was one thing to apply color to it. It was another to put that dye in the follicle.
All-in-all it was a tedious process, but it meant that he would not have to worry about the roots not matching. It also kept his hair's color consistent. Even the best external applications couldn't do that. The very thought of having his hair be two colors made him shudder. It was offensive, and not just because he was a half-elf.
Okay, a large part was because he was a half-elf, but not all!
His people valued consistency. Having your hair change color each day, even if it was an almost imperceptible amount at the base, was anathema.
His breathing slowed, and Feor stood up. He straightened his robes before opening the door to the hallway. One had to look their best. His best student stood outside, patiently waiting for him to let her in.
"Teura, my dear, please come in."
"Good morning, Archmage." She nodded to him as she entered.
What a lovely creature. Feor especially enjoyed her bright red hair. He'd thought she'd dyed it like him, but if she did, then she was even more thorough.
"What news do you have for me?" He gestured to one of his nicely padded chairs as he sat down in the one opposite it.
"There are any number of minor matters involving the otherworlders, but there is one issue that I feel needs your direct attention." She bowed her head slightly as she spoke.
"Oh?" Feor stroked his luxurious white beard. "And what would that be?"
"One of them has asked to leave Wistram."
It had taken a while, but Cognita had finally come back to Aaron with the message that Amerys had summoned him. He was now blindfolded while Breska led him past the defenses surrounding the Archmage.
It was the same as the last time. Two towering golems guarded the door. They had multiple eyes that had been placed all over their bodies. Breska had a magical key for the door, but he'd insisted Aaron wear a strip of cloth around his eyes before they entered.
From the twists and turns, it felt like they were walking through a maze. It didn't help that occasionally Breska would curse and then backtrack. After what felt like an eternity, they arrived at another door. Once they were past, Aaron was allowed to remove the strip of cloth from his eyes.
Amerys sat in a plush chair, with her arms and legs bound. Her long, leaf-green hair was tangled and knotted. The dark skin of her face was the only part of her that was visible - the rest of her was buried under chains and cloth. Her eyes were still a brilliant yellow, as if they were condensed lightning. She glared at him, but didn't make a sound.
"Why's she gagged?" Aaron asked one of the guards.
He only got a stare in return, but Breska answered for him. "She bit a [Mage]'s fingers. Or at least tried to." He shrugged. "I also heard that she gnawed them to the bone, but I wasn't here, so I can't say which account is true. Anyways." He reached into the bag at his side and pulled out a wooden tray. He then pulled out a wooden cup with a wooden straw along with a wooden bowl and a wooden spoon. "While you're in there, you can feed her too."
"What?" Aaron looked at the utensils. "Why's everything wood?"
"So she doesn't kill you." Breska chuckled. "Just make sure she doesn't spit on you."
Aaron wasn't feeling good about this. He approached slowly and shivered as he passed through the wards. They might protect the others if Amerys managed anything, but he might not be so lucky. He placed the tray on the table next to her chair and cautiously leaned forward. "Archmage, I'm going to remove the gag now." She just stared at him. "Please don't bite me."
His hands shook as he reached out to the buckle on the side. The strap slipped through the wooden part - Amerys didn't have conductive materials in her restraints. He slowly pulled it off before letting out a yelp as Amerys lunged forward.
Aaron stumbled back and fell. The [Mages] behind him tensed, but no one else said a word.
Amerys' wheezing laugh broke the silence. It sounded like her throat was completely dry and raw. At least she was amused by her own actions. Aaron shook his head. She was such a jerk.
"You can guess why I summoned you here, boy." Amerys' voice was scratchy. "But, first, give me some water."
Aaron stood up and looked at the tray to his side. He then looked in Amerys' yellow eyes. She stared at him without blinking, and he looked away first. "Fine." He grabbed the cup. "But please don't spit on me."
"No promises, boy." She chuckled to herself, but leaned forward to sip through the straw. Of course, she didn't stop staring at him while doing so.
Aaron knew she was doing it on purpose to unnerve him. He wasn't stupid. Amerys was angry, and he was a convenient target, but he didn't think she'd kill him. Not because she feared any reprisals, but because he was beneath her.
"So, uh, I wanted to ask you about attuning magicore..."
Amerys coughed. "What? Straight to business? Don't you want to gossip a little first?"
"Well..."
"Don't tell her any news." One of the [Mages] commanded.
He mentally crossed out what he had been about to say. "Are you doing... okay?" Aaron looked at her. While the chair she sat in was padded, it couldn't be comfortable to not be able to move. What was he supposed to talk about? Pixel had just told him to speak with Amerys, not to tell her anything or ask any questions. He assumed this whole thing was so that the superhero could gather intelligence with a spy camera or something.
Amerys sighed a little at his question and seemed to relax. "I'm doing just fine. It will take far more than this to get me to renounce my [King]."
Aaron began to feed her the rice in the bowl as she talked. She didn't mention his note, which was good, but he couldn't guess what was going through her mind.
"Enter." Feor spoke loudly from behind his desk so the person that had knocked on his door would hear him. He adjusted his robes to make sure they were straight and that they portrayed the correct image.
The door swung open and Vincent, Boxer, strolled through with Teura trailing behind. "Yo." The Earther jerked his chin up as some sort of greeting as he swaggered in. "I have a request for ya."
"Of course." Feor motioned to the chair across from him. "Please have a seat, Mr. Mavuto."
"Oh? Gettin' all formal on me?" The [Boxer] sat down. "This conversation goin' ta be like dat, huh?"
Feor raised an eyebrow. "We can be less formal if you'd like, Vincent. Or would you prefer I call you 'Boxer'? Blackmage likes his alias, and so I use it, but yours is nothing more than the name of your highest level class. I didn't think that you had any particular attachment to it."
"Nah." Vincent leaned back with his legs spread and his elbows resting on the back of the chair. "You can call me what'eva you want ta. I don't mind." He smiled. "It's just the 'Mister' part that surprised me. Nobody calls me that unless I'm gettin' chewed out."
"Indeed." Feor didn't understand what 'chewed out' was meant to convey, but he could infer its meaning from context. "That was hardly my intent, and I apologize." He leaned forward and laced his fingers together. "Now, what can I do for you, Vincent? Have you decided to try learning some magic?"
Feor knew what he wanted, but it was better to both force him to say it so he in turn could explain why Wistram was the superior choice.
"Okay, I'll cut to da chase." Vincent nodded. "I wanna leave."
Feor raised both his eyebrows high to show the appropriate level of surprise. "Why would you want to do that? Has there been any issues with your accommodations, or with the food?" He paused. "It wouldn't have anything to do with that unfortunate encounter with the Trevalier child, would it?"
Downplaying Trevalier's skill and the duel itself should subtly chip away at whatever his reasoning was.
"No." Vincent paused and frowned. "Well... I guess it is, in a way." He held his hands in front of him, with the palms outstretched. "Now, don't get me wrong. I ain't pullin' a Fresh Prince. I don't want to leave Philly for Bel Air ta avoid a fight or nothin'." He smirked. "'Sides, it'd be more like leavin' Bel Air for Philly." He laughed at that, so it must have been a joke. "It's more like, I want some action, and Wistram just isn't the place for it, dig?"
"Action?" The aside was interesting, and Feor would love to understand the example he was referring to. Especially, since Blackmage had said that the 'United States', that he and Vincent were from, did not have any Royalty - so who was this [Fresh Prince]?
"Yeah." Vincent leaned forward and punched the air. "You can only train so much before you get in the ring. You feel me? It's the Eye of the Tiger. You gotta keep yo eyes on the prize." He sighed. "'Cept there ain't no prize, so it's hard to stay in trainin' mode."
Feor blinked and tried to parse those sentences. "If you wish a challenge, then Wistram is hardly lacking." He stroked his beard. "You can try dueling other, willing, [Mages]. We also have a course setup for grading new students in how they do in a combat scenario. Such a thing can be made available to you."
"Nah, man. You ain't gettin it." Vincent shook his head and leaned back. "Boxing isn't 'bout fightin' like some punk. It's about puttin' yoself up against the other guy. Seein' which one of ya gots what it takes!"
Feor furrowed his brow. "So you don't want to duel other [Mages] because they are [Mages] and not [Boxers]?"
"Yes!" Vincent clapped his hands and then pointed at him. "I knew you'd get it! It's exactly that! A boxer can't stay in his gym all the time. Sparin' against the same guys just don't cut it! I need to have a big match and make a name for myself." He shrugged. "Not like I'm any help in figuring out how ta get back home anyways."
Feor smiled and shook his head. "You do not have to leave Wistram for that. We can arrange for a [Fist Fighter] to come here instead."
Vincent scowled. "That's not the same. Look, I just-"
"We can speak again after we bring someone here. Until then, try and use the resources available to you. They are the finest in the world."
"But-"
"Now, if you'll excuse me." Feor motioned to the door and used a silent [Spell] to have it swing open. "I have other matters to attend to."
Vincent glared at him before nodding. "Fine. I see how it is." He stood up and left.
Feor stayed staring at the door afterwards. Something would need to be done. It might be a drastic step, but it was unacceptable to have the Earthers entertaining thoughts of leaving.
"Amerys." She raised her head. Someone had said her name. "I would speak with you."
"Mph." She grunted as her eyes focused. It was the middle of the night. Who was taking pleasure in visiting Wistram's imprisoned Archmage now?
"Greeting, Archmage Amerys." A tallish human with a youthful face and black hair stood in front of her. "My name is Pixel, and I would like to ask you a few questions."
"Mph." She grunted again and looked around. She was still in the room where they'd decided to keep her. She was still bound and gagged. Two [Mages] were still on guard duty. The pair were sitting next to a low burning fire, and had a clear view of her, but they made no signs that they saw... what did he say his name was?
Regardless, the two guards' lips were moving, but no sound came out. That was normal. They usually put up a barrier to block her from overhearing what they spoke of. However, if they could see the intruder, they would've been focusing on him, even if only out of the corner of their eyes.
There. A tall, black pole was along the side of the wall. She glanced in the other direction, and saw a similar one on the other wall. She could make out a faint visual distortion around their edges. She'd bet that there was a third one in the corner behind her. That would make a triangle to encompass them. It might not be strictly necessary - she was unfamiliar with this illusion [Spell] - but it would make sense to create an area ward instead of a plane.
Finally, she turned her eyes at the [Mage] she'd never seen before. At least she was fairly positive she'd never seen THIS form before. The Ullsinoi were a tricky bunch. She wondered what they were up to this time.
"Gotten an understanding of the situation?" The man asked and then continued without waiting for an answering grunt. "Good. I'll just remove your gag then."
He reached forward to undo the straps. As they came off, she snapped her teeth around his fingers!
...She missed.
He'd pulled away at just the right second. Furthermore, he'd bent the two fingers she'd been targeting to keep them out of her mouth. Amerys quickly bit at his ring finger, but it also bent out of the way. It was as if he'd been expecting her to do exactly that. She smiled at him, and then spat the saliva she'd been using to store electricity at his face.
The man tilted his head to the side, and let the deadly lump of spittle fly past.
It stopped mid-air and sizzled as it reached the space between the two black poles. "So you placed a defensive ward inside of the other wards." Amerys smiled. "That was smart. They'd notice if the outer ones were tripped." She looked him in the eyes. "Why are you here?"
Was he sent by her [King]? Did Flos have that kind of reach already? She wouldn't put it past him, but anyone that could sneak into Wistram, and past the security they'd placed around her had to be high-level. The other option was that he was a member of the Ullsinoi. The tricksters always played their own game. They'd help setup her little prison, so they'd know how to sneak past the defenses.
"As I said." An uncomfortable, blocky chair appeared behind the man. "I would like to ask you some questions, Archmage Amerys."
She let out a dry laugh. "Then ask, boy. What knowledge do you seek that was worth this amount of effort?"
"Knowledge of Wistram." He sat down in his chair. "Specifically, knowledge of how they treat those they are in conflict with."
"Oh?" Amerys tugged at her chains while maintaining her glare. "Is that all? You have eyes don't you?"
"Indeed." He nodded. "And I have ears as well. While I already knew of your confinement, seeing it in person is far more informative."
"And what do your eyes see?" His were brown, and he didn't seem un-nerved by her gaze. He didn't look away, or even bother to try not blinking. Annoying.
"I see torture." He actually said it! "Perhaps, torture born out of ignorance, but torture all the same. Physical, mental, and emotional." His eyes shifted as he looked her up and down. "Your muscle mass has already decreased. Atrophy occurs within two or three weeks of disuse, and it's been almost twice that long for you, hasn't it?"
Amerys grunted. It was true that her arms and legs had screamed in pain at first, but it had become more of a dull ache that she put out of her mind. Her visitor was well informed. That was the sort of thing only a [Jailer] or a [Prisoner] usually knew.
"You are being fed." He continued his assessment. "Yet you are showing a faint amount of malnutrition. That's most likely due to less intake instead of them purposely starving you." He hummed. "Lack of sunlight also isn't doing you any good, but that's hardly uncommon. All in all, I'd say you're holding up far better than an average person would." He softly hummed before looking her in the eyes again. "That's most likely due to your higher level. Although, your willpower is certainly playing a part as well."
"Is there a point to this?" She snarled.
"Only that most other people would not be able to withstand Wistram's imprisonment, no matter how benign they've tried and make it." He shook his head. "I think it's clear they aren't inflicting pain on purpose, but their ignorance is."
Amerys smiled. "If you are so concerned about my welfare, you could remove these chains, couldn't you?" She moved her arms again - as much as they could. She wasn't as weak as he thought, she'd been clenching her muscles for exercise... Which was a poor substitute, but she didn't have anything else to do.
"Ah, but that's the crux of it, isn't it?" He shook his head. "My involvement is ancillary. I am not allied with Wistram, nor with Reim."
So he wasn't a vassal of her [King]? And he claimed not to be a member of Wistram, and thereby the Ullsinoi? "Then why are you here?" Amerys narrowed her eyes.
"As I said before, I wish to ask you some questions, Archmage Amerys." He calmly stated.
"Ha!" She let out a dry laugh, and then coughed as her throat itched. "Are you? You have yet to ask a single one."
"True." He inclined his head. "But there is no point in asking a question that will not be answered." He paused and frowned. "Well, there's no point in asking a question that you'll get no information from. An answer isn't always required for that." He shook his head. "Regardless, establishing an rapport with you is hardly a waste of my time."
"Even if you tell me that's exactly what you're doing?" Amerys coughed again. "Gestures of 'goodwill' aren't as effective at swaying someone to your side if they know that's the motivation."
"True." He nodded again. "But they aren't totally ineffective in that case either. Besides," He shrugged. "I'm not trying to 'sway you to my side'." He smirked. "You don't even know what 'side' I represent."
Amerys coughed again, but refused to break eye contact. If he wasn't with Flos or Wistram, then who did he work for? Terandria? They had the most humans. The drakes? They had their own magic school in their city of magic. The same was true for Nerrhavia Fallen. No. The stringfolk and the drakes wouldn't have the loyalty of a human with a high enough level that was needed to break into Wistram. As proof, Fissival had produced Archmage Valeterisa, but she'd joined Wistram after dealing with the drakes' blatant speciesism.
Who did that leave? Rhir? The Demons?
Absurd.
"And you won't tell me either, will you?" She decided to ask directly.
"Actually." He clasped his hands together on his lap. "I think I will. You already know of my 'faction', so letting you know I'm on their side above all others isn't a great secret." The corners of his mouth rose up slightly. "I am also a visitor from Earth."
Amerys blinked. Earth? He was an otherworlder? That...
That made sense. It explained much.
"So you were behind the note that the child sent?" Whatever his name was. "I thought his request was odd, but I admit that I did not foresee it as a prelude to this."
He nodded. "Yes. Finding where you were was far more arduous than breaching the security." He chuckled. "Protection through obfuscation is a valid tactic, so I shouldn't discount Blackmage's efforts."
Right. 'Blackmage.' That was the name he'd chosen. Odd that he'd incorporated his coloring into it.
"So your purpose in Wistram is what? To find a way to return to your world?" She scoffed. "As if that's ever going to happen."
"Oh? Do you suggest malfeasance or incompetence?"
"Both." She laughed before needing to cough again. "Wistram is weak. They don't have the knowledge of old. The very idea of another world is beyond any theories they have." She shrugged. "And why would they waste the effort and expense of trying to breach such a barrier?"
"Goodwill? Compassion? The challenge?"
"Ha!" Amerys had another coughing fit. "You'd make a fine [Jester]! Kingdoms only want one thing of other kingdoms, and that's to conquer them."
"Yes." He replied dryly. "That's what I've heard of the King of Destruction."
"And? Are you expecting me to say he's the exception?" She shook her head, while maintaining her glare. "Don't act so naïve! No one gets to be as high level as you are without seeing the world for how it is. Countries, [Rulers], families, they all try to exploit each other in one way or another."
"If that's true, then you make a poor argument for freeing you."
Amerys smiled. "Ah, but that's what puts my [King] above all others." She stopped and waited for the expected response.
"And what would that be?"
"The [King] of Destruction keeps his promises." She put every ounce of conviction behind her words. "If he says he'll accomplish something, then he will. Flos does not give his word lightly, but when he does, he does not break it."
"Then it sounds to me like I should be speaking with him." The man smirked.
"Yes." Amerys nodded. "You should, if you are able. I'll say it plainly. Flos will look favorably on you for returning me to his side. Such a thing would result in his promise to help."
"Perhaps." The man unclasped his hands and raised his right one with a finger pointed up. "Or it might make for a better bargaining position to secure his promise before freeing you."
Damn.
"Perhaps."
He rose, and his chair vanished. "I will think on your words, as well as give you a promise." He raised his hand and Amerys felt her body's aches start to fade. "It may not be soon, but I will stop your torture one way or another."
The first thing she noticed was her throat feeling less sore. The dryness somehow vanished, despite only a normal amount of saliva returning to her mouth. After that, her arms and legs ceased the dull ache they'd had for weeks. For a split second, they felt like they were on fire, but the sensation rapidly faded. She flexed her muscles against her chains. They felt good. Like before she'd been locked up and unable to move.
No.
She rolled her shoulders. The old stiffness from a sword blow she'd taken in her youth was gone! He wasn't just repairing the damage her lack of movement had created. Her pains from both faded wounds and age had also vanished. The surprise that she felt prevented her from maintaining her stoic expression
Amerys continued to look into his eyes as he used an actual healing [Spell] on her! How did Earth know of such ancient magic? Such [Spells] were nothing more than legends lost to time. Only a handful of scrolls across the world could accomplish such magic in this day and age!
"Tell me your name, [Mage]. I will remember it." She would not underestimate him or Earth in the future.
"I am Pixel, the [Archmage of Cubes]."
