Things Not Written 12/12
12.1
Getting into the Vaults was pathetically easy when the ever reliable Clay de Lacey said he spotted the dastardly rogue Leigh skulking about the Citadel and it was thanks to the fishwife, Reagan, that they trusted Clay to get the message right. Briar was supported along by Tal on one side and Leigh on the other as he led them down into the Vaults, trying to remember in which direction he'd gone that time when he'd discovered Leigh's defection.
"What do you think will happen when we find it?" Briar asked to ignoring the buzzing from the 'grams on the wall and slight pounding that promised horrible, horrible pain when it finally got a grip on his mind.
"I imagine we'll destroy," Leigh responded in his mildest tone, which still obviously implied a sense of 'what are you? a moron?'
"Yes, well I guess that since you made us wait for the suppressant to wear off." He pressed his face into Tal's tunic and inhaled softly because it soothed his headache slightly. "Just do you think it'll go down easy."
"It's an inanimate object. It won't put up a fight. It's just a conduit for the spell. Not an actual opponent."
"Yes, all of our opponents are wandering around above ground searching for a phantom." He tilted his head back in thought as he led them down another hallway. "I just our opponents. I'm working against the Royal Mages. I'm working with a defector. Did I just defect?"
"I think you did." Leigh sounded amused by the idea. "I'm sure you love it."
"So long as I don't have to skulk through Vaults often. And no more prophecies. Forever. I'm quite through with them." Tal huffed a laugh and tightened his gripping briefly, releasing the moment Briar winced from the action. "Oh, and after this we really must visit the Rosebush because I don't care what any of you say. I don't think I should be walking around with broken ribs."
Tal snorted. "They aren't broken." So he said, but he was an Elf that healed nearly instantly. What did he know about broken bones on a human. Briar patted his arm and smiled up at him.
Jumping slightly, he recognized a specific 'gram and pointed down the hallway to the right, splitting away from the downward sloping hallway they had remained on up until that moment. "There. I remember. It's there." They followed his direction and stopped when they entered the chamber that housed the Book of Mages.
"I can't believe they've been stealing magic from us this whole time."
"Not that unbelievable. You steal a little from every Royal Mage ever you're bound to have more than enough magic to do a spell so large," Leigh said. He approached the book with caution that Briar didn't think a harmless inanimate object needed and held his hand out to Briar. "Let's have it then."
Reaching into his pocket, Briar produced the suppressant that Mellie had made for him and handed it to him. He lifted his hand and Briar briefly had the irrational thought to have Leigh wait, to check and see if his name had been crossed off as well. If he were well and truly free. He bit his tongue and watched.
Leigh liberally doused the book and took a step back when the book began to smoke, the corners of the pages curling up and turning black. A wave of dizziness passed over him and his headache lessened to the point that it was mostly gone. He gaped, realizing just how much the book had done to him. Lifting his hand, Leigh flicked his fingers at the book and it caught aflame.
They watched it burn.
Getting into the Vaults was pathetically easy when the ever reliable Clay de Lacey said he spotted the dastardly rogue Leigh skulking about the Citadel and it was thanks to the fishwife, Reagan, that they trusted Clay to get the message right. Briar was supported along by Tal on one side and Leigh on the other as he led them down into the Vaults, trying to remember in which direction he'd gone that time when he'd discovered Leigh's defection.
"What do you think will happen when we find it?" Briar asked to ignoring the buzzing from the 'grams on the wall and slight pounding that promised horrible, horrible pain when it finally got a grip on his mind.
"I imagine we'll destroy," Leigh responded in his mildest tone, which still obviously implied a sense of 'what are you? a moron?'
"Yes, well I guess that since you made us wait for the suppressant to wear off." He pressed his face into Tal's tunic and inhaled softly because it soothed his headache slightly. "Just do you think it'll go down easy."
"It's an inanimate object. It won't put up a fight. It's just a conduit for the spell. Not an actual opponent."
"Yes, all of our opponents are wandering around above ground searching for a phantom." He tilted his head back in thought as he led them down another hallway. "I just our opponents. I'm working against the Royal Mages. I'm working with a defector. Did I just defect?"
"I think you did." Leigh sounded amused by the idea. "I'm sure you love it."
"So long as I don't have to skulk through Vaults often. And no more prophecies. Forever. I'm quite through with them." Tal huffed a laugh and tightened his gripping briefly, releasing the moment Briar winced from the action. "Oh, and after this we really must visit the Rosebush because I don't care what any of you say. I don't think I should be walking around with broken ribs."
Tal snorted. "They aren't broken." So he said, but he was an Elf that healed nearly instantly. What did he know about broken bones on a human. Briar patted his arm and smiled up at him.
Jumping slightly, he recognized a specific 'gram and pointed down the hallway to the right, splitting away from the downward sloping hallway they had remained on up until that moment. "There. I remember. It's there." They followed his direction and stopped when they entered the chamber that housed the Book of Mages.
"I can't believe they've been stealing magic from us this whole time."
"Not that unbelievable. You steal a little from every Royal Mage ever you're bound to have more than enough magic to do a spell so large," Leigh said. He approached the book with caution that Briar didn't think a harmless inanimate object needed and held his hand out to Briar. "Let's have it then."
Reaching into his pocket, Briar produced the suppressant that Mellie had made for him and handed it to him. He lifted his hand and Briar briefly had the irrational thought to have Leigh wait, to check and see if his name had been crossed off as well. If he were well and truly free. He bit his tongue and watched.
Leigh liberally doused the book and took a step back when the book began to smoke, the corners of the pages curling up and turning black. A wave of dizziness passed over him and his headache lessened to the point that it was mostly gone. He gaped, realizing just how much the book had done to him. Lifting his hand, Leigh flicked his fingers at the book and it caught aflame.
They watched it burn.