CH 267: Melting Mirage
They stuck closely to Victoria when they could. Every couple of moments, she’d disappear to disable magic in their path. Just like with the barrier, they’d see the magic melt. The vibrant hue of visible magic melted and browned as it dissipated. It was unlike anything any of them had seen or heard before.
Except for Hannah. Her mentor explained Victoria’s power in great detail. How it prevented her from beating the spy in spars and how she thought it worked. Lila wasn’t sure exactly how it worked. She did figure out the spatial component, though. Not that it helped, given she was a grappler.
But beyond the decaying magic, there were other things that caught their eye. Tapestries depicting wars, festivals and people they’d never seen before. Some looked to be of the Tyrant and his companions, but others were not. Some lost stories from the ancient past when men had beards and looked more rugged. There were even depictions that looked like Silkie and Firewater in human form.
“Is that a library?” Lily asked. She was looking at a door slightly cracked open.
“I think so.” Victoria glanced at the room. She had a small smile on her face. “I can clear it out for you.”
“Please.” Lily nodded. She walked towards the partially opened door where she could see rows of bookshelves. “There may be answers in there.”
Victoria nodded. She entered the room, and a bright light shone through the crack in the door. Several flashes came after, and then Victoria walked out confidently. She opened the door for Lily and gestured with her hand. “All safe now.”
“Thank you.” Lily pushed up her glasses and glanced at Ana. “Want to join me?”
Ana glanced at her sister, who let go of her hand. She pushed the younger twin forward. “Y-yes.”
“Come on.” Lily held out her hand. “They may have more information on the Gods of that time.”
“R-right,” Ana nodded eagerly. “The Raven God.”
“Well, we can leave them here for now.” Victoria pushed them along. “Got more to carve out before those bitches get here.”
“Are they even coming?” Jasmine was staring at the library. She watched the two women scanning the shelves with an off feeling.
Victoria paused and didn’t turn around. “Hmm?”
“Are we even being followed? Or was this an excuse to get us here?” The assassin was taking in her surroundings. The depiction of the old world, of the Tyrant and his companions.
Victoria didn’t even hesitate. “They are.”
“Really starting to doubt that.” Jasmine shot back while examining a tapestry. It had the Tyrant standing valiantly. “How close are they? A day behind us? A week?”
“A day.” Victoria’s smile faded. “May even make it to us by nightfall.”
“Ursa. Have you noticed any signs of us being followed?” Jasmine turned to the Ravian. She was rubbing her chin and staring at the ground.
“I haven’t.” Ursa shook her head.
“Well, they are professionals.” Victoria shrugged. “They know how to get around your sense.”
“Can you control those wolves again?” Jasmine was standing her ground against the spy. She knew something was off. It was too convenient. This whole fort was full of old information. Perfect for them to get answers from. “Have them verify her claims”
“It’ll leave me drained if I do.” Ursa glanced at Claire. “I’d be almost useless during a fight.”
Jasmine, too, glanced at Claire. The redhead was glancing between the two, unsure of what to say.
“That’d be bad.” Victoria urged Claire. “Ursa is key to taking them down. Her axe will make up for their numbers and levels.”
“I’m willing to take that gamble,” Jasmine said confidently. “I doubt any of what you have said is true. Or is the whole truth.”
Victoria turned towards the assassin. She stared the grey-eyed woman down for a moment, then turned towards Claire. “What would be the point of lying? I’m trying to protect Master Anthony from your pursuers. Being untrustworthy would only hinder my job.”
Hannah grabbed Jasmine’s shoulder. She pulled her back. “I get it, Jazz. I truly do. But I don’t think she is lying. She wouldn’t joke about this. This is her sworn duty.”
“It’s too convenient. We just so happen to find a fort related to the Tyrant with a fucking library full of knowledge? Littered with information from that Godforsaken era? And it just so happens to be on our path back home? And we make it here just before they catch up with?” Jasmine ranted to the knight. “Please tell me that it makes any sense. That our ‘pursuers’ aren’t just a convenient excuse to get us here.”
“Two things can be true at once,” Samira spoke up. “She could have guided us here for the knowledge within this fort and that we are being pursued.”
“That is true, Jasmine.” Elsie joined in. She joined Hannah is gently holding Jasmine back.
“Then verify it.” Jasmine stared Victoria down. “Prove that we are being followed.”
Victoria’s smile grew. “Easily.”
“Jazz.” Claire finally joined the conversation. “I get it. I wish she were more straightforward. But I’d rather be cautious here. These women could be far stronger than anything we fought before.”
Jasmine’s pursed her lips. She had a feeling something was off. If it wasn’t the pursuers, then maybe it was their numbers. Or the scale? Something about this felt too far off for her to ignore. “I would agree. But I cannot trust this woman’s word.”
“Jasmine, I will apologize again for my earlier ru-” Victoria tried to speak but was cut off.
“Victoria.” Toni stared up at her. “Tell the truth. The whole truth.”
“I have, Toni.” Victoria turned her attention towards him. “I am telling the truth.” “Not the whole truth.” Toni glanced at Jasmine. “You are acting weird. You aren’t usually this coy. And I remember you telling me, ‘every good lie has an ounce of truth,’ when Mom caught me lying.”
Victoria sighed. She glanced at Jasmine, “I’m impressed. That’s some incredible intuition. You may be developing a skill like that Quinn girl.”
“Fuck off and explain.” Jasmine shot back.
“It’s not just 12. It’s an entire company of women, and they are actually a week out.” Victoria let out a deep sigh. “They are stronger than Astrid by a wide margin.” There was a collective gasp among the group. Jasmine was expecting to find that there were far fewer or far weaker, but not the opposite. Jasmine blinked and glanced towards Claire.
“Then what was the plan?” Elsie gulped. “I thought we were going to bunker here and take them on…”
“You are.” Victoria nodded. “I also lied about my involvement. I estimated I could whittle them down by the time they made it here. I hoped I could take care of most of them, leaving you with, hopefully, just 12 to take on.”
Jasmine’s eyes widened. She didn’t know if she should feel vindicated or scared. Both of the violet haired woman before her and the fifty or so women on their way here. “H-how did we not notice…?”
The question was directed towards Ursa, who was just as shocked. She had no answer for the assassin. “I don’t know. I would have noticed fifty women...”
Victoria let out a deep exhale. She cleared her throat and began her explanation. “You two were focused on me. All I had to do was annoy both of you to no end and keep your enhanced perceptions on me. Keep you from noticing them.”
Ursa and Jasmine exchanged a glance. It had worked a little too well.
“Helped that they were a lot farther behind than I said. You were looking for signs of women far closer than they were.” Victoria continued. “Then all I had to do was keep you all distracted and safe here while they catch up. Have the fort protect you from their numbers while I slew as many as I can.”
“But won’t you be discovered?” Toni asked.
“Don’t have the luxury of worrying about that.” The spy patted his head. “Your safety takes priority. Grandma made sure I understood that.”
“Will that be okay?” Toni asked.
“Yes. You are worth it,” Victoria nodded. Then she turned back towards the assassin. “Had you not said anything, I would have returned to have you help finish off what we could. I knew you would keep their numbers a secret, but I guess I did a little too well distracting and annoying you.”
Jasmine took a deep breath. Her emotions and panic were running wild. “It worked far too well. You should have said something far sooner.”
“Probably, but too late now.” Victoria sighed. She closed her eyes and thought for a moment. “Also, Silkie told me about this place. No one else knows that these forts exist. It’s a shock to me how old they are, too.”
“Makes sense that she would know,” Elsie mumbled as she examined a nearby tapestry. “The only issue is that the books Ana is examining are written in old Riefleheimean.”
“Ah, she did say that, too.” Victoria nodded, then she glanced at the Lamia. “Samira may be able to. She still may be connected to those two. Otherwise, you, your sister and Lily may be able to decipher the old language.”