A Tavern on the Outskirts of Val Royeaux, Friday Evening

[seeks_truth]

"I believe we have done enough sightseeing," Cassandra said, as she packed her few belongings into a bag. "We should make for the White Spire soon. They should be able to help us divine a way to return you to the island - or at least give them proof that my missives about it have been true."

She took a deep breath, then pulled a small package out of her bag.

"Though first, I have a gift for you. In case this does work, and we return you to Fandom."

[[ for lucille. eta: blood and violence in the comments. ]]

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[seeks_truth]

"Lucille!"

Cassandra extricated herself from the bandits with all due haste. She let out another loud battle cry and launched herself physically at the mage. "Stop, apostate!" she snarled, punching the mage in the face.

Repeatedly.

[crimson_sister]

The mage stumbled and fell to her knees, the spell that had been building around her fading. Lucille's head hurt, no, her whole body hurt, and the adrenaline made her push herself do her feet. She reached for a sword that one of the bandits had dropped, and swung it, without much skill, down on the neck of the stunned man.

[seeks_truth]

The mage was not stunned for long; in fact, her fingers were groping quickly for a knife at her side.

That could mean one of two things: impending assault, or impending blood magic. Either notion filled Cassandra with further rage.

So she punched again. And kept punching. And kept punching.

The mage stopped moving soon enough.

[crimson_sister]

Lucille watched the blood flow from a deep wound in the bandit's shoulder. She felt oddly calm all of a sudden and turned to the next one, who was reaching for his sword. Lucille swung the sword again, and although she lacked precision she still managed to almost sever the man's hand. He screamed.

[seeks_truth]

Cassandra, already covered in blood, yanked herself off the mage. She drew her sword again. "Surrender!" she snarled, pointing it at the nearly-dishanded man's throat.

[crimson_sister]

He let out a helpless whimper, clinging to his limp hand and staring wild-eyed at Cassandra. "Just let us go. Please."

The mage lay unmoving on the ground and blood pooled quickly around the man Lucille had attacked first. The last one was still alive, and he repeated his comrade's plea.

Lucille watched. Cassandra was... beautiful. The blood that covered her armor glistened and Lucille wanted to reach out to touch her with her own blood-stained hand.

[seeks_truth]

"Run," Cassandra snarled, unaware of Lucille's admiration. She was rather more focused on keeping the other girl safe.

Both bandits took the opening immediately, fleeing at high speed.

[crimson_sister]

Lucille took a step away from Cassandra, and watched the bandits disappear. She felt dizzy, both from the attack from the mage and from the adrenaline rush.

"Does this happen often?"

[seeks_truth]

"Unfortunately," Cassandra growled.

She peered down at the dead mage, narrowing her eyes. "He was reaching for a blade," she said, squatting down beside him. "And..."

A strange gem, of some kind? She had never seen something like this before.

[crimson_sister]

"What is that?" Lucille asked.

[seeks_truth]

"I am uncertain," Cassandra said, pursing her lips. "We should take it to the White Spire. Perhaps they will know."

She reached out to pick up the gem, having to root around in some blood and other matter to do so.

When she held it up, it was glowing.

[crimson_sister]

"Is that magic?" Lucille asked. "The glow." Then she felt silly for asking, as Cassandra had just said that she didn't know what the gem was.

[seeks_truth]

"Perhaps," Cassandra said, frowning. "Perhaps it is a weapon. I should--"

That was all she managed to say. There was a large flare of light, and the world around them melted away...

... to make way for the Preserve.

[crimson_sister]

"What..." Lucille began, about to ask Cassandra another question, when the world around them changes.

"I believe we have returned to Fandom."

[seeks_truth]

"Maker!"

Cassandra tried to drop the stone... and then realized she no longer had anything to drop.

"It's disappeared!"

[crimson_sister]

"Oh." Lucille immediately looked in her bag. "The book is still here." Which was reasonable, but it was important to her.