“He what?” she exclaimed, looking back at the unconscious male. “I didn't know that could happen. Can you get it back or…” she trailed off, closing her eyes and taking another breath. “Yes. I'm sure.” she nodded. “I've been on plenty of stealth missions before. First time I've attacked anyone with a book before.” she added with a light chuckle.
Farah stiffened. "Yes. Blood witches can steal fairy magic," she murmured. "It can only be returned if the witch willingly returns it… or is killed." Farah jerked her head over in the direction of the bathrooms as the yells reached her ears. "I worry about letting them free if Sebastian is still here," she remarked quietly, narrowing her eyes at the witch at her feet. She had so many questions.
Elizabeth sighed at both Farah’s answer and the situation they were in. “Ok… Obviously, getting the cops involved would not be a good idea.” she muttered more to herself before she looked back at Sebastian. “We need answers.” she said definitively. “How much do you think this clown weighs?”
"Definitely not." Farah pressed her lips together. "We do," she agreed cautiously. "But if he wakes up, he'll be free to access magic again. I don't have magic to read his thoughts while he's out, and I don't have any runic limiters with me to keep him from accessing magic when he wakes up." She glanced over at Elizabeth skeptically. "What are you thinking?" she asked, arching her eyebrows to accompany her question.
“I’m thinking that we can't leave him here and that we're the only ones who can deal with him.” she admitted. “So… I’ll carry him, either back to my place or the woods where we met, and I can tie him up if that’ll help any. I… I have a gun if we need it. And you can let them out once I get him out of the building.” she explained, gesturing briefly towards the bathroom where everyone else was locked up.
Farah was already shaking her head aggressively. "No, absolutely not. You're not taking him anywhere by yourself. Tying him up won't help either. He could just use his abilities and get one of us to untie him." Her eyes widened slightly. "The gun is also a no. Absolutely no weapons. He could make us use them on each other. And if anyone is going to be carting his sorry ass out of this building, it will be me. I won't let you."
Elizabeth raised a brow at the blatant refusal and met Farah’s stare stubbornly. “Excuse me if this sounds rude but have you actually had experience carrying someone any length of distance without your magic? Because I have. I’ve carried men and women at least twice my size when both of us were decked out with our gear.” she pointed out, omitting the part where they were also being shot at at the time. “Unless you have a better idea, we're still going to be standing here when he wakes up. Then we’ll be in real trouble.”
Farah straightened, subdued anger swirling inside of her. While she felt it, she no longer had magic to channel the emotion into, and she found that it was easier to manage it. "Yes, I have experience," she answered shortly. "I don't rely on my magic to do everything." Still, she glared down at Sebastian's unconscious body. "We both need to get him out of here. I won't let you go alone. If he wakes up and I'm not there…" She shook her head. "If I am there, he might spare you and take me instead. I can't afford anyone getting hurt because of me again, Elizabeth. Not you, not anyone."
Elizabeth nodded, putting up her hands at the tone. “Alright. That's fair.” she said. She’d apologize properly later. “I can agree with that… But you said that it wasn't a good idea to let the people out while he’s here and the only way around that is for one of us to get a head start with him.” she pointed out before looking back at Farah. “He might… But if you think I'm going to stand aside and let this yahoo try to take you, you need to think again. I’m a soldier. I can handle myself in a fight and I'm not letting you do this alone.”
Farah narrowed her eyes as she intently watched Sebastian. Her eyes did not move from him in case he woke. "I did, but that's also not what I meant," she muttered. A wry smile grew on her lips at Elizabeth's words against Farah's will. "Believe you, mostly," she agreed quietly, her voice softening. "I know you are a soldier. And I know you won't let me stand alone. You're two out of three."
Her gaze finally broke from the unconscious blood witch so she could look Elizabeth in the eye as s spoke with deadly seriousness in her voice. "I understand that you can handle yourself in a fight. Believe me, I do." Her eyes reflected her worry for the other woman as she finished her thought. "But not in a fight against magic."
Elizabeth met Farah’s gaze and nodded slightly. “Fair. I may not have gone against magic before but unless we can get this guy to give you yours back, we’re in the same boat.” she pointed out. Yes, she knew Farah had more knowledge and experience with magic in general but she didn't know how much Farah could handle a fight. “Or… If you have a way to contact your friends, we might have a better chance.” she added thoughtfully.
Farah opened her mouth to argue, but she realized that Elizabeth was right, much to her annoyance. She’d nearly forgotten about Sebastian stealing her powers. Though at the mention of her friends, Farah glanced down at the ring on her thumb.
“I can, yes,” she answered slowly, thoughtfully. “But I do not want them to be dragged into this mess. I’ve already done enough to them.”
“Hey,” Elizabeth said softly as she gently lifted Farah’s hand with the tattoo. “I might not know much about the Otherworld but here… You don't get a tattoo with someone and shut your back to them because of something they had no control over.” she said, referring to what the fairy had told her about Aster Dell. She figured that was what her friend was talking about with her last comment. “You didn't do anything to them. And I know, if I was in their position right now, I’d be worried about you. I’m actually a little surprised that none of them have already shown up here to check on you.”
Farah's expression softened, and she looked from Elizabeth's face to her tattoo. The woman's words were painfully accurate. She'd done exactly that while simultaneously blaming herself for the tragedy that had occurred at Aster Dell.
We should have questioned her. No. Farah wouldn't have dared. That was the problem. Rosalind knew that if she had told the battalion that she couldn't evacuate the civilization, they would've said no. And she'd have been right. Farah needed to stop blaming herself, at least for the time being. There were more pressing matters to attend to with an unconscious blood witch on the ground who had stolen her magic.
"Well," she admitted slowly. "I never actually told them I came here. A few nights after Aster Dell, I packed a bag and left in the middle of the night. I have no doubt they're worried, and they've probably searched high and low in the entire Otherworld for me… but neither of them possesses a gateway ring. So it would be impossible for them to follow me."
Farah inhaled slowly and looked around. She needed a door, but she didn't want to use the door to the bathroom since there were innocent civilians on the other side of it. She looked down at Sebastian, then back to Elizabeth. "Alright, I have a plan," she said firmly. "It requires a door that won't be seen by anyone leaving the bathroom. Preferably a storage closet, or at least something of the like."
Elizabeth gave a soft encouraging smile and listened to Farah. “Yeah. Not having a way to get here would make it hard.” she nodded, not addressing the fact that Farah had basically gone rogue. That could wait until later.
“There’s a storage closet right over there.” she said gesturing towards the room. “Do we need to take him with us? Just to make sure he stays unconscious for now.” she asked, glad there was an actual plan now.
Farah nodded. "Yes. I'll bring him over, you go to the bathroom and release the people inside. Though I'm not sure how we should go about explaining to them how they all ended up in there… Nevermind, don't worry about explaining. Once you let them out, come back over to the storage closet door. I promise I won't leave without you."
She reached down and dragged Sebastian upright so she could prop him up with her arm around his middle. "Hurry," she said before pacing over to the door Elizabeth had indicated.
“You better not.” Elizabeth smirked before running towards the bathroom. It sounded like everyone inside had stopped banging on the door in a panic. Though she wouldn't blame them if they were still scared or even crying when she unlocked the door. The lock made an audible click that she was sure they could hear but she gave the door a light push to show that it was open before quickly heading over to the storage closet.
(So, technically, gateway rings can't be used inside of Alfea's barrier… but we're going to ignore that for a second because this is easier)
Farah smirked back and made her way to the door, making sure Sebastian was still unconscious as she did so. It unsettled her that he'd taken her magic so easily, but the worst part was that it seemed as though Rosalind had sent him. But why? And how? She would still be in stasis in Alfea's undercroft unless someone more powerful than Farah removed it. Had someone more powerful than Farah removed it?
She noted Elizabeth's return and took a deep breath before pressing her palm to the door and focusing. Would it work without her magic? It should. The gateway ring was magic within itself. Sure enough, the edges of the door glowed for a moment before vanishing. Farah glanced over her shoulder to make sure no other First Worlders were looking before opening the door.
On the other side was definitely not a storage closet. The door opened into a hallway. Farah stepped through and urged Elizabeth to shut it behind her. "Welcome to the Otherworld," she murmured with a small smile. "Though I wish we were here under different circumstances."
(fair)
Elizabeth smiled a little when she saw Farah waiting for her. Though she had to raise a brow as she watched the other woman touch the door and act like she was about to use a portkey. Then again, for all Liz knew, that could be pretty close to what she was actually doing.
Deciding not to question the situation, she quickly followed Farah through the door and made sure it clicked behind her. “Wow…” she whispered as she looked around. “And where exactly are we now in the Otherworld?” she asked, smirking slightly.
Farah matched her smirk as she motioned to the end of the hall. "We are at Alfea," she said determinedly.
The fairy headed down the hall and took a step into Alfea's courtyard. It was empty since it was the summer holiday, but it still looked as it had when Farah had left. She began to walk across the opening when a door slammed loudly from across the way.
Farah's eyes widened, and she jumped in surprise. Sebastian slid from her grip and collapsed to the floor, and she quickly moved to stand in front of Elizabeth in case there was any danger. Suddenly, there was a sound of running footsteps, and a dark-haired man scrambled to a stop at the edge of the courtyard. His eyes locked on Farah, and immediately, the fairy's guard dropped, and she let out a whimper of relief.
The man wasted no more time running to her and embracing her desperately. He clung to her and she to him, both of them overwhelmed by seeing the other again.
"Farah," he murmured, cradling her body in his arms.
"Saul," she breathed, squeezing her eyes shut.
The man drew back and studied her face intently. "It's you? It's really you?" he demanded, gripping her arms tightly.
"Yes, it's me," she whispered. Once her eyes had opened again, they immediately started to tear up. "I'm sorry."
Saul looked ready to say something else before he looked over Farah's shoulder and noted both Elizabeth and Sebastian. "You… brought friends?" he asked, arching his eyebrows.
Farah looked over her shoulder too and tried to stifle her emotions, though her eyes were still watery. "Yes. Well, yes and no. She's a friend," she answered, pointing to Elizabeth. "He isn't." Farah looked back at Saul intently. "And I need runic limiters before he wakes up."
Saul's eyes widened at her words. "Gods, Farah. I always tell you to stay out of trouble."
"I can't help it when the trouble comes to me," she quipped in return. "The limiters, Saul."
He sighed and took off again. Farah watched him go before turning to Elizabeth with a shy smile.
“Oh, the school you mentioned.” Elizabeth nodded as she followed quietly. Though she couldn't help but find the place a little eerie simply because of how quiet it was. There had always been something about an empty school that was… unsettling.
She tried to ignore the feeling until the sound of a slamming door made her jump. Even when Farah instantly took point, Liz didn't let her guard down as she locked eyes on the man who just appeared in front of them. At least until Farah wrapped her arms around him.
She smiled a little and gave a small wave when Farah gestured at her but stayed where she was to keep an eye on their prisoner.
Farah cleared her throat and wiped her eyes. The emotion of seeing her best friend again was all over her face. She'd missed him terribly, and clearly, he'd missed her as well. "Yes, Alfea is my school… was my school," she amended. "It's good to be back. But odd."
She glanced down briefly at Sebastian to make sure the man was still unconscious before continuing. "I'm sure you put it together already, but that was Saul. I'm sorry, I would've introduced you better, but…" She shook her head and laughed. "I must admit I wasn't expecting that kind of reception. He's going to get runic limiters for the blood witch now. That way, when he wakes up, he won't be able to access his magic."
Elizabeth nodded as Farah explained, unable to keep a smirk from growing on her face. “I could tell. You didn't mention how attractive Saul was though, I can see why you had a crush on him.” she teased. “Will he still be able to give you your powers back with those or will we have to convince him?”
Farah blushed brilliantly at Elizabeth's tease. "Ah, well, yes, um…" the fairy stammered while trying to find the right words. None came, so she sounded like a complete fool.
But the topic switched to something she would be able to talk about without tripping hopelessly over her words. "No, he won't. The limiters prevent access of any kind to magic. There is a way to remove them, but we must be completely sure that he will return my magic before we use it."
Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh as Farah blushed. “It's alright. I won't say anything.” she smiled.
“Alright. That makes sense.” she nodded. “Well, no offense but, I’m glad that he won't be able to use your magic anymore with those limiters. It really looked like you packed a really strong punch.” she said, giving Farah a concerned look. “He… didn't hurt you too badly, did he?”