A question of safety

[rogueinladysclothing]

This Winter has been a harsh one, and the Nexus' resident rogue shows signs of it. Where before Amelia had been comfortable enough to walk about the Nexus with relatively few weapons on her person, she now carries her full armory every time she steps out of the inn she currently calls home. For weeks she's been pondering how to tackle a problem on her own. Now she's come to the Forum to seek advice, as anyone who's been here long enough usually does.

"I've had many thoughts and worries relating to the safety of myself and others after certain events in the last several weeks." Her lips draw into a thin line and she crosses her arm in front of her chest. That's enough context for everyone who might answer, surely. "What do you do to feel safe? Or, rather, when your safety is threatened, how do you respond?"

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[rogueinladysclothing]

Her eyes remain wide with terror as she watches Naugus work, constantly calling out for him to stop and cursing his name. No matter how much she struggles, despite all of the blood coming from her battered wrists, she can't get up. Can't take back what is hers. Nothing. She's helpless, just as she always has been here.

But those thoughts are thrown out the window when portal cracks its way open in front of her.

No.

No. No. No. No. NO!

"It's not real... It can't be..."

The view of Masarra's great walls, the skyline, the ships, the very smell of the air wafting over her.

It's home.

Tears roll down her cheeks, silent and unheeded. It's too soon! She has so many things left to do before she's ready to go back, to set things right before she lets it go. She struggles against the shackles again, finally managing to slip one hand out from both the shackle and her glove as her blood lubricates the area enough. There's a desperation in her eyes as she rolls over and crawls toward the portal, hand outstretched.

If she could just reach it...

[ixis]

He delights in watching her clear and present torment. Feeds on it. His grin so wide, so pleased, watching Amelia impotently try to reach for it.

"I told you. I TOLD you. With so little effort, it could be done. There it is, just as you left it, isn't it?" He looks towards the opening as well now, admiring the view, rasping a low, wheezing chuckle. "Home, sweet home."

Naugus circles around to stand on the other side of the portal, gesturing towards it. "But I'll prove I'm not a petty man! I'll do you a favour. I'll give you just what you set out to do. Just what you wanted. Help you see your bold plan through! Watch. Watch closely, you stupid child."

His face twists up into a snarl now, frowning angrily at that portal before spitting at it ill-temperedly. A final insult before the fireworks begin and the guillotine drops. The blood strengthened the potency of the spell and bolstered his abilities, allowing him to brute force more than ever before. Allowing Ixis Naugus to wrench past whatever roadblocks were in place that prevented portals opening their way back to Masarra.

And the blood will deliver this killing blow.

He crouches again, writing symbols once more into the cracked stone, drawing on top of the ones he'd laid before. The wizard's work is swift and decisive before a long, brutal strike is swiped through the whole circle, splitting it into diagonal halves. Destroying it.

The portal SHATTERS, the sound like screeching metal and crashing thunder. A ripple of dark arcane power ejects from the collapsing doorway, followed by a larger, stronger one. Strong enough that it sends Naugus staggering back and raising his arm to shield his injured face. Purple streaks of crackling energy lace through the air like branching veins of lightning. The ground rumbles and quakes fitfully for several long seconds.

And then?

It's done.

Everything is perfectly still.

Perfectly quiet.

The portal is gone as quick as it came.

Ixis Naugus cackles gleefully, eyes alight with malicious joy. "Hhhhhahahahahaaa! And just like that, there will be no more portals! They are sealed and shattered forevermore! Just as you wished! Just as you wished!!"

This morning's mood music: https://youtu.be/Wsysh9VWEv0

[rogueinladysclothing]

She knows what he's going to do before the final blow is made. She struggles against the remaining shackle with urgency. He can't destroy it. Not now. There are things to do there still! She looks up at the last possible second, crying out before the final slash through the ground is made.

"NO!"

The force from the closing portal flips her over her still-shackled wrist, throws her against the ground hard enough to knock the wind from her again. Her face is scratched by flying bits of stone. As the ground rumbles and quakes, the shackle holding her to the ground is broken apart, allowing Amelia free to look up and take in the damage.

Her heart sinks.

For a moment, she's certain she's dead. This is worse than any of the dozens of terrifying nightmares she's experienced in the last year and a half. The afterlife will contain such things for her, but life?. Surely, this must be that kind of dream. It has to be, because she's not done yet. She carefully crawls forward and recovers her stolen hair pin before sitting back on her knees, staring at it through tear-filled eyes.

Her family, her friends, her city, her world...

Nathan...

All.. gone, before she could say goodbye...

What little semblance of composure she might have had is gone as she collapses to the ground, her whole body shaking with loud, heart-wrenching sobs.

All the best made plans... and for what?

[ixis]

"Remember this next time you care to trifle with me, stupid girl. Remember the extent of my power and the breadth of my wrath. We are finished, you and I." He's proven his point and considers himself the victor here; all grudges are settled as far as he's concerned.

With one last withering look at the huddled figure on the ground, Ixis Naugus turns and slowly hobbles away, leaning heavily on his staff. He has to attend to his injuries now, especially since this process made one much more grievous.