Maribor, Triss and Ruins (Part 7)

'I knew about her strength from the books, but never imagined that she is that powerful. I don't really know how strong Voldemort is, but Dumbledore will get his ass owned pretty easily. Looks like it is truly a key world of the cluster like Amalgal said. They had magic language in no way weaker than the one of Isu race and are clearly very skillful at using it. Perhaps the only advantage I have is my bloodline that I can't control properly and Eternal Mind trait, that actually gave me ability to construct what Triss made way faster and inside my mind. But I still need to learn how to do so in reality.'

'To some extent Isu spells are the same as hers, they ought to use some kind of a formula. But my use of Isu magic language is too primitive. I only converted Harry Potter world spells. In comparison to sophisticated magic of mages they are but parlor tricks. Well, not transfiguration though.'

'But what I can tell is that Isu language is more inclined for the capacity of emotions, while the one Triss used seems to have more variations on the field of structure. Actually, if I am able to merge them together what result will I reach? What level of power will my spells become?'

It all inspired and fascinated him.

'Were Isu actually creatures driven by emotions?'

That made Alan feel strange, because by all means Amalgal looked like a logical scholar, a bit cold on the edges, or is it consequence of being a wisp of soul and, perhaps, age?

'Or maybe they tried to patch up their own weakness with emotions while developing magic language that can use them?'

What seriously caught his attention is that her soul was way more powerful than any other person's soul he felt, even his and that is after all the torture of soul extinguisher. It seems here mages are able to enhance not only their source, but mind too.

Alan never took in equation her age and decades of training in meditations. Actually, compared to her he was not much weaker in soul, but his control was surely miles below.

It all ended in couple of seconds actually, as her brain should have worked at prepossessing speed unreachable to even some computers, let alone other humans.

Shield rippled and disappeared in a wave of light over it surface leaving behind only lingering tremor of space, which Alan felt through his bloodline affinity.

'Is it always that way or does that shield had attribute of space inside? Hope it is not the later. Power of space is equally powerful and mysterious as it is hard to take care off and defend against.'

"Done." - Triss said without any visible tiredness. Seems like this action that shocked Alan wasn't anything too difficult for her. She looked at the boy and noticed traces of incredulity and admiration in his gaze.

Triss laughed in her palm, feeling a bit smug about herself for some reason and sent him a disarming smile, to which Alan smiled in the corner of his mouth and gave her thumbs up. One should praise if person did something praiseworthy, right?

In return sorceress was a bit surprised, but later gave him a playful wink.

"Also, if it will help you prepare... I feel a scent of death and necromancy there. It seems like a burial ground or a crypt. Whoever said that this place is and abode of some powerful mage was wrong. Or that mage was a necromancer." - Triss said to all.

What she was wary about, were the reports of people who supposedly returned from here. How did they even managed to get inside with the shield on without a mage? Even she only entered for barely ten steps before exploring it with spells and later retreating to safety.

"We have Eternal Flame to guard us and blessed swords to fight any foe! We will not falter in the face of evil!" - with that a whole regiment of knights, about fifty of them, moved to the entrance like a huge beast, beginning it's preparation for the conquest.

"Whatever." - she sighed, clearly starting to give up either comprehending how their brains worked or trying to dissuade them from being rash. She could tell, that this was a place for witchers and mages, their battlefield, not for regular humans to trespass as they please.

Coen and Lambert sat in meditation, drinking some potions and smearing their silver swords with special oil.

"Witchers, you will go first." - said Tailles.

"Of course we are." - grumbled Lambert and opened his eyes, prepared to go in. His face was a shade paler with some dark blood veins appearing on the surface, that made others back away and had faces of disgust.

"But let's make it straight. You all better listen to us. This place is our area of expertise." - said Coen raising the moment after. Knight scoffed and witcher just shook his head. - "In that case I will say it clear. If you cause trouble, you will take care of it on your own. I have no intention putting my life on a line to clean up your mess."

"We don't need your help witcher!" - again some loud mouth cried from the crowd of knights.

"Then why did you hire us? To scoff at?" - retorted Coen. - "Sir Tailles, I believe they will listen to you. You don't want to be responsible for the deaths of your comrades, right?"

"There is no need for you to care about that. I will make things right."

"I hope so." - Coen gave him a final glance.

He went to the entrance with Triss, Lambert and Alan.

"Milady Merigold, you are a sorceress and need protection of knights. Stay with me and I will surely make so no one and nothing can harm you."

"Don't they get tired of this shit." - Lambert sighed.

"No need, sirs, I have a perfect protectors here. Isn't it why you hired witcher in the first place. You just cared about my wellbeing. Oh, I appreciate this." - she smiled at them sweetly.

"B-But of course." - Tailles mouth twitched.

"In that case I thank you for your care and humbly accept." - she bowed with reserve, walking behind the backs of witchers.

"The best sorceress is mute sorceress. When they begin to talk, you start gradually becoming penniless and without a dick." - grumbled Lambert to the side, but loud enough for Triss to give him a glare.

They went through the ark, stepping into the darkness of the long, but narrow hall, adorned with columns going straight for the ceiling way above their heads. Aside from this it was mainly empty, but the layout told them to prepare. Such places usually are great to defend against army invasion.

"I will appreciate some lighting." - said Coen. It was too dark inside with zero to no light at all, so even cat potion didn't work well. Alan preferred to stay hidden as a mage, who knows what this knight order will do?

Triss just waved her hand and several globs of light appeared ahead of them. Two went behind the columns and moved with the regiment.

"It's mostly clear everywhere." - she said immediately.

"That is not usual light spell." - whether Alan asked or said remained unclear. But he can see that every glob has a strict carcass and language lining. And it seems this spheres can be preserved for a long time. They even siphon mana to sustain themselves and have several functions.

What a spell!

"Yes, aside from illumination I can sense and if needed see things through them." - she smiled.

"Not bad." - although this is not a spying material but he can vouch, mages have their own share of spell to gather information secretly.

Witchers moved with a grace of cats, Alan was mostly the same, as he was trained by both of them everyday, as for Triss, she used couple of spells to make herself as stealthy as possible and was quite successful.

But the regiment that marched behind them really caused large amount of headache for the four. They were loud like a pack of elephants traversing the forest.

"You are like a marching army on parade." - complained Lambert, but what he received in return nearly made him trip.

"I never thought sir witcher thought so highly of us. Thank you for you warm and welcome compliment." - said one of the leading knights with pride.

"He is not complimenting us, idiot!" - retorted the other standing behind.

"That can't be. You village noble just never saw a true parade of the army in Wyzima! It is a glorious and magnificent sight. I assure you master witcher saw it and knew to find similarities with the regiment of our Order. He has good eyesight I must admit."

"Oh... fuck... this is unbearable..." - Lambert facepalmed with a long... long sigh.

"Stop!" - suddenly Triss said aloud and waved her hand over her eyes, that shone with light. She looked ahead and quickly sent one of the magical lanterns further. - "This..."

"Run!" - shouted Alan. What he felt was something that resonated with his bloodline. It wasn't exactly a creature or something sentient, more like a magical trap!

Triss seemed to understand that too and witchers just trusted their shaking medallions, that currently even started to scald their necks through the chains. From deep within the ruins a wave of invisible power came. It was a tremor of space, a net that was there all along.

The four turned around but found knights blocking the way.

"Milady Merigold, don't fret..." - started his talking Tailles again, as he didn't see or sense anything.

"How idiotic can you get!" - she ignited a ball of fire in her hand. - "Run, degenerates!" - and stopped filtering words too, but it was too late.

Space ripple covered them all at once and gravitated into different parts of the hall, emptying it completely the moment later.