Fifteen

Eloise's heart raced as she rushed towards the man, desperately trying to reach him before he could disappear into one of the rooms in the sprawling manor. The adrenaline coursing through her veins was matched only by the fear gripping her chest. But just as she closed in on the room, her friends Jade and Maria arrived on the scene, their eyes filled with concern and determination.

"Eloise!" Jade called out, her voice laced with urgency.

Without hesitation, Eloise sprinted into the room where Alice was held captive. The sight before her made her blood run cold. There stood the man, his grip tight on a gleaming knife, its blade glinting menacingly in the dim light.

"If you get close, I won't hesitate to kill her," the man sneered, his voice laced with malice. "So take your pick."

Eloise's mind raced, trying to come up with a solution. She couldn't let Alice be harmed, not when there was still a chance to save her. Swallowing her fear, she mustered up her courage and spoke, her voice quivering but determined.

"I won't go near her now," Eloise offered, her voice trembling. "Let her go, and I'll give you everything you want."

A sly grin crept across the man's face as he considered her proposition. "Well, since you insist," he replied, his voice dripping with sadistic pleasure. "I'll take you instead."

A mixture of relief and concern washed over Eloise as the man released Alice and instead took her captive. She locked eyes with Alice, her voice filled with regret and determination.

"I couldn't leave you like that, Alice," Eloise reassured her, her voice filled with a mixture of sadness and determination. "Don't worry, I'll manage to get you out of here. Finish the mission first. The ring is downstairs, in a drawer. Take it and then go home."

Alice's eyes glistened with tears as she shook her head, her voice choked with emotion. "But, Eloise..."

Before Alice could finish her sentence, the man whisked Eloise away, leaving Alice behind. She watched helplessly as Eloise disappeared from sight, her heart filled with worry and gratitude for her brave friend. Determined to fulfill her part of the mission, Alice followed Eloise's instructions and found the ring exactly where she had said it would be.

"Now I have to find Eloise," Alice whispered to herself, her voice laced with determination. "I hope they didn't hurt her."

As Alice made her way back to the town, she crossed paths with Jade and Maria, her face reflecting her distress.

"We saw Eloise earlier. She's not with you?" Jade asked, concern etched on her face.

"No," Alice replied, her voice quivering. "A man was holding me hostage, but Eloise took my place, and the man took her with him." Tears streamed down Alice's face, mingling with her words.

A sense of darkness seemed to linger in Maria's expression, a hidden agenda concealed beneath her facade of concern. Sensing Alice's vulnerability, she reached out and offered her comfort.

"Don't worry, Alice," Maria reassured her, her voice betraying a sinister undertone. "We'll she don't really need our help after all."

Jade, however, couldn't help but address Maria's lack of empathy. "You hear what you're saying, Maria? You really have no compassion," she said, her voice filled with disappointment and frustration. "If you don't want to help us, I'll just find Eloise myself, with Alice."

Maria's demon nature seemed to take hold as she responded coldly, "Okay, go ahead. That's not my problem. I'm going back to town anyway. I don't want to risk my life for nothing."

Feeling abandoned by their former companion, Alice and Jade found themselves alone, their hearts heavy with the weight of their mission and the absence of Eloise.

"Thank you very much for helping me, Jade," Alice whispered, her voice filled with gratitude.

Alana's thoughts swirled in her mind as she pondered her next move. The determined mage found herself in a state of contemplation, searching for the best course of action to locate Eloise.

"Now, where should I start my research?" Alana pondered, her voice barely above a murmur. Moments later, a glimmer of inspiration flickered in her eyes as an idea took hold.

"Oh yes, that's right," Alana exclaimed quietly, a surge of excitement evident in her voice.

"I can find her with her magic. I just need to pinpoint her magical signature and teleport there."

Alana delved into her magical knowledge, focusing her energies on tracing Eloise's unique magical essence. After a thorough search, she finally discovered a distant presence resonating with Eloise's magic.

"She's really far away," Alana murmured, her voice tinged with concern. "I don't think I can teleport directly to her due to a magic barrier, but I can teleport to the town where she is."

Meanwhile, Alice and Jade had made their way back to the town, seeking any information that could lead them to Eloise's whereabouts. Just as they began asking the villagers, a sudden magical disturbance caught their attention. A magic circle materialized, and a figure emerged from within.

Alana, with a determined look in her eyes, stepped forward, her presence commanding attention. "Well, I've arrived, and now I'm going to find Eloise and take her home," she declared, her voice confident yet tinged with urgency.

"Ma'am, will you please stand up?" Alice called out politely, her voice resonating with a blend of respect and caution.

Alana's face crinkled with concern as she realized she had inadvertently bumped into Alice while teleporting. "Excuse me, miss. I didn't mean to run you over," she apologized, her voice filled with sincerity.

Alice smiled warmly, her voice gentle. "That's okay. As long as no one gets hurt, that's the main thing."

Jade interjected, realizing the pressing matter at hand. "Alice, we have to hurry up. We need to find Eloise."

Observing the urgency in Jade's words, Alana's curiosity was piqued. "You're looking for Eloise? What happened?"

Jade regarded Alana with a mix of caution and curiosity. "Who are you, and how do you know Eloise?"