章 65: Chapter 65 - Means to an End

With haste, they darted through the labyrinthine corridors. Vell took the lead, his familiarity with the dungeon's layout surpassing that of Bachram. Not to boast, but his memory was undeniably remarkable.

Their destination was the central laboratory, the location where Vell had first encountered the Simerian. Along this path, they encountered several irathy mages, but their presence was short-lived. Before they could even register who lurked in the shadows, they were felled by Bachram's swift and potent sword strikes.

The Simerian was a tempest in the form of a man, a graceful cyclone of motion. His swings were precise and deadly, slicing through anything they met. Vell chose to observe and lead rather than partake in the bloodshed. He didn't wish to share in Bachram's battle-fueled ecstasy.

The blame for the mages' demise would fall solely on Bachram, not Vell nor Sonder. That was the narrative Vell intended the Irath to believe. By severing any connections to the escape of the Simerian and the Banshee, he would secure his freedom.

Finally, they reached the entrance to the laboratory. The door was an imposing structure, etched with intricate motifs and inscriptions. It wasn't here before, and Vell knew it was more than just a physical barrier; it was also a magical one.

Bachram, having no knowledge of magic, rushed to break down the door, but Vell swiftly grabbed his arm.

"Wait," he said, "This door is warded. We need to dismantle the ward first."

Vell took a moment to study the inscriptions. He murmured phrases under his breath, tracing the patterns with his finger. There was a low hum, a vibration that ran up his arm and through his body. Then, with a final word, the inscriptions on the door glowed brilliantly and then dimmed.

The seal and inscription were written in the Irathy language. Having devoted the past few days to studying it, Vell was able to read it with ease.

The opening mechanism was straightforward: merely read the inscription aloud. This was an effective security measure, as only the Irathy mages would be capable of reading it.

Fortune favored Vell, as he couldn't use his magic to unseal the ward.

The ward was broken.

With a nod from Vell, Bachram pushed the door open. It moaned eerily as it swung inward, revealing the laboratory.

They entered, alert and ready for confrontation. Bachram sprung into action, attacking any Irath in sight.

His invulnerability to magic, including anything created by it, even fire, made him an unstoppable force.

The Irath mages, who mostly relied on their telekinetic abilities to deal with any trouble, fell swiftly to the Simerian's relentless assault.

Vell momentarily ignored the ongoing carnage, scanning the laboratory for Sonder. She hadn't been brought here yet, so he decided to seek her cell, with Hiraeth acting as their guide.

They traversed a corridor Vell had not previously explored. Along the way, they encountered more irathy mages. Vell knew of only one way to deal with them.

From his bag, he pulled out another longsword, similar to the one he had given Bachram. He then mirrored the Simerian's combat style, delivering powerful, fast-arcing strikes that split the mages in two.

Vell wasn't immune to magic as Bachram was, but he was durable, so when they did cast their magicks at him, any kind of it, his skin and clothing were singed and burned, his skin and flesh torn, though not so much that he would die from any of the injuries.

Unlike Bachram, Vell was not immune to magic. Any spells cast at him resulted in singed clothing and torn flesh. The mages' level of strength was far below his threshold of 'danger', but the pain was still a discomfort. After all, he was only a mortal.

Blood splattered around him, but he took care to avoid stepping in it. Even a single bootprint could betray his presence. Those who had seen him could not be allowed to live.

It took a few minutes, but then he found Sonder's prison.

After a few minutes, he found Sonder's prison. The magical barrier shimmered pink, and when Vell touched it, his hand instantly began to char. He only managed to withdraw it when his bones began to show.

The barriers weren't just barriers, but walls of eradication. They were designed to punish Sonder if she dared to dream of escaping or even touch her prison walls.