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Deals with Magax: Part Two


by starluffy

--------

Rosemary's nerves were on end as she made her way carefully through the graveyard. She had tried to be both silent and quick at the same time but that proved to be impossible, so she had to settle for being silent and slow. Magax, meanwhile, seemed to be floating beside her for all the noise he made. He didn't say anything but Rosemary could tell he was impatient and annoyed by the delay: he was restless and fidgety, looking around him every minute, as if to see if someone was there, and giving her quick sideways glances as if he were wondering if she could go any slower. She couldn't take her mind off the oncoming battle, how bad she might (and probably would) do, and how darned slow and clumsy she was. All the training that Magax had been giving her ever since she joined him seemed to have slipped from her memory; every time she tried to remember even the easiest, tiniest detail, she couldn't remember. Hadn't someone once told her that memories were much like soap: the harder you hold them, the easier they escape your grasp? Was it her mother? Or perhaps Crazy Sally from across the street?

      Magax looked over his shoulder again. Jeez, he was making her nervous. Hadn't Magax said that this was just a routine battle that Magax did all the time? Just a regular fight against Nox's minions so she could get some field experience? He stiffened the slightest fraction and Rosemary felt like she had been struck by lightening and she stopped, paralyzed. But then the Wocky relaxed and continued, either unaware of or ignoring his partner's paralysis - which she got over quickly and hurried to catch up.

      "So... is there a plan?" At the moment, she just wanted to fill the silence and get rid of the chill she felt, but she felt like this was no situation to talk about how much she'd like a mug of soup (or tea), so she tried for a more suitable question.

      "No," Magax said, in the tone of one who had never considered having a plan before. "It's just Nox's minions out gathering materials for him. Just remember what I've taught you and don't panic."

      "Don't panic," he says. Don't panic. You're only going to fight for the first time in your life, against minions that have lain waste to many a more powerful and experienced fighter. You're clumsy and prone to dropping your staff, your reaction is slow and delayed. But don't panic!

      Magax stopped suddenly. "We're here." Rosemary took a deep breath and found (to her relief) that her earlier dread had been replaced with a feeling of real responsibility and determination. Perhaps all her dread and fear had been used up on the way there.

      Magax turned to her. He took a breath, hesitated, then finally settled for, "good luck."

      "Keep safe," she replied softly and then it was over, for they heard a sound. Footsteps, many of them, and then they appeared.

      A dozen of Hubrid Nox's minions.

      Rosemary raised her staff and felt a shock of adrenaline that fooled her into believing, just for a moment, that maybe she might not fail so badly after all. But then she saw something that shattered her illusion.

      It was Hubrid Nox himself.

      Lightning, adrenaline - now she had ice in her veins. What was Nox doing here? It was supposed to be a skirmish, just a skirmish! A practice run! If she was going to fail before, with just minions to contend with, what was she going to do now?

      Nox smirked at Magax, but then faltered when he noticed Rosemary. He looked surprised for a moment - then confusion gave way to delight and he grinned. Caught unawares, Rosemary quickly tried to straighten herself and try to appear menacing, wondering how much of a fool she looked.

      "The young necromancer," Nox drawled. He had a deep, velvety voice that Rosemary might have found nice if she wasn't about to pass out. "I've heard about you."

      Quick as a loosed arrow, Magax flung himself at Nox, surprising Rosemary greatly. She had expected him to at least reply.

      There was a clang of steel. A minion was between Magax and Nox. Magax - who was surrounded by the same green glow that surrounded his ax and allowed him to fly without wings - jumped backwards then rushed the 'pet and sliced it and met the next one. Remembering who she was and that she was a part of this too, Rosemary rushed after him. Three more minions went down and Nox raised a glowing hand to Magax, while a minion got behind the Wocky, about to stab him in the back. Rosemary's mind could not remember a word of the lessons, but her body did. Without a thought, with a cry, Rosemary twirled her staff and brought it down on the minions head. It cried out but it didn't stop, more or less unaffected.

      "Nox's minions aren't like ordinary 'pets. They don't tire and only feel a limited amount of pain. You need to use magic with your staff to do any damage."

      Oh, yeah. It was all rushing back to her now that she needed it. The Eyrie took a deep breath and felt for that feeling inside her; her magic. She called upon only a little and let it loose into the staff. The staff absorbed the magic like a sponge and began to glow with the same glow the surrounded Magax and Nox's hand.

      In her pause, the minion raised its sword above its head. Rosemary just had time to deflect it ("never block, you're not strong enough yet") and another. The blows were quick and fierce but Rosemary managed to dodge or deflect every one, and her thought process was catching up. She noticed an opening and took it, twirling the staff over her her head and onto its shoulder, like Magax had taught her. This attack made a difference, stunning it long enough for her to slam the butt of her staff into its face. Rosemary's first real foe fell. She smiled - and was hit in the side. She cried out and went flying from the force of it, landing at her side. The world spun and she could just about make out Magax calling out her name then more of Nox's magic. Magax was busy, he couldn't help her. She - she had to get up, she was going to die, get up now!! She rolled and used the momentum to get to her feet - and a good thing she did, for the bludgeon that had hit her earlier slammed now on the ground where her head had just been.

      There were three now, all around her. She didn't know where they came from but it didn't matter; she raised her staff in a protective stance and tried to keep her eye on all three of them at once. They shuffled in perfect coordination that it almost seemed to Rosemary that they were dancing. Then they all raised their weapons at the same time and brought down on her head. But the Eyrie was too fast. She hit the wrist of one, used the momentum to bring the other end of her staff under the chin of another and sidestepped out of the way of the third. Then she brought the staff around in a circle and stabbed at the third's neck. Fallen enemies are one less enemy to think about, Rosemary realized as she didn't even wait to see it fall but spun around to deflect one, two swipes from the minion whose elbow she had hit, then made a wide swipe to its knee. It buckled and she gave the strongest stab onto its head that she could muster. She was about to catch her breath, look around for Magax, when she remembered the third one.

      She looked behind, just in time to see a flash of steel. Then it wasn't Magax's teachings that saved her, or her reflexes, but a childhood of trying to go as high as she could. Her wings, which were unfolded to help her balance, fully extended, filled with air, and pushed. She went flying backwards, out of the way of the ax. She hurtled backwards through the air then skidded to a clumsy halt. The Eyrie got to her feet and defeated the third. She quickly did a full turn and determined there were no minions near her, then looked for Magax.

      She spotted the Wocky making a wide arc at Nox, who dodged nimbly out of the way. Rosemary weighed her options and tried to decide what her next course of action should - when the ground beneath her feet began to glow. There were runes that glowed with the same glow of necromancy on the ground. She gasped and tried to get away but she couldn't; she was stuck fast. "Magax!" she cried out. Then a force was grabbing her, ripping her away from the bind and throwing her away to safety. Rosemary landed in a heap outside the ring and was up on her feet in a second. Her mind froze from what she saw.

      Magax was inside the ring, kneeling, palms pressed on the ground. Their eyes met and Magax mouthed "run" before turning his head to glare at Nox. Rosemary looked from Magax, kneeling on the floor, to Nox, gloating over his victory.

      She had a moment and no more. Just a moment as Nox gloated and savored his victory. Nothing more. If she was going to run, she had to run now. Magax had told her to run.

      So she ran.

      She turned and sprinted out of the graveyard, wondering what had gotten into her, what was she going to do, how would she escape, Magax was caught because of her. It was all her fault but now wasn't the time to dwell on that. She didn't get the luxury to sulk. She needed to run, far and fast. Draw back and figure something out.

      Sounds came from behind her, telling her that she was being pursued. Rosemary took to the air, her great wings propelling her along faster but not too fast, so as not to hit any trees. Rosemary was scared of having an aerial battle; it would require more magic than she was comfortable to use. She was also scared of running off alone and leaving Magax behind. It was equally scary to leave your hometown to go looking for a scary person you've never met and put your life in his hands unconditionally, because the only other alternative was becoming a servant of an evil master mind who controlled the dead.

      It would have been depressing to think that scary had become her new normal, but the Eyrie was in no situation to think.

      Rosemary felt like she was simply avoiding trees, not strictly flying, but she had been flying for a while and hadn't hit a tree once, so that was good. There was a minion off to her right and another one behind her. She had thought that Nox would have sent all he had after her but all she sensed were those two. Had she and Magax defeated them all?

      Oh no, they were closing. With clenched teeth and furrowed brow, Rosemary veered sharply off course and headed straight for the one on her right. She took it by surprise and used the momentum of her flight to stab it in the stomach and then drove it into a tree. She held it pinned against the tree and tried to use the binding spell that was supposed to negate whatever spell Nox had used to animate it. It must have been a Scorchio, but that was a long time ago, when it was a live Neopet with thoughts and actions of its own. Now it was just a minion with dead eyes and Rosemary felt no remorse or pity as the spell did its job and the fight left its limbs. She released it and looked quickly around for its partner. She sensed nothing. She looked all the way around, went above the trees and then dropped to the ground to listen. But there was nothing. It must have left. But why? Wasn't she a threat? Wasn't she the only other necromancer in existence who could do what she did just now: undo Nox's spells?

      Perhaps... perhaps she wasn't really that threatening. Now that she thought about it, it would make sense if Nox ignored her, for the time being, and made sure his centuries-long arch-nemesis was taken care of. She wasn't that powerful. She was just a fledgling necromancer who couldn't even...

      Rosemary put a hand to her mouth and fought back a sob. Tears demanded to be let out but she didn't let them. Stop that, she thought. Stop the sniffling and the tears and the sobbing. She curled up into a ball and stayed there for a few minutes, waiting for the attack to subside. When it finally did, Rosemary took a calming breath and stood up. First things first: assess the situation. Magax was... captured. Forget the reasons for now, Rose, just focus. If she were Nox, pompous and confident, who had finally, finally, after so many years, so many centuries, of fighting his greatest enemy, had him at his mercy... Yes, if she were Nox, she would first work on securing him and making sure he didn't escape, by keeping him locked up and taking him to the most secure place she had. Obviously, for Nox, that would be his mansion. That also explained why the second minion had turned and went back; Nox must have needed all the help he could get to secure Magax and transport. Rosemary wasn't much of a threat; she had proven that during the battle. She was no match for Nox himself; he would simply deal with her later. Not cheerful thoughts but at least Rosemary could try to form a plan now.

      She couldn't let Nox take Magax back to his mansion. That would be a disaster; it was Nox's citadel, his stronghold. Rosemary would have more chance trying to intercept the Chia while going back to his mansion, preoccupied with keeping Magax imprisoned, not to mention tired from the battle with low numbers. Yes, she had to go back. Rosemary took to the air with a flap of her wings and took off the way she had come, trying to form a plan.

      * * *

      The scene was awful, like something straight out of Rosemary's nightmares. Chains adorned Magax's figure so much you could hardly see the Wocky beneath: chains on his wrists behind his back, on his ankles, around his neck, and the links that linked the chains together. And a metal ball. And a chain between both feet. And five minions each with a grasp on a lead, three in back and two in the front.

      It seemed like overkill but despite the amount of chains and muscle, they still seemed to be having a tough time of it. Magax kicked and balked like a rabid beast, pulling this way and that, his captors being tossed around like they were three-year-olds trying to control their massive petpet. And failing.

      Rosemary was just stealing her resolve to jump in and help, when she noticed Hubrid Nox. His hands were glowing and he was chanting. That couldn't be good. But before Rosemary could do anything, Nox cast the spell and light fell around Magax. Magax's struggles paused for a moment and when he regained control of his limbs, found that his green glow had left and did not come back and his strength was less.

      "Don't bother," Nox said with satisfaction as Magax pulled at his bonds, with less success than before. "I sealed your aura. You're no threat now." Then the Chia sighed, a deep, soulful sigh, and smiled. He walked up to Magax and placed both hands on Magax's shoulders. The angry Wocky tried to shrug his off but Nox's dug his fingers into his shoulders. Magax glared mutinously but didn't wince. "How long, Magax?" Nox asked, smiling into his adversary's eyes. "How long have we been at odds? How many times have you foiled my plans? How many?" Nox hissed the last part, his smile suddenly strained, the spell that enveloped Magax shone brighter. Magax gritted his teeth and his head bowed slightly but whatever was happening to him, he was fighting it. Rosemary put a hand to her mouth in horror and got ready to jump out in case Nox was trying to kill him. She didn't know how much good would come out of blindly rushing in, being an amateur necromancer against a centuries-old one and all, but what choice did she have?

      The moment, thankfully, passed. Nox relaxed and so did the spell, though Magax didn't relax his glare. "Magax, oh, Magax," Nox shook his head, "why? You don't have to continue like this. You know, better than anyone, what your fate will be like. You can still change that. You don't have to go through the pain. You can stop this nonsense and go back to what you used to do. You can-"

      "Never!" Magax spat in fury. "I will never join you, Nox. Not again. Not in this life!"

      Nox's manner sobered, his smile became oddly pitying. "Still this? Oh, well, if you insist." Nox turned around and headed toward the mansion - or, at least, Rosemary guessed that that was where he was heading. The minions dragged the rebellious Magax after them. "Truth be told, I wouldn't have believed you if you had agreed to follow me. I still have hopes that you might change your mind in the future but feel free to be stubborn and take your time. In the mean time," Nox's smile widened and the gleam in his eyes sent chills down Rosemary's spine, "I have some foiled plans to avenge."

      Rosemary followed after them, wracking her brains out. Nox's pendant was still glowing, even though he was not currently chanting a spell nor casting one. Why? The Eyrie looked back at Magax and found him much as he was before. Maybe... maybe it was the spell Nox cast on Magax! He must be maintaining it to keep it strong and, for lack of a better word, fresh. Okay, that was good, wasn't it? It takes concentration to maintain a spell so he would be weaker if Rosemary attempted to affront him. What else thought? Oh! Also! If he's maintaining the spell, that would mean that if he lost concentration, the spell will break. So all Rosemary had to do was break Nox's concentration. No, that wouldn't be enough. She also had to take out at least one of the minions. How to do that? Oh, dear, dearie dear... They were nearing the mansion this whole time. The more time she spent trying to think of a way to free Magax, they closer they got to his prison. What could she do in the meantime? Oh, what could she do?! It seemed impossible.

      Rosemary looked at Magax, thought of everything she owed him. When she had been stuck, he had been the only solution. When she had been in danger and her very clan had banished her, hunted by Hubrid Nox, Magax had been the one to swoop in and rescue her, to protect her and help her when no one else would. And then when Magax took her out, to help her gain experience, she had been the one to fall into the trap and, again, he had saved her.

      Now it was her turn to save him. She owed him that. She owed him more.

      With renewed resolve, Rosemary stopped. She held her staff in both hands and closed her eyes, focusing on the magic therein. She felt it flow through her body, the way Magax had taught her to feel it and she tapped into it. She opened her eyes. Unfurled her wings. And, as quietly as she could manage, propelled herself forward.

      Rosemary hit the nearest spirit in the head, swinging her staff like a baseball bat. The hit made a solid thwack! like the spirit was a solid substance and Rosemary felt her confidence soar as adrenaline came back to her, fueled by the triumph of a solid hit. She turned as momentum carried her past it and put her feet to the ground skidding past a few feet. On impulse, she raised her staff to the heavens, felt her magic course through her veins and brought the staff down on the downed pet's head. Rosemary didn't know what she did or how she did it, but it was different from usual: the point of impact was scorched. It was down and it wouldn't be coming back up anytime soon. Two of the nearer spirits ran towards her but were then knocked off balance by Magax, pulling on his chains. Rosemary smiled, wondering why she felt this way, and turned, knowing who she would see when she did so.

      Hubrid Nox stood in front of her looking mildly annoyed, which was a stark difference from the impassive amusement and victory she had seen on him so far. "You made a mistake coming here, my dear," he told her, frowning. "If you think you can beat me, you are sadly mistaken."

      By Fyora, why. Why had she thought that this was a good idea? Why had she thought that she, of all people, would be able to go up against Nox and win?

      Oh well. Too late now, I suppose.

      "We'll just have to see about that, won't we?" Rosemary asked, as if she had all the confidence in the world. The Eyrie unfurled her great wings and was just about to kick off and rush the warlock, when she felt a great force throw her to the side. Rosemary cried out as she hit the ground and tumbled. She quickly tried to rise to her feet and get a hold on her staff but felt a great weight descend upon her, like a giant anvil. She gasped for breath and got her hands under her and pushed, trying to get up. She heard Nox chuckling but she did her best to ignore him and continued trying to break away from the spell, but it was too much. As quickly as it came, so it went, though, and Rosemary was soon on her feet and had turned to face her greatest adversary, staff brandished and she snarled. Hubrid Nox stood watching her like he was watching a puppyblew trying to be intimidating. He raised his hand and Rosemary noticed for the first time that the jewel that held his cloak glowed with Necromancy. It didn't matter, her observation that is, when she found the glow around herself. Her limbs refused to obey; she was paralyzed. Nox slowly lifted his hand and Rosemary's body levitated according to his will. "Let me go!" she cried uselessly, gritting her teeth and she strained her muscles to move. But nothing. Nox cackled and the Eyrie glared at him with everything she had.

      "Did you really think that you could do anything?" Nox asked, as casually as if he were asking the time. "You are just a fledgling. You are a child compared to me - yes, and to Magax too. Don't get cocky just because you're a necromancer as well."

      --------------------

      "Do you know what we are?" Nox asked. He seemed different than before. The glow of battle had left him and, for once, he was staring directly at her, instead of through her and sneering at her. But now he seemed to be trying to reach out. Rosemary was mildly creeped out, scared of what this could mean.

      "Necromancers?" Rosemary hazarded, wondering where he was going.

      The Chia smiled. "Yes, but you don't seem to understand the extent of what that means." He came closer and looked into her eyes, his face inches away from her own. Rosemary shuddered and drew back but Nox clenched his fist and Rosemary was pulled closer. "Do you know why I was the only necromancer in existence, until you came along? Haven't you ever wondered why you've never heard of necromancy, except when it's tied to me? Because, my dear, necromancy is more than uncommon or rare. It practically never happens. I have looked up extensively about necromancy. Do you know what I found? Other necromancers existed, aye, lots. But never at one time. There was always a gap between one and the other. Once necromancer is born every couple of centuries, sometimes more, never less. I am the first to crack the code of life and live beyond what a normal Neopet should live. This," he gestured towards the two of them, "is the first time in history that this event has happened. Two necromancers at one time, meeting. Do you realize the importance? This is the first time." Nox reached out and ran a finger against Rosemary's jaw, making her cringe. He only smiled. "My dear," he whispered.

      "I'm not y-your 'dear'!" It might have sounded better if she hadn't started stuttering. Why was she stuttering?

      "Aren't you?" Nox raised a questioning eyebrow. "You are something of my other half, in some ways.

      "You've only been alive for, what, a decade? Sixteen, aren't you? I've been around for much, much longer." He put his fist under her chin and forced it upward. "Centuries, Rose, so many years. You will learn, with time, the curse of the necromancer. No one has a power like you, they're all dead." He smiled. "All except for me.

      "Won't you join me, Rose?" His expression was sympathetic and longing, almost like puppy-dog eyes. His voice had gone husky. "We're a pair. There's no one else in the world who will understand you; I know. Since the day my powers developed, perhaps even before that, no one could understand me and what I was capable of. I had to find it all out myself.

      "Do you know anything about me? Where I come from? My place of birth? My hometown was much like yours; they didn't like that I could control the dead. No one does. The dead should stay dead - or so they say. Even Magax can never understand this connection with the deceased. All necromancers are destined to lead a lonely path." Nox put his hands on her shoulders. "But we don't have to." His hands traveled from her shoulders to her face and he leaned his close to hers. Rosemary grimaced but she couldn't move. "Come with me, Rose. There is so much I can teach you, so much for you to learn, so much that we can discover together." He stroked her cheek with his thumb. "Just you and I."

      "No. I will never join you, Hubrid Nox. I won't hurt this world just because of my power," she snarled, sounding intimidating, even to herself.

      Nox's soft expression hardened into disappointment. With an exaggerated sigh, he took a step back. "I guess Magax got to you too soon. A pity; if I had come sooner, you might be saying something similar to Magax, instead. But alas, if that is your choice." Nox snapped his fingers and the invisible bonds on Rosemary tightened. "I would say that you two might make good cell mates but I wouldn't be so stupid as to put the two of you in a cell together." The Chia warlock turned and walked away, toward the mansion, and Rosemary floated after him. After the battle with Magax and currently holding the binding spell on the Wocky, he was still capable of levitating her like this?

      No, wait a second. If Rosemary looked at Magax carefully, she could see the glow seemed a bit strained. Just a bit, but that meant that if they both fought their bonds at the same time... or better yet, if she could make Nox focus all his attention on her, then maybe Magax could break free. If they could just cooperate, then just maybe they could pull it off. Rosemary looked over to her friend and managed to catch his eye. She gave him a determined look and a nod, mouthing, "get ready." She didn't know how much Magax understood, but he nodded in what seemed to be understanding. Nothing left for her but to trust him.

      She had to catch Nox's attention, make him panic and focus solely on her. The best way to do that would be to break out of the binding spell he had on her... easier said than done, but this was Hubrid Nox we're talking about. What else would it be but difficult? And so, there was nothing for the young necromancer to do but close her eyes and focus her awareness to the magic within and without. She could make out the magic flowing through her body and at first that was all she could see. But she persevered and followed the path of the magic, feeling it push and pull, flowing, ever flowing, and, slowly, she began to see other things around her. The spell Nox cast began to make itself known to her, wrapping around her body and preventing the movement of her limbs as well as pull her off the ground. Carefully, Rosemary tested her magic against Nox's.

      She didn't know what she was trying to do or how to do it. If Nox were to realize she was tampering with his binding spell he would put an end to that quickly but she had to start somewhere. She started with trying to regain movement back into her limbs. She imagined that she was sliding her fingers under Nox's hand and prying it off, finger by finger. Technically, that probably wasn't what happened, but Rosemary didn't know much about magic science to be able to describe it any other way and picturing it in her head helped to actually follow through with it. Rosemary didn't get it off entirely but she did manage to weaken it. She flexed her fingers and found she could do it, if with some difficulty. The time for subtlety was over; now she had to be flashy.

      With everything she had, the Eyrie grabbed at Nox's levitation spell and fought it. This seemed to grab the Chia's attention, as he paused in his tracks, but Rosemary didn't pay him any heed and went on fighting. She twisted and turned and fought. In the end, she paused, took a breath, and tried a different trick. She picked at the spell, bit by bit, reaching out from where the spell hit her, along to the source. Some instinct told her what to do, so she did it; she pushed at the source.

      The spell snapped, like a rope, and the Eyrie fell to the ground with a cry, physically breaking the binding spell on the way down. She fell on her back and stayed there for a moment, looking up to see where Nox was. Without getting up, she quickly put up a barrier around her. It was a pathetic excuse of defensive magic but it might gave the warlock an extra step to think about. Nox broke it down as expected - in no more than ten seconds - Rosemary got to her feet and threw a spell at Nox. With a look of ultimate contempt, the Chia knocked it aside and countered with a spell of his own. Rosemary, instead of dodging like she knew Magax would have wanted her to, instead stood her ground and, reaching out and tried to break the spell the same way she broke the binding one, but it was too fast and it hit her, knocking her backwards. Nox, meanwhile, was looking at her oddly, like he was trying to figure something out. Then the warlock's face went dark, almost cautious, and Rosemary knew her time was up.

      She got to her feet and tried to run. Red bolts of light rained down on the hapless Eyrie. She managed to dispel one, but one in a hundred? The blasts stung like nothing she had ever experienced before. She cried out and dove for cover but was severely wounded. On the ground, she realized that even then that wasn't the extent of the spell: her energy was halved and she felt like she was going to pass out. Rosemary took deep breaths and looked around for Magax. Where was he? Had she done enough to distract Nox enough that Magax could now...?

      There was the sound of a crash and Rosemary's spirit lifted. She looked up to find that three of Magax's guards were downed and only one was fighting valiantly. Quickly, the young Eyrie made it to the salient guard and stabbed it. It went down with its brethren and Magax was free. Rosemary took to the air and threw consecutive spells at the advancing, angry Chia, though it hardly made any difference. Magax, floating in the air, his cuffs glowed with green light until they snapped off, both the ones on his wrists and his ankles. The chains fell to the ground with many a rattle and clank. There was movement beside Rosemary and she turned to find the Wocky warrior floating beside, looking a bit disheveled but none the worse for wear. He caught her eye and gave a curt nod. Rosemary wasn't sure if it was meant to be a thank you for saving him or telling her to get ready to fight the big boss but both implications seemed good. Her heart soared at the idea and she turned to their adversary, heart light and confidence blooming with his presence.

      The fight was over quickly, with the outcome obvious. Everyone present knew it - except perhaps Rosemary, who could never be sure with these two monsters. After a quick barrage, a speech (which Rosemary was too tired to make out), and a smirk, Nox was gone, effectively cutting his losses and losing any chance he had at recapture. For the moment at least.

      There was the pause that comes when you're still waiting an enemy but none were forthcoming. The two traded glances and Magax seemed on the brink of a smirk or something of the kind, when he staggered. With a cry, the younger necromancer caught him and helped him up, worried. How much damage had Nox done to him? It hadn't been that long but did the spell have some kind of side effect?

      There wasn't much time to consider that, so without a second thought, Rosemary made for their HQ, Magax limping the entire way.

To be continued...

 
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» Deals with Magax: Part One
» Deals with Magax



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