Hated by her lineage, Iliya Dalaminai dwells in self isolation, awaiting the day her cousin marries so she might escape the Throne.
Feared by the Gods, Sorein Chakrine's crown is mainly a relic put on display at royal ceremonies to ward off evil.
Wh...
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Her eyes betrayed her.
Though she willed them to open with every ounce of her being, they would not. Iliya was lost in a sea of peaceful warmth. The sensation reminded her of her first visit to a hot spring, both gentle and pulsing with energy.
Despite her temporary blindness, she knew she was awake.
The spell Qudja cast upon her was weaving through her body like steel cordage, ensnaring her body into this dreamstate.
So Iliya did the only thing she could think of.
Sliding down the wall, she grasped at the floor and felt around for the seams. There was an elaborate network of seams engraved into the marble, creating pathways for her fingers to follow.
Her body seized, fighting against the movements as she fought the repercussions of the spell.
She could hear Qudja's panting, the stress of warding off all those creatures by herself finally taking a toll on her body. Iliya knew for a fact her mana was running low, she would collapse at this rate, with no help.
It left her wondering why Qudja thought it was safer if she were unconscious.
She couldn't consider that now though.
Iliya crawled toward the familiar sensation of Qudja's magic and prayed she was dragging herself in the right direction. She couldn't let her friend die protecting her, not when Iliya could barely recognize the danger.
Checking inside herself, Iliya felt for her access to mana, hoping she would have access long enough to do what she needed to.
Her plan would work if she could find the barrier.
With one deep breath, then another, Iliya inched herself forward. She knew she didn't have long before Qudja realized what was happening and attempted to incapacitate her again.
She'd worry about the consequences later.
Iliya's fingers brushed against the wall of liquid, tingling like starfire against Qudja's impenetrable mana. Concentrating, she willed her mana to merge with her friend's. Despite her uncertainty, Iliya continued breathing as deeply as possible, pouring her reserves into the barrier. With each moment, her body twitched and seized, but she fought.
The sound of hissing filled the air, slowly morphing into a soft sizzle as the smell of sulfur began to fade from their surroundings.
"Iliya..." she heard Qudja say through the uproar. "What have you done?"
Saved your life, she smiled.
The quip never escaped her lips as exhaustion kicked in and swept her away from the wall. Her arms buckled beneath her and Iliya collapsed again.
Shrinking away, she felt the spell take hold of her and this time she did not fight.
