The Queen's Gambit

Interference (Evelyn Willow)

Interference: When a player penetrates and disrupts their opponent's defenses, therefore eliminating some of their advantage. If executed correctly, their preventative methods will stumble, leaving an opening to kill the king.

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"Um, ok.... I've never actually used a Translocater potion, so this should be interesting...." Fay mumbled, staring at a paper in confusion.

"What do you mean, you haven't used a Translocater potion?! You said you knew!" I was absolutely appalled. What if I get killed at her hands? Useless start to a quest, that's for sure.

"Nope, I have to read the instruction manuel." She continued to stare at it with a tilted head, eyebrows scrunched. Fay flipped it over, now looking at the another side. "Ohhhhh, that might help... It was upside down."

I groaned, slumping down on the curb. And I thought we might actually have a chance.

"Ok, so it has a bunch of doses... We should have more than enough. Anyway, what do you know about the Nemean Lion? We should probably, y'know, have an idea on how we're gonna kill it?" Fay hummed absentmindly.

I took my notebook out of my lurid pink backpack. Hecate had given it to me, apparently it was one of Fay's old backpacks. Not that I believed she had any taste, either way. Flipping through the pages, I got to the one where I had scribbled down the info for the Nemean Lion.

Nemean Lion:

Impenetrable hideCan't use weaponsCrushing, suffocating or starving for killing itUse it's claws to remove skin

"Didn't Hercules kill the Nemean Lion by choking it?" Fay said, sitting down on the curb beside me. "'Cause, y'know, I don't really have upper body strength..."

I attempted to bite back a snarky remark, but my efforts were in vain. "Wow, understatement of the century, I had no id-"

"Look, truce? We're never gonna get far in this damned quest if we don't get along, even a bit." Fay interrupted. She removed an elastic from her wrist and started pulling her hair into a ponytail. "We can still hate each other, we'll just not be the reason the other person is dead. Fair?"

I had to admit, it was a plausible reason for getting along. And I kinda didn't want to die, so that part was a plus. And so, I agreed, albeit begrudgingly. "Fine. But you need to make sure you understand the instruction manual."

"I'd die as well if I didn't understand how to use it." Fay gave up on tying her hair up, letting the loose tendrils of pink fall back around her face. "I have enough self-preservation to prevent that."

"I should hope so." I fiddled with an arrow from the coppery quiver, running my finger over the fletching carefully. It was impeccably made. I may not like Hecate that much, but she had good weaponry.

On a differant note, we must have been a sight, sitting in the boiling sun, bags surrounding us. Fay was still examining her guide to using the Translocater potion. Finally, after what seemed like forever, she closed it. "Erm, ok... It looks like you swallow a drop, think really clearly about where you want to go, and hope for the best."

My jaw dropped. "Why did you say 'hope for the best'?"

"It's a potion, it isn't always perfect. "

I raised an eyebrow skeptically. "I'd feel a lot more comfortable if it were. Not really in the mood to die today."

"Potions don't give a single fuck about if you are ready to die. Deal with it." Fay said bluntly.

"Whatever happened to our truce?"