Magium: The Chronicles of Varathia

Chapter 4: The Trio Reunites

"Pardon me for interrupting, but would you by any chance be Daren, the legendary saviour of the Eastern Continent?"

I instantly turn to look at her, knowing what was coming. I take a look at Daren, who as expected, is eyeing me nervously.

"Barry," whispers Daren. "I know the reason you were afraid just now. But I know white magic, I can purify her."

Afraid? When was I - oh, does he mean when I was panicked? So that is how it appeared to Daren?

This little misunderstanding is perfect for me. I can just go along with it and pretend that I had managed to sense her and got scared.

I just nod without giving it much thought.

I suddenly remember that since the first day, Daren was fixated with the idea that Kate was a banshee even after we had fought alongside each other for a while, and he didn't seem to want to believe in the truth even after an actual sage confirmed it. His reaction is no surprise. Then the next thing he should be doing is...

Shit.

If he ends up using his purification magic, that would be no short of a death sentence for her!

"No wait, LISTEN TO-"

Before I can finish however, Daren has already drawn his enchanted sword, ready to close in on her to cast the purification spell used to kill banshees. I look ahead at that very moment and see an array of icicles head right in our direction. I manage to duck and pull down Daren alongside me right in time.

"That woman isn't a banshee!" I blurt out loud. Loud enough for Kate to hear and realise the position we were in.

"She tried to kill us, Barry! And you sensed her too!"

"I understand, but-"

"Women can't be mages, Barry. Every single time a woman's developed magical powers, it's because she was a banshee. Every single ti-"

"Have you seen a banshee before, Daren?!" I say, almost losing my temper. "Because I have! And that woman is not a banshee!"

I pull him back up once he has calmed down, trying to reassure him.

"I know she's different... somehow. If you try to purify her like other banshees, you'll end up killing her."

"I might have tried to purify her -" he says, readjusting his armour after getting up from the fall. "- that is, if she was still here in the first place."

I quickly turn around to look, only to find her gone. I try to trace her steps into the forest trail, hoping desperately that she is still around. But to my dismay, I have no clue where she went.

She must have left while I was busy convincing Daren, thinking it'd probably be risky to ally with us anymore. As I think back to all the events that had just happened, I realise just what went differently this time.

I did not react to Daren's words instantaneously as I did before, because of which I couldn't stop him in time. Kate fired an icicle at us in retaliation, and used that moment to escape.

I turn to look at the stump one of the icicles had managed to hit. Just as I thought, the thing was nowhere near sharp enough to kill, only to knock one of us out.

"We've spent enough time dilly-dallying around here, Barry. We ought to go look for a safe place to rest for the night, right now."

"No, I'll follow her." I say with a serious look on my face. "You can go ahead and look for a safe spot, I will come find you."

"Are you out of your mind?! You saw how she tried to kill us, not to speak of the dangers that lurk out there in the woods!"

"And that's exactly why we need to follow her. Those icicles were way too blunt to kill anybody. Probably just a knee jerk response from you trying to attack her. For all we know, we could have sent an innocent woman who came to seek safety straight to her death."