[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/BKV06Ya.png[/img][/center]

Steph was utterly stunned as Tornel locked them inside the chamber and made his accusations.

[color=DeepSkyBlue][i]Servants of Draygon?! What the hell?! I thought this guy was supposed to help us, not imprison us![/i] [/color]

[color=DarkGray]“W-Wait!”[/color] Peter cried franticly. [color=DarkGray]“We don’t serve Draygon! There’s been a terrible mistake!”[/color]

[color=DeepSkyBlue]“Don’t waste your breath, Peter,”[/color] Steph advised. [color=DeepSkyBlue]“I doubt he can hear you.”[/color]

[color=DarkGray]“B-But he has to let us out!”[/color] the apprentice protested. [color=DarkGray]“With the castle under attack, he needs our help! Well, [i]your[/i] help,”[/color] he added after a moment. [color=DarkGray]“A-And why does he think we work for Draygon, anyway?! Master Minoc always talked of how wise and powerful Master Tornel was. How could he not know who we really are?!”[/color]

[color=DeepSkyBlue]“You know how I said I wasn’t anything supernatural, just a normal person? Well, I kinda think that applies [i]double[/i] to him.”[/color]

[color=DarkGray]“S-So, what are we going to do?”[/color] Peter asked.

[color=DeepSkyBlue]“Escape, obviously,”[/color] Steph replied.

[color=DarkGray]“B-But the door is booby trapped!”[/color]

[color=DeepSkyBlue]“Somehow, I doubt that will be much of a problem for my nanites,”[/color] Steph noted with a small grin, before focusing her attention on the package Tornel had so carelessly dismissed. [color=DeepSkyBlue]“But first, I’d like to see if my suspicions are right about this thing.”[/color]

Picking it up from where Peter had dropped it on the floor, Steph held it in her hands for a moment, feeling its weight.

[color=DeepSkyBlue]“Huh. I don’t see what Tornel was complaining about. I mean, it doesn’t feel all [i]that[/i] heavy…”[/color] she observed, before smiling and shaking her head. [color=DeepSkyBlue]“That’s right… I keep forgetting that I’m a [i]lot[/i] stronger than I used to be…”[/color]

Carefully unfastening the wrapping, she allowed it to fall to the ground, revealing what Minoc had tasked her with delivering…