Previously on Arcane Adventures:
Warden, upon witnessing the king's gruesome demise, chased the attacker out into an alleyway. He defeated one of the thugs, but another one attacked him with a crude blast of magic. Goro came to the rescue and stopped the thug with a javelin throw. Together, Warden and Goro resumed their chase, trailing behind Catarina, who'd drawn a bead on the elusive assassin.
Meanwhile, Nkosi developed an Earth Wall spell when he made to stop a fireball from hurting Winter Valentine. With wild riots outside and casters around every corner, he surmised that the city was not safe, and urged Winter to escape with him.
The Immortal now had a choice to make. With the king dead and riots in the city, should she...
* ...help quell the riots?
* ...crown a new king and make him quell the riots?
* ...let the problem sort itself out?
There was some merit to option #3. The reason behind the riots was the sudden introduction of new, unknown powers. Once people got used to them, a new order would settle in place. However, she did not want to bank on that order being a beneficial one. Option #1 seemed very doable; the ancient weapons systems she wore could probably protect her from most offensive magic and break through most defensive magic. Counting on that, however, was incredibly risky. Option #2 was only available if there was any authority that people recogized, but that required navigating the complex web of politics, and she didn't have time for that.
There was little choice but to take option #3 and fix the problems later once she'd acquired some magical knowledge.
"Winters!" Nkosi urged. "We need to go. This city isn't safe anymore."
Winter nodded, and wrapped her cloak tighter. "I agree, it's not safe here. Liliana, can you come here for a moment?" She touched the pendant around her neck and drew out a few grains of dust, which she touched to Liliana's forehead. Then with a few movements of her fingers, the insignia of the Immortals drew into the girl's skin. The now-glowing golden embers returned to Winter's pendant.
"Liliana Rosenvelt, I dub you Immortal's Ambassador to this city. With the seal upon your forehead, all shall know you represent me and my interests. If any dares harm you, they shall invite my wrath upon them. Go, live, and watch over Midhaven until I return."
With that, she moved to Nkosi's side. "I shall place my life in your hands. You may lead the way."
_
Warden and Goro lost the assassin in the crowds. All they knew was that he was male, dark, youthful, and long-haired - not nothing, but hardly much to go on. Meanwhile, as people started to get a grip on their new powers, gangs began to form, with the smartest spellcasters as the leaders. Organized battles between gangs erupted in the streets of Midhaven, and less-adept people often got caught in the crossfire.
Yes, it was high-time to leave.
_
Catarina's arrow sang through the air toward the assassin's neck, her aim straight and true. What stopped it was the most curious thing she'd ever seen in her life. A faint aura of silent lightning appeared just over the assassin's body, and the arrow shattered against it as if it were a brick wall. Then, his form began to turn translucent, shimmered the light like a flowing river, and vanished into thin air.
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