A lot, and maybe?

“Brenda! I need you to help me right now,” I shouted.

“What?” she asked as she struggled to move.

“Right here,” I said feeling where my head wound was when I arrived here. “I need you to punch me right here, really hard.”

“What? That is a bad spot to punch someone, especially a wiza-”

“I’ll be fine, Master is in trouble,” I said.

My memories of Hannah had been sealed, but more than that linked. That was a powerful magical item, one that needed constant contact. So I must have placed it under my skin. That was how I predicted it would be unnoticed here. Brenda leaned up and gave me a solid crack on the temple.

I stumbled back, the pain was intense, but the memories unlocking were equally disorrienting. I remember everything. Iris’ brother asking me to help. Gathering the materials for the magic item. Hannah was helping me with everything. She was watching everything that happened since I arrived.

Oh god! She had information on the entire compound! She even knew where the idol was being hidden! That was how she was predicting me too! She could hear my thoughts! Damn it. I staggered to my feet.

“Drascilla, I need time magic. I need to fast forward time by a bit,” I said. I really needed this. If I could increase the flow of time, I could run out the clock on the immunity potion I made.

A bright light which hurt more than usual given my headache. There she was. “You know time I more the three sisters thing.”

“Yeah, but they want this to be between Master and Hannah. If he loses…” I paused with tears welling up in my eyes. “If he loses you can’t manipulate him into forcing me to serve you!”

She sighed. “I know, but this is more than I can do. I will do this though,” she snapped her fingers.

My wound healed and my stamina restored. “But I only have two fire lances left. I… I mean… Can you heal Brenda too? Maybe then-”

The light vanished. Fuck! Two fire lances. Even if I got direct hits I doubt that would be enough for Hannah. My workshop! We made some good brews. Even the one I needed to protect the idol! I had to hurry. I took off running.

On the way by, I ran into the non-fighter girls. “Elise, need you now.”

She ran after me. “What’s the plan?”

“Run ahead to my workshop, get all the potions you can carry and meet me by the Master’s stairwell.”

We split up, I made my way to the stairwell directly. Elise was way faster than me. So I could leave that to her. Even with full stamina half way back up the stairs and I was struggling to keep my breath. That was when Elise reached me.

Yes! She grabbed the protection potion. We had a chance!

The Master’s door was kicked in but I didn’t see him or Hannah. The fight must have moved to somewhere else. Come on Master! It must have been over thirty minutes by now. Just half way there.

I ran over to the secret compartment where the idol was. I needed to make a mark around it with the fluid I had brewed. It would prevent anyone but me and its owner from touching it. With this she couldn’t steal it. With the magic item broken, she had no way of knowing what I was up to.

“Rosemary! No, stop!” Hannah shouted.

“Too late, you lose,” I said. The barrier rose and I was already on the inside of it.

Hannah now in the room with us clicked her tongue. “I am here to save you! You broke the item so you know that! I thought breaking the item would make you a bit hiestant.”

“Absurd. My life is my Master’s. The choice was clear.”

“Mine too,” she said as she turned and began ranning.

Wait. No! I began chasing after her.