Jace woke up just as night fell and began to speak without standing up.
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Jace: "Twi, did you do as I asked?"
Twilight: "You were right; they come from the coast."
"Were any of them exhausted?"
"Just Ms. Lyft, exactly as you predicted.”
”Catching me off guard was the last option they had, so it is obvious that they would have to focus on speed over stamina.”
”Maybe they’re predictable in your eyes, but no ordinary group would be able to travel from Yore to the mainland by air—far fewer groups would consider doing so.”
“Well, anyways, I still need to prepare to leave this place. Since Dr. Collagen is dead, I need to get as far away from the other Wanderers as I can. Actually, I shouldn’t focus purely on distance. I need to get to the safest far place I can think of.”
”Wherever you decide to head off to better not be somewhere boring.”
”Could you please be even a little less burdensome?”
”I prefer mischievous.”
“Awww, that’s great for you! Personally, I couldn’t care less about what description you would prefer because in my eyes you’re hardly anything more than tiresome and troublesome and burdensome and bothersome and generally loathsome. I don’t even enjoy working with you, but I must begrudgingly admit that you are a powerful entity and a useful ally.”
"Thank you for the high praise!"
"I absolutely detest you."
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Jace
Midday is when I believe they'll come. The Wanderers would never try to attack me at night—if they did, they would have no chance of victory and they know it. The only things I have left to do are hiding Quartz and packing her tent. Where should I head after fighting the Wanderers? Oh, I know! How about one of those keeps James mentioned in his journal? Hmm, I'll have to think it over while I deal with the issue at hand.
I can hear light footsteps rushing towards my camp site from the direction Twi confirmed they would come from. Knowing of their approach, I blend into the shadows cast throughout the forest. I don't want to write about fighting my friends, so I will begin writing again once I've made it to safety.
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Alex
At the time, although we completely understood what we were doing and consciously decided to fight Jace, our minds were muddled in such a way that we were unable to identify Jace as anything but a foe who existed for no other reason than to prevent us from acquiring James's journal. On top of that mental manipulation, our darkest feelings towards Jace were amplified and any positive impressions we had previously had of Jace were completely negated. I will now provide you with my account of what occured that day—or should I say Jace's night?
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As Hazel, North, and I approached what appeared to be the bonfire of Jace's campsite, we all quickly realized that there was a ditch barely visible from the firelight. As that hole was likely where Jace went to sleep, all that we would have to do is lay a trap within the hole before he got back... but where was Quartz? Surely she was the one who sent the signal flare, yet Quartz was nowhere to be found. Had she betrayed us? We did not know at the time whether Quartz could be trusted or not.
Considering that our leader, assassin, and scout Jace and our resident sorceress Quartz were the only decent trackers of the Wanderers after James's untimely demise, we did not have a way to track down Quartz or Jace if they did not show up at the campsite. Although Hazel, North, and I would have been able to corner Jace and or Quartz as both would have been reluctant to kill the three of us—at least, in their right minds, they would have been—it would be quite the time-consuming ordeal to do so. Under that individual's influence... I do not even want to call that... "human"... by name; he disgusts me so... we were led to believe that it was of the utmost importance that the grimoire be retrieved before the end of the year. He must have been terrified at the prospect of dying before achieving omnipotence.
I have begun to ramble, have I not? Allow me to get back on topic.
The three of us prepared an ambush to catch Jace off guard upon his inevitable return. After less than a minute had passes, I realized that we had been fooled. There were four holes where the stakes to a tent used to be. Jace was not prepared when he set out from the port of Yore for the mainland; Quartz was the only one of the two who would have had a tent. Piecing together my observations and previously known objective facts, I realized that Quartz was nowhere to be seen because Jace had hidden her. Quartz must have been taken captive. Jace had already prepared to escape by packing up Quartz's tent and left a conspicuous bonfire to draw our attention intentionally. Jace was one step ahead of me once more; I could never get the better of that unbelievable man.
Alex: "Hey morons, it would appear we have been undeniably duped. Jace took Quartz captive and continues to get farther away from our location every second that goes by. We need to spread out and find any trace of their departure before all possible tracks are washed away by the forces of nature."
North: "Al! Haze! It would seem that the sky is darkenin' despite bein' midday. Any thoughts?"
Hazel: "No... did he? What if Jace managed to grab that magic item from back at the compound? I mean, he did manage to get Silence, so it's possible, right?"
Alex: "If that is truly the case... we would be at an extreme disadvantage."
North: "Don't worry vice, I've got some stuff that might help ya!"
Alex: "Where did you... you know what? Nevermind. I am certain that wherever you obtained such powerful magical tools is of no notable significance, yes?"
North: "Of course, why would where I got such powerful magical devices matter in the slightest? Ahem! It wouldn't mattah in the slightest, Al!"
After North handed each of us some of the magical curios we formed a triangle with each of our backs facing inwards in preparation for Jace's onslaught that we were sure would come.
As the sun became distorted before—at least, according to our eyes—disappearing from the sky and darkness prevailed over all but the bonfire's light, the bonfire went out. He fooled us.