As Alea's consciousness slowly returned, she quickly took a look around.
She found herself bound to a chair in the back of a truck, surrounded by a group of intimidating-looking men. At the back were two of those fancy guards she'd seen before.
Her heart raced as she took in her surroundings, panic bubbling up within her chest like a rising tide.
The air was heavy with tension, thick with the palpable sense of danger that hung in the cramped space.
Among the men, a figure stepped forward, his features etched with a steely determination that sent a chill down Alea's spine.
It was Harlan, his presence commanding attention as he loomed over her with an intensity that made her squirm uncomfortably in her restraints.
"Where is it?" Harlan's voice cut through the silence like a razor, his gaze boring into Alea with a fierce intensity that left no room for evasion.
"What?"
"The book," he clarified with a sigh. "Where is it?"
Alea's heart was pounding in her chest.
"I-I-I don't know what you're talking about," she stammered, her voice trembling with fear and uncertainty. "I don't have any book."
But Harlan's expression remained unyielding, his eyes narrowing with suspicion as he took a step closer, looming over her.
"Don't play dumb with me," he growled, his voice dripping with menace. "My mages can sense the change within your Essence. Where. Is. It?"
As the pressure mounted and Harlan's menacing presence bore down on her, Alea's mind raced frantically, searching for any possible escape from the dire situation she found herself in.
[Come on. Think, think, think!]
Before she could formulate a coherent response, however, a sudden interruption broke the tension, drawing Harlan's attention away from her momentarily.
"Uh, Mister Harlan?" The man asked with a bored tone.
"Yes?" Harlan turned around. His goons moved to block Alea from the worker's sight. "What seems to be the problem?"
"Uh, we were just wondering..."
Before Alea could hear the rest of that, the doors at the back of the truck closed.
Isolated, with only Harlan's goons in the truck with her, Alea calmed down.
This was good, actually, as it provided Alea with a brief respite from the intense scrutiny of the menacing figure before her.
Seizing the fleeting moment of distraction, Alea's mind raced.
[Okay, what do I do...?]
Then, like a bolt of lightning, a memory flashed through her mind.
[That spell!] She recalled the time she'd spent last night, reading the book before she went to bed. [Something about "spiritual movement". I don't know what that means, but, maybe it can help!]
With a racing heart, Alea summoned the words of the incantation, her voice barely above a whisper as she spoke the ancient words.
"El ysmar grovan!"
"H-Hey!" One of the goons yelled but it was too late.
As the spell took hold, she felt a strange sensation wash over her, as if her very essence was being pulled into another plane of existence.
In an instant, the restraints that had bound her fell away like shadows.
Alea's body was bathed in the ethereal glow of Essence.
She looked down at herself. She was transparent. The guards around her were now glowing brightly, in various different colors.
[Am I invisible? Wait, no,] she corrected herself, [my restraints fell through me... This isn't mere invisibility. This is something else.]
But, with a sense of newfound freedom coursing through her veins, she wasted no time in making her escape.
Moving swiftly and silently, Alea ran out of the truck, phasing straight through its walls.
She darted through the woods, her form unseen by the eyes of those around her.
Alea felt a surge of adrenaline fueling her every step as she raced toward the safety of the camp, her heart pounding in her chest with the exhilaration of her daring escape.
But as she fled into the cover of the forest, a nagging sense of unease tugged at her thoughts, drawing her gaze backward.
She noticed the luxury vehicle from before.
Through the shifting mists of the spiritual realm, she caught a glimpse of the woman within, her essence dark and foreboding, a stark contrast to the shimmering light that surrounded her.
With a shiver running down her spine, Alea tore her gaze away from the ominous sight and focused on the task at hand.
[Whatever. That's not important right now. I just need to get out of here.]
She had to reach the safety of the camp before this ability ran out.
Breathless and with adrenaline still coursing through her veins, Alea sprinted all the way back to the ruins.
As the effects of the spell began to wane, she slowed to a brisk walk, her heart still pounding in her chest as she searched for Maria.
Finally, she spotted her friend amidst the bustling activity of the camp, and without hesitation, she rushed over to her side.
Gasping for breath, Alea said:
"Maria! I need to tell you something."
A few people turned to look at her.
Those people blushed.
[Huh?]
"I-"
Before she could finish, Maria interrupted her.
"Alea," she said, her tone soft yet firm, "perhaps you should get dressed first."
[What?]
Alea looked down at herself.
Her restraints hadn't been the only thing that had fallen off.
[...]
"Alright, I'll be back, but this is important!"
Flushing with embarrassment, with a sheepish nod, Alea turned away to find something to cover herself.
Once she was done, she came back.
And, unfortunately, in that same amount of time, Harlan had come back as well.
[Curses.]