Theseus spilled everything that had happened to Amy who sat there attentively and thoughtfully.
Sabina had disguised herself as Leon and he disguised himself as Nathaniel. That is quite the move.
"What is that spell that they used anyway? If it was able to fool everyone, it had to be advanced."
"It is," Theseus admits, "It took a lot of power to fuel it. It would've been easier if Leon or Nathaniel use it but theirs is too volatile." then he had a worried look, "Sabina took that arrow straight to the neck but she caught it. Her reflexes are fast."
"Not fast enough." Amy commented, confusing Theseus. "That wound will not be able to heal for some time. The arrow's property is to delay healing even magical healing. Only the natural healing ability would work. The other option is for someone purify the arrow's effects."
"So, we need Melissa then. Dammit, Melissa is still in Orlando. Violet is also stuck at home."
"Don't worry about it," she said bluntly but asks curiously, "Come to think of it, you said you were captured during the semifinals, correct? How long do you feel like you've been stuck in that space for?" She asked.
Confused, he answered, "About an hour, why?"
Amy sighed. "The last time we both talked was over a week ago."
"A WEEK?!" he shouted with his hands on his head.
"You are in someone's domain. It's an ability called "Empty Space. It's an ability so rare that it rarely appears in our histories. The concept of time doesn't apply there. Your powers typically also shouldn't work there either, so you are in quite the disadvantage. On the other hand, you don't have to worry about aging or getting hungry. Time stops everything." she says calmly.
"I can use mine just fine and so does Rufus, but Nathaniel and Leon aren't able to."
Amy remained composed. She had always wondered what could pose an actual challenge to Leon, so the Empty Space is the answer. She only knew about the Empty Space through Alabaster but that is a topic that even he rarely knows, so it is still something she is still processing internally.
"Anyway, you have to be careful. The real target is Leon but that doesn't mean that you won't be targeted."
"Do you have any ideas on how to get out of here?" he asked.
"It's impossible to leave from the inside unless the person who brought you there brings you back. Someone has to get you out from the outside. It is quite strange that there is a signal though. This shouldn't even be possible."
"Do you know how?"
Amy looked up at the sky. The Eclipse hasn't even started yet, but it is already starting to drop enormous magical pressure.
"I think so." she answered smoothly then turn to the ball, "There is going to be a solar eclipse soon. The sun and moon together produce enough magic to trigger the ball's signal even when you're in the Empty Space."
"There's an eclipse there? But there's none of that here!" Theseus cries out.
"I'm on the other side of the world. It's not gonna appear in Solin." she said. Then Amy remained silent like she is contemplating something. "There isn't much I could do. Hopefully someone in Solin could help you."
"Selim got us here. Was he always this strong?"
"Selim is a good fighter but he's not the type to use underhanded methods."
"By the way, you said that your friend Selim is not the assassin, but our conversation was cut short around the time you're about to tell me. Who is it?"
"I have to be honest; I don't know exactly who is behind this." she says truthfully, "But we all know that it is a group effort. Rufus killed the first assassin in our first year and we kept it a secret. But I had long suspected someone in the palace to be involved in this."
"The Palace?"
"Yes, but most likely, Her Majesty knows too. Even though she isn't there, she knows more than what she lets on and plans ahead. But that's not important. I said that Selim isn't the assassin, but you can't let your guard down. He's like a sleeping tiger. Provoke him and you get the fangs." She then furrowed her brow as she looks back on Rufus's actions, "Rufus did a terrible thing. I was absolutely sure that Selim isn't the assassin, but he might take action now because he forced his hand."
He was taken aback by her warning.
Amy could understand Theseus's reaction. He is simpleminded but he's not stupid to not understand the meaning.
Amy is confident that Selim isn't trying to kill anyone hence why she kept saying that he isn't the assassin until recently. Rufus is intelligent but he has issues with thinking of the consequences, a flaw in his character. When he killed those people, it may have removed the majority but there is still an underlying threat of revenge or desperation. The downside to his action is that it scattered everyone else who isn't captured and they probably got nothing to lose at this point. This is the reason for his downfall in the original story. It was his arrogance. Selim is pacifistic when he can be but when cornered, he could be as dangerous as Rufus.
"So, who is the person you are so wary about before?"
"Well, you don't know who she is. Her name is..."
*
Sabina couldn't shed off the disguise nor is she in a condition to rush back to the palace. There was clamoring and yelling from all corners, and she felt tired from all the medicine she took and the blood she lost.
If she reveals herself now, then it would not benefit anyone and in fact get her in trouble.
With a groan, she slumped on the bed. The wound is not healing but the bleeding finally stopped.
The door opened, shocking her until she saw who walked in.
*
Rufus wanders around while looking for a way out. Before they got sucked, he managed to push Leon out of the way. Rufus deduced that the person responsible for this must not be a fighter or at the very least, not good in close combat.