The night was quiet, with only the soft rustle of leaves and distant chirps of cricket as Melly followed Kade through the thick woods that lay just beyond the old training hall. They had snuck away while the others were asleep, cautiously making their way to a secluded spot Kade insisted was safe. Melly mostly trusted him, but she kept her senses sharp; trust alone wouldn't keep them safe out here.
"You're sure no one will find us out here?" she asked, her voice low but on a skeptical edge.
Kade didn't respond immediately. Instead, he observed their surroundings inquisitively. His eyes landed on nearby tree, and he moved closer, resting his hand against the rough bark. His fingers slowly slid over its surface, as though he were searching for something hidden. Melly watched, confused, but she didn't interrupt. Content, he knelt down, resting only his left knee touching the ground, his right palm pressed firmly against the earth, fingers splayed wide. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The air around them began to shimmer softly. A gentle ripple, similar to the distortion of heat waves radiated outward from his hand. The ripple expanded, rising and curling upward, engulfing them in a translucent dome.
Melly instinctively stepped back, her eyes widening as the barrier settled around them. The outside world became a blur, the trees and undergrowth distorted like a painting smeared by careless strokes. It wasn't completely opaque; she could still see the outlines of the forest, but everything appeared warped and far away.
"What… what is this?" she asked, cautiously reaching out her hand toward the edge. As her fingers made contact with the barrier, she flinched a little. It felt cool and smooth, almost like the surface of water, but it resisted her touch with a subtle push.
Kade stood, wiping dirt from his palm. "It's called Escape Shade." His tone was calm, almost dismissive, as if he didn't think it was much of a deal. "It bends space around us, blending our presence into the surroundings. No sound, no magic signature, no detection. To anyone outside, we don't exist." There was more to it but he wouldn't say.
Melly frowned, her hand still resting against the barrier. The faint ripple beneath her touch was mesmerizing, a steady, almost rhythmic pulse. "It's… strange," she murmured. "It feels like… liquid, but it doesn't move like it. "But... why here?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. "You've got such a strong ability. We could've gone anywhere, why here of all places?"
Kade's expression remained calm, looking up as he observed the top of the barrier. "This space is isolated enough," he replied, his tone deliberate. "If we were to use it in a more open area, we'd pull too much mana from the environment. It might go unnoticed if we're careful, but if we're not, someone will definitely feel it."
"So, what you're saying is, it could attract attention?" Melly asked, her tone skeptical as she looked at Kade.
Kade nodded, keeping his eyes on the shimmering barrier. "Exactly. The barrier absorbs mana from the surroundings to keep itself going. If there's a mana flow nearby, or it gets hit by magic, it'll pull that in, too. If I can't sustain it myself, it'll pull in energy from the environment to stabilize."
Melly crossed her arm, tilting her head. "And that's bad because…?"
"Because the surge of mana it absorbs wouldn't go unnoticed," he explained. "Especially by someone skilled in tracking magical activity. Right now, it's stable, relying on my mana. But if it starts drawing too much from outside…" He let the thought hang in the air.
As she took in his words, Melly's curiosity deepened. [There's more to Kade than I thought], she mused. Even with the practicality of his skills, his evident caution revealed a lot about what he had been through. She couldn't help but wonder just how far his skills extended.
Her focus returned to the shimmering dome, curiosity in her eyes. "What about the view? It's blurry. Can you even see outside properly?"
"Clear as day. You probably can't," Kade replied with a faint smirk. "The barrier refracts light differently depending on how much mana you're tuned into it. Since I'm the one maintaining it, I see the surroundings almost clearly. You, on the other hand..." He gestured vaguely. "You're just a guest."
Melly squinted, stepping closer to the edge of the dome. "So you're saying it's like... mana privilege?"
Kade chuckled softly. "Think of it more like a connection. The barrier's tied to me, so my perspective is sharper. Anyone outside me would see things they way you do."
"I can't believe you're walking around with a power like this. Guess there's more to you than just your bad jokes," she said, her tone playful but with a hint of genuine surprise.
"There's always more to a guy than he shows," Kade replied, his voice filled with proud confidence.
"More to a man?" Melly laughed, raising an eyebrow at him. "Are you trying to be mysterious, or are you just full of yourself?"
Kade smirked, dismissing her comment. "Let's just get on with it."
With a sigh, Melly settled into a seated position, her legs crossed. The faint aura of warped space didn't disrupt her magic, but the challenge ahead was still daunting.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Threads of mana, invisible to the naked eye, radiated from her like a spider's web, searching and weaving through the facility in search of the underground prison Haze was in. The effort was exhausting, her connection to the threads fragile, yet she pressed on.
"There," she whispered, her voice strained. "I think I know where it is."
"It is or he is? What exactly are you searching for?" Kade asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"The underground prison they were taken to," she clarified, her voice tense. "It's messy—so many overlapping wards." She inhaled sharply, focusing harder.
Kade stayed silent, his eyes fixed on her. A tense moment passed before her expression shifted.
"There he is," she said suddenly, her voice soft but certain.
"Good," Kade replied, crouching beside her. He leaned in, his voice steady and urgent. "Haze. Can you hear me?"