A cold wind flows over the felid’s prone body, her hair swaying gently in accordance. Slowly coming to her senses, she raises herself to observe her surroundings. No trace of soft sands nor the comfort of the coastal beach. She saw trees and shrubs indicative of a more temperate environment than the typical flora she anticipated. Rhea knew what an oak tree looked like but hadn't seen one in person until now. Where was she? Was this some delusional vision as she lay dying in Lambert’s vault? Was it even real?
As her head turned further leftward, she saw him—Yousseff. The wizened wizard sat on a rotting log, staring at the cat as he presumably waited for her to wake.
“Mage… Where am I? What happened?”
“Alteia, the Kinland region, to be more precise.” He states matter-of-factly, “We were outnumbered by Lambert and his men at the heart of his palace. Therefore, I saw fit to conjure a means of escape. You're fortunate to be alive, not to mention that you're mostly free of injury as well.”
Her mind turns to her fallen friends, Imran and Fateena, and the group's unexpected treachery at the hands of Osman. He had served Zahra loyally for many years but had, in reality, been in the pocket of Krypta Srebrna. Zahra…
She scrambles to her feet, going over to the resting wizard. “We're on the other continent!? We have to go back! Bibi… My grandmother is in danger! They're going to kill her. They're going to kill everyone!” The thought that Osman intended to off Zahra was enough to make her voice crack, tears coming to her eyes. It wasn't enough that she'd already lost two members of their association. Those bastards had to go after Bibi as well.
Yousseff seemed unmoved by her emotional appeal, barely stirring as she yelled at him. “No.”
“NO!? What do you mean, no??” Rhea was furious, grasping at the collar of the man's robes as she shook him. “Are you mad? He said they're going to kill her!”
The serpentine sage’s form dissipates into clear smoke, reappearing ten feet behind the crying tabby. “No, we shall not be returning to Kijani or Khasmia. You are correct. Lambert and Osman seem intent on culling the rest of your little group, which is why you're safer here. I intentionally took us as far away as I could.”
“You coward.” She said feebly, falling to her knees. Was there really nothing that could be done? Osman freely announced his betrayal, and he'd get away with it? “What if it was your own family at stake? I understand that you don't care, but I do! I want to help her!”
“You will both be dead, then. I know of Krypta Srebrna. In fact, I wish I had known that Raza Lambert was in league with them beforehand. It would've changed my approach entirely.” The serpent reveals the magical flask he sought after, the reason he had agreed to assist them at all. “Thankfully, I was able to retrieve this artifact in the confusion. The mission wasn't a total loss.”
More anger swelled within her as he showed her the bauble, reminding her he didn't care for her current trouble. But he was correct. If she were to try and save Zahra, she would be hopelessly outmatched. Osman and Lambert have far more men and resources; it'll be a slaughter.
“Bibi…”
The mage starts to depart but turns back before disappearing into the forest. “I feel that I must warn you again, girl. We've just made a powerful enemy, so do nothing foolish. Stay away from Lambert and your home. Far away.”
The feline thief rests near that same log, covering her face with her hands as she wept freely. She was alive but lost in some foreign land with the knowledge that she could never return home–the knowledge that Bibi and the rest of her friends were likely to face the same fate as Imran and Fateena. She didn't know when or how, but simply that it had to be done… Osman must die.