"Do you still wish to persist, beggar?" Velentham stood, fully revealed in his celestial form. His wings bared, his silver eyes glowing, and his long sword at his side. "I gave my word, didn't I?" Thasmudyan said, and he rose, casting a shield about himself.
It was humorous, watching the pitiful man believe himself a worth foe, but it would only take a moment more. From the corner of his eye, Velentham watched Sanria growing more frantic. Only a moment more. "Stop! Thasmudyan, please!!! Velentham, please don't do this... Think of Lyvinnia! Please!!"
"Lyvinnia..." and the beggar turned toward Sanria.
Velentham began to chant the words of the same spell, this time intending fully release the power through the shield and into the very heart of the beggar. "You've got the damned things off now get back here!!!" Sanria screamed. And Velentham let the ball of energy fly.
The next sequence unfolded better than Velentham could have anticipated. The beggar's shield was barely enough to keep him from obliteration, but enough to get the man to charge. And when the beggar charged, Sanria fled the ward to stop him. Velentham vaulted himself into the air, gliding with ease over Thasmudyan's charge, and scooped Sanria into his arms.
Unadulterated and unbridled joy swept over Velentham's mind as he squeezed Sanria to him, overpowering her attempts to free herself. He grinned at Thasmudyan. "Good trade, beggar. And I thank you."
"Sanria!!"
"Have a good life."
With a single word, Velentham vanished with his prize in tow. Victory was his, and there would be nothing to take it away from him again.
