Lauren follows, though not quite so effortlessly.
She laughs at your description of her persuers. "I suppose, if half the stories I've heard about you are true, you can get away with calling them merely mediocre. But yes, I do owe you an explanation of just what it is you've gotten yourself involved in."
"I suppose I should start at the beginning. I've always been fascinated by the magic of the second and third ages, and I've spent a fair amount of time studying history. So when I was invited to go to the capital and work on an archeological project, I was glad to go. Turns out they had already collected a number of powerful magic items of mostly unknown functions, and what they needed help with was figuring out what these things did."
"Everything went well for a while - until I realized that all they really wanted was ways to use these things as weapons. Like one device meant to ease the harshness of winter and extend the growing season - and they wanted to know what would happen if they turned it on cropland in the summer..." She shudders.
"Some of the other researchers seemed to feel the same way. The wizards Tara and Emmet, who'd found most of these things in the first place." She pauses, clearly holding back tears. Still, if there's one thing mucking around with magic teaches, it's self discipline, and Lauren continues in almost her normal voice.
"Anyway, when I couldn't find anyone to help, I went ahead on my own. I destroyed what notes I could, and took with me anything portable. And that's why they won't give up - I'm carrying enough magic to obliterate a small town, and that's just from the few items where I have some clue what they do."
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