The area gets a bit warmer and Venus gives off the impression of smiling. “Yes, that’s probably true.”

Awww.

He looks around. They're standing on what looks like a wooden roof surrounded by only the sky. There's a ladder on the edge.

"I don't really want to go alone...?"

“...I can come, but—I mean, I can make myself seem a little more human, tone down the heat and make sure my face doesn’t get too covered up, but I can’t really... turn this off. If I come with you, what’s the plan if people start coming to defeat me?”

"I don't.... have a plan."

“Um. Okay.

so. I guess we just climb down? Or, you can climb down. I can fly!”

"— wait, actually, I need to test something first." He draws his wand out of his cloak and says, "Lumos."

And there was no light.

“...What were you testing?”

"Typically I can do magic by saying fake Latinate words and waving a stick of wood in specific patterns while thinking specific things. Apparently here that doesn't work. I also have a particular magical artifact that I don't expect will work here either."

Next, he digs around in his cloak again and brings out a ruby ring. He fixes his gaze on a tree and stares at it intensely. The tree does not spontaneously combust.

“Huh, that’s really interesting. I hope this doesn’t impact your ability to go home, since it was magic that brought you here—but probably rituals will work even though the stick and ring didn’t, since they worked just fine to bring us here. It still would’ve been nice to have magic on our side, though, but we work with what we have.”

"I don't actually know about the rituals. I don't think their ability to bring us here implies an ability to return us." He tilts his head. "But your abilities clearly still work."

“My abilities aren’t—something I do—it’s who I am.” She pauses, rustles her wings a little. “I hope you can figure something out that we can get back home eventually. I have friends who will be worried, and you’d probably prefer having your magic back. But we’re here for now, and that’s okay too, hopefully.”

"Yes indeed."

It is really, really enjoyable being around Venus.

"You mentioned flying? Could you fly me down?"

When Venus grins, it’s a heatwave, but somehow it’s not unpleasant. 

“Definitely.”

(Flying is even more fun than Venus had imagined it would be before she had wings. It is so fun.)

It is!

They land in what appears to be the countryside.

Venus is very on guard for people or signs thereof!

Lindsey notices and doesn't comment.

They're walking through what appears to be the countryside. It's autumn, fortunately, so it's neither too hot nor too cold.

He shivers, though the wind isn't quite cold.

He's not used to being vulnerable like this.