Hunting Palismen take 2 (Lilith edition)

As he got near the middle of the area, he narrowed his eyes at a patch of disturbed foliage from behind the mask. Had someone been there recently? He took a step closer then was sent flying backwards by an orange blast. He shouted as he hit the ground then took a second to catch the breath that had been knocked out of him. He then propped himself up on his elbows with a groan. Hunter hadn't even seen his attacker yet when another potion bottle shot towards him. He teleported a few feet away, just in time to escape the explosion when it hit the ground.

He stood up and got into a fighting stance, pointing his staff at... Lilith? He paused for a moment, surprised. A moment too long, apparently, since she took the chance to shoot a blue blast from her staff. The Golden Guard tried to dodge it but his reaction was delayed so it still grazed his arm. He bit his tongue to stop any pained noises from coming out as he returned Lilith's attack with a red blast. She ducked out of the way and threw another potion at him. He dodged it with a teleport, ending up right behind her and kicking her to the ground. She rolled onto her back and looked up at him, trying to mask her fear as he twirled his staff confidently.

"You're an interesting surprise, Lilith" the guard stated as he stopped spinning his staff and let the bottom of it rest on the ground.

"Don't pretend you weren't following me" she scoffed.

Hunter raised an eyebrow, despite it being hidden behind his mask. "I was-" he started to say but was cut off when he was shoved backwards by a field of magic. He stumbled a few steps once it released him and a rope tightened itself around his ankle. He yelped as it yanked him upward until he was dangling by his foot from a beam above.

Lilith smiled and got to her feet while the emperor's Golden Guard thrashed around uselessly. He soon stopped to watch her as she approached him, initially looking proud of herself but soon seeming confused.

"Why aren't you... teleporting away?" she questioned softly.

Hunter glanced at his staff that he must've dropped then back at her. Crap.

Lilith followed his gaze then turned to him again, looking shocked. "Are you powerless?"

"No!" he lied and wiggled a bit more, almost losing his helmet as he did. He needed to come up with a strap for that thing. Hunter attempted to reach his ankle and loosen the snare but Lilith grabbed him by his hood and pulled him back down. Once he was vertical again, his helmet fell off and tumbled to the ground below, revealing the shaken teenager beneath.

Lilith has seen him without his mask before, being the head of the coven since before he was born and all, but she noticed his dark eyebags. Were those there earlier?

"What?" the blond spat, trying to hide how uncomfortable he felt without his mask.

"Still a brat, I see" she said bitterly then grabbed the front of his cloak, bringing him closer to her face. "How'd you find me?"

She actually thinks I followed her? "I used data gathered by the invisible camera demons that've been following you ever since you left the coven" he deadpanned. Lilith dropped him in shock, letting him fall back with a "woah!"