Chapter 227: And I Decided to Flee
Chapter 227: And I Decided to Flee
I dismissed my staff, letting it fade from my hand, and looked around at the devastation. The ground was cracked and blackened, trees uprooted or flattened, a haze of smoke still drifting across the ruined forest. That final explosion had changed the landscape.
Then a soft chime echoed in my head—a notification.
I didn’t bother checking it. My vision swam slightly, and I realised that last blast had done more damage to me than his saber ever could. Essence backlash. Internal trauma. Maybe even organ rupture. Didn’t matter. I couldn’t stop now.
I turned, locked onto Silver’s direction, and started jogging toward him.
Each step was a punishment. Blood dripped from my wounds, trailing behind me in red splashes on the dirt. I clicked my tongue, irritated, and bit down a growl. This was slowing me down.
I raised a hand and summoned fire once more. Small, controlled flames—just hot enough. I pressed them to each open wound, one after another, cauterising them with quick, searing bursts of pain. I didn’t scream. I couldn’t afford to.
When it was done, I doused myself in a quick wave of water, washing away the blood and smoke. Steam hissed off my skin, rising from the still-glowing burns. My clothes were torn, my body was battered, but I kept going—step after step, toward Silver.
I dashed through the forest, my steps light but swift. Each stride pressed against the ground like a spring, my wounded body still aching, but not enough to slow me down.
The branches whipped past me, the wind biting at the dried blood across my skin, and every heartbeat pounded like a war drum in my chest.
The deeper I went, the quieter the world became, until it was just my breath and the soft rustle of disturbed leaves.
Then I felt them.