Chapter 18: Let’s do this.
The Tipsy Solberry's lantern light dimmed as night fell over Eldwood, casting long shadows across the tavern's wooden tables.
Leon sat slumped in the booth, his body still buzzing from the steamy training session with Saria and Terya.
The magic in his chest felt stronger, but exhaustion weighed on him, his mind reeling from the day's events—breaking Saria's curse, surviving a battle, and now facing Terya's curse and a demon's lair.
This is way more than I signed up for, he thought, rubbing his eyes.
Saria stood by the bar, her black ponytail gleaming under the lanterns, her face a stoic mask as she spoke quietly with the bartender.
Terya sat across from Leon, her blonde hair disheveled, her green eyes dulled by pain.
The web-like curse on her cheek pulsed faster now, its dark tendrils creeping toward her jaw, and her skin was flushed with fever, a stark contrast to her earlier cocky smirk.
She gripped her mug of ale, her knuckles white, and Leon's stomach twisted at the sight. She's getting worse, he thought, his earlier excitement fading into worry.
Saria returned, a crystal bottle of holy water in hand, its shimmering liquid catching the light.
"Drink," she said, her voice flat but urgent, handing it to Terya. Her eyes betrayed a flicker of concern, a rare crack in her unyielding demeanor.
Terya took the bottle, her hands trembling slightly, and drank deeply.