Chapter 190: Every Effort Is Worthwhile
Every time they went on a mission, she would always pay attention to his position.
Before crossing the river this time, she made a point to check on his condition.
He stood at the end of the line, his face pale, breathing short.
She did not force him to stay, nor did she take the initiative to lead him away.
The suggestion to break the contract stuck in her throat and ultimately went unsaid.
Kaelan Hawthorne was only at the Yellow Rank, weak-bodied, and had never absorbed a Beast Crystal.
Unlike Gideon Larkin, who could draw strength, he was perhaps the most incapable of enduring among the group.
He was always silent in the team, barely able to protect himself during battles, and often needed others to cover for him.
He didn’t know how to release Primordial Energy externally; his defense measures were simplistic.
Even basic dodging was a struggle for him.
Yet he never complained of fatigue, nor did he ever retreat.
Whenever someone suggested he stay at the back.
He merely shook his head, walking forward with even more determination.
This time, too, he silently followed at the back of the group, stepping into the river.
No one knew how much time passed, and with a loud blast!
The river surface exploded!
The sound came without warning, like a massive object was pushing up from below.
Ripples rapidly spread outward, sending loose stones on the bank tumbling into the water.
Water burst into the sky, scattering into a fine mist in the air.
Soon after, a strong stench came rushing forward, mixed with the smell of burnt flesh.
The Kyzag Beast was thrown directly out of the water, belly up, several scales shattered, black blood oozing from its mouth, clearly beyond saving, and fell back with a splash.
Its limbs twitched slightly, tail weakly flailing.
A deep, bone-exposing wound on its neck continually leaked black blood.
Its half-opened eyes and dilated pupils posed no further threat.
Isaac Vaughn emerged first, raising a hand to wave at Seraphina Caldwell, signaling he was alright.
She swam to the shore, hooking an arm onto the rocky edge, and climbed up.
The cold seeped into her skin through her clothes; she couldn’t bother to wring her hair dry.
Her weapon was still lodged in the Kyzag Beast’s spine, the blade chipped at the edge.
The previous strike had used her full strength, nearly depleting her Primordial Energy.
Just as Seraphina Caldwell let out a sigh of relief, her gaze swept across the water’s surface, and her heart sank heavily.
Kaelan Hawthorne hadn’t surfaced!
She widened her eyes, staring at the water, her ears catching every possible sound.
The once-wavering waves gradually calmed, leaving only lingering foam.
Time seemed to freeze, and her fingertips began to cool.
In the next instant, Wyatt Yardley surfaced.
His upper body had reverted to human form, gray-white hair dripping wet.
His other arm clamped around Kaelan Hawthorne, desperately swimming toward shore.
A pale red trail appeared from the wound on his back, yet he did not pause.
Finally, his feet touched the bottom, and he staggered a few steps onto the shore, collapsing to his knees in the mud.
Kaelan Hawthorne’s head lolled in his arms, eerily still.
His lips were a cyanotic purple, eyelids shut tight, cheeks cold and stiff.
His soaked robes hung heavily on his body.
Wyatt Yardley’s voice was hoarse from shouting.
"Evan Orwell! Quickly! Save him! He’s stopped breathing!"
He laid Kaelan flat on the ground, pressing his hands on his chest, attempting to apply pressure.
Seraphina Caldwell’s mind exploded with a buzz, her legs going weak as she almost slipped from Evan Orwell’s grip.
Her vision blurred for a moment, her ears filled with a hollow ringing.
Her heart pounded against her chest, unnaturally fast.
She bit her lower lip to steady herself, her nails digging into her palm.
Evan Orwell dared not delay, flapping his wings as he swooped down, landing solidly on the shore.
Seraphina Caldwell jumped down, stumbling a step forward.
He retracted his wings, landing without a sound.
Wind blew silver hair off his forehead, revealing furrowed brows beneath.
In a glance, he assessed Kaelan Hawthorne’s condition, immediately crouching down.
Golden light glowed softly at his fingertips, gradually seeping into Kaelan’s chest.
He sensed the location of the severed meridians, assessing the severity of the injuries.
The vitality was so faint it was nearly gone, with only a flickering thread of Spiritual Fire deep inside.
His fingertips rested on Kaelan’s wrist.
"His life force is too weak, his lungs filled with water, and his vital parts are severely injured. I can protect a thread of his consciousness, but whether he’ll wake... it’s really uncertain."
Seraphina stood still, looking at Kaelan’s face, pale like paper.
The cold wind passed through her soaked clothes, yet she felt no chill.
She truly didn’t want to continue the contract with him.
But before setting out this time, she had asked if he was willing to leave.
He insisted on following her, not mentioning breaking the contract at all.
If not for shielding her from the Black Scaled Beast’s surprise attack, Kaelan would not have been hit by the Kyzag Beast.
It came so quickly he didn’t have time to dodge.
The Kyzag Beast’s sharp claws had already cut through his armor, flipping him over.
His back smashed into the rocks, producing a dull thud.
Blood quickly seeped from his waist, staining half of his clothes red.
He gritted his teeth, trying to get up, but his body felt drained of strength.
She couldn’t pretend she hadn’t seen it.
Watching him on the brink of death, no one could just let it go internally.
Seraphina stood in place, her brow slightly furrowed.
She could have turned away.
After all, Kaelan often spoke sarcastically to her.
But at this moment, he lay on the ground, face pale, breathing shallow.
She couldn’t really watch someone die right in front of her.
Especially someone who had saved others in the team before.
Seraphina didn’t think much, taking a few steps forward to stand beside Kaelan, her fingers drawing Spiritual Spring Water from between them.
The water droplets gathered between her fingers, emerging one by one.
The droplets didn’t fall quickly, but slowly slid down her skin.
The clear droplets were like freshly formed dew, sliding down her fingers one by one.
They landed on Kaelan’s slightly parted lips, chilling as they slipped into his throat.
The water slipped into his mouth, causing his Adam’s apple to quiver slightly.
The previously rapid and erratic breathing began to stabilize.
That sip of spring water seemed to seep directly into his internal organs, rekindling the life fire inside.
She bent down, gently dripping water onto the wound on his waist.
The wounds, once bleeding and seeping dark red, stopped bleeding upon contact with the water.
The deep and terrifying bite marks began to close.
With every drop of water, the edges of the wound began to contract.
Muscle tissue healed visibly to the naked eye.
Ruptured blood vessels reconnected, damaged skin slowly closed.
No scars were left, nor any signs of festering.
She repeated the action several times, ensuring every inch of damaged skin was covered.
Since she was already treating, adding a little more was not a hassle.
She continued to dip her fingers in the spring water, evenly covering any lingering scars.
With each wipe, the color faded a little more.
Besides, she knew how much the old scar on his face troubled Kaelan.
The kind that made him frown when looking in the mirror.
When the last trace disappeared, she slowly withdrew her fingers.
Kaelan’s face returned to its original state.
She watched for a moment, confirming it before standing up straight.
The spring water could manifest again.
But once a person dies, they’re truly gone.
This ability isn’t endless.
Every use consumes something within her.
But she knew that in critical moments, the cost was worth nothing.
As long as it could save a life, any sacrifice was worthwhile.
After finishing these, she stepped back a couple of steps, hiding behind Evan Orwell.
Evan Orwell had been watching her actions all along but didn’t call her out on it.