Chapter 188: Breakout
The streets leading up to the western canal were silent, absent of all life except for the occasional scurrying rodent or half-drunk vagrant lying in shadowed alleys. Leif could sense the life within the homesteads they ran past, family units sharing spaces barely large enough to fit them as they sheltered from the encroaching night as much as the distant war. He had taken to carrying all of their newly bought possessions himself. The burden didn’t slow him, but it was somewhat inconvenient to carry.
I need a bigger spatial ring. He thought. Shame the cost scales almost exponentially with size. You could buy a small village with the money it would take to purchase the next size up from the ring I got from the Twin-Heart vault.
“Luriem seems too quiet.” Lucia said, her steps lighter now that she wasn’t carrying half her weight. “Kartinth was never like this, not at night.”
“It’s been like this since the war started.” Slayde said through ragged breaths, the man trailing behind them on unsteady legs. “There’s no official curfew, but most folks stay home. City isn’t as safe as it used to be. Well, it was never overly safe, but you get it.”
“Thanks, but I wasn’t asking for your input.” She said, glaring over her shoulder. The sell-sword flinched, almost tripping over his own feet.
Leif slowed his pace, and Lucia matched him with a scowl. “Maybe ease up on the overt hostility until we’re out of the city?” He suggested.
Lucia frowned, then nodded, shooting Slayde a distrusting look. Leif let her get ahead, then dropped back, holding out a hand to the young man. He grasped it as if it were a lifeline, and practically fell forward, using Leif’s hand to keep himself steady. Slayde’s whole body went rigid as healing energy flowed from Leif, travelling up his arm only to quickly propagate throughout every inch of his body. The dark veins receded somewhat, and his sunken eyes changed not at all. But he was re-energised, and shouldn’t slow them as much.
“That… that has quite the kick to it.” The mercenary said, blinking owlishly. “I didn’t realise you were actually a powerful healer.”
“And yet you agreed to come with us and let me heal you through your withdrawals?” Leif said.