Chapter 395: Blood
"Sorra, they’re just stalling. Let’s just kill the knight and take the girl," one of the armored adventurers said.
Another, this one a seventh-level mage, nodded. "The Justice Hero is taking too long with that demon. It’s only sixth level, but highly skilled and able might exploit our hero’s inexperience. We should clean things up here and support him before any reinforcements arrive."
The second was an older man, seeming out of place among the younger adventurers. I had no memory of seeing him before, and from the way he spoke about the hero, he clearly had no personal attachment to him. He was the only one strong enough to have cast that seventh-level Judgment spell and probably wasn’t a permanent member of their party. Had they taken him from the front lines of the army to ensure the success of the mission?
"Luxxa," I said nervously, "Where are the others?"
She responded without turning around, keeping her gaze fixed on the Justice Hero’s party. "Don’t know. I was the closest to the blast, so they must have survived, but beyond that..."
I nodded, and tightened my grip on Fable’s neck. "Fable," I whispered, "Can you use the Oracle of Eternity again?
He shook his head, sending a ripple through his long silver fur. I sighed and leaned back, expecting as much but still disappointed. He’d only ever been able to borrow a portion of my power, and doing so put a burden on me as well.
"Then I suppose I’ll have to take part in this battle. Link Ability!"
Luxxa frowned and started to turn her head, likely planning on rebuking my recklessness. But Link Ability was only a third-circle spell, technically within the safety parameters set by Elinore. And it wasn’t that I couldn’t cast powerful spells; it would just be perilous. In my current state, shaken as I was, I should be able to get away with a few fifth-circle spells. Maybe even a sixth-circle array, if I were lucky.