Chapter 566: Full Power
Celestial Grace was one of the few secrets Luke remained unaware of, and if possible, I would have preferred to keep it that way. However, the dire circumstances in the city and the existence of an eighth-level mage forced our hand. Revealing this magic was our only viable option.
Luke and Jessia gasped as the spell concluded, unleashing a wave of golden-green mist that billowed outwards, enveloping our small group in its ethereal embrace. The thick tendrils curled around, drawn toward our souls. It shimmered to the eye, appearing almost illusionary, laying bare the stars of fate to the naked eye. To my surprise, I found Luke included in the spell, though Jessia had either appeared too late or R’lissea hadn’t felt like adding her.
I inhaled deeply, allowing the mist to permeate my body and soul. A thrill coursed through me as the Life magic enhanced my strength and endurance to the beginning stages of the second level. It was a laughably small improvement but still the strongest I’d ever felt. For just the briefest moments, I thought I could lift a sword if I tried.
As the mana seeped into my very being, I felt a power surge reminiscent of my attunement with Haven. It began subtly, a mere sensation of rejuvenation, but as I drew deeper, a gasp escaped my lips, my grip tightening on my staff. The sudden influx of mana was overwhelming, forcing me to stumble back. My body trembled as I struggled to contain the overflowing power, excess mana leaking from my soul in a shimmering haze of starlight that turned the air around me gold. I held so much mana that my soul, already at the upper echelons of the seventh level, now strained with power that belonged in an eighth-level mage.
"Xiviyah?" R’lissea’s voice was sharp with concern, her eyes narrowed in focus. "What happened? You’re glowing."
I took a deep breath, gradually acclimating to the storm raging within me. The power surging through my veins was unexpected but manageable. It was comparable to the raw, overwhelming amount of mana the Curse Demon had forced into my soul at Western University, an experience that had pushed me to the brink of destruction.
However, unlike then, when I had only just reached the seventh level, my soul was now far stronger. Beyond sheer capacity, where I still fell short of just how much mana I had, my skills had vastly improved. It wasn’t easy, but the countless hours of practice and experience healing and working with my soul allowed me to safely wield such power with minimal discomfort. Instead of the agonizing threat of my soul shattering, it was more akin to simply eating too much, like stomach ache, which compared to the agony I had lived through for years, was barely worth mentioning.
"Stand back, please," I said in a forceful whisper, struggling to speak and maintain control at the same time.
The others exchanged bewildered glances. Their souls were on the same level as mine, which should have proved no problem, regardless of what I did. I was more speaking to Elise, though, who had only just reached the beginning stages of sixth. She didn’t seem to understand the danger, but Fable quickly grasped the situation and nudged her away from me just before I lost control of my aura.