A thunderous series of blasts rocked the town, sending tremors of fear through the streets. Panic quickly spread among the civilians.
Rai had been inside the town hall at the time of the attack, summoned to receive a citizen's commendation from the baron in recognition of his contributions to the town's defense forces. The ceremony, however, was abruptly interrupted by the urgent news of an unknown assault unfolding near the market.
"That's where Jake went—to meet Renissa and gather information on Arcane Sequences..." Rai froze.
"Fuck. If anything happens to them, I swear I'll tear this entire town apart until I find who's responsible."
Without a second thought, he dashed toward his carriage.
Halfway through the town, near the Barracks, the carriage came to a sudden halt. Rai scowled and stepped out, irritation flaring.
Two town coppers were speaking with the driver. Rai walked up to them.
"What's going on here?" he demanded, locking eyes with the younger guard. The second had turned his back to them, relaying something into a communication device.
"Sir," the copper began cautiously, "we can't allow you beyond this point. The threat hasn't been contained. It's too dangerous to continue toward the North side."
Rai's tone dropped cold. "Do you have any idea who you're speaking to?"
The copper faltered. A pressure settled in the air, an invisible force that made the man's legs weak. His spirit wavered under Rai's gaze.
The other copper turned back around, eyes widening when he saw Rai. He immediately dropped to one knee, cupping his fists and raising them respectfully.
"I offer my respects to your exalted presence, my lord."
Seeing this, the first copper went pale and collapsed into a kneel.
"I—I'm sorry! Forgive me, my lord! Please show mercy to this pitiful servant!" he stammered, trembling.
Rai clicked his tongue in disdain and turned to the driver. "Keep moving. Don't stop again."
But they were halted once more, this time closer to the site. A familiar figure approached: the captain of the town's local forces.
"My lord," the captain said, bowing slightly, "the path ahead remains unstable. Our men are still trying to contain the creature. Reinforcements from the Central Barracks are en route, but the situation is dire."
"I understand your concern," Rai replied. "But I can handle myself."
"I don't doubt it, my lord," the captain said carefully. "But... we received a troubling report."
He hesitated.
"A Tier 2 combat fire mage fell during the confrontation. A powerful one."
He took a breath, his face losing color.
"We didn't find a single body. No survivors. The entire site was soaked in blood and... that was all."
Rai's breath caught. His body tensed.
To eliminate a Tier 2 combat mage, one of the strongest among the town's defenders, this creature had to be at least Deviant-level. Perhaps worse.
And yet, there was no dispatch from the Duke's army. No word from the Central War Guild.
Nothing.
Why?
The silence was deafening.
Before he could pursue the thought, a soldier sprinted toward them, breathless.
"Sir! Reports just came in, our northwest troops and scout teams are under attack. It's not just one beast, there seem to be multiple. And their attacks are intensifying."
The captain's brows furrowed, his mind racing.
"Form an elite squad," he ordered. "Tell the front-line units to slowly retreat and switch to full defense. Alert the nearest border outpost to dispatch all available Awakened. And send an emergency message to Central Command."
He turned back to Rai, grim determination in his eyes.
"My lord, if you still intend to face this threat yourself, what do you say to joining my attack team? I'm preparing for a direct assault to contain the spread."
Rai nodded in confirmation, already calculating which spells would be most effective against the beast.
"But before that," he said, voice firm, "I require as many Arcane Stones as possible. Send word to the Baron, tell him this is a direct requisition."
He paused for a moment, thinking. "Also, I need healers. How many are currently active?"
The Captain's expression darkened. "The first awakened casualties were our healers... including those from the Temple of Ashlan. We have a few combat healers left, but most are already engaged at the front lines."
"Fuck," Rai cursed under his breath. His mind raced. He needed support, any kind of support.
Then, a spark of an idea.
"Send someone to the local apothecary. I want calming herbs and every mana-stabilizing ball they've got. Now."
The Captain nodded and relayed the order to a nearby soldier.
Rai exhaled slowly, suppressing the knot of fear and fury twisting in his gut.
He had no choice now.
He'd have to fight this creature head-on… and find his friends, dead or alive.
***
A searing pain tore through his chest, ripping Jake back into consciousness. He gasped, lungs aching like they'd been punched from the inside out.
The last thing he remembered was the blast, seeing his own mangled body, the left side crushed from neck to hip, ribs piercing through flesh, and blood pouring from ruptured veins.
But now… his body looked whole. Mostly. Scars traced his skin like dried rivers, and a long cut still oozed slightly before beginning to knit itself shut. His left arm twitched back to life. The impossible healing again, something even high-tier healers had never been able to explain. His mentor had once called it a curse. Jake never argued.
Physically, he was recovering.
But his mind burned. It felt like molten iron was being poured straight into his skull. The pain made his vision blur and his balance falter.
He rubbed his forehead, trying to anchor himself. As the haze cleared, he finally registered his surroundings: a cavern, damp and ancient, overgrown with moss and wild vines crawling from every crack in the stone. Faint sunlight bled through a high slit above. Birds chirped somewhere far away.
"What the hell…?" he muttered. "Where am I?"
He tried to stand, but noticed his right leg was tangled in vines. He ripped them off and pulled himself up, shaky but upright.
Then he heard it.
A soft whimper behind him.
He turned, and his heart nearly stopped.
Renissa lay motionless in a pool of blood. Her body was a mess of torn flesh and exposed muscle. Deep gouges ran along her arms and legs. Her breathing was shallow, wet, and ragged. Blood spilled from a gaping wound at her neck. He rushed towards her , dropping to his knees while holding her headover his lap.
"Renissa," Jake whispered. " I can help you, your wounds would be healed and your body shall be repaired completely. But " his voice broke " it would take away your magic abilities". She looked at him, while grabbing his wrist. Even at this state, her grip was solid.
" Save me" her low voice faltered as more blood gushed put of her wounds.
Without hesitation, He drew a small knife from his belt.
Then, he slashed his palm open with practiced precision.
He pressed the bleeding wound to her torn throat, letting his blood spill into the injury.
For a few moments, there was only silence.
Then Renissa's body convulsed. Her eyes shot open. A scream tore from her lips, raw and agonized, as Jake's blood surged through her like wildfire. Her back arched violently, every nerve in her body set ablaze.
The pain was beyond comprehension. She would have preferred death.
Through the haze of her agony, she saw Jake's face. Calm, gentle, with a faint, reassuring smile. It looked almost... angelic.
Maybe this is death, she thought. Maybe he's just here to take me away.
Darkness swallowed her vision once again.