Icard drew a slow, steady breath. He needed to resolve this calmly.
He straightened and turned to face Luna and Marcus, who were already standing opposite him.
"What do you think you're doing?" Marcus demanded.
Luna's cold gaze was locked onto Icard. She had recovered enough to confront him now, her posture rigid and her presence sharp.
Icard met them evenly, bracing himself despite the emptiness in his mana reserves. In his current state, he couldn't afford a real confrontation.
Eric then stepped forward beside him, fists clenched tighty, getting ready for anything.
The air grew tense at once as it was no longer Icard standing alone.
"Marcus, wait," Luna said, lifting a hand as her eyes narrowed slightly. She studied Icard again and then, her expression shifted. "They're the boys from the gate."
Marcus looked back at Icard, disbelief flickering across his face.
"He is? Are you sure?"
"Yes. They are," Gremit said calmly as he and Albert walked past them, approaching Icard.
