Chapter 17
Theodore was currently standing in the North Tower. In front of him, black veins were entangled around something.
Ashvile had described it as a blackish mass containing eyeballs of different sizes.
Professor Albert and Methilia were busy activating and reinforcing the protective barrier with multiple layers.
Cardinal Magnus stood in a corner, his face covered with a cloth mask, describing a horrible stench coming from near the mass—something the others couldn't detect.
Theodore lifted his hand and began writing a spell.
Booooooom.
Suddenly, air-compression magic activated, and Methilia leapt from the fourth tower level directly into the open assembly area.
The change was so sudden that nobody had time to react.
Bishop Casion immediately shouted,
"Another dot has appeared!"
Theodore canceled his spell and gave instructions at lightning speed.
"Albert and Ashvile, stay here with the Cardinal. The rest are coming with me."
He was already airborne by the time he finished speaking.
A large tree grew from the ground beside the tower. It lifted Theodore and the professor, then lowered them to the ground in an instant—completely vanishing by the time they landed.
Sevile immediately conjured a cloud of water mana that drifted toward where Methilia had disappeared.
When he reached the large tree, he saw a student lying on the ground. Beside her stood Methilia.
Air blades hovered, completely isolating a black mass with pupil-less eyes that tried to break free.
But Methilia had cut off its escape.
Sevile looked at the student.
A large, grotesque black root was emerging from her hand, connecting to the black mass. Student was unconscious, sweat plastered on her face, gasping for breath.
Colour had drained from Methilia's face.
The air blades constantly attacked and severed the connection, but the root regenerated again and again.
"Sevile!"
Methilia was pale, almost crying out.
Sevile immediately cast a spell. Small water spheres rose and connected in the center of Methilia's formation, slowly enveloping the black mass.
"Now!" he shouted.
Methilia immediately canceled her spell and focused all her energy on the root attached to the girl's hand.
Theodore saw everything unfold and channeled mana. Tree roots burst from the earth and surrounded the girl.
Methilia took a deep breath and concentrated all her energy on the girl's hand.
Splash.
Blood spattered across her face after a sharp snap.
She froze and looked at the girl's hand. A clean cut had been made. The root writhed beside the now bloody stump.
The hand was a mess of red—but the black mass connection had been severed.
The student's laboured gasps immediately eased up.
She looked up.
Vivian Willowheart stood there. With a smooth swing, she flicked the blood off her blade and sheathed her sword.
"Relax. She won't die. But you need to get a priest here immediately. Otherwise, her hand will become useless."
She jumped down from the tree trunk and walked away.
Methilia jolted awake and started casting a simple healing spell. For a heartbeat, her mana hesitated—resisting slightly—before flowing obediently.
"hmmmm?" she looked towards her hands and tilted her head in confusion.
she then shook her head and continued casting spells.
Theodore had already extended tree roots and brought the nearest priest by the time he saw Vivian descend.
Priest Cecilia knelt down and extended her holy power. Sevile had already removed the root and stepped away.
Everyone watched with bated breath.
When she was finished, Methilia looked at her and asked,
"What is her condition?"
There was an underlying meaning she didn't voice—too afraid to ask whether the girl had been contaminated.
Cecilia looked at her and replied,
"She's fine. Her hand should function completely fine after a few weeks. There is no contamination."
Methilia sighed in relief. She looked at her trembling hands. A little excited. A little confused.
A flicker of unease ran through her. Her mana felt… blocked, as if something within tugged at it from the inside.
or was it her imagination?