Before my eyes could adjust to the surroundings, the noise of gunfire and people’s cries filtered into my head. Trying to force myself conscious, I noticed that the scenery around me was in motion. Immediately, my eyes popped open as I stared at the ground moving. Feet shuffled before them as I finally realized that
I poked my head through a portal, watching as several troops below were patrolling the perimeter atop Fort Lodz. So far, none of them had noticed the lone mana signature high in the sky, its light easily mistaken as a star. Then, a flat, handheld device exited the portal as my hands joined the head
Not long after Eryn came back, Cornelius and other lords arrived at the scene to assess the situation. The citizens that came out, convinced that no harm would befall them, grew in number. From tens to hundreds, the central square that we were standing around was filled with people. Still, it seemed rather sparse compared
“C’mon, Claude. Let’s get moving! The next town is in sight!” Eryn beamed as Purnesia’s army thinned out to almost nothing. “Ah… sure. Be right there.” My feet felt heavy. Every swing of my knife held a hint of hesitation. I was not in top condition, but it was more than enough to take out
We began our march forward the next day. Now deep into Purnesia’s territory, we gradually saw the landscape morph from a vibrant environment to a sickly, barren wasteland. With each stretch of land forward, I could sense the ambient mana grow thinner and thinner. Even that which was inside my body felt like it was
The sensation of Eryn in plain clothing against me was very alluring. Though I had hugged her several times, it was almost always with her armor equipped. Not the most comfortable feeling. The only other time I could recall was when we reunited in the Duke’s mansion, but our situation was too dire for me
After we reclaimed the town of Minsk, the efforts to drive the Purnesian Army back north seemed to go smoothly. Every time they stopped to reform a defensive line, we advanced forward and struck with the ATMOS portals. While our magicians tracked and shot down the inferior portals from the other side, I made preparations
After grabbing Eryn, we dashed back to one of the earth domes that dotted the landscape, an impromptu headquarters where Cornelius and the rest of the squad leaders had gathered. Everyone looked worn out after six continuous days of being on edge. There was no true rest with the enemy hunkered down right in front
Eryn stared out at the battlefield as the noise of gunfire and yelling continued to echo across the ruined plains. What used to be lush green had turned into a dreary brown and black over the course of a week. That was hardly surprising as the grass had weathered through a variety of elements –
As Ludmila told me the chilling past of her previous world, tears welled up in my eyes and my throat went dry. The heaviness of her trauma was much worse than I could have ever imagined. And yet, the girl who had recalled it all, who experienced every bit of it, calmly spoke with the