Chapter 59
Hurried footsteps echoed all around.
Mages rushed toward Ryan. Water mages cast healing spells without pause.
Ashvin had already reached Ryan. He began crushing magic crystals and pulled out a holy amulet. This was no ordinary charm—it was different. The amulet stood alone, twice the size of a regular one.
He placed it on Ryan's chest.
Mana leaked from the crystals and was absorbed into the amulet. A glowing magic circle began to appear. Holy light radiated from it and drove directly into Ryan's body.
Pfffff—Ryan coughed up a mouthful of blood.
The holy power incinerated the arrow lodged in his body. Ashvin pulled it out. Four mages held Ryan's limbs in place. The wound began to heal, and the blackened area started igniting.
Ryan let out a blood-curdling scream. His body convulsed violently, but the mages bound him, refusing to let him move. In a violent struggle, he nearly broke a mage's arm. In the end, they restrained him with chains.
Holy power seeped everywhere, burning all traces of the black mana arrow.
The mages released Ryan. He slumped to the ground, breathing in ragged, disheveled gasps. Ashvin sat close beside him, inspecting the wound carefully.
The other mages gathered around.
Ashvin stood up.
"Pack up. We're leaving."
Before their departure, Ryan had placed Ashvin second in command. The mages followed his order and gathered their things.
The mage and Percival's body were placed into earthen coffins. They decided to move them by magic. Bodies infected with black magic couldn't be left behind—but neither could they be carried inside the carriage. This was the only option.
Though the mages were exhausted, they couldn't afford to rest and recover.
The only ones with any mana reserves left were the students—excluding Azek and Percival. So Ashvin put Lyana in charge, with Emiliene and Genevieve acting in her support.
Lyana wove an elaborate spell. A vine carriage formed, large enough to carry the whole party—but it would last only ten minutes. Ashvin supplied her with crystals to extend its duration as long as possible. Genevieve cast wind magic to increase their speed, and Emiliene raised a defensive spell over the entire carriage.
Ryan's unconscious body was moved carefully. Though he was no longer in a life-threatening situation, they couldn't afford to slow down. If another intelligent monster appeared, they would surely end up six feet under—their offensive power was now miserable.
Azek slowly climbed into the carriage and sat beside Emiliene.
When everything was ready, Lyana gave the signal and began moving the carriage.
Srrrrrrrrr—
The wind spell cut through the forest and pushed the vines forward. Lyana moved the whole construct with incredible agility, dodging obstacles. Emiliene continuously cast spells, launching attacks whenever a monster came too close.
Ashvin cast a hundred-meter reconnaissance spell to avoid tangling with monsters and ensure their safe escape.
Azek looked beside him.
A mage was constantly maintaining a small circle to keep Percival's body moving underground alongside them.
Something troubled Azek.
Percival had been a normal student—or at least, that was what Azek had understood. The mana circle hadn't fused into his heart. He hadn't become a black mage before his death.
So how had he known how to cast a spell that would make a monster's heart explode?
Azek turned the thought over in his mind.
And if it had been possible for Percival… that meant it could be possible for someone else as well.
He thought for a while, then stood up.
The mage was still casting.
Azek sat down beside him. The mage was exhausted; a mana crystal was maintaining the circle now.
Azek ran a hand through his hair and asked, "What is the condition of the bodies?"
The mage looked at him and slowly shook his head.
Azek sighed and gazed toward something distant.
---
Half an hour had passed.
They were out of the forest. The mages took turns resting now that they had recovered somewhat. They had no other choice but to reach Zolar Town. They couldn't afford to take any more risks.
By the time the sun went down, Ashvin had already sent a distress signal three times since the start of their journey.
As they neared the hills, a contingent of the Margrave family's knights came to welcome them.
The mages finally let out relieved sighs. Some even began falling asleep on the way back from sheer exhaustion.
When they reached the town, it was already midnight.
---
Doris put down the cloth covering the body.
The mage's body was preserved in good condition, while Parcival's body was beyond recognition.
Bishop Cassion had already verified both corpses.
Parcival was already half a black mage at the time of death, and based on Azek's testimony, he had been trying to blow up the mana hearts of monsters — so he had to take drastic measures.
Ryan had already given Azek explicit consent to take matters into his own hands if it came down to it, but Ryan was still unconscious.
So they had to detain Azek until verification by Ryan, because in the eyes of other people, it would still be considered overstepping boundaries — and in the worst case, murder, if one didn't know any better.
Although it was called detention, they had basically confined Azek to a limited area and provided him with everything until Ryan recovered.
Azek couldn't ask for more. It also gave him some time to recover. Bishop Cassion had healed him repeatedly, and he finally had time to think in isolation.
---
Heavy rain had been going on since morning.
Ryan's body lay on the bed, still unconscious.
There were also some beds beside his in the infirmary, occupied by other mages.
Some of them were in recovery due to overburdening their inner magic supply.
Bishop Cassion had already declared that they were not in any danger, but their bodies were exhausted and trying to recover through sleep.
It had already been two days since the party returned.
Ashvin looked outside the window.
A storm was brewing in the sky.
Lightning flashed and clouds roared.
Amidst the heavy downpour, an alarm went off, waking up the whole town.