Leo, kneeling on the ground, barely stayed conscious. His eyes were bloodshot and glassy, and every blink took minutes.
⠀
His chest was rising and falling rapidly, caused by his shallow, faltering breaths.
His face was planted in the mud as his entire body felt a piercing cold seeping in as the wind cut across his skin.
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Cold sweat drenched his body, his scraps of cloth sticking to his skin and adding even more to his discomfort.
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His skin was a shade of deathly pale, and his lips were bleeding from how dry they were.
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Yet the forest was still alive. With his muffled sense of hearing, the loud chirps of birds and the sound of wings flapping filled his ears as another beast roared.
⠀
Vietra's hands shook. For a split second Leo's breathing stopped. Her hands trembled as she put her finger near his nose, fear overtaking her, after a few seconds she felt the faintest breath.
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"...I'm not dead yet," Leo muttered slowly, realizing her worries.
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Her entire body was overwhelmed with relief as she heard his words. Her eyes glistened with tears.
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'...No, I can't seem weak now. I have to be stronger for him,' she thought, gulping down the cries in her heart and sniffling.
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Vietra remembered her basic meditation training and calmed her trembling hands.
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Her master had told her that in severe cases of backlash, the victim must be treated with high-level healing potions or magic.
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But she didn't have either.
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"Leo, I'm sorry I can't use healing magic on you..."
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"...No. If this was something to be healed with healing magic, I would've done it myself." He stopped, drawing in a breath. "One of the good things about the flame form is that unless you use it too long, all you have to do is endure the backlash." His voice was getting fainter.
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"...Alright," she muttered. Looking around, she realized that by now their trail must have been picked up, meaning that staying here was a death sentence.
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As she looked at Leo's condition, she sighed, speaking. "Leo... I'm going to drag you into cover. Staying here is dangerous. Is that fine with you?" she asked with worry evident in her shaky voice.
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Leo couldn't even talk. He nodded, showing his acceptance.
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Using all her strength, Vietra dragged his huge body around, searching for a suitable place with cover.
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Before finding a shallow rock formation after some time, she truly began praising her luck.
⠀
Laying Leo down on the muddy ground, she realized that their smell was probably a giveaway to their location.
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She looked around for anything that could hide their smell and presence.
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She found leaves and a couple of sticks from a bush. Not finding anything else, she spread the mud and leaves on their bodies as best as she could before finishing by putting the sticks over themselves.
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"...Beasts track by smell, you know. Hahhh, didn't think I was going to spend my first days in the academy hungry and caked in mud," she muttered to herself, adding a hint of humor to take her mind away from the situation.
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The area they were in was fairly hidden, in a rock formation surrounded by especially dense trees. By now the fog was all but gone, and the metallic smell in the air was left behind.
⠀
Leo's thoughts were messy collections of fragments.
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'...When will I get better?'
'I can't even hear my thinking.'
'Where am I?'
'What happened?"
The forest felt distant, unreal.
'Everything feels... like a dream.'
'I can't remember.'⠀
His train of thought was in shambles. His mind was going into overdrive. He knew how dangerous their situation was, but the pain took his mind off it.
⠀
The backlash was getting worse. His body randomly twitched, and every touch caused him to wince and grimace.
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The raging headache was still pounding violently and rapidly, leaving him in pain. The pulse in his ears grew more piercing.
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Every time he closed his eyes, he felt like an eternity had passed, only to open them to the same scene.
⠀
He realized that even his sense of time had become distorted.
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A sense of regret took place in his heart. '...Damn it, why did I get involved when the instructor was there? All of this wouldn't have happened if I had realized Professor Arnold was there.'
⠀
Leo clenched his jaw until it began to throb. His grip was so tight that the blood left his knuckles.
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He was angry. Angry at his weakness and impatience.
⠀
'If only I had observed more... the entire purpose of my training back in my life was to instill patience in me.'
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'...I miscalculated. My arrogance led me to believe I was stronger when I wasn't,' he reprimanded himself.
⠀
"...Vietra," Leo called out her name.
⠀
"Yes? What is it?"
⠀
"Thank you. You saved me this time," Leo muttered sincerely.
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"Wha-... Of course. If it hadn't been for you, I would be dead." She had an expression full of gratitude.
⠀
'I hate this. I want strength! I'll never fall like this ever again. I'll tear through everything standing in my way to strength!' In his delirious state, Leo's thoughts filled with violence. His body leaked killing intent far stronger than what he should have had.
⠀
It reminded him who he really was.
⠀
The king of mercenaries. The king of death.
⠀
Startled by the chaotic killing intent emitting from Leo, Vietra began thinking of a way to help when she saw her hands shivering.
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An idea took place in her head, and she closed her eyes.
⠀
The smell came first, the smell of dry parchment, the pressure inside growing stronger.
⠀
The air inside the rock formation began to tremble. Leo could feel it in his teeth when they stopped chattering, as if the air near them was burning. The heat warmed them.
⠀
Vietra was sweating now, but she didn't stop. Closing her eyes, she extended her palm with a heavy breath.
⠀
A wave of compressed, iridescent, thin mana left her body, creating a barrier around them. The barrier shimmered faintly, then became transparent.
⠀
Instantly Leo could only hear muffled noises. Looking outside, everything from trees to bushes and lizards became distorted and blurry like a mirage.
⠀
Vietra fell to the ground, breathing heavily, but a proud smile hung on her face as she spoke slowly through faint breaths.
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"...Hah, it cost my mana, but I created an illusory barrier that basically makes our location look empty and boring to the outside!" A cheerful smile bloomed on her features.
⠀
As she was about to talk, the sound of wolves howling came from nearby.
⠀
Both of them held their breaths, tension evident on their faces.
⠀
From inside the barrier, they could see a pack of wolves sniffing at the ground where they had come from.
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A single sound, touch, or breath would lead to their demise. Vietra huddled closer to Leo.
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Lifting her finger in a shushing gesture, she watched.
⠀
One of the wolves came closer, nearly touching the barrier as it sniffed at the ground.
Its yellow eyes fixed on their hiding place.
Before turning around and leaving, the leader of the wolves seemed uninterested. He howled and ran in another direction.
⠀
The other wolves, seeing this, took off after him.
⠀
The forest quiet returned. The chirping of the birds resumed.
⠀
The wind got stronger, trees shaking and leaves falling.
⠀
"...My god, we thought we were done for," Vietra let out a sigh.
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"Yeah. Well, I'm already feeling better. With some sleep, I'll be back to normal."
⠀
By now Leo's condition had stabilized. His skin gained some color, and the cold sweat stopped. The ringing in his head subsided slightly.
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"Well, I'm exhausted. This has to be the worst day of my life. I thought entering the academy meant a fun school life, not constant life-and-death experiences." Vietra was nearing her limit, sleep catching up to her.
⠀
"Well, it's been fun with you..." she muttered quietly.
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Leo didn't hear her, as he had already drifted into sleep.
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⠀
The next morning.
⠀
Leo woke up clearer, the strength returning to his body. The exhaustion left him, and the symptoms were fading.
⠀
Vietra was already awake. She seemed to have caught a rabbit and was cooking it over a wooden fire. Smoke curled into the trees, the smell almost painful to two who hadn't eaten since yesterday.
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"Good morning," Leo greeted her, his eyes locked onto the rabbit, she was rotating
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"Morning. You're finally awake. I caught some food, so we can start eating soon," Vietra greeted him with a smile.
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After eating, they discussed when to leave.
⠀
"We should leave soon before night comes," Leo spoke first, relying on his experience to know the best time to move.
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"Alright, if you say so. And it looks like the beasts tracking us are already gone." Vietra nodded.
⠀
Leo's face twisted in rage at the mention of beasts.
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"Even if they find us, I'll destroy them and tear them limb from limb!" he growled.
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The humiliating injured state he was put in, he'll repay it ten times.