"Hieaaaa—"
A scream suddenly rang and Alia was jolted awake from her sleep.
Her guard was imdiately up and she turned to look at Carl who was also awake.
And as she turned her head to the side….
"Hieaaaa—"
Brandon.
He was the one screaming.
His eyes were closed and his body twitched spontaneously.
"Brandon!"
She got out of her sleeping bag and neared him.
"Hieaaaa—"
His screaming intensified and he started clenching his face.
Alia was worried.
Was it another case of his mana being unstable?
But that shouldn't be the case.
His mana wasn't leaking.
A nightmare, perhaps?
But the way he was reacting was concerning. Brandon was clutching his chest and tightening the grip on his face.
"Brandon!"
She called out to him as she tried to shake off his hands away from his face and chest.
Since her strength was higher than his, she managed to pin his arms down while laying on top of him.
"Hieaaaa—"
Brandon's head shook from side to side and his scream continued to echo.
All of a sudden, black flas started condensing around his arm and Alia backed off as soon she felt the heat.
Brandon had told her about his flas. It would sap whatever it was burning's strength away.
All she could do was watch as all sorts of elents escaped Brandon.
Flas
Vooosh—!
Ice
Crack…!
Wind.
Swoosh—!
It was only for a brief second and Brandon clutched his stomach once again.
The only thing Alia could think of to help him was give him her mana.
She knew how compatible their mana was, and though she wasn't a healer, for so reason, her mana was like a source of dicine to Brandon.
With such thoughts, Alia extended her hand forward and her palms started emitting a bright glow.
She reached forward, but before her palms t his body….
"Huaa…!"
Brandon awoke from his slumber and imdiately lifted his body up.
"Haaa…."
He took a deep heavy breath and Alia and Carl exchanged worried looks.
She looked back at him and pursed her lips.
"Are you okay?"
"...."
He didn't respond and he continued clutching his face.
"Brandon?"
"We need to go."
He suddenly replied and stood up.
Imdiately, he started folding his sleeping bag.
"Brandon, what happened?"
"...."
There was no response as he finished folding his sleeping bag and placed it inside his own bag.
Then, he moved towards Alia's sleeping bag and started folding it as well.
His movents looked chanical, as if it was the only thing in his thoughts.
"Hey."
"...."
He wasn't responding. Because of that, Alia neared him and grabbed his wrist.
Brandon's head suddenly flicked and their eyes t.
"Tell , what's… wrong?"
There was a certain pause in her words as she noticed the expression Brandon was making.
She had never seen that look in his face before.
Fear.
His eyes were wide and Alia could see how tired his eyes were.
His mouth trembled and his pupils seed to dilate.
"Brandon, talk to ."
"...."
He suddenly shook his head and continued folding.
Whatever plagued him wasn't just any nightmare. Alia was sure of that.
Since Brandon wasn't responding Alia inched even closer and…
"Talk to ."
"...."
Embraced his back, wrapping her arms around him to stop him from continuing what he was doing.
Brandon shook her off but Alia persisted as she tightened her arms around him.
Warm mana suddenly gathered around Alia, and shortly after, Brandon's muscles relaxed.
She rested her head on his back and closed her eyes.
"Talk to . Rely on ."
***
"...."
There was a sense of urge that rose within him as soon as he woke up.
But feeling the warmth of Alia's mana, and her genuine concern for him, he was able to ease himself.
Throughout the journey, there were often tis Brandon would see Alia, crying to herself alone.
But despite that, she set her thoughts aside and consoled him.
She was like this back then as well.
Noticing that he had managed to calm down, Alia pulled away.
"Eh?!"
But Brandon grabbed her wrist and allowed her arms to wrap around him.
"Sorry."
He apologized.
"And thank you."
Alia seed perplexed at first. But her body relaxed and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his back.
It was then when he told her what happened.
That was no re nightmare, or a vision.
"The Wraiths are coming."
It was a warning.
So sort of transcendent being managed to slip into his consciousness and gave him a warning.
Or maybe the Wraith had done it to break his flow, his confidence.
Regardless, there was no hesitating.
There were two goals for this journey.
To beco strong enough in a year, and…
…To find the rift that took the lives of the Imperial Army.
It was a certain condition that Alia had set.
Either, she denied her father's death, or she wanted to avenge him.
They knew the location, they just needed to find it.
But at the mont, they were still building up their strength.
Thankfully, the Sovereigns' Descent progression bar refused to move.
But on the other hand…
[Wraiths' Descent: 24%]
Again, it moved up a number.
By estimation, it might shoot up to a hundred in a year or so.
And sohow, it coincided with the upcoming invasion.
Then…
The two seed to be related.
There was no doubt in Brandon's mind that whatever the syndicate was planning was sohow related to the Wraith's.
And for the Primordials, what were they really?
They seed to be against the syndicate.
So, were they really a criminal organization?
Or were they just the type of group who wouldn't mind getting their hands dirty to achieve their goals?
They were an enigma.
But regardless, they seed to be on his side.
"We need to go."
"You need to rest."
Brandon urged, and Alia responded.
"Didn't you hear what I said? The Wraith's are coming."
"And in your current state, what are you gonna do?"
"…."
Yeah, he was a ss.
His hair was disheveled and his eyes felt heavy.
But he couldn't sleep.
It beca apparent to him that the only reason he was able to close his eyes earlier was due to the warning.
But now…
He was afraid.
Afraid of a sudden instability, and afraid of another warning.
The pain was real, and he definitely felt it.
"Rely on . I'm here. I'll protect you."
Her words.
He couldn't respond.
He laid back.
"…."
But as soon as he did, he felt the curves on her chest at the back of his head.
"Ah."
He pulled back and laid his head on her lap.
Alia caressed his disheveled hair and her hands emitted a bright glow.
Feeling the warmth of her mana, he grabbed one of her hands and clutched it.
Their fingers intertwined and Alia's mana began to seep into him.
He felt like he was at peace.
This feeling.
It was familiar.
The sa as back then in the student council room.
But he soon recalled the certain vision he had back then.
Alia was going to die.
His grip on her hand tightened at the thought of it.
He secretly promised to himself.
'I'll protect you too.'
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