"Binding vow."
At that mont, the flas spread across the vicinity, unveiling themselves, as if the pitch–black color wasn't its true form.
Gradually, the color of athyst crackled, coalescing itself with the flas, crawling, seamlessly blending in.
Until all the flas had turned athyst.
Rumble… Rumble…
The ground shook intensely, and the mana in the atmosphere suddenly grew heavy.
Brandon gritted his teeth, furrowed his brow, and tears continued dripping down his cheek as he poured in all of his focus on the skill.
The athyst flas engulfed his entire figure, burning him. Scorch marks appeared all over, and cracks started to spread all over his body.
The pain was unbearable.
But Brandon persisted
"Wait, Brandon. What are you doing?!"
Alia suddenly scread desperately.
"I'll save her."
"But your body…. You're not going to make it!"
Everyone watched awestruck, their eyes wide open, and their mouths hung agape.
"It's a binding vow…."
Ivan said as he felt goosebumps all over his body.
Alia's eyes widened.
"A binding vow?!"
"A special trait only available to curse affinity users… I've seen my fair share of binding vows. But I've never seen one this intense…."
Ivan scread with raised brows.
"Stop what you're doing, boy! One death is enough! We can't have two!"
Alia flicked her head from Ivan, back to Brandon.
"Brandon, stop! You know it's impossible to bring the dead back to life!
Cold sweat trickled down her face as she desperately pleaded.
Pleading for him not to die too.
Bringing the dead back to life was unheard of.
Not a single curse affinity user had managed to do so.
In the first place, there was prejudice, disdain, towards curse affinity users.
The way curse affinity users deal with their exchanges left a bitter taste in everyone's mouth.
It wasn't worth it.
An affinity that continuously harms the user upon each use.
And sadly, Brandon was one such user.
Suddenly, Brandon turned his head slightly.
The air thick with anticipation, growing heavy in each passing second.
He suddenly spoke.
"Even if it's impossible, what kind of brother would I be if I won't even try and put myself at risk?"
He fixed his attention back to his lifeless sister.
The mana perated heavily in the air. Everyone could feel the vibrations, the shaking, the intensity of the situation.
….The desperation in Brandon's tone.
The mana grew even heavier and Alia found herself suffocated.
Athyst flas spread all over the ground, scorching everything in its wake.
"Even if this is a futile attempt, and that this decision of mine would lead to my death, then so be it."
"Brandon, please!"
Alia raised her hand, extending her palms towards him.
Magic swords materialized around her. The tip of the blade tilted, as if it was aid towards Brandon.
Step—
"...."
Alia stepped forward. But she soon halted as she felt like she had stepped on sothing.
Lowering her head, she looked down and found herself utterly shocked.
There, she could see the athyst flas, distorting. As if it was warping itself into an odd shape.
No, Alia could well guess what it was.
Purple hyacinth flowers.
Just that they were in a form of crackling, blazing athyst flas.
The flowers.
The flas.
They were beautiful, and Alia found herself montarily taken aback.
The sheer intensity of the athyst colors reflected itself in Alia's eyes.
"A zone…"
A voice suddenly reached her ears. She had her suspicions that they were in fact inside a zone.
Particularly, Brandon's zone.
After all, the precision in the way the flas were controlled, just so it wouldn't hurt her would only be possible inside the user's zone.
"Crazy…"
She was truly astonished.
"This is insane."
"How is this possible?!"
And the sa went for the others.
But she refused to believe in her conjectures since she had never seen such a zone before.
She raised her head and looked around.
The zone.
"...."
It wasn't isolated. An open zone that stretches far–wide, and Brandon had full control over the entire vicinity.
It was absurd.
Alia could see Brandon's body breaking. The cracks spread wider and she could barely see his back, covered in athyst flas.
"Brandon, please stop!"
She desperately pleaded.
Brandon responded without looking back at her.
"If I die, then I'll just et my sister in the afterlife."
He shook his head.
"If she isn't there, then I will find her. No matter what, I will find Belle."
Then he turned his head slightly and t Alia's gaze.
Drip.
Before she realized it, a tear trickled down her cheek. Scanning Brandon's face, tears spread across his features.
There were bags under his eyes, and his lips turned pale white.
"You can doubt my decision. But Belle… she was always there for during my highs and lows. When I was still quite new to this world, she welcod with open arms."
"What are you—"
"She treated a fake like as if I were her real brother. She accepted the current for who I was without looking for the old Brandon."
"...."
What is he….
"Soone like her… Her life is worth more than mine. I don't wanna say I'm God, but…."
"What are you trying to say…?!"
"...I'll take her to heaven even if I die."
A sudden chill ran down Alia's spine as she stared at Brandon—pouring all of his mana into his final skill.
"Brandon!"
A magic sword pierced through the air, aiming to strike Brandon's calf.
But it completely disintegrated as athyst flas consud it.
"I'll save you, Belle."
Brandon said, pushing all of his feelings into his mana.
His desperation.
His sadness.
His sorrow.
His despair.
…..And his hope.
He turned his head slightly, giving Alia one last smile.
"Thank you for everything."
And then…..
"Stop—"
He vanished.
The athyst flas had fully engulfed both him and Belle, as if they were never there to begin with.
The purple hyacinth flas gradually dematerialized.
Thump!
Alia's jaw slacked open and she fell on both knees, speechless by what she had just witnessed.
Drip. Drip…!
But the tears.
"...."
They wouldn't stop pouring down.
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