Anasthasia couldn't move an inch as her body cushioned the entire weight of the town. Eyes still closed, unable to muster an ounce of strength for it to open, and fortunately, she wasn't shrouded by the darkness.
She was bedridden, but that didn't stop her mind from thinking, energized.
'Where the heck am I—? No, most importantly, how should I get away with this heavy feeling?'
'I can sense the mana around me; it's brimming with life and freedom. This might be an opportunity—'
She could also overhear, aside from her steady breathing, the murmurs of familiar voices that reverberated the room. That said, her touch grew sensitive from the comfortable sheets and foam that embraced her motionless figure. Not long enough, she felt a pair of small hands clasped hers with a gentle touch.
"Big Brothers, will—will she be alright?" Lucy stuttered, fingers kneading on Anasthasia's hand.
"Everything should go well. Ana's vital signs are normal. She just needed time to rest, that's all." Liam cooed.
"How did it come up to this? I thought—maybe it's my fault, after all."
Anasthasia's heart rang in sorrow as she could no longer bear her wallow in self-pity. Her fingertips twitched.
Lucy sprung from her seat with her chair, creaked alongside it. Her hands gripped tightly, albeit not enough for Anasthasia to feel such constriction.
She stammered, "Sister Ana! You're—Thank goodness!"
"Lucy, please be careful as she hadn't fully healed." Liam sighed.
"She moved! I swear—!" Lucy stopped as she noticed the sudden twitch of Anasthasia's fingertips.
'This silly girl, she needs to calm down.' Her fingers began to caress her quivering hand.
Her whimpers rang Anasthasia's ears and her strong facade melted as she noticed, moment by moment, the warm tears that dripped on her hand. She could feel the emotions poured with no reservations.
Anasthasia had a heavy lump stuck on her throat as her very words couldn't escape from her lips. She relaxed her muscle and coalesced the mana at her core. Feeling the rush of warmth that spread all over her body, she took a moment—cast 'Surge!'
As her body glowed in bright light, her eyes then snapped open, and sat up from the comfortable bedspace.
The rush of adrenaline possessed her body.
She could see Lucy's face—green eyes obscured from the wetness, which then her tears cascaded like a waterfall, and her nose tinted with a shade of red, but it spread across her cheeks.
Liam and Levi stood behind Lucy; Anasthasia saw how their face contorted with grim and anger. They stood so calm, but their auras could stifle and convulse a domestic animal nearby.
Anasthasia facepalmed. 'Just what the heck happened back then? Before I skidded to the darkness, I could remember Michael—Right! Michael—' She looked up, noticing his cold stares that prick her skin numerous times.
Michael's grey eyes narrowed, glaring at her. His lips sealed tight—unperturbed to utter a word, but she could see how he gnashed his jaw. Looking at his overall stature, Anasthasia heaved a sigh in silence.
'With his aura of impending doom, he overshadowed the twin's pressure. I have troubled them.'
Mustering her courage, Anasthasia ought to convey something as she looked blameworthy for all the mess. She glanced at them, saying, "I'm sorry, everyone."
"How are you feeling, Tasha?"
"I'm feeling much better." With the spell at her disposal, she moved her arms and perhaps tried to lift her legs. There wasn't so much to see from the quick and measly spell she made. "Maybe temporarily, I'll go back to my bedridden self sooner or later."
Lucy leaned forward, voice squeaking of concern, "Sister Ana! You should rest! You needed it!"
"I will, and I promise you that." Anasthasia smiled, patting her head. "I want to take this time to see the aftermath."
"Aftermath?" Levi queried as he adjusted his black-framed glasses.
"That's right. I'm not sure, but I'd greatly appreciate it if you can give me a summary of what happened then?"
They looked at each other; their faces screamed out of confusion, which left her deduced her thoughts.
"Did the examination fail?"
This time, Lucy's turn to chime in, "Sir Mariston is currently working on that matter; he's deliberating and assessing the incident today." Anasthasia nodded accordingly.
'Seemed like a lot is going on back then. I'll see to it—'
Anasthasia shook her head, reorganizing her thoughts. If there were one thing she had taken into consideration, then it would have been Prince Daniel.
'I have offended an important figure so gravely. I must make amends, or things won't go well for me.'
Anasthasia glanced at Michael, and this time his grey eyes calmed down—his tensed face let loose, awaiting her utterance.
"Michael, your brother…"
"You mean my little brother, Daniel?" He tilted his head, raising his eyebrows. He brushed his hair, scoffing, "If you're talking about him, he's right behind us."
Anasthasia saw his hand grab a handful of cloth by the curtains behind him, sliding it sideways and revealed Daniel, who was in such a state no different from hers. He donned white sleeves and trousers, although plain and straightforward, looked so chic and sophisticated.
Daniel only lowered his head as though he wasn't bothered to glance her way and Anasthasia understood his sentiments, but whatever it may be, she needed to ask in good faith.
"How are your injuries—?"
"That's none of your concern!" Daniel snapped, severely interrupting her. "Why are you so concerned about me? Why don't you check yourself!" He shifted his head with his cold gaze that bore to her soul.
"I'm fine, and you don't have to worry about me—"
Daniel laughed mirthlessly. "You seem to be a worrywart when it comes to others."
Anasthasia's eyebrows creased, suppressing her lips to a firm line as she held her irritation. She took a deep breath before she muttered, "Excuse me? I'm just saying it is a place of concern—"
Daniel wasn't the one to back down, clicking his tongue, with his voice dripped with poison, "You're overly cautious, even back at the training grounds. Do you think the institution is careless enough to harm the spectators?"
Anasthasia stumped from embarrassment. She said nothing further as though she called it a day. In retrospect, she realized that there had to be safety precautions—a magical barrier wasn't the only one that was deemed capable of doing so.
'It was crystal clear I'm at a disadvantage, yet I wiggled my way in and struggled to the bitter end. Why, to such extent, had I bother provoking him?' She grumbled in her thoughts, slapping her forehead.
"I don't know who you are, but my instincts are telling me something."
Anasthasia caught his awful leers, which she made a long face and hummed in nonchalance, "I wonder what would that be."
"Forget it." Daniel turned his back as he could no longer face her and curled on his bed. He hissed in pain as his body quivered.
Anasthasia fidgeted, looking mortified. "Is he really alright, Michael?"
Michael nodded, "The doctors have monitored both of you, in terms of vital signs. Slow recovery was the only downside."
"What do you mean—? No, what about his burns?"
Levi responded, "The burns didn't come from the fire spell that you launched earlier, but from the fire that penetrated beyond the threshold of uniform's defenses, which caused it to lit up and eventually suffered from lethal burns."
'Suffering from indirect attack, huh?'
"I understand." Anasthasia rustled from the sheets, attempting to move out, but Lucy blocked her from doing whatever she wanted.
"Sister Ana, you're not feeling well. You also have burns, albeit milder compared to—"
"Don't worry, and this is nothing." Anasthasia patted her head, then closed her eyes as she felt the mana. In her whim, she ought to cast.
'Regeneration!'
The redness that bloomed on her skin shredded off her, revealing the fairness in her complexion as though it was the very first time they saw her.
'I feel much better; now it's his turn.'
"Lucy, may you help me?" Anasthasia pleaded for help.
Without the need to think twice, Lucy had rushed to her side and had her arm hook around. Michael gazed and offered to help her.
"Where are we going?"
"I'm going to heal Daniel before I go back and rest."
Her audacity had caused all of them to howl in unison. Her ears were bombarded with different issues and concerns, but she brushed them off with a dismissive wave of her hand.
"Please, let me do this."
As Anasthasia drew closer, Daniel had tremors on his body. He instinctively covered his body with his arms, and before he could react, her hand reached him with the same glow.
'Regeneration!'
Her body staggered soon as she finished.
'I never expected it to be over so soon,'
"The spell is about to disappear."
She felt tipsy that she almost stumbled; luckily, Michael caught her in a timely fashion.
This time, she welcomed the darkness.