"Destruction Enchantment D."
It was a skill that sought after by many hunters. Even though its rank was low, it didn't matter. When Resonance succesfully started even skill ranks could go up temporarily. Currently my arrow gave so much light that my eye hurt.
"We can't hold it anymore!"
Hunters screamed. Since I pulled the string to its fullest limit, I was about the say the same thing. I let it fly towards the shape covered in green liquid. Other sharpshooters also followed me, releasing their projectiles where my arrow flew. But my attack was so big and bright that all other attacks couldn't be seen. When red arrow arrived to its target a huge explosion occured. Sound of something heavy falling ground was heard. We killed it! But it wasn't the time to celebrate! Even more green liquid rained down on us. It covered entire sky. Magicians who barely held onto their barriers screamed in horror. I could only curse.
"As long as I am here! Guardian of Earth!"
As Jonathan's voice rang in my ears, a huge shield made out of mana covered entire camp area. What a strong defensive skill ! I could see Jonathan's face as he strained himself to keep up to shield. I could only imagine the willpower it took to maintain that big of shield.
"Everyone move! I can't hold this much longer!"
Only thing between us and acidic liquid was shield created by Jonathan's skill. But he probably couldn't hold on any longer. His nose started to bleed. I grabbed two wounded hunters.
"Come on! Captain!"
I looked at the Jonathan. He had a bitter expression in his face. He shook his head.
"If I move, shield will collapse. Go! Take the wounded and go!"
If shield collapsed rain of acidic liquid would drop where we stood. So we needed to ran but what about Jonathan? He couldn't move. He also couldn't hold on for any longer.
"I can't let you die!"
"This is an order! Take the wounded and ran!"
No! That will happen again? I will sacrifice others to save myself? No! No!
"There must be another way! What about…."
"We don't have time! Go!"
My brain worked in light speed. I gave hunters I grabbed to someone else. What could I do? I looked at the cracks at the shield. What I could do? What I could do to stop someone dying to save me? I had nothing in my arsenal that could stop it.
"What would Edward do?"
He would just blow away all the liquid with a flick of his blade. I couldn't do that. My stats and skills weren't enough to create that much of force. Even George couldn't stop lesser amount of liquid before and I was weaker than him. Then what could I even do? What did I have that Edward didn't have?
"Blood Reinforcement."
I looked at the metal shield Jonathan carried. It shone. That meant that he was using it to amplify the shield he was created with his skill. I pulled a knife from my belt. I ripped my sleeve and cut my wrist. It wasn't a logical decision. I was running on full adrenaline.
"What are you doing!"
"Just trust me!"
Permanence, duplication and perhaps counter. If I could add one of those skills to his shield, I could save him. Permancene allowed the affects of magic and skills to stay longer. If I could gave it to his shield, it could allow magical shield to linger sometime while we ran. Duplication would allow us to create another shield top on the other. So we would have more time to ran. Counter was most offensive of those skills. It would allow us to deflect the liquid. The problem was…
"I am not sure if I can even give it a random skill."
As the lack of trust in my voice made me feel even worse, I smeared my blood to shield. Jonathan didn't looked at me. He was too busy keeping up the shield. His nose was bleeding like crazy. My heart pounded like crazy. If I failed a horrible death awaited me. But I had to calm down. Calm down and focus. I took a deep breath. I imagined a scene. I imagined the scene I imagined when I created the arrow I shot before. It wasn't a scene of victory. It wasn't a scene of revenge. It wasn't a scene of glory. There were people in it. Just normal people. Two hunters. Several family members. They joked. They laughed. They were alive and well. They didn't suffer. That was the scene I wanted to see most. It was the scene I could never see.
"I can never make that scene into reality."
So what? What was the sin of imagination? What was wrong with wishes? Was I a pathetic loser because I dreamed it? Dreamed a world where people I cared about were alive and well?
"No."
That was the proof of me being human. Proof that I kept my humanity.
"That thing is no longer your brother. He is a vampire. He is worst kind of scum. Killing him would be honoring his human self."
Shut the fuck up. How do you know? How the fuck do you know! I just wanted to keep people I cared about alive! How could I do that if I was dead?
"This is my will. If you are…"
My body felt weak.
(Reinforenment successful! Permanence D+ is given to Nameless Shield!)
(Skill Blood Reinforcenment ranked up to D+)
I felt someone grabbing me. I looked up. Jonathan was carrying me.
"I don't know what you did but you did a good fucking job. Be proud, hunter."
Shield Jonathan created was still standing and holding up the acid. I looked at the shield he carried. Red runic looking carvings now covered it.
"I did it."
I murmured.
"Yes, you did."
"I saved someone. I didn't sacrifice others."
My brain didn't work at that time. I was suffering from mana deficiency due using Blood Reinforcenment.