The whole party became on guard instantly. Merle used her flame-summoning skill and summoned two birds of flames that cried out while hovering around her.
Evan was about to comment on them when he suddenly stiffened involuntarily.
[Evan, that thing isn't something you can defeat on your own. Work with them, or go all out.]
Pride's voice rang out in Evan's head as he turned his gaze to the forest. The feeling he was getting from whatever was inside there told him that he might have to use the skills he had been restraining himself from using.
Namely his Blink and Aura Slash. Most importantly, he might have to drop the gauntlets and use the Sword of Pride that was sleeping in the crest on the back of his palm.
He activated his paladin skill, his body becoming coated in a thin layer of white light as he lamented internally.
'Why don't things always go the way I want?'
The barren ground around them became dyed black. Seeds sprouted up and grew into black trees in an instant.
