"What?!" Aden's voice cracked, a tremor of dread running through it.
"[Her awakening... it seems your lifeforce was enough to stimulate it... that's good, right?!]" Zeph's voice echoed in his mind, laced with a hint of cautious optimism, a stark contrast to the raw panic clawing at Aden's throat.
"No... it's not good at all!" Fury contorted Aden's features. He scooped Eloisa into a princess carry, her fragile form barely a feather against his rapidly waning reserves. With a desperate surge of energy, he channeled the last dregs of his mana to form a shimmering barrier around them, a frail shield against the chaos about to erupt.
"[What are you doing?] Zeph's voice returned, laced with confusion.
