"Your mistake was showing 'Elio' the exact location of the artromus capable of crossing here."
Lucien's finger stopped mid-descent.
The flash of light that exploded from it was blinding.
When Zahyla's vision finally cleared through her powerful regeneration, the horror of reality hit her: Zalvek and his newly fed warrior lay split in two perfect halves behind her.
And there, emerging from the mist like a specter, was he.
Elio.
♢♢♢♢
A few days before...
"Two thousand in rotation," reported Lucien, his expression grave while reviewing the reports. "We've optimized the shifts as best we can, but..."
"It's not enough," Elio completed, his fingers drumming almost too hard on the strategy table. "We need at least ten thousand level ten soldiers to stabilize the patrol situation."
"Ten thousand?" Lucien frowned. "Elio, the mana consumption to reach that number of..."
