Alicarde was more tired than he had ever been. Even his brutal battle with Wrath back in the hospital, where inhuman amounts of pain wracked his body, couldn't compare to the mental strain he felt now. At least back then, the agony came with a tangible reward: the revelation of his truename.
This time, the rewards were far less concrete. Sure, he'd refined his esper powers, managing to multicast effectively. But once again, his long-cherished goal of flying eluded him.
He'd always dreamed of flight, envisioning himself soaring freely with his gravity manipulation abilities.
Yet, despite his best efforts, the reality fell laughably short.
Floating erratically? Sure. Controlled flight? Not a chance.
Malefica had warned him anyway: magical flight painted a big target on one's back, with numerous spells designed to bring aerial foes crashing down.
