"Exi flamma, consumere in mea voluntas!" Lyrien chanted.
Reiji, who was engaged in a one-sided conversation with Krogar, suddenly felt a surge of energy building behind him. He stopped mid-sentence and turned toward the source of the power.
"Mysterious guy, move aside," Lyrien said firmly before completing her chant, shouting, "Inferno's Embrace!"
As the final words left her lips, flames erupted in a swirling vortex with the fallen Krogar at its center. In mere seconds, the inferno expanded, engulfing nearby trees, plants, and Krogar in an all-consuming blaze.
With sharp reflexes and quick analysis, Reiji swiftly stepped back, avoiding the fiery explosion.
The intense heat radiated outward, searing the air and scorching everything in its path. As quickly as the flames erupted, they dissipated skyward, leaving behind charred grass, smoldering trees, and glowing red-hot metal—the remnants of the fallen stone beast, Krogar.
Reiji's eyes darkened, his thoughts heavy. "That beast might have been ominous, but he had a physical body, a life—just like Bobbin does. Taking down Darkspawns is different; they're manifestations of dark energy, devoid of understanding or emotion."
His gaze shifted to Lyrien, then back to the glowing remnants of Krogar. "But Krogar... He may have looked evil, but he was already under control. Taking his life wasn't necessary."
"I don't know how to feel about it..." Reiji pondered, his thoughts swirling with conflicting emotions.
*THUD!
A sudden sound came from behind Reiji. He turned to see Lyrien, her knees hitting the ground as she panted heavily after casting the powerful spell that reduced the monstrous Krogar to nothing more than glowing, refined mineral.
Reiji's eyes softened as he glanced at her exhausted form. He tried to make sense of her actions. "She was just too scared," he reasoned silently. "That's why she acted that way."
Even so, a shadow of unease lingered in his mind.
"Hey," Reiji said, breaking the silence as he approached the exhausted Lyrien. His tone was calm but carried a hint of concern. "Lyrien, right? Are you okay?"
Lyrien didn't respond immediately. Instead, she raised a shaky hand, signaling him to wait. Her labored breaths filled the air as she tried to steady herself.
Reiji stopped a few paces away, giving her the space she needed.
He watched her closely, waiting patiently as she regained her composure.
After a few minutes, Lyrien's heavy breathing began to soften. With one last sharp "Huff!" she straightened up and quickly moved toward her unconscious sister, Lyra.
"Lyra!" Lyrien exclaimed, her voice mixed with worry as she knelt beside her sister.
Her trembling hands checked Lyra's pulse and searched for signs of injury.
Relieved to confirm a steady heartbeat and breathing, Lyrien whispered to herself, "She's still with us, but she's got some major injuries. I must act fast."
"I need to tend to her quickly," Lyrien added, her voice steady with determination despite her evident exhaustion.
Leaning in closer, Lyrien began chanting softly, "Aqua, voluntati tuae. Recovery."
A soothing blue glow enveloped Lyra's body, radiating warmth and serenity as the magic took effect.
Reiji stood nearby, witnessing Lyrien's struggle to channel her exhausted magic.
As the blue glow dissipated, Lyrien's breathing grew labored. Sweat beaded on her brow, and her shoulders slumped under the strain.
Reiji broke the silence, "Will she be okay?"
Lyrien exhaled deeply before responding, "I'll need to cast Recovery a few more times, quickly, to ensure her survival and alleviate her pain when she awakens."
Reiji furrowed his brow in confusion. "Alleviate? I'm sorry, I know you're exhausted, but do you mean heal her completely?"
Lyrien paused, trying to steady her breathing before replying. "Well…" She sighed.
"My healing only cures the injury to prevent it from getting worse, but it doesn't actually recover the damages just yet."
Reiji stood still, processing her words. "Does it mean wounds would close, but the lost blood will still be felt?" he pondered.
Tati's healing chant was way longer than hers, but it was like an instant recovery. Just how strong is that kid? He mused to himself.
As Lyrien began to chant, Reiji spoke up, his tone calm but offering help. "I might actually help with her recovery. Do you mind?"
Lyrien breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Reiji's offer and replied, "I don't usually put my sister's life in someone else's hands, but I trust you. You've already saved us once, and I trust your sincerity in helping. Please, help me again."
"She definitely felt my presence earlier," Reiji confirmed to himself.
"Alright, take some rest. I'll take over," Reiji replied.
Lyrien stood up and stepped aside, giving way to Reiji, who knelt beside Lyra and chanted, "Corpo illumina, shinsen terasu! Vitalis Vedere!"
Lyrien's attention was drawn to Reiji's incantation. She squinted her eyes and said, "You're strange, your eyes are glowing blue."
"I know I'm strange," Reiji replied.
"I'll begin," he added.
"For some reason, I have an ability that allows me to understand the human body," Reiji pondered. "I am eager to discover the limitations of this ability."
Reiji placed his hand on Lyra's body. Lyrien watched with rapt interest, her eyes hinting at curiosity.
"I can see the damaged tissues, the torn muscles, and the fractured bones and fix them from the inside," Reiji thought to himself, realizing how his magic worked.
"It's as if her body is being rewired by me. Even her old injuries—I can fix them," Reiji thought, surprised by his own ability.
Lyra slowly gained consciousness, feeling a strange sensation wash over her. "I feel naked," she groggily said.
It took a few minutes, but it was done. However, Reiji's face looked flustered, realizing something his ability encompassed.
In just a few minutes, Lyra regained full consciousness. Reiji stood up and stepped back, while Lyrien immediately sat beside her sister, pulling her into a tight hug.
"Lyra!" Lyrien cried, calling her sister's name. "How are you feeling?"
"Lyrien? What happened?" Lyra asked, blinking in confusion. "I feel great! In fact, I feel amazing!" she exclaimed.
Lyra stood and flexed her arm, her eyes wide with amazement. "Oh my…" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "The broken part of my body... and all the previous scars."
She turned to Lyrien, her expression a mix of relief and disbelief.
"What did you do, Lyrien?"
"And why are you crying?" Lyra asked.
Reiji smiled, a look of relief washing over his face as he witnessed the success of his ability.
Lyrien wiped away her tears and said, "It wasn't me. It was this guy behind you."
Lyra turned, and Reiji greeted her with a slight guilt in his eyes. "Uhm… hey."