Chapter 54: The Heroine and the Villain.

Chapter 54: Chapter 54: The Heroine and the Villain.

Taliah Valdegrim was having a rather boring day, or at least that was what she had thought until a few minutes ago.

She had managed to recover the object needed to pass the test and during her route she had also easily defeated several creatures.

"I guess this is everything."

Taliah sighed as she recalled several of Ari’s training methods.

’I hope he doesn’t get the idea to do something like that with the rest of the students.’

Although Taliah thought it would also be fun to watch their reactions, at which she smiled slightly and then looked at the small artifact she was carrying with her.

"Well, at least I’m done."

She only needed to return to the meeting point, but instead of heading directly toward the nearest exit, she began to move toward a region located to the east.

’Draven should be around here.’

Taliah remembered perfectly the access through which her friend had been sent.

Although the test was individual, she had already completed her objective and there was no rule that prohibited her from casually meeting another student.

’I just want to check that he’s okay.’

After what had happened in Fernus, Taliah had begun to worry even more about Draven’s safety.

’Although this time it should be fine.’

The academy had prepared that test, so there were professors supervising the forest and all the students possessed magical marks that they could use to withdraw in case of emergency.

There shouldn’t be any really important danger, so Taliah continued advancing until she perceived something strange.

"..."

She stopped immediately, since an unknown concentration of mana seemed to be coming from a nearby region, so Taliah frowned.

’What is that?’

She turned her head slightly.

The energy was considerably superior to that of the creatures she had encountered during the test and possessed characteristics she couldn’t identify.

’A powerful beast?’

She observed the surroundings and at a certain distance she could distinguish some signs that indicated the limits of a restricted zone.

’I’m near one of the dangerous sectors.’

That would explain the presence of a stronger creature, but there was something that felt strange to her.

The mana didn’t seem to belong to a conventional beast, which made Taliah place her hand on the hilt of her sword.

’I’d better be careful.’

The most reasonable thing would be to go back, but before she could change direction, she heard footsteps among the trees, so she partially unsheathed her sword.

"Who’s there?"

She received no answer, but the footsteps continued approaching, so Taliah concentrated mana in her body and then she saw a figure of dark hair appear among the vegetation.

"...Draven?"

Taliah relaxed her hand slightly.

"Draven!"

He didn’t seem to have heard her, but Taliah smiled.

’I finally found him.’

She began to approach.

"I was looking for you, did you already get the test object?"

Draven didn’t respond and continued walking, at which Taliah frowned slightly.

"Draven?"

Then she noticed that his clothes were damaged, with bloodstains on several parts of his body and he seemed to have trouble properly supporting one of his legs.

The smile disappeared immediately from Taliah’s face.

"What happened to you!?"

She quickened her pace, but when she was a few meters from him, she once again perceived that strange concentration of mana.

"..."

She stopped.

’Wait.’

The unknown energy was coming directly from Draven, so Taliah observed him carefully.

’What...?’

She knew her friend’s mana perfectly, but that was completely different.

’That’s not his mana.’

Its nature provoked a sensation of danger in her that she couldn’t explain, so Taliah tightened her grip slightly on the hilt of her sword.

’A curse?’

She remembered having studied some techniques capable of temporarily altering the characteristics of a person’s mana.

There also existed abilities that allowed introducing foreign energy into another individual’s body, but she had never felt something like that.

’Did some creature attack him?’

She observed Draven’s wounds again.

’Something definitely happened.’

Taliah began to worry.

She wanted to approach immediately to help him, but there was something that forced her to remain alert.

The way Draven was looking at her while having a smile that Taliah didn’t remember ever having seen on his face.

’Draven...’

The young man finally stopped in front of her and both remained in silence.

Taliah tried to understand what was happening, while Elfin, for his part, calmly observed the girl.

’So this is the girl I saved.’

He examined her from head to toe, especially the mana circulating through her body.

’Interesting.’

He recognized certain characteristics that reminded him of one of the humans who had participated in his defeat five hundred years ago.

’She definitely belongs to that lineage.’

Elfin smiled slightly.

’And to think that this brat will be my opponent in three years.’

Taliah continued observing him with distrust.

The god could perceive that the young woman was ready to unsheathe her sword at any moment, but he also noticed that she hesitated, since she didn’t want to attack Draven.

That seemed quite amusing to him.

’What sentimental creatures.’

Elfin considered provoking her and telling her what was going on, but decided not to.

’It would be too easy.’

Besides, he still had a problem and that was that Eje had established that Elfin could not attack Taliah Valdegrim directly.

’Damn Eje.’

Elfin observed the young woman’s sword.

’I could eliminate her right now if it weren’t for that contract.’

Although his capabilities were limited, he still considered that a human like her didn’t represent a real threat, but there were other possibilities.

’I can’t attack her directly...’

His smile widened slightly.

’But that doesn’t mean I have to protect her.’

Elfin recalled the technique used by that dragon mage to prevent the magical fluctuations from being detected by the professors.

Elfin had quickly understood its functioning and had just found a much more interesting way to use it.

’It’ll be fun if I modify it a bit.’

Instead of preventing the mana from propagating, he could concentrate a specific signal capable of attracting the beasts sensitive to certain magical frequencies.

’That should work.’

Elfin began to concentrate a small amount of mana and Taliah immediately noticed the alteration.

’What is he doing?’

She observed Draven’s hands and there was no evident movement, but the mana around him began to change.

"Draven..."

Taliah finally decided to speak.

"Are you okay?"

Elfin didn’t respond and continued observing her, so Taliah took a step toward him.

"You’re injured, we have to go back."

Again, she received no answer and that ended up convincing her that something was wrong.

’Is he under the effect of some control ability?’

The possibility was worrying.

If someone had managed to control Draven, she had to find a way to free him without hurting him.

Taliah began to gather mana in her body, so Elfin immediately noticed her preparation.

’Oh.’

The young woman was considering attacking him, so that produced a certain amusement in him.

’Would you be capable of hurting your dear friend?’

For a few seconds, he considered provoking her to check it, but a new alteration ran through his body.

"..."

Elfin stopped smiling.

’Tch.’

His time was ending.

’How annoying.’

He only needed a few more seconds.

Elfin discreetly extended a small amount of mana toward the terrain, so the energy dispersed among the roots and began to propagate through the forest.

Then he added a second alteration, which was that the signal would remain temporarily linked to the position of Draven’s body.

’Perfect.’

The creatures that responded to that energy would head toward him and, of course, Taliah was right in front.

Elfin observed the young woman again.

’Let’s see how strong you are, descendant of Valdegrim.’

There was a considerable possibility that she would manage to defeat the beasts, since he could perceive that she possessed extraordinary talent.

But she would also have to protect Draven and that detail would complicate things considerably.

’If you’re lucky, you’ll survive.’

Elfin smiled.

’And if not...’

The idea seemed quite pleasant to him, since if those beasts decided to attack her, it would be a consequence of their own instincts or that was what Elfin hoped Eje would accept.

’Let’s see if you also thought of this, you damn bastard.’

Then he felt a familiar pressure, so Elfin clicked his tongue.

"What a pain..."

Taliah opened her eyes slightly.

"Draven?"

Elfin observed her one last time and then smiled.

’I hope you manage to entertain me in three years.’

The concentration of dark mana began to disappear and, finally, Elfin lost control of the body.

"Draven, are you okay?"

Taliah took another step toward him while the strange energy she had perceived began to diminish rapidly.

’What’s happening?’

Draven remained motionless for an instant and then his legs gave way.

"DRAVEN!"

Taliah reacted immediately and managed to support him before he hit the ground.

"Draven! Answer me!"

She received no response, since her friend was unconscious, so Taliah knelt slowly, holding his body.

"Damn it!"

She began to examine his wounds.

There was blood on his right shoulder and she also found an important injury on his left leg.

’Who did this to you?’

Taliah clenched her teeth and, when she observed the wounds with greater attention, she noticed something strange, like that the injury on the shoulder had a form that was too precise.

’A projectile?’

It seemed like a wound caused by a firearm.

’Could it have been another student?’

Taliah immediately discarded that explanation.

Although some people could use magical weapons during the test, no student should attack one of their companions in that manner and much less cause such serious wounds.

’I have to take him to the professors.’

Taliah tried to activate her own emergency mark, but stopped, since the mark was only linked to her.

If she used it, she had no guarantee that Draven would be transported along with her body, besides the fact that he was unconscious and couldn’t activate his own personally.

’I need to find another way.’

Taliah observed Draven’s storage bracelet.

She knew that he kept numerous potions and medical supplies, but that artifact was linked to its owner’s mana, so it was locked.

’Damn it.’

Fortunately, she also carried some supplies, so she began to search for a recovery potion inside her bag.

"Hang on a little longer, Draven."

Taliah managed to take out a small potion from her bag, but before opening it, she heard a roar that came from a region located to the north, so she slowly raised her head.

’A beast?’

An instant later she heard another roar, but this time it came from the west and then one more, so Taliah remained motionless.

’Wait...’

There were several presences approaching and some were relatively weak, but others...

’What the hell?’

A considerably greater concentration of mana appeared among the trees, then another and another more.

Taliah began to understand that something was happening, since the creatures seemed to be heading toward them.

’This isn’t normal.’

Taliah quickly put away the potion and then carefully settled Draven next to a tree, making sure he didn’t put pressure on his wounds.

She stood up and unsheathed her sword, making the mana begin to circulate through her body.

"Draven..."

She briefly observed her unconscious friend.

"We really have to talk about your ability to get into trouble."

Taliah raised her sword and prepared herself for a difficult battle.