Ren's spiritual force hovered just a hair's width away from piercing the mind of the boy holding him down when a sudden voice halted all of his actions.
"What the hell are you guys doing with Rion?!"
In the next second, Ren was free from the clutches binding him till now. He looked up to see the young master, who had intervened for him so many times before, either by intimidating the bullies or by simply sitting beside him as a silent guardian. Ren exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding in.
Ren's concentrated spiritual force shattered like glass within his sea of consciousness, sending shockwaves through his mind and body. He doubled over, spitting out a mouthful of dark blood, the bitter taste of iron staining his lips. His limbs quaked a violent tremor that betrayed the turmoil inside him. The world around him blurred and swayed.