บท 169: The Possibility

The forest was silent, the only sounds were the wind rustling through the leaves and their own ragged breaths as they looked at each other in shock and confusion.

Nobody moved. It all happened too fast for anyone to react, except Brigantiea, who realized too late that someone had cast a spell from a distance, far beyond her reach.

"Is... Lucien," Lithira's voice trembled as she ran to her mother, grabbing her hands desperately.

Lucien was gone, consumed by blue fire with no remains left behind. It was as if he had never been there.

Brigantiea glanced at her daughter, but her mind was elsewhere, searching for the residual mana of the caster, trying to determine where the spell had come from.

"Answer me! Mom!" Lithira's voice grew more urgent, panic seeping into her tone.

"No... No... No... It can't be," Seren whispered, covering her mouth. She was on the verge of tears, collapsing to the ground.