When Lucas' vision cleared fully, he sat upright slowly on the reinforced cot.
Every muscle protested.
Bandages wrapped tightly around his torso and left shoulder where the General's elemental detonation had struck him at close range. His meridians still felt scorched from forcing spatial compression around such dense flame, and the backlash pulsed faintly with each breath he took.
Second stage Sage against third.
He had closed the gap.
But it had nearly broken him.
Lucas swung his legs off the cot and planted his boots firmly against the ground. The healer immediately stepped forward in alarm.
"You should remain seated," Jennifer urged. "Your internal circulation is unstable. If you force movement now..."
"I don't have the luxury," Lucas said quietly.
His voice was steady, though exhaustion lined it. He couldn't help but think about Patrick news of Celestial Ken.
