Elysia finally exhaled. Her body, pushed past its limit, gave out. She dropped to one knee, unable to stand anymore. Sweat dripped down her pale face, mixing with blood, falling to the dirt below.
Her sword slipped from her hand and hit the ground with a dull clatter.
Her chest heaved.
She couldn't hold on anymore.
"Now…" she gasped, her voice barely above a whisper but filled with urgency. "Tear up… the emergency talisman…" she said to one of her team members.
She turned slightly toward her teammates, who had rushed through the trees to find her moments earlier—and were now frozen in disbelief.
That command snapped them back to reality.
One of them reached into their pocket and pulled out the emergency talisman.
Without hesitation, one of the students behind her—Selene, a girl ripped the talisman in half. A spark of energy surged from it and ascended into the sky.
