Tave sat still, his breath shallow and uneven, eyes locked on the limp form of Fang that was lying silently across his lap.
The wolf didn't move. His chest barely rose. He was right on the edge of death.
In this condition, no healing skill could save him, not like this. Fang hadn't just been wounded. He had burned out his core. The very life force that sustained him.
When Tave had checked his status moments before, the truth had hit harder than anything else.
At the very last second, Fang had awakened a new affinity, Shadow Element, a low-level affinity born from sheer desperation. A rare advanced form of the Dark element, one that usually required years to even touch.
But Fang had forced it.
To save him.
To save Tave.
Moments later, Lily walked over, moving slowly, still pale. She knelt down beside him, saying nothing at first. Then, after a long silence, she spoke quietly, barely a whisper.
"I'll heal Fang…"
Tave didn't answer right away.
