A violent surge of wind tore through the tendrils like a blade. They scattered instantly, as if they weighed nothing.

Killian lost his footing as the surge caught him, lifting him off the ground before he could react. His head spun as he rose into the air, too quickly.

Before reaching five feet, he dropped Thistle to save her but winced when she fell on the ground.

"Killian!" her voice called out below, and her vines reached out to him but Killian was sent farther up.

The wind carried him higher. Then it abandoned him.

’Shit.’

His body dropped fast, and his heart jumped into his mouth. He saw the ground rushing up to meet him, and with a thought, he moved the tendrils towards him.

’They are too far! They wouldn’t reach me in time!’

His body tensed up as his life flashed before his eyes. The knight attacked again, advancing to swing her axe while he was mid-air.

Killian’s eyes shifted to the last orb of heat with him, and he sent it to her in a last bit to defend himself.

The orb clashed on her weapon, detonating on her face.

BOOM!

He folded his arms for the impact.

Whoosh!

Firm hands caught him.

A sense of relief washed over him when he didn’t feel the hard ground after a second. He coughed out the smoke from the detonation, as he was lowered to the ground.

His tightened chest released as he looked up, face pale, heart racing. "Lady Helen..." he bit his tongue from speaking as his body was still tensed. "Th-Thank goodness."

Lady Helen looked down at him, an amused smile playing on her lips. "Killian." She tilted her head, studying him.

Then she teased. "Are you crying?"

"N-No!"

Helen lowered him gently to the ground, steadying his back with a hand before letting go. Her eyes shifted to the Knight, sharpening. "This is not an angel."

Killian hurried to Thistle, who rested on the ground. "No, a Knight. She’s strong too." He picked the girl up, inspecting her leg. "My sister is up ahead. Can I leave you here?"

He had to leave as soon as possible. He noticed Helen’s gaze on Thistle for a split second, then she turned. "Go ahead—"

"Who the hell are you!" The Knight waved the smoke out of the way, "Another plaything?"

Helen’s expression darkened, "Don’t compare him with me."

Killian frowned slightly at that but said nothing. She just saved his life. "I’m off. Take care."

The Knight didn’t wait, and another violent gust of wind surged forward, tearing through the space toward them. It headed for Killian directly.

Helen lifted her hand, and in an instant, a wall of water stretched from her fingertips.

"<Summoning: Horan>," she said softly. "Come."

The water shifted, then a roar erupted from it. A massive dragon burst forth from the wall, its body formed entirely of flowing water, yet solid in presence.

Killian slowed down, staring back.

The dragon charged forward, swallowing the incoming wind whole, and its form expanding as it devoured the attack.

With another thunderous roar, it shot upward into the sky, and circled with power that shook the air. Helen drew out a sword made entirely of water.

Killian instinctively covered his ears, eyes wide as he watched it. He glanced at the sword held in Helen’s grasp.

It reminded him of Theodore’s spear-shaped attacks, and Jenovan’s fiery spear that shot at him during their first training.

’I still have a long way to go.’

Helen didn’t look back. "Go ahead, Killian. I got this."

Killian’s lips curled into a small smile.

"Are you sure you can kill it?"

He heard her chuckle. "I was appointed to kill an angel, not a mere Knight. This is a walk in the park."

So Killian left her to it. "Please, do kill it." He ran ahead, the spark flickering above him and guiding his path.

His eyes focused as he moved past the dry land, doing his best to ignore the tremors on the ground from the fight behind him and the frequent roars of dominance Helen’s summon let out.

"Are you okay?" He asked Thistle when they were away from the noise. The spark slowed down, leading him to a forest area with denser trees than he had seen. "Your leg."

Her face was devoid of expression, and looked like she was in pain. She nodded, looking at the bone that was misaligned.

Killian glanced at the spark, before setting her down gently and using a Healing strip on her.

He watched, checking if the strips worked on non-humans. It did. He exhaled, and added more strips.

Healing strips only worked on Mages and Wardens who could use mana, and there were no reports on animals and nulls.

He wasn’t sure if the non-human factor or mana-user factor would’ve influenced the results in Thistle’s case. "I’d send you back to the inventory. Rest—"

"There’s another knight ahead. One more." She raised a finger weakly. "I checked when my vines were through me earlier. The last knight is with one other person. Very likely your sister."

Killian already expected that there was another Knight.

"Let me help—"

"No." He carried her in his arms again, after wrapping her ankle with healing strips, "but thank you."

He returned her to the inventory.

Since she was injured, she was a step to being a casualty that would hurt him.

"I sensed it. The series. When I nearly splattered to the ground, they unlocked."

The Void chuckled faintly.

"Could you have purposely let yourself get swept away just to experience a thrill that will unlock it?"

While the Void spoke, an interface flashed before Killian’s eyes having the least of three skills, combined to form a series for the Void Element.

He looked through it carefully, then started walking towards the spark. "Do you think I’m insane or what?"

"You should know by now. I do not think my vessel is sane,"

"Or expect you to be."

Killian sighed, tapping the [Yes] button.

[Integration With Shadow Series...]

[COMPLETE!]