Rina's eyes widened as she rushed to Lisa, who lay weakly on Meera's lap.
"W… wait, what happened to Lisa?" she asked, panic in her voice.
"Th...That… she suffered serious damage saving me," Jessica admitted, tears swelling until they spilled down her cheeks.
"Her right arm and left leg are completely broken," Meera added, her voice trembling as she looked up at Rina.
"MY GOD!," Rina gasped, her breath hitching as she inspected the mangled limbs. They looked even worse up close than they had from the doorway.
"D… don't make me look so pathetic, okay? I… I can walk, okay?" Lisa muttered, forcing a faint smile despite the pain.
It was the kind of smile that any man would kill to see--brave, warm, and heartbreaking all at once.
"Yeah, yeah, you can walk," Rina repeated softly, forcing a smile to reassure her. She then looked at the others. "So, how do we get out of here now?"
"Let's just go outside first," Jessica recommended, desperate to leave the cramped, dark room.
"Wait a minute," Seraphine interrupted, blocking the path as she folded her arms. Her expression was serious.
"Let's say we go outside. Then what? Where are we even going?" Seraphine explained. "The zombies are roaming everywhere out there. On top of that, if Lisa tries to take even a single step forward, it's going to worsen her condition. She can't move."
"Th.. that..." Jessica trailed off, having no words to argue.
"Yu... You guys can leave me he—"
"Shut up!" Meera cut Lisa off, her voice cracking. "You are not some kind of heroine to sacrifice yourself like that."
"B.. But y.. you said I look like a heroine the other day, right?" Lisa whispered, a weak smile flickering on her lips.
"I.. I just said it for fun! Did you actually take it seriously?" Meera snapped, her eyes brimming with tears.
Lisa didn't say anything else. Her smile finally broke, and tears began to slide down her cheeks. The adrenaline that had kept her quiet was gone, and the raw, agonizing pain of her shattered limbs finally overwhelmed her. She cried out, the sound echoing sharply against the tiles.
"I.. it... it HURTS! Ahhh! It HURTS... you know? So... much... I feel like I'm going to die... it... HURTS SO MUCH!" She started sobbing, her body trembling with every breath.
Her sobs filled the room, echoing against the cracked tiles. The others fell silent, unable to speak.
Meera, Jasmine, and Jessica all had tears in their eyes. Comforting words were useless now.
Jessica dropped to her knees, covering her head. "I… I'm sorry. It's all my fault. Please… please help us."
"Wa.. wait, let me try!" Rina couldn't stand the sound of Lisa's screams. She lunged forward, desperately placing her hands over Lisa's mangled leg. 'Heal... heal! Please, heal!' she pleaded in her mind, pouring every ounce of her will into the thought.
Suddenly, golden light surged through her body, flowing from head to toe. Meera, Jessica, and Jasmine stared in stunned silence at the aura radiating from Rina.
But then…
Nothing.
No matter how much she tried, the healing spell refused to take effect.
Rina bit her lip so hard that blood trickled down.
"It's not going to work, Rina. Your healing spell level isn't high enough to mend broken limbs," Seraphine said calmly, her eyes steady as she observed the scene.
"Damn it!" Rina cursed, her voice trembling.
She turned back to Seraphine, tears streaming down her face. Having the right ability but being powerless to save someone, it filled her with hatred toward herself.
"Se… Sera… what do we do now?" Rina asked, her voice breaking.
Seraphine looked at Lisa's state and started thinking for a solution. She was not a surgeon, but she had basic medical knowledge.
Right now, Lisa couldn't be treated fully, but she could be stabilized enough to move without causing more damage to her body.
"Jessica, give me a piece of cloth," Seraphine ordered.
"Eh… what?" Jessica blinked, startled.
"Your cloth. Quickly," Seraphine pressed, wasting no time explaining.
"O… okay." Jessica removed her jacket and handed it over.
Seraphine drew her sword and cut the fabric into strips. Kneeling beside Lisa, she spoke softly, "It will hurt a bit. Are you okay with that?"
Lisa bit her lip hard and nodded. "Y... yes. I can bear it."
Seraphine took the first piece of cloth and focused. This time, she didn't freeze her entire body, as that drained too much mana. Instead, she concentrated the chill into her palms and passed it slowly into the fabric. The room's temperature plummeted instantly, and everyone felt the sudden, biting cold.
"Your name is Meera, right? Keep her limbs steady," Seraphine said without looking up.
"O.. okay," Meera replied, bracing Lisa's shattered arm and leg to keep them from shifting.
Seraphine wrapped the freezing cloth tightly around Lisa's right arm and left leg, creating a makeshift cast.
Once the fabric was perfectly positioned, she used her spell to completely freeze the cloth itself, turning the soft fabric into a rigid, icy brace. She was careful not to freeze Lisa's actual skin, unsure of what the frostbite might do.
The frost spell hardened the cloth and the outer layer, creating a rigid shell like a frozen bandage. This acted as a magical splint, preventing the shattered bones from bending or shaking whenever she moved.
"It's not much," Seraphine said, her voice was calm and firm. "But I assume you can at least walk now, right?"
"Y.. yes. I feel a bit numb, but I... I don't feel that much pain anymore," Lisa replied, her voice sounding steadier as the intense cold acted as a natural anesthetic.
"Good," Seraphine said, a small, tired smile touching her lips.
Seraphine turned her focus inward, checking her mana levels in her mind.
-------------------
ATTRIBUTES :-
• MANA : 17 (-2)
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It hadn't drained her quite as badly as the first time. Even though Rina's healing spell didn't actually restore any mana points, it had acted like a cold splash of water to her senses, keeping her mind stable enough to function.
Lisa slowly got up with Meera's help, gritting her teeth as she managed to sit upright. The ice casts held firm, clicking slightly against the floor like stone.
"Sera, what do we do now?" Rina asked, seeing that Lisa was finally somewhat stable.
"What do we do, huh? I... I don't know," Seraphine replied, finally letting herself sink onto the dusty floor. "We can't just run out there without a destination. And with Lisa like this, we can't take unnecessary risks either."
"That's true," Rina muttered, beginning to ponder their limited options.
"H… how about we go to Gymnasium?" Jessica suggested suddenly. "It's the only building we can see from here. From our view, it doesn't look too damaged by the meteorite strike. So… maybe there are survivors there."
"Maybe you're right, but we can't risk everyone's life on a blind assumption without any solid evidence," Seraphine replied coldly.
"Th… that's correct… I… I'm sorry," Jessica murmured, lowering her head.
"But we can't sit here all night either," Rina pressed.
"Yeah? Then how are we supposed to fight against that swarm of zombies outside?" Seraphine shot back, her tone was sharp.
This time, no one had an answer.
Everyone knew the truth.
it was impossible.
Seraphine sighed, then rose to her feet. "You're right, we can't sit here forever. Let's take the gamble then." She paused, her eyes narrowing with resolve. "I'll draw the attention of the zombies. Meanwhile, you take Lisa and run toward Gymnasium."
"Why the hell are you sacrificing yourself?!" Rina blurted out, her voice was sharp. "If we're going, then everyone is going."
"Wait, Rina. I think you all are misunderstanding something here," Seraphine countered, her voice steady. "I am not sacrificing anything. I am trying to become stronger."
"Then let me co—"
Seraphine ignored Rina, turning her attention to the entire group. "Everyone, listen here. The world is changing very fast, even beyond human understanding. It has more or less become a wild forest where only the survival of the fittest matters now."
"Wait, let m—" Rina tried again, but Seraphine cut her off.
"I am doing this for my own selfish reasons, so you guys don't have to feel guilty. Besides, I am confident in my ability to kill those things."
Suddenly, Rina grabbed Seraphine's shoulder and spun her around forcefully. "Can't you listen to me once?! I said I'll come too!" Her irritation boiled over at being ignored.
"No," Seraphine said in a tone so cold it seemed to match the ice on her hands. "You have much more priority work here, Rina."
"What?" Rina blinked, her anger turning into confusion.
"It's your responsibility to make sure everyone reaches Gymnesia safely," Seraphine said, her voice softening this time. "That's your priority."
"W.. Wait, why me? I... I don't think I can do something like that," Rina stammered, her confidence wavering as she looked at the terrified girls behind her.
"You can," Seraphine said firmly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Just trust me."
Seraphine didn't waste any more time. She turned toward the other four girls. "I'm giving each of you a task."
She reached back and grabbed the metal bat she'd been carrying. Unlike Rina, who had tossed her bat aside the moment she got her bow, Seraphine had kept hers as a backup. She handed it to Jessica.
"Take this. Meera and Jasmine will be in charge of carrying Lisa. You will stand at the back and protect their rear," Seraphine commanded.
Jessica took the bat, her hands was shaking, but she nodded. "O-okay."
"What is the plan then?" Jasmine asked
"It's simple. I'll go out first and lure the swarm to the far side of the plaza. It'll take me about three minutes to clear a path," Seraphine started explaining.
I won't be able to give you a signal, so after two or three minutes, you must leave immediately. Run as fast as you can to Gymnesia. Meera and Jasmine will stay in the center, taking care of Lisa. Jessica will guard the rear. And Rina…" she looked directly at her, "…you'll lead at the front."
She stopped for a moment, her gaze turning sharp and final.
"You guys don't have to worry much since I'll be luring almost all the zombies away," she said. Then, she fixed a heavy stare on Rina. "And the most important thing: do not come looking for me. I'll find you once everything is finished." Her eyes locked onto Rina as she spoke.
Rina looked like she wanted to argue, her expression practically screaming that she'd come back the second the others were safe.
"Rina, don't do anything reckless. Stay and protect them until I get there," Seraphine added, her voice dropping to a serious whisper. "I am leaving their lives in your hands."
"…Okay," Rina finally said, though her voice carried reluctant acceptance.
"Is everyone okay with the plan?" Seraphine asked one last time, looking at each of them.
"Yes."
"Okay."
.
.
"Good. Then I'll go outside first," Seraphine said, stepping toward the crumbled doorway.
But suddenly, a hand shot out and grabbed hers.
It was Rina.
"What is it, Rina?" Seraphine asked, turning her head to see Rina's eyes filled with genuine worry.
"Just... be safe, okay?" Rina said, her voice barely a whisper.
"Sure," Seraphine replied with a small, confident smile. She pulled her hand away and stepped out into the chaos of the ruins.