Chapter-23; Brightest smile

"Creation magic! Support!" I shouted while my legs started moving on their own.

His body landed on the little platform I created few meters above the ground. Unaware of whether it did anything to help, my body started shivering.

I put Heinrich's head in my lap and used a healing spell on him.

"Don't, Ray. Save your mana for him. He can't create loops like the man Tyrell had encountered. He can slow it down."

Some blood gushed out from his neck. That didn't reach his carotid, right?

"D-don't worry H-Heinrich. You will be okay!" I held my tears and tried sounding calm while applying pressure on the cut.

"You will have to infuse yourself with light mana to be able to follow up with his moves, that's the only way you stand a chance." He coughed, giving away all the important information without caring about himself.

Even when he was in so much pain, dammit!

I continued healing him and started blabbering to distract the man in cape.

"Who is your target this time? Is it only me? Or someone else? Who do you work for?"

"So you defeated him. You have certainly managed to impress me. But it only makes you a bigger threat." He whispered in an unsettling tone.

"I did not get my anwer. I will ask one-last-time. Who do you work for?" I was on the verge of breakdown and becoming the monster that he was.

"I don't work for anyone. Whoever has similar interests at a given moment is a friend. It just so happens to be the emperor. As of now." He replied, exuding a sinister aura.

I didn't expect a reply but I found out somethings that were hard to believe.

"Our motive here is complete, if you manage to surprise me even more next time, you may become our queen." His voice grossed me out.

"If you think you are going to leave then" I paused for a second.

"Then you are wrong." The burgeoning waves from the ocean rose, threatening to consume whatever comes it's way.

"I wasn't just healing him, I was transferring my mana to him. Atleast whatever was left of it" I for the first time, wished ill for someone.

"Earth attribute, fire mana infusion" I whispered infusing fire mana in dust particles.

If he inhaled even a small amount of those dust particles, they'd explode inside him.

Controlling little dust particles was no easy feat. It took months of practice! Infusing just the right amount of mana in so many particles required extreme concentration.

It still intrigued me, what really was magic? How am I able to perform any spell, almost whatever I imagine?

My five sense searched for him, even though my mind still had melange of thoughts.

As none of us could see him, I realized I may have overdone it.

"I was wrong!" He was suddenly less than half a meter away from me. That's when I saw his face for the first time.

He had silver hair and same eye color as me. He had a huge cut across his face, which stretched from below his left eye to his right cheek.

"Conceal!" I heard.

I looked around and found Tyrell with the imperial squad!

What was he even doing here? Don't tell me he has clairvoyance?

"I made it in time I suppose. Let me handle this, you can relax now." He didn't look away from the perpetrator who was unable to cross the barrier.

l moved the little platform to the ground to take Heinrich to the rear support, impromptu.

"Can you make sure he is alright for me? I have a lot to say to him.. even right now and even to you." Tyrell let his vulnerable expression show, which soon disappeared as he prepared to engage in battle.

He turned to look at the person we were fighting.

"Light attribute, spectrum of wrath." Tyrell launched combination of moves that were unheard of!

Light attribute could probably mess with photons? I believe light attribute users can control every type of electromagnetic wave known like x-rays, gamma rays, etc.

Is that how they do x-ray in this era?

As my head had a million different thoughts, I also wondered if my overthinking would result in Heinrich paying the price with his life.

"You dare lay a finger upon the only people I cherish... how can I let you go so easily?" Tyrell continued attacking him without stopping as the man struggled to keep up.

"You puny thing! Move out of my way, let me have the queen! Freeze." Amidst overthinking, whether to take Heinrich to a healer or help Tyrell, I had myself infused with light magic as Heinrich had suggested earlier.

That's when I saw it!

Time didn't exactly stop but it was like it slowed down.

"Earth barrier, incinerator" I shouted before he could attack Tyrell then suddenly everything went back to normal.

"Tyrell, move! You can't fight him this time!" Tyrell looked confused. Since we were unaware about his true powers, we couldn't make any strategy and only Heinrich and I knew what he was really capable of.

"We have to let him go!" Tyrell looked disappointed but he listened to me and came to us. Thankfully my overthinking helped atleast Tyrell.

We flew to the healer's camp with Heinrich who could no longer speak clearly.

As soon as we reached, we called for the best healers at hand.

While he was on the stretcher, I checked his condition. He had pneumothorax, several complicated fracture, dangerously low pulse, especially compared to his usual and he had been bleeding for way too long already. I continued applying healing magic on him as the healers quickly arrived.

One person examined him and said "he cannot be saved now. Blood has even entered his lungs and his carotid has been severed. Even if we try..."

"We didn't come here to hear that! You're a first division healer! If magic can't even do this much then why does it even exist!" I broke down.

I knew I couldn't save him either and that they weren't wrong. Despite being a doctor, despite being able to use 'magic'.

Tyrell sat on a chair and started talking to Heinrich.

"Is there something I can do for you?" He sounded as if he was barely holding his tears.

"You have to become the emperor" Heinrich mustered up last bits of what was left of his strength.

"Don't let the emperor stop the coronation. And never hurt Esmeray."

Even when he is in so much pain, he is only thinking about us! He never got mad at Tyrell for falling for the same person he loved, he never got mad at me for being rude to him, while it was my inability to see the good in him. Even when he is on the verge of death, he is rooting for us. Not for himself. How can a person like that exist?

"Ray, I am sorry for always being rude to you. Protect little Azuro, he is very precious." And then, both of us saw the brightest smile on Heinrich's face.

"And l am glad I met you two." As his soul left his body, he still had the brightest smile that could blind us all.

After looking at Tyrell's eyes barely holding back the tears for the first time, I was just left numb. I finally reached insanity I guess.