Chapter 158: Worried

"Egnious!" Cried Ned inside his display. The scene then paused. On his view, Gogmurch was suspended from above. Left arm was torn. Around the torn arm were flesh of fresh meat while the inside was a skin almost healing—the healing was done by Moloatiss, the caterpillar-like monster.

Ned's right arm was raised toward Gogmurch mid-air. His left hand gripped the wrist of his right. And the tip of his right arm was the fire, a massive bubble of fiery fire. Around the globe of fire was a streak of red-orange waves of another fire, this waves of fire circled the globe of Ned's spell. Some leaves were sucked in toward the spell, sticks and grasses bent toward the enormous ball of fire.

A part of Gogmurch's skin was inked, maybe engraved, of orange to deep brown line. Starting from his forehead, down to his neck, shoulders, and chest and ended down to his waist. He was suspended mid-air with his legs wide open, and in the middle was covered by a leather clothing. the fur behind his back wasn't too much exposed due to the perspective of Ned's view.

Again. Ned spoke inside his mind. With the command, the scene was then rewound to where Gogmurch was about to launch to Ned. The rewind was fast and clear. Gogmurch moved backward, descended backward, and roared backward. The rewind then stopped and Gogmurch launches himself to Ned again.

"Egnious!" Cried Ned, again, inside his display. The spell burst out from the tip of his hand, then it paused.

Ned has been doing this analyzing the moment he woke up. That was almost two hours ago. Yet, his eyes remained close. To the outside, he was still sleeping—he looked like sleeping with his soft breathing, and rested body.

Again. Ned ordered. The scene was once again rewound to the start where Gogmurch launched toward Ned. The scene was recorded through the eyes of Ned. But he wasn't doing it to see how massive Gogmurch was, how his Egnious burst into action, or how he faded black and fell unconscious.

[It wasn't supposed to be green or black.]

ICE chimed, the display stopped.

Yes, Ned said wondering his thoughts. But it was there, it crawled from my arm down to my fingers. ICE, it was there. And it wasn't supposed to be like that.

A black streak of line, like woven thread, crawled from Ned's arm. The black like then expanded starting from his palm, then greenish light and black expanded together with the globe of fire.

The unnatural line wasn't too visible in naked eyes along with a quick burst of fire. But with ICE's help, she could record the scene and display it to Ned again and again.

Egnious was Ned's creation after a long time of trial and error using Xerontium as the source of the spell. His body and mind were used to the spell that after he transferred his memory to his new body, he could use it with a flick of his thought. But Egnious was never black or green. It was red, orange, and blue at higher proficiency. But never black and green. There shouldn't be a line of black and green. Yet—

Did it evolve? Ned asked ICE.

[No.]

ICE replied with a stern voice.

[It leveled. Yes. But evolved to the point of changing appearance? No.]

[You should be able to feel it.]

No, I don't feel any power surging from it. It didn't felt it evolved. Then, why?

Ned cut off the display. His view darkened, with some streak of light crossing his eye. Must be a light from the room where he remained lying.

ICE, Ned thought. Status.

His display went blue again. Mana Point bar from the top of the left corner below was the energy bar. Both were almost empty.

[Mana Points: 30 / 4, 000.]

[Energy: 7%.]

Ned tsked, and whoever was beside him gripped his arm. It felt smooth and warm and caring. Ned didn't respond; the hand held him firmly.

"Ned?" A voice rang, soft and worried.

Sasani? Ned thought. Why is Sasani here—here? Where am I?

Slowly, Ned opened his eyes, his lids felt heavy. Now that his concern wasn't focused on the display, instantly, his head felt the burden. It wasn't just his eyes, his head felt like an ax hacked it sideways. His arms were stiffed, muscles were strained. And—his stomach growled. The growl was loud, it echoed in the room.

"Sasani?" Ned said, yellow light rubbing against his blue eyes. Both rose windows were open: one across his feet and the other behind Sasani. The window was divided into segment by stone mullions and tracery—it looked expensive. Aside from the side table, no other pieces of furniture were adorning the room. There was one, Sasani looked at with worry in her eyes.

She gasped, and both of her arms held Ned stronger. A tiny bead of liquid appeared at the tips of her rounded eyes. Ginger hair tucked behind neatly, some strand of loose and rare dark hair fell short across her forehead. She wore a white lady-like dress, embroidered with ferns and flowers at the end of her collar. She sat, waiting. For how long, Ned wasn't sure.

"Sasani," Ned said again, air breezed from his feet. It was cold and humid yet the sun rose warm from above. Outside the window was blue—clear blue sky. Ned shut off his display. He couldn't miss the view in front of him. "Why? Where am I?"

It took a moment for Sasani to reply. She brushed the tears, and she almost jumped letting go of her hands pressing against Ned.

"You're awake," she said, clasping hands across her chest. Her voice broke off. "You're in our manor."

Ned frowned, and pushed himself to rise—he couldn't. His muscles were stiffened and might need a minute or two to relax.

ICE, what happened to me? Was it Mana Burn?

[No.]

[I made sure to leave a small amount of mana after the Egnious was conjured.]

Thank you. Ned said, replying in his thought. The old-goblin was fast, and I couldn't control myself to fight him back.

"Ned," Sasani said, looking below and back to Ned. "Thank you. Without you, I could be dead. Twali could be dead. I... I don't know how you manage to do it. But, thank you, Ned."

She blushed and bowed. Lowering her head almost touching the blanket covering the bed.

p calm and write something...