“Witnesses, huh?” Gabe muttered, watching the inferno tear across the room toward Jareth’s armored spirit. “That’s rich. I don’t do sidelines—I cause problems.”
He darted into motion, slipping along the cracked edge of the hall, cloak whipping behind him. The fire skimmed his shoulder as he rolled behind a fallen pillar, teeth clenched against the searing heat.
From his coat, he pulled a small, battered flask. The label was half-burnt off, the contents shimmering with a sickly blue glow. He popped the top with his thumb and downed the mana potion in one swallow, grimacing at the bitter sting.
“Tastes like piss and regret,” he growled, swiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “But it’ll do.”
Behind him, the demon’s roar echoed through the corridor, chains rattling like war drums. Gabe didn’t flinch. He needed seconds—just a few—for the potion to hit his veins, to spark the magic itching beneath his skin back into motion.
He shoved another rune into the floor beside him, one hand pressed flat as he whispered a trigger word under his breath. The rune pulsed, dormant—for now—but waiting.
“Just need a breather, not a bloody miracle,” he muttered, glancing toward Jareth and the spirit now clashing with the demon.
Then he smirked.
“Buy me a heartbeat, Jareth. I’ll make sure it’s the last one that thing ever hears.”
He darted into motion, slipping along the cracked edge of the hall, cloak whipping behind him. The fire skimmed his shoulder as he rolled behind a fallen pillar, teeth clenched against the searing heat.
From his coat, he pulled a small, battered flask. The label was half-burnt off, the contents shimmering with a sickly blue glow. He popped the top with his thumb and downed the mana potion in one swallow, grimacing at the bitter sting.
“Tastes like piss and regret,” he growled, swiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “But it’ll do.”
Behind him, the demon’s roar echoed through the corridor, chains rattling like war drums. Gabe didn’t flinch. He needed seconds—just a few—for the potion to hit his veins, to spark the magic itching beneath his skin back into motion.
He shoved another rune into the floor beside him, one hand pressed flat as he whispered a trigger word under his breath. The rune pulsed, dormant—for now—but waiting.
“Just need a breather, not a bloody miracle,” he muttered, glancing toward Jareth and the spirit now clashing with the demon.
Then he smirked.
“Buy me a heartbeat, Jareth. I’ll make sure it’s the last one that thing ever hears.”
06-26-2025, 08:57 AM
