Tai had grabbed Lyrrah before sliding down the slope of the lake depression, where he looked at Hal with a worried expression, forcing him to ask.
"Tai, what's wrong?" Tai did not say a word, but simply looked down at Lyrrah Hal's eyes were forced to follow as he stared down at the girl
Her pink clothes were filled with blood, and she gritted her teeth in pain, but that wasn't the thing that made Hal forget their victory against the dragon; instead, it was the black pulsating lines that appeared on Lyrrah's body.
Hal stared at the lines and lingered before a realisation came to mind, "Cracks, those lines look like cracks"
Tai turned to him and finally said his first statement, "It's her soul, the soul influences a person's appearance, so if her skin lines on it, it means her soul is damaged"
Hal did not know what that meant, but a person's soul shattering did not sound like something good in the slightest; he raced to their side and knelt next to them.
Tai looked dazed as he stared blankly at Lyrrah's current condition, prompting Hal to shake him violently, saying.
"Tai, snap out of it. We have to get Lyrrah out of here because I don't think her continuing to use her power is for the best"
Tai snapped back to reality and began to carry Lyrrah out of the depression. She twisted and groaned in his hands as the lines on her body grew longer and wider.
"Lyrrah, release the lake, please. This is hurting you," Hal tried his best to stop Lyrrah from using her ability, but the girl simply shook her head.
"I'll be fine, so please don't worry about me, and besides, if I let the water go, you may not make it out" he hated to admit it, but she was right. There was no way to make it out once the water came crushing back into the lake depression.
He felt helpless to save her, but maybe he could still offer some relief to her. He focused her gaze on her and marked her with his ability.
It was risky and he knew it, but there was no other choice, just like how he cast his own pain onto the dragon, he cast her pain onto himself.
The sudden burst of pain was almost enough to make him stumble, but he had to pretend to be fine. The pain on Lyrrah's face disappeared as she opened her eyes and looked directly at Hal.
"What did you do?" Hal forced a smile, yet he felt like he was holding back a scream, "Just helping out a friend"
The three of them finally escaped the depression, as the water behind them finally crushed back into the lake.
The water gushed forward towards them, only to be stopped by Lyrrah, who pushed the wave of water back, making the lines on her skin lengthen.
"Lyrrah, stop this, you are only making it worse", Tai screamed out to Lyrrah, who fell back into his hands as Hal finally knelt onto the ground.
"Be a little bit considerate and let us help you", Hal forced himself to stand up and look down at Lyrrah "Please"
Lyrrah gave a simple nod as the three of them proceeded to rush back to the company building. Lyrrah's condition was getting worse, and since Hal was feeling all the pain, he didn't quite enjoy the trip back home.
Tai burst through the company door, startling Velto, who was sitting at the receptionist desk "Hey, what happened to you guys? We were…"
Velto froze upon seeing Lyrrah as his face now became annoyed and frightened at the same time "Rush her to Nanny Leya right now. She's undergone Fragmentation"
Tai did not need to be told twice as he rushed up the stairs into Nanny Leya's room with Hal following closely behind.
Nanny Leya stood up in surprise as Tai gently placed Lyrrah down on the bed in her room "What happened to her?"
Nanny Leya rushed to Lyrrah's side and examined her for a few seconds. She also turned to the two boys in front of her and lingered on Hal before letting out a disappointed sigh.
Velto quickly rushed into the room as Nanny Leya now brought her gaze to him "Velto, it's good you're here. Please call Lady Roxanne, tell her it's a fragmentation and that it's Lyrrah suffering from it"
She fixed the glasses perched on her nose and spoke to Tai in a low tone, "Tai, I expected more from you. Just look at the three of you. I wonder what Lady Roxanne will think of this"
Nanny Leya raised her hand over Lyrrah as a golden glow appeared above the injured girl, giving Hal some relief before he had Nanny Leya say
"And Hal shut down your ability. I wouldn't want you facing the same fate as poor Lyrrah"
Hal stepped forward and stood next to Nanny Leya "But what's happening to her?" Nanny Leya paused for a bit before finally speaking in a low voice
" It's called fragmentation, which is simply the shattering of the soul. It is caused when you continue using your ability after exhausting soul flame, since your ability will begin to devour your soul in the absence of its usual power source. So listen to me and shut it down"
Her voice rose slightly in the last moments, causing Hal to shut down his gift; his eyes and hair lost their starry appearance as the two boys stood silently in front of their injured friend.
Nanny Leya finally stopped healing Lyrrah, though the black lines did not disappear from the girl's body, forcing Tai to inquire, "But Nanny Leya…"
"I know!" Her eyes were filled with a strange mix of frustration and disappointment. She let out a sigh and turned to speak to the boys.
"Her condition is too severe, so I just slowed down the rate of fragmentation and helped her soothe the pain, but I can't heal her" Tai stumbled back as his lips trembled.
"So does it mean that she is going to...?" Nanny Leya shook her head, but before she could answer, another voice resounded in the room
"Just because Nanny Leya can't heal her doesn't mean she can't be healed, isn't that right, Nanny Leya?" The old woman nodded as she fixed her glasses, saying.
"My granddaughter can actually help; this type of complex healing is right up her alley" A smile appeared on Tai's face as he rushed forward, only to be blocked by Lady Roxanne.
"I am very disappointed in you, Tai. You led three rookies on a dangerous mission to face an unknown threat of unknown level. You are supposed to be the leader, yet you would take such an action"
Tai's lips trembled as he tried to explain, but Lady Roxanne lifted her finger, saying, "Don't say a thing, Tai, you very well know you're the weakest link in the company, so why do you always force us to babysit you? I promised your dad that…"
Lady Roxanne failed to finish her words as she turned away from him "You have failed me, Tai, and so I will send you to the capital with Hal and Lyrrah, and you will stay under Elizabeth's care"
Tai shook his head and tried to speak to Lady Roxanne, "Please, I know what I did was wrong, but are you really sending me away?"
"I am the leader of the silver sword, and as its leader, it is upon me to make the tough choices and punish you accordingly. As long as you stay with Elizabeth, you will not be a silver sword"
Lady Roxanne took one final glance at Lyrrah and turned to leave. Tai tried to follow, but ended up reopening his wound. He winced and dropped to the floor as he looked at Lady Roxanne leave helplessly.
Hal stared down at his friend and had him whisper to himself, "I'm sorry, my Lady, I'm very sorry" Nanny Leya knelt next to him and began to heal him as well, and Hal was left at a loss for words.