Alex's eyes turned bloodshot.
His heartbeat thundered like a war drum. His jaw clenched as he gathered what strength he had left.With a roar of willpower, he forced all five of his wood-elemental circles to activate at once.
Golden-green light exploded around him, bathing his body in its warmth.
The energy surged through him like a tide of life—meeting the invading blue aura head-on.The two forces clashed inside him in a silent battle.
Bit by bit, the cold invader was melted, dissolved by the purifying nature of wood essence.But the cost was heavy—All of Alex's elemental energy was consumed.
Finally…The pain stopped.
Alex gasped, chest heaving, and collapsed back into the snow.His muscles relaxed, his body trembling from exhaustion.He looked up—Selene was right above him, tears still falling freely, her lips trembling.
He smiled, eyes soft despite the pain, and raised a shaking hand to touch her cheek."I'm okay, Sel…" he whispered.
