Draconia Offline vol. 1

64.2. The Battle of Prague - Part 2

"Aefener, what should we do?" Liana flies to us. She's confused because she didn't receive any orders from me. Nor did Soren who is right behind her.

"Li, do you think you could manage to cast the Ice Barrier? The same spell I did in New York," I ask, being well-aware that this is no small matter but there's no one else who would be at least potentially able to do it.

"N-not sure," she answers hesitantly. "I know how the spell works and should feel like but I don't think my channelling technique is good enough for it yet."

"Soren, could you help her?" I turn to the new royal guard. "Cast a levitation platform for her so that she doesn't have to focus on flapping her wings and lend her some of her mana if she runs out."

"Mana channelling to another Celestial?" he widens his eyes. "That wasn't possible in the game, Your Majesty."

"Forget about the game, it is possible here," I say firmly even though I honestly have no idea where are my confidence and assurance coming from. I just somehow know it should be possible. Is it because I'm the embodiment of magic? I'm still reluctant to admit it but when it comes to magic, it does come naturally to me.

"I don't think I can do it, it's a level 15 spell," Liana starts to panic.

"Li, you're my Viceroy, trust your magical ability a bit more," I try to encourage her. "Soren will back you up, you can rely on him."

"Rely on...," Liana gulps and I feel she's experiencing inner struggle.

I know she hates relying on other people if it's something super important but she'll have to learn it. And right now, the hard way I'm afraid. Just as I had to stop being afraid of my true self, she has to learn how to open up. So far, I'm the only person she trusts completely but I see a ray of hope that Soren might change that.

"Am I going to do mana channelling as well, love?" Gotrid asks.

"No, I don't need your mana," I shake my head and quickly speak to all the Celestials again: Hold the heligorrs with Ice Spears and the tripoderra with Fire Blasts for now! We need time to prepare.

"S-so?" he chews his lip nervously.

"I want us to combine Fierce Flames," I reveal my plan.

"B-but that's a level 20 spell, I can't...," Gotrid has even greater doubts than Liana.

"This isn't the game anymore," I caress his face. "The level system is only a guide now, it doesn't bind us. We should be able to do spells a few levels above our current skill. As for the mana, take mine, I have more than enough for both of us. Trust yourself. Trust me. We can do it."

"I trust you with my life," he dares to go for a quick kiss despite the heat of the battle.

"Then close your eyes and follow my guidance," I kiss him back and it works like magic. Because love is magic.

We hold our hands, close our eyes and start with the initial mana channelling technique. The moment I let my tremendous mana out, the monsters below us roar and switch aggro to us. So they can feel mana after all, at least to a certain extent. We've just pretty much confirmed it.

We're quite high up but Gotrid is still anxious that they'll hit us. Heligorrs are known to be able to throw things into astonishing distances with their claws and tripoderras can spit venomous acid for dozens of metres.

Don't let them distract you, the guards will protect us, I assure him. I know it's hard so focus on me instead.

He does and his channelling gets more precise. When we accumulate enough mana, I show him the spell. He knows most Celestial spells by heart but it's very different to have purely theoretical knowledge when the game system helps you execute it and to materialise the transfiguration symbol yourself.