Bound By Flame and Grace

Chapter 3

Hi. I have decided that I write this story just a few chapters,maybe 15 or 20 chapters. I am too busy writing my thesis and building a website along with it. So, I will only update if I have a free time. 

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The trio stepped into the portal without a second thought, unaware of what awaited them in Veloria. They remained calm and silent as the pitch-black void of the portal enveloped them. Gap, however, grew restless. He disliked the dull ride with his two nonchalant demon companions, so he started sharing his "funny" stories. The other two quickly found his tales tiresome—Lingling, in particular, felt an overwhelming urge to break something just to stop his incessant chatter.

Meanwhile, Jaja mentally cursed the blonde-haired man in front of her, already regretting the journey.

For five excruciating minutes, they endured Gap's underwhelming storytelling about a demon and an angel falling in love and causing chaos between their kingdoms. Finally, they landed in a snowy forest somewhere in the northern region of Veloria. The air was thick with the sounds of nocturnal beasts prowling in the shadows. It was bitterly cold, the darkness only broken by the pale moonlight filtering through the dense canopy, giving them just enough light to navigate the forest.

Lingling immediately activated her power, sensing the area for any threats. She was searching for any hidden forces they might need to evade—or eliminate to keep their identities safe. But all she could detect were the wild beasts hiding deeper in the forest, waiting for a chance to make a meal out of them.

"So, what do you sense?" Jaja asked as Gap relieved himself by a dying oak tree.

"There are plenty of wild beasts lying in wait for us," Lingling replied, pushing her magic further to scan the entire forest. But something was off—her mana was depleting quickly, and a gnawing hunger crept up on her. She could only sense seventy percent of the forest, which made her frown. "Yeah, only about half of the area seems clear of danger."

"Half?" Gap asked, his disbelief obvious. "Dude, you're strong enough to sense an entire forest in just a minute!"

Jaja winced at Gap's words, retreating behind the two demons for protection. Lingling, on the other hand, calmly opened her eyes, clenched her fist without saying a word, and swung it directly at Gap's right cheek. The force of the punch sent him flying toward the very tree he had just relieved himself on.

"Goodness," Jaja whispered, her voice barely audible as she watched their leader send Gap crashing into the tree, likely breaking his jaw again from the sheer impact.

Lingling didn't throw another punch. Instead, her expression shifted into a frown, as if something was bothering her after they landed in the forest. Her sudden change in demeanor gave Jaja the opportunity to rush to Gap's side. He groaned in pain, clutching his cheek, and Jaja knelt beside him, quickly rummaging through her bag to check how many potions they had left.

She counted five small red bottles—healing potions, just enough to keep them going if things got dangerous with the beasts lurking in the forest. Grabbing one, she handed it to Gap, who obediently gulped it down in a single swig, his face gradually healing as the potion worked its magic.

"We're going to need a plan," Jaja muttered to herself as she glanced at the remaining potions, thinking of the best strategy to eliminate the wild beasts and survive the night.

Lingling overheard her and calmly summoned her twin swords, securing them at her waist. She made a decision: tonight, they would fight without relying on magic.

"Yes, no magic for now," Lingling instructed them firmly. "We'll use only our physical strength to fight the beasts and anyone we encounter."

Earlier, when Lingling had used her magic, it had drained far too quickly and recharged at an agonizingly slow pace—something she wasn't accustomed to in their realm, where magic was abundant and quick to replenish. She suspected that the mana in this world was weak, barely sustaining her abilities. However, there was a potential to expand it by using certain techniques that could amplify the mana flow, but that was too risky for now. They needed to conserve their energy.