Chapter 164: The Heart

Thelma’s Perspective Linda’s cryptic words—"Burn that tree. Drink the blood"—hung heavy in the air, leaving us all bewildered. Before we could analyze their meaning, Kerner conducted a quick examination of Linda and reported something alarming: her life force was draining rapidly. Dorothy immediately began casting a series of recovery and exorcism spells, working tirelessly to stabilize her condition. Though visibly exhausted, she didn’t waver, her determination shining through as she focused on saving Linda. The group assigned to return to base wasted no time. Carrying Linda carefully, they set off, leaving the rest of us—Dorothy, Kerner, and five others—behind to continue the mission. What struck me as surprising was Yuri’s decision to stay. The man who had a knack for getting under my skin had barely said a word since our escape from the illusionary realm. I had grown accustomed to his antagonistic remarks and dismissive attitude, so his quiet presence felt oddly out of pl