"H-How... how is she able to sense him?" Sebastian muttered, breathless from their relentless pursuit. His chest heaved, heart pounding with disbelief.
They had chased after the lingering mana traces — chaotic storms of energy left in the wake of West and Xavier's clash — only to find them dissipating into silence. But then the trail twisted, pulling them toward a new disturbance, colder and sharper.
Estes — Xavier's brother, one of the two Elden Elves — had barely escaped Ezekiel's fury. Bloodied and broken, he had slipped through their grasp only because Sebastian had been forced to stay behind, shielding Adeline and the unconscious Mila from a sudden ambush of vengeful elves.
To be fair, Ezekiel had nearly matched Estes blow for blow. But it wasn't until Estes faltered — losing control after sensing his brother's dying mana — that Ezekiel finally struck true. Even then, Estes vanished, concealing his mana so perfectly they never saw him leave.
