"If I put up a barrier between the Mark and Grischa's mana, then I should be able to prevent the Mark from gaining access to the mana pool, right?", Cale gave a determined word, looking at Aletta with serious eyes. The rest of the audience, including the High-Magician, were all silent, listening to what was going on.

"Does your Igrikum also block mana?"

"Yes. It does."

"Then it really should be doable. Just make sure you position it correctly", Aletta replied calmly as she tried to straighten up. "It would probably be better if you enclose all the mana of the marker at once, rather than just creating a wall."

260RM

Nervously, Cale looked down at his friend. If Cale couldn't feel his heartbeat, you'd almost think he'd be dead by now. Slowly, he released his right hand and stared at it silently before turning to the High-Magicians.

"I need you to raise Grischa up for me so that I can get to the marker", Cale admitted with a heavy heart, clenching his hand into a fist. "I don't dare do that without direct contact."

He was scared. A lot scared. If he wasn't careful, he could destroy Grischa for good. He had to be careful what he did now, one mistake and he could lock up all his mana, much like what had happened to him back then. Or worse. He could completely destroy Grischa's mana budget with his Igrikum.

270RM

Rangar and the Eldest instantly approached the bed. They did not hesitate as they removed the blanket and took off Grischa's top. The 2nd seat went to Aletta's side and already his hands under Grischa's back, while the Eldest squatted next to Cale and carefully held his head and shoulder blade. Neither of them dared to intervene with magic, it was simply dangerous to add their dose with all of Cale's mana. Cale straightened up as well, and as he sat down on Grischa's legs, he continued to focus on keeping the mana transfer going. He still had a good 100RM left, but the longer it took, the more likely he was to have to open his third barrier. And the pain was not something Cale wanted to engage in willingly.

"Give him to me", Cale ordered calmly, slipping his right arm under Grischa while continuing to maintain the mana transfer with his left hand. Carefully, the High-Magicians lowered the lifeless body onto Cale before the 12th Seat clutched his friend tightly and looked down at the marker.

Hesitantly, he slid his free hand over it without touching Grischa's skin directly and closed his eyes. Cale blanked out everything. He could no longer see or hear anything, even the other mages had disappeared for him. He concentrated solely on his mana and Grischa's mana circuit. Carefully he approached Grischa's mana pool, which was completely filled with his own mana and followed the path towards the mana heart. Like a black mass, the Kormandent's mark stretched out before him and Cale could clearly see that it severed the connection between the mana pool and the mana heart. Like an overturned cart on the road, it blocked the passageway and simply channeled all the mana into the absolute void.

280RM

Cale could feel the mana of the Igrikum spreading into him and making its way to the right hand. Like the many times before, he channeled that power into his fingers and abruptly pressed it onto Grischa's back before jerkily causing a barrier to appear around the mark. Mana burned in his body. With one hand he controlled his own mana and with the other he guided the Igrikum, had he not used and studied mana so many times in his life, Cale would not have been sure he could manage both at the same time.

290RM

His barrier completely enclosed the mark and all at once he could feel it abruptly rebel. The alien entity immediately applied pressure to Cale's barrier, but failed. Cale could feel the mark separate from the mana circuit and drip mana through to Grischa's mana heart before the entire tidal wave broke through.

Surprised, Cale opened his eyes and looked down at his hand. He couldn't see the strange mana, but he could feel it hitting the barrier over and over again. As if it was a living creature that he had captured with his Igrikum. Like a caged predator.

Was that it? From the beginning, he himself had been the solution to the problem?

"I think it worked", Cale told the others, still stunned and simultaneously relieved. Only a moment later, the Eldest reached for his communication crystal and announced the good news to the search troop.

"Kill the damn bastard!", Aaron exclaimed angrily and the Eldest also asked the group to hunt the creature down to the end and simply kill it. No one wanted to take another risk for Grischa and seize the moment while they could. Cale, on the other hand, ignored the words of the others. He closed his eyes again and held the unconscious man. His entire mana circuit was completely done, but his mana pool continued to fill with Cale's mana.

300RM

Cale had passed 300RM to Grischa and from that the creature had taken away a good 270RM. With Aletta's mana combined and Grischa's own mana... Cale was horrified at how much the creature had stolen from them. What amazed him even more, however, was that the creature had apparently passed it on. So their next goal will definitely be to hunt down these creatures, they were a great danger to humans.

Suddenly, Grischa's whole body jerked and breathed a sigh of relief, but Cale did not let go of him. He filled Grischa's mana pool up to 30RM before he dared to finish the mana transfer. His friend's body thanked him, because the next moment his mana heart started working harder. It was as if the body sensed the danger on its own and cut back its work before it could be sure that it was no longer being robbed. His body was exhausted, yet he was generating mana of his own and slowly filling up the nearly empty pool.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Cale held the back of Grischa's head with his hand while clutching his body with the other. Only now did he realize how hard his heart was pounding and how wild his own mana was. He could hear the other mages saying something, but he did not understand them. From the moment Grischa and Aaron came through the door, he had been deathly afraid for his friend. While the danger wasn't completely over, he was still relieved to no longer have to watch him suffer and to know that he was safe.

Tiredly, he opened his eyes and stared out the window in front of him before his gaze fell on the Eldest, who sat just within his field of vision.

"They'll report back when they've killed him", the Eldest stated proudly and then watched as the 5th seat Odin helped Ander Aletta lay flat on the bed before she fell asleep moments later.

"I'll talk to the onlookers downstairs... about what exactly we would tell them, we'll clarify later", Odin stated. At this statement, he gently patted Cale on the back, literally grabbed Rangar by the collar and, after a brief goodbye, pulled him down the stairs. Cale heaved a sigh of relief and carefully held Grischa in his hands as he gingerly placed him back on the bed. For a few moments, he simply stared in relief at the High-Magician who had completely turned his current life upside down.

"Are you all right?", the Eldest gave a concerned voice. He had cut off communication to the search party and Aaron, and gave Cale an all-consuming look of concern.

"According to the circumstances", Cale replied with a trembling hand, slowly dropping his gaze to Aletta. At that moment, he decided one thing: if she ever asked anything of him, he would give her everything as long as it was in his power. Not only to her, to the whole group, the healers from Frignez, the High-Magicians, Aaron and the Eldest himself. Who knows what would have happened if one of them hadn't dropped everything to help them.

"Eldest", Cale raised a few moments later, straightening up and bowing to the man who was squatting on the bed in front of him. "Thank you very, very much. For everything. I swear on my Igrikum, I'm in your debt for life."

"It's all right, Caleb", the Eldest replied with amusement, which surprised Cale somewhat. Usually, the Eldest didn't address anyone by their first name, except Aaron. Therefore he only now really realized that he too had become an exception.

"Rather... I am the one who owes you something. You did the main work here and besides... not only Grischa lives thanks to you. The whole city does. It's me..." he lifted. Astonished, Cale watched the blond-haired man as the chairman of Altona bowed to him. "... who swears on his Igrikum. I swear to you, I will do everything in my power to support you."

"Eldest", Cale spoke up quietly in horror, but the man did not rise.

"I mean it. I am in your debt. If you need anything, let me know."

Cale watched the man almost in despair. Within a week, their entire relationship had changed abruptly. For the better, Cale thought. The Eldest was a small spiritual support for him, which was due to the fact that he was currently the only one with whom he could have serious discussions about time travel and the world. Unwittingly, Cale had placed high hopes in the Eldest, with the Eldest probably feeling similarly about Cale.

"I am grateful for what you are currently doing for me. That is quite enough for me", Cale replied politely, dropping his gaze to Grischa. He still couldn't believe that the solution was so simple. "Although, I do have one question."

"What's that?"

"Your name", Cale raised and slowly the Eldest looked at him. He, too, now put aside formalities and spoke to the Eldest as if they were old friends.

"My name?"

"Your real name, yes. As far as I've heard, only the council and some high-ranking heads of state know about your real name", Cale explained calmly, gesturing to the mage across from him to rise again, as he was uncomfortable with the whole situation. "It's a little awkward for me that you know so much about me and I can't even address you by name. Rangar had addressed you as Raphael today. Is that your name?"

"Raphael Maron", the Eldest replied, looking up at Cale. "That's the name I currently use, but it's not my real name."

"It's not?", Cale repeated in amazement. He was aware that the Eldest was intentionally keeping his Igrikum and name a big secret, but not even Raphael Marion was his real name? He could understand the importance when it comes to the the Igrikum, but why with his own name?

"My real name is Damian. Damian of Fiet."