[Kaede struggled to her feet, weight braced against her just-freed axe; her back arched—and her feet left the ground as the bright glow on Kaede's back seemed to pull her upwards. The glow grew, and grew—and erupted in a burst of whirling red sparks as four jointless arms tore out of her body, charring the back of her uniform but leaving the rest of her untouched.
The gathering heat and oppressive air of gathering mana snapped like a fever, and Kaede raised her head with an unnatural smile on her face.]
Much better.
[The spell hadn't repaired any of the torn muscles, only cauterized the wounds; she wasn't in danger of bleeding to death, but she couldn't physically lift her axe above her shoulders.
But she didn't need to now. She felt better than she had in months, since the first day she woke up here. An echo of her old power had returned to her grasp; a facsimile wreathed in fire. That confidence, the adrenaline, that assurance—it all blended into some cruel, burning euphoria. Kaede could feel it searing through her nervesm could hear a wild, hyena cackle at the edges of her mind. It wasn't her power—but she was using it anyway.]
no subject
The gathering heat and oppressive air of gathering mana snapped like a fever, and Kaede raised her head with an unnatural smile on her face.]
Much better.
[The spell hadn't repaired any of the torn muscles, only cauterized the wounds; she wasn't in danger of bleeding to death, but she couldn't physically lift her axe above her shoulders.
But she didn't need to now. She felt better than she had in months, since the first day she woke up here. An echo of her old power had returned to her grasp; a facsimile wreathed in fire. That confidence, the adrenaline, that assurance—it all blended into some cruel, burning euphoria. Kaede could feel it searing through her nervesm could hear a wild, hyena cackle at the edges of her mind. It wasn't her power—but she was using it anyway.]
Drop the shield. I'll kill them.