Auriel crouched behind the thick stone wall at the village's edge, her fingers itching to summon a teleportation spell. Sneaking out of this place should have been easy—she was a goddess, after all. A simple flick of her wrist, a spark of divine energy, and she and Lina would be long gone before anyone could stop them.
Or at least, that had been the plan.
Auriel exhaled and focused, reaching inward for her divine power. She willed it to surface, to ignite like it always did.
Nothing happened.
She scowled, trying again, pouring more concentration into the effort.
Still nothing.
A bitter taste settled in her mouth. You have got to be kidding me.
She clenched her jaw and tried one last time, but it was like grasping at smoke—her power simply wasn't there. The realization sent a sharp frustration through her. She had known she was weakened after what happened with the dungeon, but she had never been completely drained like this before.
