Northern stood before Nyssira, the hammer slung lazily over his shoulders.
The council president knelt before him, weakened and on the verge of collapse. She opened her roughened, dimming eyes, barely able to lift her gaze to the figure standing in front of her. Her vision was blurry, but not so much that she couldn't discern who it was.
Her lips moved—she seemed to mutter something—but before Northern could catch her words, she collapsed.
The medics, already rushing into the arena as the dust settled, quickly reached her side. They lifted her body gently onto a stretcher and hurried away.
At the far edge of the arena, the opposing student stood watching Northern. His gaze was dark and stern, a sharp light simmering in his eyes. One of his hands was missing.
A heavy silence stretched between them.
Then, two figures dropped into the arena—one landing before Northern, the other before the student.
