It happened in an instant. A ripple surged through the sapphire field followed by a blur of motion so fast that even time hesitated.
Vastarael moved like a meteor unleashed from heaven's chain, and in a single breath, his fist drove itself into Elyonari's stomach.
BOOM.
The sound was a deafening shockwave, as if the entire capital just cracked. The frozen trees shattered. The very earth quaked. The radiant sapphire field exploded outward in a cyclone of broken fractals and glimmering mist.
The entire glade was gone. It was utterly obliterated.
Elyonari's eyes widened. No breath escaped her lips. Her body folded around the impact, her face twitching in shock as every nerve in her lower body screamed. The force traveled through her, compressed her ribs, and shut down everything in a blink. And yet, before she could even hit the ground, he caught her.
Her limp form collapsed into his arms, and he immediately dropped to one knee with her cradled close.
"Shit shit, shit. I didn't mean to hit that hard, Elyonari, come on—"
He slammed both hands on her abdomen, his Divine Core thrumming violently as a wave of sapphire light flooded her body. Body Reconstruction activated in full force. Divine power and ancient Aeterium instincts surged through his fingertips, reconstructing every shredded inch of her internal organs.
Elyonari arched with a rasp of desperate nitrogen clawing back into her lungs. She blinked, wide-eyed, her face flushed from the agony that had just passed.
"Y-you… shattered everything…" she whispered breathlessly, voice barely a murmur. "All my lower organs were… gone…"
"I know," he choked out. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... I was trying to match your speed and—"
"Vastarael," she cut in with a soft, strained exhale, her hand weakly gripping his tunic.
He looked at her, still holding her as gently as if she were porcelain.
"You're strong," she said, smiling faintly. "Like… really strong… like… damn."
And then she stared at him, her cheeks pinking up slightly.
"You also look really cool right now," she added with a playful breath.
Her head fell softly against his chest. She passed out.
Vastarael just sat there for a moment. His fingers trembled as he healed the rest of her lingering injuries, even the microscopic ones. And only then, when he was sure she was alright, did his body pulse once more.
His own regeneration began.
Cracks in his ribs, tears in his knuckles, bruises along his side were gone. Even his Divine Core flickered and stabilized. His body returned to its default state, scarred but unbroken.
He slowly rose to his feet, carrying her bridal-style. Her hair spilled down over his arm. Her expression was so peaceful now it was hard to imagine she was just in a war.
"Adelasta passed out from my punch too," he muttered to himself, chuckling nervously as he began to walk back toward the mansion. "Phaenora screamed something vulgar before fainting too. This makes Elyonari the third."
He stared down at Elyonari's unconscious form, smiling softly. "Narisva, though… yeah. She'd probably survive it. Or dodge it and insult my form while doing so."
The sun gleamed through the clouds now, casting long shadows on the fractured frost behind him.
He walked through it like a soldier returning from war, and carrying the only person strong enough to challenge his heart.