Bo raised a new glyph, different symbol. Black this time. The kind that ate light.
Lucen vanished.
Straight up.
Bo blinked.
Lucen dropped behind him from the pillar above. Blade swung once, controlled. Not lethal. But fast enough to feel like a warning.
It landed.
Bo's coat split. The glyph shimmered and broke.
He staggered back, one leg giving out.
Lucen pointed the sword at him, two-handed now. Calm. Neutral. But very clear.
"I'm not your test subject," Lucen said. "You send me on a fake mission again, I don't leave you able to spell audit."
Bo coughed. Held up a hand. "Okay. Okay. Point made."
Lucen tilted his head. "Are you submitting a system record?"
Bo hesitated.
Lucen's blade touched his chest.
Right over the heart.
Bo's system pinged. Loud enough for both of them to hear.
[Guild File Transfer Request Received – Subject: Lucen Ivara]
[Transmit?]
[Response: Denied]
Lucen's eyes didn't move.
"I'll take the kid," he said.
