Malrik lunged at X'lat, aether flaring behind him like a trail of fire, his newfound strength screaming for release. His aether pulsed with his intent.
But as his blade arced toward the synthetic figure, it struck an invisible wall—an energy barrier that shattered his momentum and flung him backwards.
He crashed to the ground, coughing, stunned by the impact.
"Damn it!" he hissed, trying to push himself back up.
Nova seized the opportunity. With a flash, he was behind X'lat, blade drawn, ready to take him down.
But before his strike could land, something collided with him from the side. Betty. Her parasol snapped open in mid-air and sent him spiraling into the rubble.
"Tsk tsk. I told you not to interrupt, Nova. This is important business. Can't have you ruining the ending, now can we?"
Betty giggled, brushing imaginary dust off her stolen dancer garb.
Across the field, Anna gritted her teeth and unleashed a volley of compressed aether bolts.
