The wind tore at Lilith's cloak, pulling her hair into her face, whipping her cheeks with sharp stings of rain and ash. She spun, narrowly avoiding the hunter's blade, each movement choreographed in the desperate rhythm of survival. Sparks flew as her fire met steel, showering the rooftop in a dazzling display that mirrored the chaos in her heart.
Her pulse pounded in her ears—not from exertion, but from recognition. She knew him. Not just as a fighter, but as someone who had seen the parts of her she had hidden from the world, from Kazuki, even from herself. Every strike carried memory; every dodge, a haunting echo of a vow made long ago.
Kazuki slid forward, eyes narrowing. "Stay behind me, Lilith!" His voice trembled with tension. "I'll hold him off!"
She shook her head, flames spiraling around her fingers. "No… we fight together, Kazuki. He isn't just a hunter. He's… something else."
