Emma turned around and let the rocks finish falling to the ground. The impact raised a thick cloud of dust that filled the corridor for a few seconds.
She hadn't liked doing what she had just done at all.
Emma had always despised that kind of strategy. For her, a confrontation had to be direct: two people face to face, measuring strength, endurance, and will. No shortcuts, no tricks. What she had just done went against all of that. And that, for her, bordered on an insult to her own values.
But her friend needed her help.
When Emma arrived at the academy, she could barely read or write. It wasn't common, and the institution didn't know how to handle it. After all, most of the students were adults or nearly adults.
But Liora volunteered without hesitation. Three afternoons a week—Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday—they sat together. Liora taught her to read, write, basic math, and the history of the Republic. She never treated her condescendingly or judged her.
Liora was simply there.
For Emma, that was enough. Liora was part of her pack. And for someone in her pack, she could swallow her pride, break her own rules, and carry the guilt afterward.
—————-
A girl with dark hair and eyes was moving at full speed, holding an egg the size of a basketball in her arms.
According to the mental map Liora had constructed, she was close to the exit.
The wounds caused by the ambush of the two girls had already been treated with her green bubble. No open cuts or visible bleeding remained, but the fatigue persisted under the skin, accumulated in the muscles and in her breathing.
Then she heard it.
A sharp whistle, cutting through the air.
Liora reacted quickly.
The instant she twisted her torso, she projected ether backward and created a blue bubble behind her. At the same time, she jumped to the side, breaking her own trajectory.
The golden spear emerged violently from the corridor. It struck the blue bubble and was deflected at an angle, scraping the energy surface before flying off against the rock.
Liora landed, rolled once to absorb the impact, and regained her balance without letting go of the egg.
"Good reaction," Victoria said in an ironic tone as she advanced toward her with steady steps.
Liora frowned. She had assumed that Jhon had taken care of her. That had been the plan. But apparently, Victoria had come out of the ambush unscathed.
She couldn't help but be impressed by Victoria's achievement. Coming out of an ambush by someone who mastered the Veil of Stillness and wielded Jhon's lethal power unscathed was a feat worth noting.
But then she saw it. Victoria's uniform was torn at the shoulder. A piece of fabric had been ripped off and used as an improvised bandage, wrapped tightly around the joint. Her right arm hung slightly away from her body.
Victoria could barely move it.
Something was better than nothing, Liora thought as she fully stood, adjusting the weight of the egg in her arms.
Victoria stopped, and they looked each other in the eyes. Their gazes clashed, firm, measuring intent and determination.
Liora was the first to speak.
"Do you want this?" she raised the egg to chest height, offering it in sight but not within reach. "You see, Ms. Victoria… it's not for sale. So forgive me if I refuse."
Victoria let out a low, almost amused laugh. With a fluid gesture, she summoned her spear; the weapon appeared in her left hand and spun once in the air before settling firmly.
"Trying to buy time?" she asked, without real interest in the answer. "Let me tell you, you're not very good at it."
She took a stance, body angled, spear tip aligned with Liora.
Liora responded in kind: by ignoring her. She carefully shifted the egg behind her, protecting it with her body.
"What happened to your arm?" she asked, with a clearly feigned curiosity.
Victoria didn't answer.
"I see," Liora's smile faded, hardening into something cold and analytical. Her stance changed along with her expression.
She turned her body diagonally, offering less surface. And raised her left hand away from her axis, palm open, relaxed but alert. The right stayed closer to her torso, clenched in a contained fist, ready to react.
"Are you sure you want to do this with just one arm?"
Victoria lowered her guard just enough to anchor her feet to the ground and stabilize her center of gravity. The spear remained firm in her left hand.
Then she replied with a proud smile.
Her voice was clear, confident, without the slightest hesitation.
"Don't worry about that. I'm ambidextrous. And believe me… take away this other arm, and I'd still win."
There was no arrogance or cockiness in her words. Just a certainty forged through years of combat.
And then Victoria lunged at her.
The spear traced a straight line toward Liora's chest. The response was instant: a blue bubble formed over her left hand and deflected the thrust with a sharp strike.
Victoria didn't stop. She chained a second thrust, then a third, each faster than the last.
Liora stepped back half a pace with each impact, deflecting the blade again and again.
The sound of metal striking energy filled the chamber, repeated, insistent.
The fifth stab was deflected… and that's when Victoria changed. Instead of insisting, she spun with brutal fluidity. The spear descended in a low, sweeping cut toward the legs.
Liora barely managed to leap backward, feeling the blade pass centimeters from her skin.
But Victoria was already one move ahead. She completed the spin, slid her hand along the shaft, and grabbed it lower, extending the spear's reach mid-motion.
The blade scraped the cave wall, sending sparks and dust flying, and shot out in a wide, unexpected arc. All in a single fluid movement.
Liora managed to anticipate slightly, but the cut grazed her shoulder. Blood gushed immediately, hot, while the impact forced her to lose balance for a moment.
She extended her right hand and launched a red bubble directly at Victoria.
Victoria had no choice but to block: she advanced the spear into its path. The impact exploded against the weapon with a muffled detonation, and the resulting force pushed her several steps back.
Her bare feet scraped the cave floor, raising dust and gravel as she absorbed the recoil.
Before she could settle, Liora had already created another. A second red bubble shot toward her. Victoria executed a precise lateral jump, and the projectile passed by, exploding against the wall with a dry crash.
Barely touching the ground again, Victoria charged once more.
She used the jump to propel herself forward, closing the distance in the blink of an eye. The spear traced a horizontal arc, fast and clean, aimed at the torso.
Liora barely dodged it.
Victoria chained the movement without stopping and launched a second cut, this time diagonal.
Liora tried to retreat again, but it was too late: the blade opened her abdomen just enough to steal her breath. It wasn't a deep wound, but it burned and bled.
Victoria noticed Liora's constant recoil and decided to exploit it.
She accelerated abruptly, reducing the distance aggressively. She slid her hand along the spear shaft and grabbed higher, shortening the weapon. In this close range, the advantage was hers.
Cornered, Liora launched a red bubble directly at Victoria's face.
Victoria anticipated it. She ducked in the same motion and swept Liora's legs with a sharp kick.
With her balance already compromised by constant retreat, Liora couldn't react. Her feet tangled, and she fell hard to the ground.
Victoria reversed her grip on the spear and thrust downward decisively, seeking to finish her before she could react.
Liora responded at the last moment. She created a red bubble beneath her own body and detonated it, spinning at the same time to direct the explosion to the side.
The shockwave threw her out of the attack line, dragging her across the floor as the spear lodged where she had been a second before.
She rose from the ground in the same motion, barely having time to lift her gaze when she saw Victoria discard the spear and step forward, closing the distance to strike directly with her left fist.
Liora crossed her arms and blocked it. The impact ran through her body like a shock. The pain was immediate. Her Monster Form granted her a versatile trait, control of ether, and exceptional reserves, but physically she was inferior.; Liora wasn't built for frontal exchanges.
Victoria's was. By everything known about her, it was one of the most complete forms ever recorded.
Victoria gave no respite. She chained another strike, this one lower. Her fist sank cleanly into Liora's stomach. Air and blood escaped her lungs, and her body flew against the wall.
The impact resonated through the chamber.
Victoria took a step back to gather strength for her attack. Her intention was clear: end the fight with the next blow.
But Liora surprised her.
She raised both hands at once and launched a red bubble directly at Victoria's face.
The explosion didn't occur. With almost inhuman reflexes, Victoria ducked, letting the bubble pass over her head, and in the same motion propelled herself forward.
The next blow carried a different aggression, heavier, more decisive. A strike meant to break.
Liora reacted instinctively. She ducked and rolled to the side, feeling the air cut by the fist brush past her. Victoria's impact hit the wall directly. The rock cracked, stone fragments fell to the ground, and the cave vibrated.
Liora stopped at the end of the roll, breathing heavily, and got up.
Victoria summoned her spear again. The one lodged in the ground vanished into ether particles and reappeared in her left hand. She gripped it firmly and rested the butt against the rock, anchoring herself to the ground.
"You look tired," Victoria said with a mocking tone.
"Do I?" Liora replied before spitting a thick mixture of saliva and blood. "Well… I'll admit I am."
Victoria tilted her head slightly, her gaze dropping to Liora's right shoulder, where her spear had passed mere seconds ago.
"How's your arm?" she asked in a mocking tone, returning the taunt to her rival.
Liora moved her shoulder just enough, a minimal gesture, almost carefree.
"Honestly… it hurts a little. But it's definitely better than yours."
Victoria let out an amused smile. She spun the spear and pointed it at her. The blade caught the cave light and reflected it in a cold, threatening gleam.
In an instant, the smile vanished from her face.
"You know this is only a matter of time," she finally said. "The smartest thing would be to surrender now. Do you really think you can win?"
There was no disdain in her tone. Only genuine curiosity.
"Me?" Liora pointed to herself, surprised. "Honestly… no."
Victoria furrowed her brow slightly. Liora took advantage of that moment and assumed a guard stance.
"Even if you don't know me, I'm a pretty clever girl," she continued. "I've always known I can't beat you in a direct confrontation like this. That was never my intention. In fact, earlier you already revealed what my real goal was."
Victoria tilted her head, reviewing the previous conversation mentally. Then she understood.
"Buying time…?" she murmured. Doubt began to creep in. "Why would you want to buy time?"
Liora's smile widened, calm, almost compassionate.
"Because I know I can't beat you."
She raised her gaze, her eyes shining with dangerous certainty.
"But I know someone who can."
In the next instant, Victoria sensed an intense, wild presence behind her. She turned her head and saw a short, slender girl with brown hair advancing steadily toward them.
Emma had finally caught up.