For a moment after the horn sounded, no one reacted.
Regis Valmont lay stiff on the broken ground, his chest rising and falling shallowly. One of his teammates had been thrown clear and hadn't moved since. The crimson glow that had surrounded Regis was gone completely, leaving him looking smaller than he had a minute earlier.
Lucien collapsed a heartbeat later.
Officials rushed to the field almost immediately. The reactions came after — confused at first, then louder, as people tried to understand what they had just seen. Some cheered. Others didn't.
In the noble section, heads leaned toward one another as whispers spread quickly.
Duke Arok Valmont left earlier than the others, his face barely containing his suppressed anger.
Lucien's father stood at the railing, both hands gripping the bar harder than he realised. Relief washed through him first — followed by concern. The look didn't leave his face as Lucien was lifted onto a stretcher.
Nearby, the princess didn't move at all. She watched the medics work, eyes following Lucien rather than Regis.
"That was interesting."
The king said nothing at first, his gaze fixated on the battlefield and Lucien being taken away on a stretcher. He turned to one of the assistants behind him.
"Keep an eye on that one."
When the field finally cleared, the silence stayed longer than it should have.
Lucien woke up shortly after in pain.
His head throbbed in a way that made opening his eyes feel like a mistake. He tried to move — his arm twitched then stopped.
"...You're awake."
The voice was familiar.
Lucien turned his head slowly. Corin was sitting on the bed beside him, wrapped in badges that covered his chest and shoulder. His face looked rough, skin pale, but his eyes were open and fixed on Lucien.
"How long was I out?" Lucien asked. His throat felt dry.
"Not long," Corin said. "You scared them a bit."
Lucien closed his eyes again for a second.
His memory came back in pieces. Regis, the runner — the command.
"Did we win?" he asked.
Corin nodded once. "Yeah we did."
A pause settled between them.
"...You passed out right after."
Lucien breathed out slowly, allowing his body time to readjust. He shifted his head enough to see the rest of the room. Alya was asleep on the far bed, her breathing fine now, dried blood still on her face. Faye sat asleep in a chair between the beds, head cushioned using a sweater.
Lucien let out a small yawn.
"What happened to Regis?"
Corin chuckled softly. "Pretty bad." He shook his head, clearly amused. "You flattened him."
Lucien frowned slightly. "I didn't—"
"You did," Corin cut in. "I was out cold for most of it, but I saw that last part. One second we were losing, next second Regis was falling to the ground."
He leaned back against the pillows, careful not to unwrap his bandages.
"Did you see his face?" Corin added. "Never seen Regis look like that. Thought his head was gonna explode."
Lucien stared at the ceiling.
"I didn't plan for it to go that far."
Corin snorted. "We won. Everyone's fine. That's all that matters."
Lucien glanced at him.
Corin shrugged. "You saved us. That's all I care about."
Lucien let out a small smile as his eyes closed again, his body reminding him he needs more rest.
A few hours later his eyes opened once more.
He glanced around the room, everyone was sitting watching the replay of the last match on a crystal.
"You awake for good?" Corin chuckled, turning his head for a moment to look at Lucien.
"Yeah. I think."
Alya gave him a concerned look.
"I didn't know you could do that."
Lucien shook his head once. "Me neither. It was my first time using it."
Faye looked over with her same worried expression.
"I understand now why you didn't want to use it."
Lucien didn't respond to her. He didn't know what to say himself.
A soft knock came at the door.
Lucien looked up. "Come in."
A tournament official stepped inside, posture straight but not stiff. His eyes flicked briefly across the room.
"Congratulations on reaching the finals," the official continued. "The final match will be held tomorrow morning."
Corin let out a low whistle. "That's quick."
"The schedule doesn't leave much room," the official replied. "Medical staff will be around to do checks on participants overnight."
Lucien nodded. "Understood."
The official hesitated, then added, "You all fought well today."
Lucien didn't respond to that, he simply inclined his head.
The official turned and left, closing the door gently behind him.
For a moment, no one spoke.
"We can do this." Alya said first.
Corin let out another chuckle while clapping his hands. "Yeah we didn't make it this far for nothing."
Lucien turned his head on the pillow, facing the wall.
'I have to be ready.'