The pressure lingered.
Kael couldn't stand.
Shun couldn't lift her weapon.
Eldarin could barely breathe.
And in the center—
Lira stood.
Vixen smiled faintly.
"…Look at them," she said softly.
"…All of them… beneath you."
Lira didn't answer.
Her eyes were on Kael.
"…You're hurt," she said.
Kael forced a weak laugh.
"…I've been worse…"
He hadn't.
Shun clenched her teeth.
"…Don't… let her get to you…"
Vixen tilted her head.
"…See?" she whispered.
"…They struggle… because they follow you."
Her voice softened further.
"…If you weren't here…"
"…they wouldn't need to suffer trying to reach you."
Silence.
Lira's fists tightened.
"…Wrong," she said.
Vixen's smile faltered.
"…They're not trying to reach me."
Lira stepped forward.
The ground cracked slightly.
"…They just walk with me."
Kael blinked.
Shun froze.
Eldarin looked up.
Vixen's expression twisted.
"…That's even worse," she whispered.
She raised her hand—
Power gathering—
Ready to crush them further.
But—
Lira was already there.
No build-up.
No aura.
Just a fist.
BOOM.
The strike landed.
Everything stopped.
The pressure vanished instantly.
Kael gasped—air returning to his lungs.
Shun's arm dropped free.
Eldarin collapsed, breathing again.
Vixen was gone.
Not shattered.
Not erased.
Defeated.
Silence followed.
Lira stood there.
Fist still slightly raised.
Then—
Her shoulders trembled.
"…Oh," she said softly.
Kael looked up.
"…Lira?"
She lowered her arm slowly.
Her hands shook.
"…They got hurt," she said.
A tear fell.
Then another.
"…Because of me…"
Kael's eyes widened.
"…Hey… no…"
Lira wiped her face roughly.
But the tears didn't stop.
"…Not fun," she whispered.
Shun stared quietly.
For once—
No teasing.
No smirk.
Eldarin sat in silence.
Kael forced himself to stand.
Step by step.
He walked to her.
"…Lira," he said gently.
She didn't look at him.
"…Stop crying," she muttered.
"…It's annoying."
But her voice shook.
Kael reached out—
Placed a hand on her shoulder.
"…We're fine," he said.
She shook her head.
"…You weren't."
Silence.
Kael sighed softly.
"…Yeah," he admitted.
"…We weren't."
She flinched slightly.
Then—
"…But we chose this," he continued.
Lira blinked.
"…Chose?"
"…Yeah," Kael said.
"…We follow you. Not because we have to."
Shun stood behind them.
Arms crossed.
"…He's right," she added.
"…Don't take that away from us."
Eldarin nodded, still catching his breath.
"…A knight does not blame his king for battle."
"…You're not a knight," Kael muttered.
"…Details."
Lira looked at them.
All of them.
Alive.
Standing.
Still there.
Her tears slowed.
"…Okay," she said quietly.
Kael smiled a little.
"…Good."
Lira wiped her face again.
"…Still not fun," she added.
Shun smirked slightly.
"…Yeah…"
"…But you won."
Lira looked at her fists.
At the gauntlets.
Then back at her friends.
"…Yeah," she said softly.
But for the first time—
Victory didn't feel simple.
To Be Continued…