Marcus moved before the healing finished closing.
He crossed the gap while the wing was still half-knitted and drove the sword into the joint a second time, the same spot, before the bone had finished setting.
[MARCUS HALE — SKILL: SWORD ART — LEVEL BREAK]
[CRITICAL TARGET: LEFT WING JOINT]
[DAMAGE: 5,200]
[VESPERA — HP: 40,000/58,000 → 34,800/58,000]
[LEFT WING: SEVERED]
The blade went through bone, through the red thread still half-rebuilding it, through black membrane, and the wing came free in one motion and hit the floor behind her, dragging a line of blood across the broken stone.
Vespera screamed.
It was the first sound out of her that had not been chosen.
She was still beautiful. The elegance was gone.
