[Novel editing]
The Reflection lunged again, faster this time, her chains lashing forward like liquid starlight. The void around them seemed to shrink with every strike, forcing Verena and her team into tighter spaces. Each chain was not just an attack—it was a projection of Verena's doubts, sharp and cruel, aiming directly for her weak points.
"You carry them like trophies!" the Reflection spat, her voice cutting through the void. "They'll only drag you under when you finally break!"
Verena gritted her teeth and sidestepped a whip of light, barely avoiding the strike as it shattered the platform behind her into astral dust. Her mimicry threads danced in response, intercepting some of the chains mid-air, replicating their rhythm but twisting their trajectory away.
"I carry them because they're my team!" she shouted back, voice echoing defiantly. "You think I'm weak because I care? You think I regret fighting for them? You don't know anything about what kept me alive this far!"
