The halls of the palace glimmered under the glow of suspended crystal orbs, their pale violet light spilling across the black marble tiles. Outside the tall, narrow windows, Vrasnia's endless night stretched on — a horizon of shimmering auroras drifting lazily over the jagged silhouette of the city.
Kazimir emerged from his chambers, the sound of his boots echoing in the quiet. His black hair, tipped with faint cobalt blue, caught the glow as he walked, still carrying the haze of sleep. Turning a corner, he came face-to-face with Vanessa.
She stepped toward him, the light catching the sheen of her pale blue hair and the sharp gleam of her purple eyes."My lord, you're awake," she said softly, her voice a calm ripple in the still air.
Kazimir gave a slow nod. "Yeah… it's quiet. Where is everyone?"
Vanessa tilted her head. "I couldn't say. I returned not long ago — I checked on you, but when you didn't answer, I assumed you were sleeping."
"Probably off exploring the city," Kazimir said, folding his arms. "It's big enough to get lost in."
Vanessa drifted closer, her gaze sliding to the window beside them. The view beyond was a vast dark expanse, broken by the faint, scattered lights of the capital. "While you were away," she said, "I made sure that when you returned, Vrasnia would be better than before. I'm honestly surprised at what we've built with so little… Give it a year or two, and the city might shine as it once did."
Kazimir followed her gaze. "Yeah… with the Vrasnians, I believe it. They're a different kind of people — resilient."
The faint tap of approaching footsteps echoed through the corridor. Both turned to see Riah stepping into the light. Her crimson eyes seemed to glow faintly in the dim, and the red streaks in her white hair caught the violet hue of the lanterns.
"So you're finally awake," Kazimir said with a faint smirk.
"You knocked me out," she replied, stretching lazily.
Vanessa's eyes narrowed slightly. "It's funny — a follower of Solaris, yet more demonic than the Nullities. And we're supposed to be the sinners."
Riah gasped, mock-offended. "Excuse me? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, nothing," Vanessa said with a sly smile. "Just… remembering earlier. You know. 'Bedroom. Now.'"
Riah's eyes widened before she scoffed. "Oh hush."
Kazimir chuckled, watching them trade barbs, their voices bouncing down the hall like an odd kind of music.
Far beyond the city walls, however, the stillness of Vrasnia's night was breaking.
The battlefield lay in the open wastes, far from the lights of the city. The ground was black stone, cracked and uneven, scattered with jagged shards that glimmered faintly under the pale violet haze of Vrasnia's sky. Above, the auroras rippled like slow-moving fire, casting shifting shadows over the duel below.
Lihanna stood still, her nodachi drawn, the metal whispering under the faint wind. Across from her, Gendai rose to her feet, the tip of her spear scraping against stone.
Neve's voice broke the silence. "She's quick," she murmured, watching as Lihanna's form blurred, vanishing from sight with a single sidestep.
Gendai's eyes darted, unable to track her until the sensation hit — that subtle ripple of killing intent. She spun, but Lihanna was already there, her blade cutting through the air like a tide breaking against the shore. The strike came for Gendai's shoulder, but her spear caught it at the last moment, the clang echoing through the barren field.
Raijin's brows rose. "What the hell was that?"
"That," Tyrone said with a faint grin, "is Lihanna's style. Swift, precise… she lives for one-on-ones. That's where she shines."
Raijin shot him a look. "Yeah, yeah — I know she's your girlfriend, but damn, you're glazing her right now."
Gendai disengaged, pushing back with a backflip before thrusting her hand forward. A scatter of jagged stones ripped from the ground, launching toward Lihanna with telekinetic force. Lihanna didn't slow — she wove through them, her blade cleaving each apart, her momentum carrying her forward until she was in striking range again.
Gendai's teeth clenched. She slammed her palm forward, a burst of green energy flaring point-blank. The explosion's shockwave sent dust spiraling upward, and when it cleared, a thin streak of blood traced down the right side of Lihanna's face.
"You alright?" Tyrone called out.
"Yeah," Lihanna answered, her tone steady. "I was careless."
They reset. The space between them was charged, the air thick with the hum of energy. Lihanna's eyes narrowed. Gendai's grip on her spear tightened.
Then they moved.
The clash was a storm of steel and fury — Lihanna's strikes fluid and fast, Gendai's spear spinning to parry and redirect. A wave of water arced through the air, one strike grazing Gendai's arm, another slicing into her ankle. She dropped to one knee, breath ragged, as Lihanna closed in.
A slash came down — but silence followed. The observers stepped forward, unsure. Lihanna stood with one foot planted on Gendai's chest.
"You let your emotions lead," Lihanna said coldly. "That will kill you faster than any blade."
She stepped away.
Gendai's head hung low, shadow hiding her expression — until her shoulders shook. The cry tore from her throat. "NO! I'm not done!"
The ground trembled as a violent burst of green-silver light erupted from her, expanding into a dome of raw energy. The force howled across the battlefield, sending cloaks and hair whipping violently.
"TYRONE! STAND BACK!" Lihanna shouted, stepping in front of him, nodachi raised.
"You can't handle losing?" she roared over the wind. "Do you have a death wish?!"
Kamaki's eyes widened. "Holy hell… it's not over?"
Raijin exhaled sharply. "Nah, she's full crash-out mode. Zero control."
Felicia glanced at Neve and Jessie — the only ones standing unflinching in the storm."Aren't you going to stop this?"
Neve's gaze stayed locked on the two fighters. "Not yet."
Jessie's tone was calm, but her violet eyes sharpened. "We'll step in if it gets truly dangerous. If."
The air was already starting to feel dangerous.