The air felt like it might explode.
Kai couldn't move.
It wasn't fear.
Not entirely.
It was something heavier.
Guilt.
"…you're lying…" he said, his voice unsteady.
Mira didn't react.
Not even a flicker.
"…I watched her die," she said calmly.
"…through her Echo."
Kai's chest tightened painfully.
"…that's not possible…"
"…it is for me."
A faint flame flickered to life around her hand.
Not wild.
Not uncontrolled.
It burned quietly.
Like something restrained by sheer force of will.
"…I saw everything."
The words landed slowly.
Heavily.
"…every time she died."
Kai's breath caught.
"…you… saw the loops…?"
Her eyes sharpened.
"…and you kept failing."
Silence.
The kind that crushed.
The kind that didn't give you room to breathe.
Kai clenched his fists.
"…I tried—"
"…you failed."
The interruption cut deeper than anything else.
"…again…"
"…and again…"
"…and again."
Each word hit harder than the last.
Kai's vision flickered slightly.
"…stop…"
"…you hesitated."
The flame in her hand grew slightly stronger.
"…you doubted."
A step forward.
"…you wasted time."
Another step.
"…and she paid for it."
Kai staggered back slightly.
"…that's not fair—!"
"…fair?" Mira repeated.
For the first time—
There was emotion in her voice.
Sharp.
Cold.
"…you think this is about fair?"
The flames around her hand flared slightly.
"…I watched her scream your name."
Kai froze.
"…I saw her reach for you."
Another step.
Closer.
"…and every time…"
A pause.
"…you were too late."
Kai's chest tightened so hard it hurt.
Memories surged forward.
Unwanted.
Uncontrolled.
Lina falling.
Her hand slipping from his.
Her voice breaking—
"Kai…"
"…STOP."
The air around him distorted faintly.
His Echo reacting.
Unstable.
Mira noticed.
"…good," she said quietly.
"…you remember."
Kai shook his head.
"…you don't understand—"
"…then explain."
Her voice was calm again.
But dangerous.
"…explain why she's dead."
Kai opened his mouth—
Then stopped.
Because he didn't have an answer.
Not one that mattered.
"…I—"
Nothing came out.
Mira's expression hardened.
"…exactly."
Silence.
Heavy.
Crushing.
Kai looked down at his hands.
They were shaking.
"…I tried to save her…"
His voice came out lower this time.
"…every time…"
Mira didn't respond.
"…I died over and over…"
His chest tightened.
"…just to change it…"
A pause.
"…and it still wasn't enough."
Silence lingered.
But it didn't soften her.
"…then you should've done more."
Kai's head snapped up.
"…what?!"
"…you had chances," she said.
"…more than anyone else."
A step closer.
"…and you wasted them."
Kai's voice rose.
"…I WAS ALONE!"
The words echoed through the corridor.
"…I didn't know what was happening!"
"…you knew enough."
"…I didn't know how to save her!"
"…but you knew she would die!"
That—
That broke something.
Kai's breath became uneven.
"…I tried to change it…"
"…you failed."
"…I tried again—"
"…you failed."
"…I KEPT TRYING—!"
"…AND SHE STILL DIED!"
Silence crashed down.
The words hung there.
Unavoidable.
Kai's shoulders trembled slightly.
"…I know…" he said quietly.
"…I know I failed."
That was the truth.
No excuses.
No defense.
Just truth.
For a brief moment—
Mira didn't speak.
Her flames flickered.
Unsteady.
Then—
"…and now she's gone."
The fire surged again.
Stronger.
Hotter.
"…and you're still here."
Kai's chest tightened.
"…yeah…"
"…that's the problem."
The words were quiet.
But final.
The air around them grew heavier.
Pressure building.
Kai's Echo reacted again.
The distortion returned.
Faint.
Unstable.
"…I didn't come here to fight you," Kai said.
"…I don't care why you came."
Her stance shifted slightly.
"…I just wanted to understand—"
"…I already understand."
The flames rose higher.
"…you weren't enough."
Something inside Kai snapped slightly.
Not like before.
Not explosive.
But sharp.
Cold.
"…maybe I wasn't," he said.
A pause.
"…but I'm still here."
Mira's eyes narrowed.
"…then prove it."
Kai clenched his fists.
The pressure built again.
Stronger.
"…fine."
The air distorted more clearly now.
The ground beneath his feet cracked slightly.
"…I DID EVERYTHING I COULD!"
The words came out raw.
Real.
The Echo surged in response.
Mira's expression hardened completely.
"…not enough."
She moved.
Fast.
A burst of flame followed—
And the fight began.