The impact was heavy.
Punishing.
And this time, when he rose, it was slower.
Blood trailed from multiple wounds now, his breathing no longer controlled, his composure visibly shaken as he faced the reality before him, not one opponent, but two, perfectly synchronized, one suppressing him through an overwhelming domain while the other exploited every opening with precise and unpredictable attacks.
From the distance, the reaction was explosive.
"They're pushing him back!"
"Lucas is back in!"
"He's done for!"
The soldiers of Valerion could no longer contain their excitement, their voices rising louder with each passing moment as hope turned into belief, and belief into certainty that the impossible might actually happen before their eyes.
Even Ken's expression darkened further, his confidence eroding with every exchange as he watched Dravok struggle to keep up, his jaw tightening as the situation spiraled beyond what he had anticipated.
