Leon and the elf locked eyes across the shattered ground.
For half a heartbeat, escape crossed her mind. Instinct screamed at her to flee, to abandon this ruined base and vanish into the sky.
Then reality caught up. The barrier was already there, invisible but absolute, pressing against the air itself. No gaps. No weakness. Making every idea of running nothing but a fantasy.
So she stayed where she was, hovering stiffly, fear crawling up her spine as Leon regarded her in silence.
His voice soon broke the stillness, calm and stripped of mercy.
"You know what you're supposed to do."
The words didn't make sense at first. Confusion flickered across her face. Then understanding struck, sharp and humiliating.
Her body reacted before her pride could protest. She cut her own flight and dropped.
The impact was brutal. Stone cracked as she slammed into the ground, dust erupting outward in a thick cloud. The pain was real, but she welcomed it. Pain was better than hesitation.
