Ryuki's body remained frozen, her limbs refusing to obey. The garden around her radiated an unsettling serenity—birds chirping softly, a light breeze brushing the leaves—but the unnatural stillness made her skin crawl. Every instinct screamed danger.
Ryuki: "I… I can't move at all. What's happening…?"
The air itself seemed heavy, almost oppressive, yet eerily silent. Then, a distant whisper of a memory flickered in her mind.
{Flashback}
Ryuki, age 12, wide-eyed and trembling.
Erik: "Ryuki, whenever you get into trouble during a fight, believe in yourself. Trust your skills. You'll get through it… on your own."
Ryuki: "Huh?"
Erik (laughing softly): "Nothing. You'll understand one day."
{Back to Present}
Her eyes snapped shut. Heart pounding, she drew on every memory of training, every lesson Erik had instilled in her. She took a deep breath, letting determination fill every fiber of her being.
Ryuki: "I… understand it now."
Suddenly, a sharp crack split the air. The garden quaked violently as shimmering walls of the domain fractured and exploded outward in a cascade of energy. The force threw Veyra off balance, her twin daggers scattering sparks as she staggered.
Veyra (wide-eyed, whispering): "No… how… how could she break through the Domain of Serica?!"
Ryuki's body moved instinctively, muscles surging with newfound freedom. Her eyes blazed with unwavering focus as she prepared to confront Veyra.
Ryuki: "I'm not done yet."
Veyra lunged, daggers flashing like lightning. THUD! Ryuki met the strike, the collision echoing like a cannon blast through the shattered garden. The air vibrated, leaves torn from trees, petals ripped from blossoms, as a storm of energy swirled around them.
Veyra: "She's… changed."
The battle had escalated to a new level. Every movement carried weight.