The crater was a scar of glass and silence.
Tyrone and Lihanna collapsed onto the cracked ground, armor scorched, breathing hard.
Their auras faded—the black-purple fire of shadow and the cold glow of lunar water retreating into their skin like embers cooling.
Lihanna sat with her back against a broken pillar, nodachi planted beside her like a silent sentinel.
Her chest rose and fell in slow, heavy breaths, each exhale a cloud of frost in the cooling night.
Blood streaked her cheek, her collarbone, the black bodysuit torn at the shoulder.
Tyrone rose, tearing a strip from his ruined coat.
He knelt beside her, the cloth in his hand, reaching for her face.
Lihanna's hand caught his wrist—gentle, but firm.
"No use. Use it on yourself. I'm fine."
Tyrone's eyes—still violet from the fight—softened.
"No. You're more injured than I am. Besides… it's a king's job to protect his queen."
Lihanna's lips twitched, the ghost of a smile.
"And it's a queen's job to serve her king."
They locked eyes.
Above them, the sky tore open—a jagged rift of violet light, the fractured moon bleeding shards of moonlight that hung in the air like suspended glass.
The ground around them cracked—not stone, but reality itself, spiderwebbing into shards of shattered moonlight, each fragment reflecting their faces in infinite, broken mirrors.
Tyrone chuckled, low and warm.
"Then serve me by letting me clean you up."
Lihanna sighed, defeated.
"Fine. You win."
He leaned in.
The cloth brushed her cheek, gentle, wiping away blood and ash.
His fingers lingered at the tear in her bodysuit, loosening the fabric just enough to clean the wound at her collarbone.
His touch was careful, reverent—like handling something sacred.
He took her hand, pulling her to her feet.
Her black-and-blue pleated skirt fluttered, the fabric flickering like blue lightning as she moved.
Her high-fitting boots clicked against the glass, leather straps around her thighs catching the moonlight.
She found her matte black cropped jacket—inner lining sapphire blue, plating lines glowing faintly like circuits.
She slipped it on, the fabric hugging her frame like a second skin.
Tyrone picked up her nodachi, the blade still humming, and held it out to her.
"Here. We should move… unless you want to catch our breath first."
Lihanna twirled a strand of hair around her finger, rocking side to side.
"Doesn't matter. Whatever you want."
Tyrone sighed, looking around.
The cracks in reality pulsed, the air shimmering like heat over a forge.
"Why does it look like we're in a fractured realm about to collapse?"
Lihanna blinked, then smiled.
"Oh. I didn't deactivate it."
Tyrone's eyes widened.
"Wait—this is your doing? Not the Hydra?"
She nodded, leaning against a broken wall.
"Yeah. How do you think we survived? You helped, but… I took the gamble. Detonated the Lunar Fracture. We'd have been dead otherwise."
The shards of lunar energyshattered—a sound like a thousand mirrors breaking at once.
The ruins snapped back into reality, the rift in the sky sealing with a sound like a sigh.
The purple moon hung whole again, bathing the ruins in soft, unbroken light.
Tyrone stared, awestruck.
"I had no idea you could do that."
Lihanna whispered, voice soft.
"You should be. I'm full of surprises."
She leaned heavier on the wall, exhaustion creeping in.
"Though… that took a lot out of me. Last second."
They looked up.
The night sky stretched endless, the purple moon a perfect circle, stars winking like distant eyes.
Then—footsteps.
They tensed, weapons half-raised.
Then smiled.
Kamaki stepped into the moonlight, grinning like a wolf.
"WELL WELL WELL! Look who it is—Tyrone and Lihanna! Saw the explosion miles away. Seems like you two had a party."
Tyrone chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Yeah. Late to the show. Massive Hydra. Thing was a nightmare."
Kamaki's eyes flicked over their wounds.
"Looking at you two, I can tell."
Tyrone grinned.
"Probably easy for you. You've got a healer."
Kamaki glanced at Felicia, who waved cheerfully.
"Shit, you're right. Lucky me."
Lihanna stood straighter.
"Heard you took out Raja and Hatsu in the jungle."
Felicia giggled, twirling a strand of hair.
"Yep! Easy. No sweat."
Tyrone's smile faded.
"So… enemies today. Allies tomorrow. Until the event ends."
He drew his scythe.
Lihanna gripped her nodachi.
Felicia raised a hand.
"Hold it! Smarter idea—cooperate. We're near the final zone. It only gets harder. Save the fight for the crown. That's the finale."
Lihanna smiled.
"Clever. You're right."
Tyrone frowned.
"But how do we know we can trust them?"
Lihanna was silent.
Then:
"I trust Felicia. But if you want a pact—swear it. No betrayal until the final challenge."
Tyrone nodded.
"Agreed."
Kamaki and Felicia nodded.
The crowd roared—a distant thunder of approval.
In the VIP box, the four watched the feed.
Jessie leaned forward.
"Is this even allowed? Teaming up?"
Riah smirked.
"Rules say only one wins. Doesn't say they can't work together until then."
Jessie blinked.
"...I should've read that part."
Nevegiggled, tossing popcorn.
"Look who's being stupid today~"
Jessie snapped.
"Shut it, oversized cow, before I kick your fat ass!"
Neve gasped.
"I am not fat! Just because my boobs are bigger—"
Jessie grinned.
"Weren't you whining last week about gaining weight?"
Neve flushed.
"Shut up! I was on vacation! I took a break from training!"
Jessie laughed.
"Yeah, too busy being a pig, eating everything in sight—"
Neve pouted.
"Jessie, why are you so mean?"
Riah and Kazimir exchanged a look.
Riah muttered:
"And there they go again. Ice vs. Fire."
Kazimir smiled, sipping wine.
"Let them. It's how they've always been."
The bickering continued.
The camera panned back to the ruins.
Four figures—two teams, one temporary alliance—walked into the night.