They latched onto the simulation, not burning it, but adhering to its energy signature.
The effect was immediate and horrifying. The simulation's internal light didn't explode or melt; it visibly drained, rapidly dimming as if its very essence was being siphoned away. The construct shuddered violently, its form flickering and degrading, its simulated energy being visibly pulled into the dark flames consuming it.
Within seconds, it collapsed into a pile of dull, lifeless static motes, leaving behind only the faint, unsettling scent of ozone and something akin to decay. As the dark flames dissipated from Leia's hands, she looked visibly more energized, a faint, predatory flush on her cheeks.
A collective gasp went through the onlookers. Even Zelda's impassive expression tightened slightly, a flicker of grudging acknowledgment in her steel-gray eyes.
