The forest had finally quieted, the last monsters falling under Eclipse Faction's combined assault. The scoreboard glowed, marking 1,122 kills. Lily's heat magic shimmered faintly as she steadied herself, sweat and soot on her face.
Sukai stormed forward, his expression a mix of relief and frustration. "Lily! You're coming back with me. Now!" he barked, reaching out to grab her arm.
Lily stepped back sharply, fire flickering from her fingertips. "No! I'm not going anywhere!" she shouted. Her heat magic flared in tandem, illuminating her resolve. "I chose this! I'm staying with Kairo and Riven! I can't be controlled like I'm still a child!"
Sukai's face darkened. "I'm your brother! You can't just throw away your safety for—"
"Safety?" Lily interrupted, eyes blazing. "You think hiding me, keeping me close, protecting me—that's safety? That's weakness! I want to fight. I want to grow! And I won't do it by being dragged around by you!"
Sukai's jaw clenched. He could feel her determination, the same fiery defiance that had always made her difficult to handle. For a tense moment, they stood locked in silent conflict, the forest around them still glowing from the residual heat of battle.
Finally, Sukai exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "…Fine. Stay. But if anything happens…" His gaze softened slightly.
Kairo's crimson eyes met Lily's briefly, calm but piercing. "You're not a girl to be protected," he said firmly. "You're a fighter. Stand tall, and fight your own battles."
Lily's eyes flicked to Kairo and Riven, who had been silently observing. Sukai's words carried a mix of warning and grudging acknowledgment of their usefulness.
"Kairo, Riven," Sukai said loudly, his tone sharp but protective, "worms. Protect my sister. Do not let a hair on her head get touched while she's under my watch."
Riven smirked, clearly enjoying Sukai's rare display of humility. "We've got this. Don't worry, big brother," he teased.
Lily's heat magic flared brighter, a smile breaking across her face. "Finally… I can stand on my own, and you… you can't stop me. Let's finish this together."
Sukai shook his head, exasperated, but a small part of him felt relief. "Just… don't make me regret this," he muttered, stepping back.
With that, Eclipse Faction regrouped—Kairo, Riven, and Lily aligned as a team, Sukai reluctantly respecting her choice, and the forest once again filled with the quiet tension of anticipation: there would be more hunts, more challenges, and now, a clearly established bond between them all.