The clearing falls into a heavy, suffocating silence.
No one moves.
No one breathes.
All eyes are locked on the two figures standing at the center of it all—
Power.
Versus defiance.
The challenger steps forward, rolling his shoulders as a cruel grin spreads across his face.
“I hope the stories are true,” he says mockingly. “I’d hate to kill a legend that never existed.”
A few nervous chuckles echo from the edges.
No one dares join him fully.
Aria doesn’t respond.
She simply watches him.
Calm.
Still.
Unshaken.
“Shift,” he commands suddenly, his voice sharp with dominance. “Let’s see what you really are.”
A tense pause.
Then—
Aria tilts her head slightly.
Almost… bored.
“You won’t last long enough to understand,” she says quietly.
The insult lands.
Hard.
With a snarl,
