You think you can beat me?” Lyra taunted, her voice ced with smug amusement. “Let’s see if your sword can handle this.”

  Without warning, she lunged. Sarn barely dodged, feeling the air sizzle as a bolt of electricity zipped past, missing her by inches. Sarn's resolve faltered as Lyra's sudden attack caught her off guard.The sheer speed of Lyra’s attack made it clear—one direct hit would be enough to incapacitate her.

  Sarn gripped her sword tighter. But she knew—metal was a liability here. The very weapon she relied on could turn against her in an instant. Her heart pounded as she searched for an opening, but Lyra’s speed made it impossible to predict where the next bolt would nd.

  Lyra’s sword hummed as electricity coursed through it, crackling like a living thing. She smirked, stepping forward with deliberate slowness, savoring the moment. “Come on, Sarn. Don’t make this too easy.”

  Sarn’s mind raced. She couldn’t block—parrying would only get her electrocuted. But dodging forever wasn’t an option either. She had to act, and fast.

  Lightning arced toward her. Sarn threw herself aside, barely escaping. But this time, the bolt grazed her shoulder. A sharp, burning pain shot through her, muscles twitching involuntarily. She staggered but forced herself to stand firm.

  Lyra circled her like a predator. “Show me what you’ve got!”

  Sarn’s breaths came faster. The fight wasn’t just about strength—it was about outthinking her opponent. She needed a way to turn this around.

  Then, it happened.

  As Lyra lunged again, Sarn saw it—a gap in her approach. No time to think. She reacted.

  With a fierce yell, she swung her sword—not at Lyra, but at her bde. Metal met metal, and a jolt of electricity ripped through Sarn’s arm. Pain exploded in her nerves. Her vision darkened for a second, her grip barely holding.

  She stumbled back, muscles seizing from the shock, but she refused to drop her sword.

  Lyra, momentarily thrown off, tilted her head. “Not bad. But you’re still too slow.”

  Sarn gritted her teeth, shaking off the numbness creeping into her fingers. She had seconds before Lyra regained full control. She needed another strategy—

  Too te.

  Lyra struck again, this time with full force. Sarn barely raised her sword in time. The impact sent her flying backward. Her feet skidded against the slick ground, but she couldn't stop herself from colpsing.

  The referee’s voice cut through the ringing in her ears. “Lyra wins!”

  The crowd erupted into appuse. But all Sarn could hear was her own heartbeat—pounding against her ribs, against the crushing weight of failure.

  Her gaze drifted to the stands. Rowan, group 149's Leader.

  He sat alone, separate from the other leaders who whispered and chuckled amongst themselves. He wasn’t ughing, but he wasn’t looking at her either.

  A hollow feeling settled in her chest.

  Something wet touched her cheek. Confused, she reached up—a tear. She hadn’t even realized she was crying.She wiped it away quickly and turned, walking toward the practice grounds without another word.

  She’d try again next year.It was all she could do.