Loxi's body reacted before his mind could.
His legs wobbled, the strength in his dominant arm fading as a dull, aching numbness spread through his muscles.
His breath came uneven, sharp and shallow, his lungs struggling to keep up.
His grin twitched, but it didn't fade. His teeth clenched as he forced himself to stay upright, to push past the weakness clawing at him.
Sera didn't speak. She didn't taunt. She didn't need to.
Her silence was heavier than any words, her steady gaze telling him everything, she was breaking him down, and she knew it.
"Okay," he muttered, flexing his fingers, forcing them to close around his sword hilt again. "That was cute."
Without another second of hesitation, he leaped back, flames bursting beneath his feet as he propelled himself away.
The fire surged with his movement, trailing in his wake like a living thing, licking at the air before vanishing in wisps of heat.
The moment he landed, he moved.
