His voice cut through the silence.
"How long are you planning to sit here sulking?"
Kikaru didn't move.
Elias kept going. "Is this how Colby will be remembered? As a bunch of weaklings throwing in the towel?"
Kikaru's fingers tensed, but she barely moved. "I don't know…" she muttered. "I was supposed to be perfect... on the battlefield, off the battlefield. In every aspect of life."
She shook her head. "And I failed. Utterly."
Her voice wavered, her head tucking even lower into her arms.
Elias scoffed.
"Big fucking deal if you failed. Big fucking deal if you fail again."
Kikaru's shoulders stiffened.
"The strongest aren't made through easy victories. They're forged through failure." His voice lowered. "Winning never pushes you like losing does. And if you let that fear of losing again keep you down, you'll never move forward."
Elias stepped closer, lowering himself to her level.
"I've been wh—"
"I didn't ask for a pep talk."
