A few days had passed, and the silence of the room was broken only by Kael's heavy breathing.
"Ninety-six... ninety-seven... ninety-eight…"
His hands pressed firmly against the cold, smooth black stone floor, sweat dripping from his forehead in heavy drops. His body still felt the aftereffects of the battle, but his mind… his mind burned.
"Ninety-nine... one hundred."
Kael lay on his back, staring at the ceiling for a few seconds, his chest rising and falling in rapid waves. His arms trembled, his muscles screamed, but he didn't stop. He couldn't stop.
"Never again..."
That scene — the blood of the boys staining the ground… the sound of Sylphie screaming his name… the desperation in his own eyes reflected in the mana blades. The memory played on repeat, a nightmare that refused to fade. He could have died. She could have died. If he had been just a little slower, if he hadn't fought with everything...
