Victor and Vivienne were both on the edge now. The sudden shift in Nikolai's presence had caught them a little off guard.
Elara dusted off her sleeves, her smirk still present. "About time you started acting like you belonged here."
Nikolai exhaled, his hands clenching into fists as the air around him grew heavier. The ground trembled slightly beneath his feet.
Victor cracked his knuckles, his grin returning. "Alright, I take back what I said. This might actually be fun."
Vivienne glanced at him. "Don't get reckless."
Victor waved her off, stepping forward as the water around his arms thickened, forming solid, twisting tendrils. "Relax. I've got this."
Elara scoffed. "Do you, though?"
Then she moved.
It was subtle—just a shift of weight, a slight lean—but in the next second, she was gone, dashing toward Victor with frightening speed.
Victor reacted quickly, swinging an arm up. A wave of water surged forward, a crashing tide aiming to intercept her.
