"Alright, stop it. Enough playing around," Razeal said finally, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. He didn't raise his tone; he didn't explode. He just spoke calm, firm, commanding. And somehow that was enough to make the air itself freeze.
Maria's water blades mere inches from slicing through Neptunia's throat halted mid-movement. Still sharp and deadly. Still humming with killing intent. But frozen exactly where they were, trembling faintly as if resisting the order.
Neptunia, feeling the sudden cease of danger but still surrounded by shimmering death, exhaled slowly. She lifted both her hands slightly to her sides in a show of surrender almost amused surrender. Not defiant, not panicked, just… accepting. As if saying Fine, if I die, I die but at least I said the truth.
Maria, however, didn't look amused.
Her eyes narrowed, sharp enough to cut stone. Her head turned slowly.. too slowly to face Razeal. Her expression was blank coldness, but her voice…
