The arena was in ruins.
Shattered stone and molten earth crumbled beneath Lucien's boots as he floated midair, watching the scorched crater where Veyra had just been. The smoke parted, and there she was, standing tall in her armor, the glowing wings of her battle-suit twitching violently.
Lucien whistled. "You're ridiculous."
Veyra's voice crackled through the suit. "You told me to go all out."
"Right. Remind me never to do that again."
The next moment was a blur.
Her back thrusters ignited with a roar, twin flames propelling her through the air.
Lucien raised his arm, forming a circular shield of ash just in time to deflect her strike, but it cracked with the force of impact.
She hit like a freight train dipped in hellfire.
The audience, his companions, curious villagers, and mercenaries alike, all began screaming and scattering as blasts of heat and shockwaves erupted from the battlefield. A massive boulder exploded near the hillside, sending chunks of molten debris flying.
Serenith stood on the edge of the hill, arms flailing. "You idiots are going to level the Ashlands! Stop the fight!"
Ignara gripped the rock wall beside her. "They're insane! We have to do something—"
"I agree," X'zelle growled, her twin blades already in hand. "She's gonna rip his pretty head off—"
"No." A dozen black ash tendrils erupted from the ground, slithering around their arms and legs before Val strode into view, unbothered by the carnage. "This is his trial."
X'zelle snarled at him. "Trial!? She's foaming at the mouth!"
Val's tone was calm but firm. "Lucidius is your king. He must face more than affection, more than politics and pillow talk. He must prove he can make the hard decisions. Without us catching him every time he stumbles."
Below, the ground exploded. A massive sword of fire and steel sliced through the terrain, chasing Lucien as he darted midair on clouds of ash.
Lucien grunted. "Gods, Veyra, at least pretend I'm your boss!"
"You told me to go all out!" she roared again.
Her battle-suit twisted mid-lunge, launching a salvo of burning javelins from compartments on her thighs. Lucien spun through them, ash coiling like smoke around his body, but one clipped his side, burning through his jacket and drawing blood.
"Ah, fuck," he muttered, grimacing. "That was tailored."
He teleported in a blink, reappearing behind her. "You owe me a jacket."
She spun fast. Too fast. He barely dodged the counterstrike.
He was breathing harder now. He'd been holding back, trying to feel her out. But she was relentless, her armor driven by emotion, her magic boiling over like a volcano. If he didn't escalate soon, she might actually kill him.
He flicked a hand. "Alright. Time to get serious."
He dropped to the ground, slamming his palms down. The earth trembled. Ash flooded outward like a black tide. Floating swords erupted from the soil, burning with void-flames. He launched them like arrows.
Veyra roared and brought her mech arms up to block. They clashed. Sparks and shrieks of metal echoing through the valley.
Lucien weaved between his conjured blades, teleporting short bursts at a time. He struck, slashing with dual void blades. The first hit shattered a gauntlet. The second sliced a wing.
Veyra shrieked, stumbling back, but caught herself, slamming a fist into the ground and launching a burst of concussive flame.
Lucien skidded backward, coughing smoke. "Okay! Maybe I overdid—"
BOOM.
Her remaining wing exploded.
Half her suit collapsed. The metal plates crumpled, limbs sparking and twitching. Lucien's eyes widened. "V-Veyra!?"
He dropped to a crouch. "Shit… are you…"
Then he felt it.
A pulse of power. Dark, ancient and furious.
Her armor hissed open like a flower blooming in hell. The inner core split. From the wreckage, Veyra emerged. Blood running down her lip, her eyes glowing like twin green stars. Her breathing mask locked into place, runes flaring to life, his hair a raging inferno of twisted, sweaty curls.
She stood in her true battle form now. Tight, custom armor hugging her lithe form, with exposed runes glowing across her arms and thighs.
She was gorgeous. Dangerous. Wild.
And completely bloodlusted out of her mind.
She reached back and ripped massive two swords from the fallen battle-suit's corpse. "I. NOT. DONE." she roared.
Lucien stepped back. "Okay, alright. Deep breaths. We can talk—"
She screamed like a banshee and charged.
Lucien conjured walls, spikes, tendrils of ash. She broke through them all. He blocked a slash, only for her to spin and catch him with the other. His side bled.
He hissed. "Dammit, Veyra! That's enough!"
From the ridge, Ignara screamed. "LET US HELP!"
But Val held firm. "No."
X'zelle's eyes glowed red. "He's gonna die!"
Val didn't even glance at her. "Then he dies. And you crown a new king. A better one."
She lunged at him, snarling, but the tendrils held.
Val finally turned, voice low and cold. "You want to protect him. But he must choose when to protect himself."
In the arena, Lucien had enough.
He cracked his neck and floated into the air, bleeding, frustrated, tired… and turned deadly serious.
He raised a hand. A black star formed in his palm.
"Sorry, babe," he said softly. "But I can't flirt this one away."
He launched himself at her, ash spiraling behind him like wings. Veyra grinned and met him midair.
He struck.
Two rapid blows with twin blades.
Crack, Crack.
Her swords shattered like glass.
Before she could recover, he summoned tendrils that wrapped around her, but she screamed and broke free again, lunging straight for his heart.
Lucien whispered, "Sorry. This one might hurt."
He pulled void energy into his fist.
The world warped, colors twisting, sounds muffled, reality bending around his hand.
Then he punched.
The blow landed square on her jaw.
The air rippled.
Veyra went flying, launched across the valley floor like a comet.
Lucien vanished in a blur of ash, then reappeared behind her and caught her limp form just as gravity took her. They exploded through boulders and pillars of stone before both crashed, cratering into the valley wall.
Silence.
An hour later…
Warm light flickered across steaming water. Magical lanterns floated through the air, casting gentle glows across the enchanted hot springs dug into the valley side.
Veyra groaned, eyes fluttering open.
Her body ached. Her jaw throbbed. But the bath's healing waters soothed her skin like silk. Steam curled over her body.
Naked, relaxed, floating gently.
Lucien sat behind her, shirtless, brushing water along her arm with a soaked towel. He looked up and smiled.
"Hey, beautiful."
She blinked. "Wha… what happened?"
"You went rabid," he chuckled. "I had to put you down."
She groaned again. "Oh gods. I'm so sorry—"
He silenced her with a gentle wave. "You warned me. I asked for it. I deserved it."
Her lips twitched into a grin. "Did I at least… look cool?"
Lucien leaned close. "Veyra, you looked like the bastard lovechild of a war goddess and a siege weapon. I nearly pissed myself."
She laughed, and winced, holding her side. "Worth it."
Lucien rinsed her shoulder. "Still, I'm sorry. That last hit… was a bit much."
"I've had worse," she said with a shrug. "Besides, that was the most fun I've had since I was exiled."
Lucien leaned in closer, lips just inches from hers. "See… That's not good. I can't let that stand."
"Hm?"
He smiled smugly. "I have a reputation to uphold. If word gets out that fighting me is more fun than bedding me… I'll never recover."
Veyra giggled. "I don't know… You are kind of adorable when you're panicking."
"Panicking?" He smirked. "I held back. And besides, I don't panic, I throw myself at the problem until it stops."
She bit her lip. "Well… you… could try throwing me at something."
"Oh? Like what?"
She turned to him in the water, chest brushing against his.
Her lips hovered near his ear. "Like… a bedpost?"
Lucien's smirked widened.
He cupped her cheek, brushing wet hair from her face. "Still up for more fun?"
Her smile turned devilish. "Only if you promise not to hold back again."
He growled low in his throat. "I was hoping you'd say that."