"I've never seen you stand up to him before," she said quietly.

"I've never had reason to." Adrian looked at his shaking hands. "But Hadeon was right about one thing, that I need to prove I'm more than my rank. More than my backing."

"What changed?"

"Everything. Last night, I realized. The villain fights harder than the hero. Because he has to."

☆☆▪︎☆☆

The hidden Safehouse.

The resistance had an emergency meeting again.

Twenty people gathered with the core of the cycle-aware resistance.

Victoria's chair sat empty.

"I've been scrying nonstop. Victoria is... somewhere. Alive, I think. But blocked from my sight." Aria.

"The Huntress?" someone asked.

"Also blocked....I don't know. The future's murky."

"We're wounded," Kaeel said. "But not beaten. We rescued Cipher and killed some of their members, that's a victory."

"But at what cost?" Cipher asked bitterly.

"At the cost of proving we CAN fight back." Ravenna leaned forward. "The League thought they were invincible but we showed they're not."

"I've been seeing the same vision repeatedly....you guys need to me careful."

"What?" I've come to learn not to just dismiss anything she says.

"It's unclear. Multiple possible futures. But death.... is consistent...."

"Assassin?" Lucille asked.

"Maybe. Or accident. Or sacrifice. The method varies. The death doesn't."

"So what do we do?" Marcus asked. "I know we don't want to but do we finally need to withdraw? Cancel? Run?"

"We fight," I said firmly. "Because if we run now, we tell the League they won. That we're afraid."

"We SHOULD be afraid," someone argued. "It's not like they're easy to deal with."

I met each person's eyes. "Victoria is missing. Seraphina is injured. Three resistance members are dead. I know what we've lost. But we've also gained something."

"What?"

"Proof. That we're not just rats hiding in shadows. We're a real threat. Worth sending some of their elite to eliminate."

"The League will try to stop that," Aria warned.

"Let them try." I stood. "We're done hiding. Done running. The semifinals are tomorrow. We will fight."

"All in favor of continuing the tournament plan?"

Hands rose, slowly at first but then more.

Until it was unanimous.

"Then we prepare. Rest and heal, we train." I looked at the empty chair. "And we make sure Victoria's sacrifice,if it was a sacrifice, wasn't for nothing. At the same time we'll do everything we can to bring her back."

☆☆▪︎☆☆

Outdoor Training Ground.

In the afternoon.

Despite injuries, the new team assembled to practice.

"We have to learn to fight together in one day," I said. "Kaeel replaces Seraphina and that changes all of our entire dynamic."

Previous Formation with Seraphina was.....

- Seraphina: Frontline tank, holy damage

- Me + Lucille: Mid-range tactical fighters

- Ravenna: Backline artillery

- Marcus: Support/enchantments

New Formation with Kael will now be...

- NO TANK (biggest problem)

- MC + Lucille + Kael: All mid-range assassin types

- Ravenna: Backline artillery

- Marcus: Support

"We're glass cannons now," Lucille observed. "All offense with no strong defense."

"Then we don't let them hit us," Kaeel said. "Speed over durability will kill before they can hit."

With that we trained for hours.

Kael's shadow techniques with my shadow magic to produce interference.

"Your shadow manipulation clashes with mine," Kaeel noted. "We need to establish zones."

The solution we came up with was for me to controls defensive shadows while Kaeel controls offensive to create a clear division.

The second thing we worked on was to exercise our communication.

Lucille used to coordinate with Seraphina to produce a tank and assassin synergy, but now Lucille and Kael will go for assassin and assassin synergy?

"We can double-team priority targets," Kaeel suggested. "You cut from left, I strike from right."

"What about escape routes?"

"Shadows provide that, Hadeon will creates exit shadows and we use them."

Another one was Ravenna Integration.

"Without Seraphina tanking, I'm exposed," Ravenna said.

"Marcus shields you and Kael and Lucille eliminate anyone who gets close while I coordinate." I thought through it. "You focus pure offense, don't worry we'll keep you safe."

The last was full team simulation. Helena was finally free from the paper work she has been dealing with since Cipher was found and she came to watch us.

"You're learning," Helena said, impressed. "But your semifinal opponent won't be some random. They're team that have been working well like oiled engines."

"Our semifinal is against either two strong opponents." I said. "Both are S+ rank average teams."

"Ironheart has Victoria's replacement captain," Kaeel added. "Whoever that is, they're strong too."

"Stormwatch are elemental specialists with overwhelming firepower."

"Can we win?" Marcus asked.

I considered. "If we execute things perfectly but that's only...."

"Those aren't great odds."

"They're the odds we have."

She also stepped over insisted on watching l despite her injuries.

"Your weakness is durability so don't get hit, at least not too much" She looked at us. "You need to BE your own shield. All of you."

"Easier said than done."

"Then do the impossible. That's what heroes do." She smiled slightly. "And apparently, what villains do too."

I smiled. Well.. now that she said that.

☆☆▪︎▪︎☆☆

I stood alone, looking at stars, in my balcony at night.

Tomorrow was semifinals.

"Can't sleep?" Lucille joined me.

"Thinking."

"About Victoria?"

"About all of it." I sighed. "We've lost so much. Victoria missing. Seraphina injured. For what? A tournament?"

She stood beside me. "Victoria knew what she was fighting for."

"Did she? Or did we just... let her sacrifice herself?"

"She CHOSE and you don't even know if she's dead." Lucille's voice was firm. "Just like Seraphina chose to fight. Just like I'd choose to die protecting this team.

I looked at her sharply. "Don't...."

"I'm serious. This matters, Hadeon, what we're doing might lead to numerous death."

"Not to me. I don't want any of you to die for this."

"Then win tomorrow. Prove their sacrifices weren't wasted."

"Tomorrow, we fight then," I said.

"And if Aria's prediction comes true? If someone dies in the finals?"

"Then we make sure it's not us. And if it has to be someone..." I paused. "We make it count."

Lucille nodded. "Together?"

"Together."

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