She trusted Green. She loved Green. Did any of that even matter?

Enraged by his deceit, Ursula sprints across the arena with her sword thrust in his direction. Green, having battled with her so many times now, knows her too well. She’s going to fake an attack to his right, then swiftly deliver a sweeping kick to bring him to the ground.

The air cracks as Ursula jabs her blade at speed. Green reacts by parrying her sword with his own. Their swords spark and crack together like thunder, shuddering any glass in the nearby area.

“No, you don’t,” Green shouts, reacting to her swift movements designed to break his legs, rendering him unable to stand.

He jumps from the ground, avoiding her powerful leg swipe, and counters with a sucker punch of his own. His blade arcs toward her head, a strike meant to end it. At the last second, Ursula raises her forearm to block the impact jarring her bones. Gritting her teeth, she pushes off, leaping back to safety.

They stand several feet apart, chests heaving, eyes locked.

"I saw that coming," Green says with a grin, the thrill of battle glinting in his eyes.

Ursula wipes her mouth, spitting to the side. "Same," she growls, baring her fangs.

"You seem stronger," Green admits, rolling his shoulders as he adjusts his armor. "Faster, too."

Ursula won’t admit it during battle, but she does feel stronger. She allows her mind to wander for just that split second, thinking about the shard that Sophia has given her. It hangs from her neck, concealed by her chest armor. Its warmth radiates.

Lost in thought, Ursula barely registers the blur of movement before her. Green's lightning-fast speed closes the distance in an instant, his blade flashing toward her like a streak of silver. Panic surges through her—she’s never faced an opponent this fast. No time to think. Only to react.

Her instincts take over, muscles coiling like a spring as her blade snaps up to intercept the strike. The clash rings out like a thunderclap, her sword moving so fast it almost seems to vanish. But even with her reflexes, she’s just a fraction too slow.

Green’s blade slices through her chest armor with ease, biting into the flesh beneath. A sharp sting erupts as warm blood splatters onto the arena floor. Gritting her teeth, Ursula springs back, narrowly evading his follow-up strike, which carves through the empty space where she stood a heartbeat ago.