It began with a flicker.
A moment too small to notice—unless you were Kain.
One of the Starfire suits pulsed out of sync.
Barely. Just for a heartbeat. A lag in the energy transmission between the armoured tamer and their contract, as the contract launched a flame-based spiritual skill toward Queen's swarm. Three Vespid guards dove from different angles.
The first took the brunt of the hit.
The second slashed through the flame trail.
The third aimed for the caster—not the contract, but the tamer in armor.
The armoured student twisted to avoid it but was still slightly grazed, although much of the harm was redistributed, but Queen's guard had never intended to land a critical blow.
She was testing something.
And Kain saw it.
"That's it…" he muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing. "It's not flawless."
"What?" Serena said, half-focused while her Elemental Guardian shifted between forms—coating the field in a sudden burst of mist and wind.
