{Elira}
~**^**~
Minutes passed, five, maybe six, and my body felt like it was made of stone.
Every time I fell, I forced myself up again. My breaths came harsh and uneven, but I kept going.
By the ninth minute, my knees buckled more than once. Sweat ran into my eyes, and my lungs felt raw.
Kallista moved in for the final pin, her weight pressing hard against my shoulders, trying to drive me flat onto the mat.
"Stay down," she hissed.
I shook my head, gritting my teeth. "No."
I could barely breathe and barely see, but I refused to yield. My body screamed in protest, but something deeper inside me—stubborn, burning, kept me upright even if just barely.
And just then, the shrill beep of Rennon's timer cut through the hall. It was exactly ten minutes.
Kallista's hold faltered as she looked toward the professors.
Rennon's voice rang out, calm yet commanding. "There is no victor. There will be an immediate rematch."
