{Third Person}
~**^**~
For a heartbeat, there was only silence. Then, the arena erupted.
The roar of cheers was deafening, echoing from every wall and tier.
Elira froze, her chest heaving, still kneeling beside her fallen opponent. The realization slowly sank in. She had done it again, against someone who had never been defeated.
Cassian exhaled, half-smiling despite his loss. "Guess the talk wasn't just talk after all."
She offered her hand, and after a pause, he took it, letting her pull him up.
In the stands, her friends screamed her name. Nari waved both arms wildly; Cambria and Tamryn cried out so loud they drowned half the crowd.
Zenon's expression softened with a flicker of pride; Lennon beamed openly while Rennon gave a subtle nod.
But in the upper pavilion, Luna Gwenith sat still, her smile brittle, her gaze sharp as ice.
And far away, Regina Shaw's nails dug into her palms until blood welled beneath her manicured fingertips.
