The sterile hum of medical drones filled the air, their mechanical wings fluttering as they moved over Blaze's limp body. A faint orange flicker pulsed beneath his skin, the remnant of the Aura Flame, unstable and wild, as though ready to burn through the fragile container of his body at any second.
"Vitals stabilizing," one of the drones reported. "However… the energy core readings are inconsistent."
Jason stood at the edge of the glass chamber, fists clenched behind his back. The lines of fatigue carved deep into his features. "Damn it, Blaze…" he muttered. "You pushed past your limit again."
Behind him stood Anastasia, her hands gripping her jacket so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her usually composed silver eyes were trembling, locked on the boy lying beneath the scanner.
She had watched him fall. Watched the light in his eyes flicker as he collapsed mid-match after saving the team once again.
