After his devastating loss, Kyle stood unsteadily near the arena's medical station, his expression caught between shock, fury, and something approaching despair. His Phoenix bloodline's superiority had proven insufficient, his confidence had been shattered publicly, and the humiliation of being dominated so completely was written clearly across his face.
Seraphina approached him carefully, her own complicated emotions carefully masked as she attempted to provide comfort.
"Kyle," she said gently, placing a hand on his arm. "You fought well. Nobody expected him to be Transcendent rank already. That's not a fair fight."
"It doesn't matter," Kyle replied, his voice tight with suppressed emotion. "Fair or not, I lost. Completely. He made me look weak in front of everyone."
