The moon hung low, casting silver shadows across the clearing where Ayra stood barefoot on dew-kissed grass. Across from her, Lira—calm, poised, and undeniably dangerous—drew her blade with a whisper of steel.
> "Ready?" Lira asked.
Ayra tilted her head, amused.
> "You sure you want to do this under the stars? They're dramatic witnesses."
> "Exactly why I chose tonight. Let them see."
Lira's stance was flawless. Her energy flowed sharp and controlled—clearly trained by a top-tier academy. She lunged.
The air shimmered.
Ayra didn't move.
A flick of her wrist, and Lira's blade froze mid-strike—hovering inches from her chest. Not from contact. From space itself… locking.
> "Spatial anchor?" Lira gasped. "That's… forbidden magic!"
> "Forbidden's such a cute word," Ayra said, gently tapping the sword and sending it spiraling into the air.
---
The Duel that Wasn't
For the next ten minutes, Lira tried. She summoned magic circles, fired arcane bolts, even unleashed a Phoenix-tier flame spell.
Ayra danced between the attacks like she was in slow motion, hands in her pockets.
> "Are you… mocking me?" Lira panted.
> "No, no. I'm being supportive. See?" Ayra conjured a scoreboard in the sky with "Style Points" and gave Lira a 7.8.
Lira dropped to one knee, sweat pouring down.
> "This isn't fair… you're not human."
Ayra crouched beside her, offering a hand and a warm smile.
> "I am. I just had a head start."
---
Meanwhile… in the Mountains
Far above, in a craggy cave hidden behind enchanted fog, a figure in obsidian robes observed a swirling projection of the duel.
The voice was deep. Calm. Too calm.
> "She didn't even try."
Another voice answered, metallic and echoing.
> "Her aura doesn't register on universal scans. We have a Null."
> "A Null?"
"No… worse. A creator-type anomaly. She's beyond indexed power. Hidden by her own will."
The obsidian-robed figure tapped the air, and a massive seal lit up on the cave wall.
At its center: Ayra's face.
> "Initiate low-level observation protocol," the robed one said.
"Do we inform the Council?"
"Not yet. The Multiversal Directive requires proof before action. Let her grow."
> "What if she grows too fast?"
"Then we'll pray she never looks up."
---
Back in the Forest
Lira, now seated by the fire, stared at Ayra in disbelief.
> "Why hide your power? You could rule."
"Ruling is boring," Ayra said, roasting a marshmallow with telekinesis.
> "So… what do you want?"
Ayra looked at the stars, eyes strangely wistful.
> "I don't know yet. Maybe I'll just wander. Or become a baker. Maybe I'll build a spaceship using rabbit power."
> "You're insane."
"I'm free."
They both laughed, the fire crackling between them.
And high above, unseen to either of them… a mechanical bird landed in a tree.
Its eyes glowed blue. And it watched.
---