Behind them, Tsuki's head grew more focused. It still spun, but she could see clearer.
To her left, a crowd of soldiers with spears had begun to overrun a tiring Averin. He kept swinging hit metal fists, but with each thrust, he grew closer to a fall.
Tsuki dug her hands into the ground, and shadows swung like tentacles. She cast them at the soldiers, picking them off one by one.
Averin gave an out of breath nod of acknowledgement, in which Tsuki returned.
Then, her focus drew to the big concern.
Tokira lurked in front of her, eyeing Danzo with haunted eyes. Azumi was still injured, and Hatori lay unable to move by the rune.
"Damn it all! Come get some!" yelled Danzo, but before Tokira could engage, a shadow wall emerged between them.
Tokira backed off quickly, turning to Tsuki. Their eyes met in glares.
"Tsuki! The hell are you doing?!" called Danzo.
"Her fights with me, Danzo. Help Azumi and Hatori. I've got this."
Danzo hesitantly nodded, before running over to Azumi, who was bleeding badly.
Her attention returned to her old friend who now posed as her enemy.
"Tokira… it's been a while."
The woman cast aside her corrupted Solena she had readied, and stepped toward Tsuki.
"Why?"
Tsuki raised a brow. "Why what? Why did I join Memento? Leave the APC?"
"Why… did you leave me behind?"
The question hit Tsuki like a razor, cutting her at the heart.
Tokira continued. "You left everything we stood for… everything we learned and fought for—for a rebel group hellbent on ending Alden. Why, Tsuki?"
"Hellbent on ending Alden? They're—we're ending this damned regime's schemes! The APC oppresses all below, and strips them of their qualities limb from limb, Tokira! How you can't see that, I don't understand."
Tokira's face didn't change.
"You used to be so adamant to change for the better… so willing to do your best and never give up. Now I recognize you only by name, old friend."
"I have changed, Tokira," said Tsuki, readying a shadow. "Just for the better. The minute the APC knew they couldn't control every thought in my head—every action I took… they stripped me of everything I knew. You wouldn't understand that, would you?"
Tokira's face dropped at the comment.
"No. I don't want to fight you Tsuki. But if you side with terrorists—with people who will bring Alden's end… I have no choice."
"So be it."
With that, Tsuki lunged forward—dual shadows coiling around her forearms like living blades.
She struck first, shadows snapping outward in a wide arc meant to force Tokira back. The ground beneath Tokira cracked as corrupted Solena surged, rising just enough to intercept the blow. The shadows tore through it—but not fast enough to reach her.
Tokira slid aside, boots gliding across the dirt with unnerving ease.
Tsuki pressed in ruthlessly.
She twisted her wrist, shadows splitting and reforming mid-motion—one striking high, the other sweeping low. Tokira ducked beneath the first and stepped over the second, movements measured and controlled.
A shadow darted toward Tokira's shoulder. She caught it with ease.
Corrupted Solena wrapped around the shadow's edge, halting it inches from her body. Tokira held it there for a moment—long enough for Tsuki to see it—before releasing it harmlessly into the dirt.
"You're hesitating," Tsuki said, breath tight as she reset her stance.
Tokira didn't answer, instead, she moved.
In a blur, Tokira closed the distance, her palm striking Tsuki's guard with just enough force to knock her off balance. Tsuki stumbled back, boots skidding, shadows flaring instinctively around her torso.
Tokira could have followed through—but didn't.
Instead, she stepped back, lowering her hand. Tsuki's jaw tightened.
She surged forward again, shadows lashing out faster now—sharper and more fierce. One grazed Tokira's arm, tearing fabric and drawing a thin line of blood.
Tokira looked down at the cut, then back at Tsuki.
Her Solena flared—but only briefly.
She redirected Tsuki's next strike with a precise motion, twisted her wrist, and sent Tsuki sprawling across the ground. Tsuki rolled, came up on one knee, breathing hard.
"You've gotten stronger," Tokira said quietly. "But you're still fighting like you're afraid to finish it."
Tsuki pushed herself to her feet, shadows rising behind her like wings.
"No," she said. "I'm fighting because I still believe you can stop."
Tokira's expression flickered—just for a moment. Then the corrupted Solena hardened again around her hands.
"Then you believe in falsehoods," she said, stepping forward.