Unaware of the commotion beyond the reinforced walls, the room remained quiet, sealed away from the pressure rolling through the healing wing outside.
The only sounds ca from the low hum of stabilizing glyphs embedded in the walls and the wet, uneven gurgling hiss of Vaelira’s breathing as air dragged through damaged lungs.
White light washed over everything, reflecting off polished tal and sterile tools, lending the space an artificial calm that felt strained rather than comforting.
Vaelira lay restrained by necessity rather than choice, her body wrapped in layers of bandages and glowing dical seals that pulsed faintly with each labored breath. Her chest rose unevenly, ribs bound tight to hold fractures in place, and her arms were splinted along her sides, fingers barely twitching when pain spiked.
Her face was a patchwork of healing efforts, one eye swollen shut beneath gauze, her jaw supported by a brace to keep shattered bone aligned. She looked nothing like the composed, arrogant woman who once commanded rooms with a flick of her wrist.
Talia, smithing-type awakened and leader of the Runewoven Guild, sat beside the bed in a simple chair, posture straight but tired, hands folded loosely in her lap as she watched the slow rhythm of Vaelira’s breathing. Another chair stood empty beside her, pulled close to the bed.
While Tessa was an awakened combatant, Talia took on the role of a supporter, spending her ti in her guild’s smithies. As such, she was the first to arrive when the news of what happened occurred. She believed Tessa would get here any minute, though.
The healer had explained everything in clipped, professional tones only minutes earlier, and the words still lingered in Talia’s mind as she spoke them aloud again, but heavily.
"The healers said nothing permanent was caused. You’ll recover fully, but it will take days, if not longer, before you’re back in fighting condition. They don’t want to stress your system by fixing everything at once because you have too many broken bones and internal damage. Pushing it would risk your body shutting down from being overwheld."
Vaelira’s response ca slowly. She could not turn her head, the brace holding her neck rigid, so her eye slid sideways instead, focusing on Talia with a sharpness that clashed with her condition. Pain flickered across her expression, then hardened into sothing colder, more deliberate. Her breathing hitched once before she forced the words out through clenched teeth.
"I demand justice!" she hissed, voice rough and wet, shaped by swelling and restraint but carrying clear intent.
"You demand justice?" Talia echoed with one brow lifting as she shifted in her chair and crossed one thigh over the other. The movent stayed controlled, looking like the posture of soone who was used to weighing outcos rather than emotions.
"Yes!" Vaelira rasped. Her jaw brace creaked faintly as tension ran through it. "I was attacked. Assaulted! The rules of the competition state that awakened participants are forbidden from attacking one another." Her breathing grew harsher, a feral edge slipping through the damage as she continued. "That creature violated the rules when she..." The sentence collapsed into a low, animalistic growl, frustration vibrating through her restrained body.
Talia let out a slow breath. "Vaelira. Those restrictions apply to opposing teams. You two not only share a guild alliance but also operate within the sa competing group. The rules do not cover internal conflict under those conditions."
"What even is that damned bitch?!" Vaelira hissed with fury running through her spine, making her shake with anger. Then she added with a much lower hiss, "You are choosing ’them’ over ..."
"I am choosing no one," Talia replied evenly. "Statents were collected from everyone involved. Their accounts describe you attempting to force entry into Kaiden’s private wing. The maid’s life was placed at risk during that incident, forcing the girl to protect her."
"She was forced to torture for hours on end?! She ruined my body! My flawless skin! My beautiful face! You do realize I’m not just a guild mber but a celebrity as well, right?! Who will compensate for my lack of inco due to my inability to stream?!"
"... How much do you earn a day with your content creation business?" Talia asked.
"..." Vaelira’s eyes narrowed before she growled, "It’s not about how much I earned in the past, but how much opportunity I miss by not being able to stream! The Awakened dia Platform must’ve been about to reward with algorithm promotion just like it did for those exhibitionist cucks! I’ve been having good viewer numbers as well, but received none of the push they did! It was about to be my turn, but now all my montum is gone!"
"... You’ll need to discuss this with Tessa."
"Where is that damned cunt anyways?!" Vaelira hissed, looking at the empty chair. Then her eyes returned to Talia’s poker face. "As for your accusations and what they said about ... Yeah, they told you so nonsense. But so what?!" Vaelira snarled, voice scraping raw. "That proves nothing. I deny it outright. It’s their word against mine! You place faith in hired rcenaries over an A-tier mber of your own alliance?!" Her fingers twitched against the splints, useless tension bleeding out in small, violent motions.
Talia’s gaze stayed steady. "This dispute falls under Nova Circuit’s authority. You and Tessa will address it directly. That said... From my perspective, your actions carried intent that raises serious concern." She leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing. "You abandoned an active battlefield to storm Kaiden’s residence. That decision alone suggests purpose beyond montary anger."
"He withdrew his whole team from the competition, forcing us to carry all the weight!" Vaelira snapped. "I rely reacted."
"Which you should do by contacting your guild leader and raising your concerns," Talia countered. "Arriving at his ho while enraged aligns with the maid’s account and undermines your credibility."
Outrage surged across Vaelira’s face, breath sawing through her chest with violent intakes and exhales. "If judgnt turns against , I depart Nova Circuit. I will take my talents to a competing guild and let them appreciate my value for what it is. I am done with you two."
Talia closed her eyes for a brief mont and exhaled, fatigue pressing through her shoulders. When she opened them again, her expression held disappointnt rather than surprise. "That is your choice to make."
Seeing Talia’s lack of visible reaction, Vaelira’s breathing gradually slowed, the sharp edges of her fury blunting into sothing more controlled, more calculating. The rage stayed, but it settled lower, simring beneath the pain rather than exploding outward. Her eye shifted again, fixing on Talia’s profile as if searching for a crack in that composed exterior.
"Are you really feeling nothing?" Vaelira asked, voice still rough but steadier than before. "I was the star of the alliance’s rookie track team. Thirteen of us. I led them day after day and brought in the most points."
Her fingers twitched again against the splints as she continued. "My start was weaker, fine. But by the end, I outperford everyone. Even Kaiden and his sluts. I am the only A-tier mber of this alliance. Whatever rank Kaiden truly has, they’re just outsiders, rcenaries!"
Her breathing deepened, the words spilling out with mounting agitation. "And now his actions have all but guaranteed the alliance will lose the competition. So tell ! Are you truly not angry with him?!"
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