Lilith's Chrono Veil pulsed violently. Tetsu was stuck in a loop—every punch he threw repeated in a three-second rewind. Hana screamed his name and burst through the time field with a nova of flame.
Lilith skidded back, cloak smoldering. "You're becoming annoying."
Tetsu grinned. "You broke the loop?"
"I burned the clock. Now punch her."
Tetsu roared, finally landing a clean blow. Lilith's body bent unnaturally, crashing through debris.
But she rose, her expression unreadable.
"You don't get it," she hissed. "Time doesn't bend to your rage."
She launched Chrono Veil Phase II—reversing gravity and slowing time.
Hana and Tetsu both dropped to a knee. Blood trickled from their noses.
Lilith prepared the killing blow, a compressed temporal spear, when a flash of golden light shot between them.
Seraphine Vale descended.
"This time field ends now."
With a single gesture, her divine Will shattered the Chrono Veil. Lilith coughed blood.
"Seraphine... you're interfering."
"Your time's up."
Tetsu and Hana stood beside Seraphine. Lilith, for the first time, looked shaken.