Grace remained motionless behind Victor, the ice blade still pointed at Jake's neck.
The tension between the three of them was so dense that even the air seemed hesitant to move.
Jake kept his foot trapped in Victor's hand while Black Ice slowly climbed his leg. The dark cracks had already reached part of his shin, spreading enough cold to freeze the blood on the surrounding stones. Even so, he did not look worried.
In fact, he looked irritated.
Grace narrowed her eyes.
"Let him go," she said. "We need to understand what is happening before starting another fight."
Victor turned his face slightly.
"Grace."
She noticed something wrong in his tone.
"Yes?"
Victor smiled in an almost polite manner.
"Sorry."
Grace frowned.
"For wh—"
Victor struck her directly in the abdomen.
He did not use the sword.
Nor Black Lightning.
It was only the palm of his hand, accompanied by enough physical force to compress the air between them.
BOOM!
Grace was launched backward.
