Mal's fist came down fast, clean, and final. I saw it coming, but my body couldn't move in time—or at least, that's what should have happened. For a split second, something shifted. The world felt wrong. The wind stopped, the leaves seemed to hang in the air, and even Mal's movement looked strange, like it didn't fully belong to the moment anymore. My heartbeat echoed loudly in my ears, slow and heavy, as if time itself had lost its rhythm.
"…What…?"
Before I could understand it, my body moved. Not faster. Not stronger. Just enough. I stepped to the side—barely—and Mal's fist passed by my face, missing me completely.
Then everything snapped back. Sound rushed in, movement returned, and the world continued as if nothing had happened.
Mal's eyes widened in shock. "…What?"
Before he could react again, a heavy pressure dropped over us. It wasn't loud or explosive, but it was absolute. It pressed down on everything, forcing the moment to stop.
"Enough."
The voice was calm, yet it carried a weight that couldn't be ignored. Both of us froze instantly.
I turned slowly and saw him—an old man standing a few steps away. His robes were simple, his expression calm, but his presence filled the entire space. He didn't need to show power for it to be felt.
Mal lowered his head immediately. "…Elder."
The elder's gaze moved between us, slow and deliberate, before settling on me. For a moment, he said nothing. His eyes narrowed slightly, as if he had noticed something he didn't expect.
"…Interesting," he said quietly.
My chest tightened without me understanding why. There was something in the way he looked at me that felt different, like he was seeing more than what was on the surface.
The elder stepped forward slightly. "Fighting without permission," he said calmly, his voice steady. "Is this how you represent the clan?"
Mal straightened at once. "He provoked me," he replied quickly.
The elder didn't respond right away. Silence stretched between us before he finally turned away. "Enough for today."
Just like that, the pressure disappeared.
Mal clicked his tongue softly but didn't argue. "…Yes, Elder." He shot me one last glance before stepping back and leaving.
I stayed where I was, unmoving, my thoughts racing.
The elder walked past me, then paused briefly. "…Control yourself," he said quietly, without turning, before continuing on his way.
Silence returned, but it didn't feel the same as before.
I looked down at my hand and slowly clenched it.
"…What was that?"
No answer came.
Only the faint feeling that something had just begun.