Edrin had a very bad feeling about this.
Worse than usual.
"…Why is it just standing there?" he whispered.
"Because this isn't a normal fight," Lyra replied.
"I don't like abnormal fights."
"You don't like normal ones either," Ronan said.
"That's different."
The larger Invader stood at the center of the chamber, unmoving, its form more defined than the others. Its core glowed steadily—brighter, sharper.
Focused.
Edrin swallowed.
"…It's watching me again."
"Yes," Kael said.
"I would like to return to being ignored."
"That's not possible."
Edrin sighed. "I knew you were going to say that."
The Invader took one step forward.
Not fast.
Not aggressive.
Measured.
Edrin flinched anyway.
"…That's not threatening at all," he said.
"It doesn't need to be," Lyra replied.
The surrounding Invaders didn't move.
Didn't react.
They simply observed.
Edrin looked around.
"…They're really serious about this whole 'watching' thing."
"Yes," Kael said. "This one learns."
Edrin blinked. "…That sounds bad."
"It is."
Ronan rolled his shoulders. "Then we don't give it time."
"No," Kael said.
Ronan paused. "…No?"
"This one needs time," Kael continued.
Edrin stared at him. "…I don't like where this is going."
Lyra stepped forward slightly. "We disrupt the process."
Edrin frowned. "…By letting it start?"
"Yes."
Edrin groaned. "That's a terrible plan."
"It's the only one," Kael said.
Edrin nodded slowly. "…I really don't like plans lately."
The Invader moved again.
Closer now.
Its head tilted—
Studying.
Analyzing.
Edrin felt it.
That same pressure—
But sharper.
Focused entirely on him.
"…Okay," he said quietly. "It's definitely me again."
"Yes," Lyra replied.
Edrin tightened his grip on his sword.
"…Alright."
A pause.
"…I'll go first."
Ronan blinked. "You?"
"I don't want to," Edrin said. "But it already picked me."
Kael nodded once. "Then don't hesitate."
"I will definitely hesitate."
"Do it anyway."
Edrin sighed.
"…Right."
He stepped forward.
Slowly.
Carefully.
The Invader didn't move.
Didn't attack.
It waited.
Edrin frowned. "…This is worse than fighting."
"Yes," Lyra said.
"I'd like it to try to kill me now."
"Give it a moment."
Edrin nodded. "…Of course."
He took another step.
Then another.
Closer now.
Too close.
"…This is a mistake," he muttered.
The Invader moved.
Suddenly.
Not to attack—
But to mirror.
Edrin froze.
"…It copied me."
"Yes," Kael said.
Edrin leaned slightly to the side.
The Invader did the same.
Edrin blinked. "…I don't like this."
"It's studying your movement baseline," Lyra said.
"I don't have a baseline!"
"That's what makes you difficult."
Edrin frowned. "…That's the nicest thing anyone's said to me."
The Invader stepped again.
Matching distance.
Matching posture.
Edrin shifted his weight—
Too much—
Almost slipping—
The Invader copied that too.
But imperfectly.
Edrin's eyes widened.
"…It can't copy mistakes properly."
"Not yet," Kael said.
Edrin swallowed.
"…Then I give it more mistakes."
Ronan grinned. "That's your specialty."
"I'm aware!"
Edrin moved again—
Awkward—
Unbalanced—
Too fast—
Too slow—
Completely inconsistent.
The Invader followed—
But lagged.
Its movements slightly off.
Delayed.
Wrong.
Edrin's breathing quickened.
"…It's struggling."
"Yes," Lyra said.
"But it's still learning."
The Invader adjusted.
Faster now.
Cleaner.
More accurate.
Edrin stepped back—
Then forward—
Then twisted sideways—
The Invader followed—
Closer.
Closer.
Matching him more precisely each time.
Edrin's expression shifted.
"…It's catching up."
"Yes," Kael said.
Edrin exhaled slowly.
"…Then I need to change again."
Ronan laughed. "That's the spirit."
"I don't have a spirit, I have panic!"
"Same thing!"
The Invader stepped forward.
This time—
It attacked.
Fast.
Direct.
Edrin reacted—
Instinctively—
He dropped—
Rolled—
Came up off-balance—
Swung—
Missed—
But not entirely.
The blade grazed the creature's form.
The Invader paused.
Adjusted.
Then attacked again.
Faster.
Cleaner.
Edrin barely avoided it.
"…It's improving mid-fight!" he shouted.
"Yes!" Lyra replied.
"That's bad!"
"Yes!"
Edrin stumbled again—
But caught himself—
Turned the motion—
Redirected—
Dodged.
"…I'm running out of new mistakes!" he yelled.
"Then stop making mistakes," Kael said.
Edrin blinked mid-movement. "…That's not helpful!"
"Be unpredictable on purpose."
"I've been doing that!"
"No," Kael said. "You've been reacting."
Edrin froze for half a second.
"…There's a difference?"
"Yes."
The Invader lunged again.
Edrin moved—
But this time—
He chose.
A step.
A shift.
A controlled stumble.
The attack missed.
Cleanly.
Edrin blinked.
"…I did that."
"Yes," Lyra said.
"Again!" Ronan shouted.
The Invader adjusted—
But slower this time.
Less certain.
Edrin stepped forward.
Unsteady—
But intentional.
"…Okay," he whispered.
"…I think I understand."
The Invader tilted its head again.
Watching.
Learning.
But now—
So was Edrin.