Edrin moved first.
Not because he was brave.
Not because he had a plan.
But because—
If he waited—
The echoes wouldn't be themselves anymore.
"…Okay," he muttered, stepping forward. "…bad idea time."
Ronan grinned. "Your specialty."
"I'm aware!"
The figure didn't stop its motion.
Its hand remained raised—
The invisible pressure continuing—
Reshaping.
Refining.
Correcting.
As if Edrin didn't matter.
That—
Annoyed him.
"…Hey," Edrin said.
The figure didn't respond.
Didn't even look at him.
"Reclassification in progress."
Edrin frowned.
"…Rude."
Kael stepped forward with him.
"Now."
Lyra's magic shifted—
Not reinforcing the connection—
Holding it steady—
Just enough.
Ronan cracked his knuckles.
"Let's interrupt."
Edrin nodded.
"…Yeah."
A breath.
"…Let's be annoying."
The figure adjusted its hand slightly—
The pressure increasing—
The echoes flickering harder—
Their forms blurring further.
Time was running out.
Edrin didn't think.
Didn't plan.
He ran.
Straight at the figure.
"…This is a mistake!" he shouted.
Ronan laughed. "Then it's perfect!"
The figure reacted—
Not with force—
Not with defense—
Just a shift—
A slight adjustment—
To avoid him.
Edrin stumbled—
Almost tripped—
"…Okay, still bad at this!"
But that wasn't the point.
Kael moved next—
Precise—
A strike aimed not at the body—
But at the space where the pressure originated.
The blade cut through—
Not the figure—
But something around it.
The air fractured.
Just slightly.
The figure paused.
A fraction.
That was enough.
Lyra stepped in—
Magic surging—
Targeting the same point—
Disrupting the flow—
Breaking the rhythm.
The pressure faltered.
The echoes stabilized—
Just a little.
Edrin saw it.
"…That's it!"
Ronan charged—
Not holding back—
A full-force strike—
Not at the figure—
At the interruption point.
The impact hit—
Not solid—
But not empty either.
Something resisted.
For the first time—
There was feedback.
Ronan grinned.
"Got you."
The figure reacted.
Not calmly this time.
It stepped back.
Just slightly.
The pressure dropped.
The rewriting slowed.
Edrin's eyes widened.
"…We can hit it."
Kael nodded.
"…At the right place."
The figure raised its hand again—
Faster now—
Trying to restore control—
But not as precise—
Not as stable.
Edrin didn't hesitate.
He moved again—
Not straight—
Not predictable—
A stumble—
A sidestep—
A near fall—
But forward.
"…You don't get to fix everything!" he shouted.
The figure's gaze snapped to him.
For the first time—
Fully focused.
"You introduce error."
Edrin grinned nervously.
"…Yeah."
A pause.
"…That's kind of my thing."
The pressure surged again—
Trying to push him back—
Trying to force distance—
But Edrin stepped through it.
Not cleanly.
Not easily.
But stubbornly.
"…No," he said.
The connection behind him held.
Lyra reinforced.
Kael prepared.
Ronan readied another strike.
Edrin raised his sword—
Hands shaking—
Heart racing—
"…We're not letting you rewrite them."
The figure's expression—
If it had one—
Changed.
Not confusion.
Not anger.
Recognition.
"Then you must be corrected."
Edrin blinked.
"…I had a feeling you'd say that."
The figure moved.
Fast.
Faster than before.
No hesitation.
No delay.
Its hand struck forward—
Not cutting—
Not rewriting—
Direct.
Targeting him.
Edrin froze.
"…That's new."
Kael moved instantly—
Intercepting—
Blade meeting the unseen force—
This time—
There was resistance.
Real.
Solid.
Kael was pushed back—
But he held.
Ronan joined—
Bracing—
Holding the force in place.
Lyra redirected the energy—
Breaking its alignment—
Weakening the strike.
Edrin stood there—
Staring.
"…We made it physical."
"Yes," Kael said.
Edrin swallowed.
"…Okay."
A breath.
"…That means we can fight it."
Ronan grinned.
"Now we're talking."
The figure stepped back again—
Its form flickering—
Less stable than before.
Its control—
Broken.
Just slightly.
But enough.
Edrin stepped forward.
Not confidently.
Not smoothly.
But willingly.
"…New rule," he said.
Ronan laughed. "You really don't stop."
Edrin smiled faintly.
"…We don't let it control the fight anymore."
The figure raised its hand again—
But slower now—
Less certain.
Edrin tightened his grip.
"…Your turn to react."
And this time—
They didn't wait.