'Arthur!' Luna's voice echoed in my mind, her presence surging forward to stabilize our connection as my consciousness wavered. 'Stay with me!'
I tried to stand, to show that I could continue, but my body refused to respond. The room spun around me, Valen's figure blurring as I struggled to maintain focus.
"Eight," Valen counted, approaching with measured steps. "And that's where your limits lie."
The bitter taste of failure flooded my mouth along with the copper tang of blood. Once again, just like during the Crown Challenge, I'd reached for Resonance and found only emptiness. That elusive harmony between wielder and weapon remained beyond my grasp when I needed it most.
'Don't give up,' Luna urged, her voice the only clarity in a world growing increasingly distant.
