"Despite some excellent combination plays from Sal Mendez, her opponent's staunch defenses made it difficult for her to make much progress. With Patricia moments away from riding her grade 3, let's see if Sal can return the favor!"

"If the past few games were any indication, Praticis's grade 3 is a powerhouse. We may be about to see a real offensive onslaught. Even if Sal hangs on, she may not have the cards to push back."

Trish huffed. The announcers were really starting to grate on her, calling her by her birth name. Even if they were praising her counterplay, it was beginning to become infuriating. But right now, she was in a good enough spot to focus on the turn ahead. "I stand and draw." She scanned her hand- the perfect ensemble for a counterattack. "Meet the mistress of all melodies, the diva who commands the march towards victory. I ride Headlining Harmoknight, Receita de Rossini!"

"Uh oh," Carlos fretted. "I was worried about this…" A massive wave of water kicked itself up over Strigenda's head, crashing onto the shoreline and obscuring the dragonic formation's vision with a screen of fairy dust and sea foam. When the water receded, the most stunning of mermaids was waiting for them. Wearing the most replesendant red renaissance dress one could imagine, complete with encrusted jewels and golden thread for trim, her flowing orange hair was styled and decorated to resemble a fairy tale princess. Instead of wielding the standard baton of her predecessors, she possessed a ivory staff, topped with a heart-shaped chunk of rose quartz and laced with silken ribbons.

Receita de Rossini- Grade 3/13000 Power/0 Shield/Force Marker

Nat blinked. "I don't see how she could be that much of a threat. She's too...girly."

"Just wait," Carlos sighed. "She's nasty when she gets going."

"Thanks to Receita, I get a Force II Gift for my VC," Trish continued. "Next, I call Rallying Harmoknight, Bellicosa." Another mermaid lept from the water, landing besides Receita with a graceful flourish. Wearing a beautiful orange outfit resembling a flamboyant suit of light armor, she carried a tall pole with a colorful emblem topping it. Her blonde bob cut completed the image of a maiden fit for the battlefield.

Bellicosa- Grade 3/13000 Power/0 Shield/Force Marker

"Since your vanguard is grade 3, I can counter blast one and move Bellicosa to my soul to gain another Force II Gift, this time for my RC." As quickly as she came, Bellicosa winked and dove back under the waves. "Next, I call Supporting Harmoknight, Dolcementa." Right as Bellicosa left, another mermaid leapt to take her place. In an impossibly frilly, hyperfeminine pink dress, she somehow managed to land back in the water without floundering, her long raven hair cascading down her back.

Dolcementa- Grade 3/13000 Power/0 Shield/Force Marker

"When she's placed, I can counter blast one to draw a card and buff her by 5k." Trish looked at her fresh draw. She smirked- the match was just getting better and better. "Finally, I call- Harmoknight Interceptor, Sciolta; Harmoknight Spyglass, Calanda; and another Bellicosa." Receita spun her staff, bringing it to a sudden halt with a snap, summoning three spears of light. Each impacted the water, bringing forward a new mermaid- one in a charcoal dress sporting a hunting bow made of coral, another in turquoise dress carrying a large telescope-like instrument in her dainty arms, and of course, Bellicosa.

Sciolta- Grade 1/8000 Power/10000 Shield

Calanda- Grade 1/8000 Power/10000 Shield

Sal returned the expression. "Go ahead, give me tons of stuff to bind next turn. You're just digging your own grave."

"You're talking like you'll get a next turn. Read the writing on the wall, you're done for. To start my battle phase, I'm having Sciolta boost Dolcementa. Thanks to Bellicosa's Melody, my units get 5k each this turn!" Dolcementa slowly lifted her arms, quietly singing a sweet serenade to herself. The river water began to flow upwards, gathering above her head in a large sphere. With her final note, Dolcementa turned the globe of liquid into a great ball of sub zero ice. Leaping up, she spiked the ball with full force, launching it like a deathly volleyball towards Chainsaw.

Strength- 36000

Sal looked at her hand. She could stop this attack, but she really needed to focus on blocking the ones with the markers. This attack could go through and she'd be fine. "I don't guard." The ball of ice made a firm impact with Chainsaw's chest, shattering into a hailstorm of shards. The dragon gurgled and sputtered, staggering backwards as it tried to conceal it's wound. "Damage check...no trigger."

"Activating Sciolta's and Dolcementa's Melody skill- since an attack by a Melody unit hit a vanguard, I counter charge once each. That's two cards from my damage zone flipped face-up. Probably should have blocked that attack, huh?"

"Man, Melody is kinda annoying," Sean commented. "It's like having a bunch of super-units out there."

"And that was just the first attack," Kiki said. "This will be a tough turn for Sal."

"For the next attack," Trish continued, "Calanda boosts Bellicosa. They're heading straight for Chainsaw!" Bellicosa twirled her pole, gathering bubbles from the water she kicked up with her tricks. After assembling a full volley of bubbles, she pointed her pole forward, launching a full barrage of watery bullets.

Strength- 31000/2 Critical

"Uh oh, she's attacking with her rearguard instead of her vanguard second," Erica noticed. "That must mean-"

"Yeah, there's a big multiattack move coming up," Carlos gulped. "This is going to be rough."

"I'm guarding that," Sal answered. "Javelin Dracokid steps in from my hand, and Pile intercepts." The bubbles made contact with a dragon, but not the intended one. Each one rammed and burst onto a defender as opposed to their main target. Chainsaw would live to fight another day.

Javelin Dracokid- Grade 0/5000 Power/15000 Shield/Critical Trigger

Defense- 32000

"Now it's time for the main event," Trish taunted. "Receita attacks next, and I activate her battle skill. With two counter blasts, I can return two of my rearguards to my hand, then call two cards from my hand to RC!" Receita snapped her fingers, ordering the two mermaids in the back row to dive under the water. "Sciolta and Calanda come back to my hand, and I superior call them both back out. This activates their own skills- when Sciolta is returned to my hand, I can counter blast one to draw a card and call a grade 2 or lower unit to RC." Trish plucked the top card of her deck. "Perfect. I superior call Andantina over my Bellicosa!"

"Well, that's just one extra attack," Nat said. "This doesn't seem so bad…"

"Calanda has a similar skill- when she's returned to hand, I can soul blast one to draw a card, then call a grade 2 or greater unit to RC." Another pluck. "This just keeps getting better- I superior call a new Dolcementa over my old one, counter blasting one to draw a card and buffing her by 5k!"

"Okay, two then. That's...less than good for Sal."

"Don't think that's the end of it- since I returned and called two units with her effect, Receita gets 10k Power and an extra drive check this turn!"

"Woah," Lucas awed. "That's one hell of a combo. I didn't think it'd ever end."

Sean and Kiki nodded uneasily. Looks like we have two "combo queens" here…

"Let's go, Receita!" Trish cried. "Triumphant Quartet!" Receita expertly waved her baton in a great semicircle, creating orbs of light as her staff traveled. Each one glistened a bright pink, travelling outward and upward until they arced around the head mermaid. With a flick of her wrist, each orb fired a surprisingly ferocious energy blast. Chainsaw was staring down a rapidly approaching battery of imposing laser blasts.

Strength- 26000/2 Critical/3 drive

Sal grimaced. The situation had gotten out of hand with upsetting speed. What should have been an easy defense had become a nightmare scenario where letting one attack through would spell doom. There was only one thing to do right now. "I nullify the attack with Ironwing Wyvern Knight, Glen!" Swooping in to save his leader, the wyvern-riding champion planted himself directly in the line of fire, and spurred his mount to spread its wings as wide as possible. The barrier proved effective enough to shield Chainsaw from certain death.

Glen- Grade 0/5000 Power/0 Shield/Draw Trigger

Defense- Perfect Guard

Nat nodded shakily. "Okay, with a PG out, Sal might still stand a chance."

"Please stop jinxing it," Adam groaned.

Trish grinned wickedly. With that guy out of the way, her opponent would be next to defenseless if the triple drive panned out. "I've got three cards to check. First...Harmoknight Slinger, Ambita! A critical trigger!"

"What did I say, Nat?" Adam scolded.

"Don't reprimand him," Midori hissed. "It's not his fault to begin with! Besides, it's not the end of the world."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Carlos whimpered.

Trish laughed. "This is my favorite part! Since I checked a trigger, I can activate Receita's soul blast! Moving two cards from my soul to the drop zone, I can apply the trigger effects to two of my Melody units! The 10k Power and extra crit to both Andantina and Dolcementa!"

"No way…" Sean whispered. "That's just mean."

"And she still has two more cards to check," Kiki despaired. "Oh no…"

"Second card…" Trish continued haughtily. "Nothing here. Third...Subita, a draw trigger! I draw a card, and soul blast two to give the 10k Power to both Andantina and Dolcementa! Now it's really on- Calanda boosts Andantina to finish off Chainsaw!" Andantina pulled out her bow, notching not one but three arrows of pure ice. Each glowed with a sun-like intensity, certain to spell instant death for whoever it pierced.

Strength- 41000/3 Critical

"I'm guarding with Ancient Dragon Shaman!" Sal shot back. "Roller and Mallet intercept!" Andantina fired her volley, only to find each of her would-be victorious bolts shattering a triad of defensive units. The great bursts of dust and smoke were impressive to look at but frustrating to see when it was supposed to be a great game-winning attack.

Ancient Dragon Shaman- Grade 0/5000 Power/20000 Shield/Heal Trigger

Defense- 42000

"Let's see you stop this last one with just three cards! Sciolta boosts Dolcementa for the grand finale!" Dolementa once again began to sing her soft serenade, but this time multicolored light began to stream to her instead of the river water. After mustering an imposing globe of light, she again delivered a spike, sending it careening towards a vulnerable Chainsaw.

Strength- 49000/2 Critical

"I don't need three, just one! I nullify the attack with Glen!" Like a repeat of the attack before it, Glen chivalrously dove in to take the attack in his vanguard's place. He was more or less instantly vaporized by the energy bomb, but even with the great gout of sparkles and dust, Chainsaw hung on...but not by much. His front ranks were decimated in the defense, and his back row wouldn't help much for a counterattack. He growled, vexed; how could a bunch of fish be putting up this stiff a fight?

Trish's smirk turned sour quickly. "How did- whatever. You're cornered no matter what you do. Go ahead, start your last turn."

End of Turn 6

Hand Count- Sal 1, Trish 6

Damage Count- Sal 4, Trish 4

"What a turn! With that lengthy string of plays, Patricia just serenaded Sal into a corner! Team Villager certainly has their work cut out for them here- she needs to find a way to make a comeback or else!"

"Unfortunately, I don't see that happening. Sal will be starting with much fewer resources than last turn, and unless she pops off something fierce, I don't think she'll put on enough pressure to go home with the gold."

"Yeah, this is bad," Lucas admitted. "It could come down to what Sal draws, but even then, that's still a six card hand to muscle past."

"I'm sure she can do it," Kiki said. "Even if she can't deal the finishing blow, she can shred her opponent's hand badly enough to prevent a comeback."

"Let's hope," Sean gulped. Because if she doesn't, I'll have to step in. He shook his head. No, it's not the time to panic or be a downer. Just...relax.

Sal breathed in. This was her last chance to win it here. "I stand and draw." She looked at her last two cards- no long combo string here, but it was good enough to put up something to pressure the opposition. Still, it was no time to be reckless. First step was making it as hard as possible for Little Miss Smartass to finish the job next turn. "I'll start by using Chainsaw's skill- I counter blast one and soul blast one to choose two of your circles and have you bind all cards on them. In other words, I'm sending Dolcementa and Andantina to the bind zone." The head dragon revved his blades, charging both weapons with a surge of electricity. With an exerted grunt, he swung both swords, sending two slashing energy waves towards the mermaid's front ranks. Both Dolcementa and Andantina were atomized in seconds.

"Good start," Adam murmured. "That's two of her best attackers out of the way. Let's hope she can keep it up."

"Next, I call Thundering Mountain Lord, Shuten-Denji Gigavolt." A massive column of lightning crashed onto the rocky shore, spawning the towering ogre warlord himself.

Shuten-Denji Gigavolt- Grade 3/12000 Power/0 Shield/Accel Marker

"When he's placed, I can counter blast one and bind a card from hand to bind up to two of your rearguards. Calanda and Sciolta are both going belly-up." Shuten-Denji raised his double-ended kanabo to the sky, letting out a rumbling, guttural roar. As the battlecry resonated across the battlefield, a thick rope of forked lightning flashed over the river, zapping both of the remaining rearguard mermaids into nothingness. "Since I bound two, I get to draw a card." She looked at her fresh card. "I call Detonix Roller Dragon."

Trish didn't seem flapped at all. "Nice job clearing my field. Too bad you don't have a hand now, or enough attackers to fill up your ranks. Guess I just have to wait for you to stop flailing, and I'll end it."

"Dream on. Since I bound at least three of your cards this turn, Chainsaw gives 10k to my entire front row. And since your rearguard is empty, Gigavolt gets 5k and a crit." Chainsaw snorted sparks, then let out the most frightening roar he could muster. What was left of his forces began to glow like white flashes of lightning. "Let's see you block all these! First up, I'm having Wrench boost Roller for an attack on your vanguard!" Roller followed his leader's suit, letting out his own battle roar as his weapon spun rapidly between his hands. When it pressed against the bank, the debris it kicked up flew towards Receita like a flurry of shrapnel.

Strength- 27000

Trish shrugged. "Sure, why not? I don't guard." The storm of debris tore past Receita like a shotgun blast, shredding her dress and leaving a number of bruises and wounds on her body. The mermaid shrieked in agony, splashing about the water trying to regain some semblance of control. "Damage check...no trigger."

"Next up, Thunder Halberd lends his support to Gigavolt for a haymaker against Receita!" The giant ogre took a firm stance, twirling his massive weapon as if it was a light pole, slowly accumulating sparks and light as he did. With a final thrust, one end of his weapon fired an intense stream of lightning, bursting forth like a thunderbolt.

Strength- 38000/2 Critical

"Guarding that with Somma!" Jumping up from the waters was a young mermaid in a dress nearly as magnificent as Receita- pure white laced with silk and pearls, with a diamond embedded on her choker. Letting out a sharp but sweet note, she radiated a sonic barrier around her and her vanguard. The lighting crashed fiercely against it, but sheer force wasn't enough to break the mermaid's concentration. The attack, a symbol of Narukami brute force, was a flop.

Somma- Grade 0/5000 Power/30000 Shield/Critical Trigger

Defense- 43000

Sal tried not to grimace. Things weren't as bad as they looked, she tried to assure herself. She just needed to deal one more damage, and her vanguard had a way of giving her two chances at that. If the drive check was lucky, she'd be in prime shape. "Now we go vanguard to vanguard- Chainsaw is swinging in!" The head dragon began to rev his weapons, ready to redeem his forces against their absurd humiliations against the mermaids.

Strength- 22000

"Ambita and Coleoi step in to guard! Sorry, but you're getting nowhere!" Chainsaw lifted both blades above his head, crossing them like an x. The teeth of his swords clashed repeatedly, clattering together to create a thick cloud of sparks and lightning. With a roar, Chainsaw channeled the raw energy into a devastating stream of energy. It would have been an impressive blow, if not Receita throwing for a misty barrier with a thrust of her hand. There was a struggle as Chainsaw continued his assault, but he knew the odds were long.

Ambita- Grade 0/5000 Power/15000 Shield/Critical Trigger

Defense- 38000

Sal huffed. "Come on, twin drive, help me out...first...second...finally, Two-Faced Djinn! A critical trigger! All effects go straight to Chainsaw!" Seeing the inevitable, Chainsaw finally relented, thoroughly irritated. "Activating Chainsaw's battle skill- discarding two cards to restand him, giving him a bonus 5k Power, extra crit, and one less drive!" A powerful bolt of lightning struck Chainsaw, but rather than causing any injury, it only served to supercharge the beast. With another bellow, his entire body lit up with a divine radiance, sending arcs of lightning every which way.

"This is it!" Nat cried. "With three Critical on such a powerful vanguard, there's no way that Juggernaut girl can survive!"

"On top of Wrecker's boost, this is hitting for crazy numbers," Erica nodded. "Let's hope it was worth the discard."

"The-" Nat blinked. "Oh crap. With the restand, Sal used up her whole hand!"

"If this attack flounders," Midori murmured, "Sal's loss is inevitable."

"This is it!" Sal cried. "With a boost from Wrecker, Chainsaw will slaughter you! Since four of your cards were bound this turn, 4k is added to Wrecker's boost, making this attack an unstoppable force!" Chainsaw opened his ferocious maw, gathering the surging energy around him into it. "Berserker's Bolt Breath!" On cue, Chainsaw shot a massive torrent of electrical energy straight for Receita, glowing so brightly and with such palpable energy the hologram felt like it'd crumble.

Strength- 49000/3 Critical/1 drive

Trish maintained her competitive, smug composure. "Unstoppable force my ass. I guard with Flautanda, Leggiadra, and Calanda!" Inhaling for steadiness, Receita brought both her arms upwards, creating an imposing wall of ice between her and the attack. The clash between the two sent sparks and bits of sleet everywhere, decorating the battlefield with shining debris.

Flautanda- Grade 0/5000 Power/20000 Shield/Heal Trigger

Defense- 53000

"It's over," Carlos sank. "Sal can't come back from this."

"It can't end like this!" Nat fretted. "Surely she'll pull a trigger or, or something!"

"A trigger would be handy," Adam said. "The defense there is barely hanging on. An extra push, and they're goners."

"That's a long shot," Erica shook her head. "Like, getting struck by lightning while holding a winning lotto ticket long shot."

"Come on," Sal growled, "give me a trigger. Checking...n-no trigger." Despite Chainsaw's monstrous strength, his breath could not breach Receita's barrier. There was a giant burst of ice shards and crackling sparks, but when the dust cleared, Receita was unharmed. Had he not exhausted his energy trying to end the battle, Chainsaw would have certainly screamed in frustration. "I-" Sal swallowed. "I end my turn."

End of Turn 7

Hand Count- Sal 1, Trish 0

Damage Count- Sal 4, Trish 5

"This game is going right down to the wire! Even with an impressive comeback combo, Sal just couldn't break past Patricia's final few guards! But with no cards in hand, it remains a mystery if Team Juggernaut can force a third game!"

"If Trish can draw a card that can boost or attack, I'd say she can clinch it. With a Force II marker on the vanguard circle, she definitely has the damage to end it here and now."

"They're right," whimpered Kiki. "Sal surviving this turn is next to impossible."

"But that means-" Sean worried. "That means...crap."

"Don't start," Lucas said. "It's the mother of all long shots, but there's some hope here. And if it comes to it," he turned to Sean, "I'll just have to give the pep talk to end all pep talks. Deal?"

"...Alright." No big deal, just a ninety-nine percent chance that I'll have to come up big or lose my team their biggest game. This stinks.

"I stand and draw," Trish began. As soon as she picked up her new card, a grin began to spread. "And you've just lost. I call Dolcementa."

Sal grimaced definitely. She never thought that some pop idol mermaids would be her biggest undoing.

"Using her on-place skill, I counter blast one to give her 5k and draw a card...another great draw. I call Andantina. Hope you know some basic math, because this means I now have more attacks than you do defensive cards! Doesn't matter if you have a card in hand and an intercept, I'll always have one more attack to punish you with!"

Sal said nothing, glowering. At this point, her only hope was a heal trigger, but even then, if her opponent pulled a trigger of her own, it was all over.

"What's the matter, are you finally catching on? You're done for! First I'll attack with Andantina!" The mermaid on the right flank pulled out her bow, beginning to notch her arrow of ice in a determined fashion. "Her Melody grants 3k to this attack!"

Strength- 13000

Sal looked at her last card. With 5k Shield, it'd be enough to stop it cold, but that'd leave her wide open for the other attacks, both of which had an extra crit tacked on thanks to those Force II markers. Not to mention, Dolcementa was coming in with at least 18k, meaning she'd need both defensive cards to stop it, leaving her vulnerable to Receita. Her only hope was to draw a heal trigger during Receita's attack, giving her vanguard enough Power to stop Dolcementa cold, and keep her in the game. It was risky, but the only path forward. "I guard with Detonix Pile Dragon!" Andantina fired her arrow, only to have it swatted away with a sweep from one of Chainsaw's blades. The alpha dragon was still cornered, but had no intention of surrendering.

Defense- 17000

"And now you're done for! Receita will cap us off, gaining 3k from Andantina's Melody! Triumphant Quartet!" Receita, confident that this would be the finale, twirled her staff like a drum major's baton, gathering great balls of light by her sides.

Strength- 16000/2 Critical

Sal swallowed, knowing what she had to do but knowing how absurd it sounded. "I don't guard."

"Sounds good to me. First check...second check...Somma, a critical trigger!"

"NO!" Nat could be heard wailing from the stands. "We were so close!"

"Your friend's a dumbass. I give the critical effect to Receita, and the 10k Power to Dolcementa!" With a hearty bellow, she let loose with all four spheres, each firing off powerful blasts so bright and shining it could have blinded direct onlookers. Each blast struck Chainsaw in a precarious spot- each shoulder, alongside his abdomen and broad chest- resulting in a massive gout of fairy dust, ice shards, and fumes upon fumes of smoke.

"It's all over," Lucas admitted. "No coming back from that."

Sean gulped. And nowhere for me to go from here but into the fire. He shook his head again. What am I saying? Sal probably feels way worse, about to lose the biggest cardfight of her life. She can take losses in stride, but something this high-stakes? She must feel terrible.

Sal looked down. She hadn't felt so hopeless, so defeated in such a long time. Vanguard was something she'd go to to avoid stuff like this, not run headlong into it. She saved this sort of biting despair for losses on the volleyball court, or losing spots on big teams, not for some regional qualifier for a trading card game. Still, here she was, consumed inch by inch by a terrible realization- she lost, and may have cost her friends their shot at the gold. "Damage checks," she said sadly. "First...second...Javelin Dracokid. That's game…" The dust slowly settled, and as it did, a battered and fatally injured Chainsaw finally gave in. Scraps of armor began to tumble off and scatter into smoke. Scales began to shed themselves and crackle into nothingness like aimless sparks. Finally came the body itself, which slowly leaked away into a thick, black mist, only illuminated on occasion with a crackle of electricity. As the last vestiges of Chainsaw were wiped away, the Engine powered off.

End of Turn 8

Hand Count- Sal 0, Trish 2

Damage Count- Sal 6, Trish 5

Trish Wins

"That's how you win in style! Both sides delivered some powerful pushes and impressive combos, but in the end, the teamwork of Patricia's Bermuda units was just too much!"

"Both sides tried hanging on by the skins of their teeth. This match really saw both players ditching everything they had for their chance to counterattack. With two excellent games in the bag, I'd wager the third game will be even better."

Most of the stands erupted into thunderous applause. They had certainly agreed with the assessment- regardless of who won, it was well played. The only ones not participating in this celebration were Team Villager and their ardent fans.

Trish took on a piercing smirk as Sal gathered her cards. "Too bad your best player went first. I was hoping for a challenge, but you're just too weak. Hope your friend can at least put up a fight. Bye, bitch." She picked up her own cards and made a triumphant return to her bench...only to remember what she was coming back to.

Buzz was there, clapping along with the crowd. "Gotta say, I didn't think you'd pull it off for a while. But you put her in her place. Good thing too, I was about to get up and leave without you. Next stop, Spring Circuit!"

Trish's mood soured quickly. Nothing deflated a victory faster than remembering that she was fighting alongside this piece of trash. Mustering the last bits of confidence from her recent win, she shot daggers at him. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

Buzz stopped clapping, perplexed. "Wha?"

"Find some other teammates, Becker. I'm done being part of your gang."

Buzz's confused expressions snapped to a sneer. "You're quitting? You really think you can walk away from this?"

"Yeah." Trish shot the bird. "I'm done covering your ass. Have fun at Spring Circuit, dick." As she stomped off, finally fulfilling her promise to herself and Nasim, she could hear Buzz shouting back incoherently at her- none of it good, but she didn't care anymore. As far as she was concerned, it didn't matter.

Meanwhile, Team Villager's corner welcomed back Sal. The girl herself looked far more frustrated than Sean could have anticipated. Fists and jaw clenched, trembling in anger and disappointment, she looked like was about to break down. Lucas looked at Sean- his friend was the kind of person who always had a comforting adage or two tucked away for such a situation- but the boy just stared on, uncertain of what to say next. With a gulp, Sean prepared himself for one of the riskiest moves of his life:

He hugged her. To onlookers, it looked like a young soldier smothering a grenade. But to Sean, his intent was far less sinister or selfish. "It's going to be okay," he said softly. Soon enough, with a nod from Lucas, Kiki stepped in and joined the unit. Lucas added himself shortly afterward. All of Team Villager had come together to lift Sal from the depths of defeatism.

And it worked wonders. In less than a minute, Sal had gone from quivering in frustration to returning the embrace. "I'm so sorry, y'all. I just- I was so close, but-"

"Doesn't matter," Lucas comforted. "Losses happen."

"You did really well," Kiki added. "I'm proud to have you as a teammate." The group hug ended, the members slowly breaking their cluster.

"Sorry," Sal repeated. "Looks like it's up to you, Sean."

Sean nodded reluctantly. The immediate crisis had been adverted, but he'd need to muster that courage again to really step things up.