Lei's eyes burned with barely contained rage as she glared at Meili, her voice low and cold. "How dare you accuse me of such things. It's my squad, and I don't need to explain myself to you. I don't care about your friendship or whatever with her, I'm most certainly not taking you with me!"
Meili's jaw clenched, her eyes flashing with anger. "I don't care what you think, Lei. I'm going to look for Lian, with or without you!"
The tension between the two warriors was palpable as they faced off, their gazes locked in a battle of wills.
Fuse, standing to the side, could feel the conflict escalating. "Hold on," she interjected, holding up a hand. "Lei, I can understand why you want to handle this yourself, but Lian is Iron Fist. She's one of us. We can't just leave her out there."
Lei's face was unreadable, her eyes glinting with a cold fury.
"I don't need your help or your pity," Lei said, her words laced with venom. "I will find Lian myself, and when I do, I will deal with Xaphan myself. This isn't your fight."
Meili's anger rose, her fists clenched tight. "How can you be so selfish? Lian is in danger! Xaphan is a dangerous enemy. He's a rogue warrior and a scientist. How can you even think you can take him on alone?"
"Because It's the choice I made on my own," Lei growled, her voice like a trapped animal. "I need to prove my worth to myself, and I'll do it solo. I won't let Xaphan take Lian ." She spun away from Meili, her tone icy. "I'm out of here. If you dare step into my path, I'll make you regret it."
But Meili refused to back down.
*WHOOSH*
In a swift, daring move, she leapt into Lei's face, their eyes locking in a fierce stare-down. The air crackled with tension as they stood nose-to-nose, their wills clashing like steel on steel.
Lei, her face a mask of rage, met Meili's fierce gaze with one of her own. "Move," she hissed. "Or I'll move you myself."
Meili, undeterred, held her ground. "I'm not going anywhere. Do your worst, Lei. We're Iron Fist. We work together on this."
Lei's fists clenched at her sides. "You don't know what you're getting into."
As Lei and Meili's confrontation escalated, Kai stood back, a few paces away. His face was a mask of cool indifference, his expression unreadable. He tried to think of a way to reason with both women, but he wasn't sure they would listen. "What a stupid waste of time, they can't actually think of facing off here and now!" he said. His own frustration mounting, Kai cleared his throat loudly, trying to get their attention.
Kai's interruption only served to draw more attention to the tense standoff between Lei and Meili. Lei, her gaze still locked on Meili's, didn't even flinch. "I said, move," she repeated, her voice low and dangerous.
Meili, her jaw clenched, shook her head stubbornly. "And I said do your worst, Lei. I'm going to rescue Lian."
It was then that Fuse stepped forward, breaking the tension with a sharp intake of breath. Fuse moved with swift precision, her expression set in a determined mask. "Enough!" She grasped Meili's shoulder firmly, pulling her back with a gentle yet unyielding grip. "Meili, stand down. This is Lei's team, not ours. We must trust her."
Lei's gaze flashed to Fuse, her lips curling into a snarl, but Fuse stood firm, her expression unwavering. "Lei, you can't tackle this alone. But if that's your choice, so be it. However, you'll be the one to regret it!"
Meili opened her mouth to protest, but Fuse cut her off with a gentle yet firm tone. "No, Meili. You want to protect your friends, and Lei is one of them. I won't let you two clash here. Let's let Lei do as she wishes, for now. But if anything goes awry, rest assured we'll do our best to support her!"
Meili looked at Fuse with a mix of acceptance and admiration, her eyes shining with a newfound respect for Fuse's diplomacy and leadership. As Fuse's words hung in the air, a palpable shift in the tension filled the room. Meili finally relaxed her stance, her shoulders sagging slightly as she gave a small nod. "Fine," she said, her voice still thick with frustration. "You win."
Lei scoffed, then jumped away from the scene, to the surface disappearing into the forest.
Kai chimed in, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Well, that was a productive argument. What a waste of time! Now that it's dark, how about we get out of here too and find a part to rest our heads for tomorrow?"
Meili's gaze flashed to Kai, her lips curling into a snarl. "Tsk, jerk!" she spat, her voice barely above a whisper, but laden with venom. With a sudden burst of anger, she jumped off to the surface, leaving the others staring after her.
Kai's expression remained impassive, his cold demeanor unwavering. "Hmm, what was that about?" he asked, his tone neutral, but his eyes glinting with a hint of amusement.
Fuse raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. "Why don't you go ask her yourself, doofus?" she retorted, her voice laced with sarcasm. She leaped off to the surface as well.
Kai watched as the last remnants of sunlight disappeared over the horizon, casting long shadows across the forest floor. He let out a sigh, the day's events weighing heavily on his mind. But he wasn't one to dwell on things that were out of his control. Instead, he leaped to the surface to join his teammates, eager to get moving and put the day's drama behind them.
Lei's feet flew across the branches of the trees with deadly precision, her eyes sharp and focused, scanning the surrounding area for any sign of Lian or Xaphan. But as she leapt from one branch to the next, her thoughts began to race, her mind consumed with images of Meili's words.
"Stupid, stubborn Meili. Always trying to be the hero. Thinking she can save everyone," she muttered under her breath. She growled, her frustration mounting. "You'll only slow me down."
But as she continued on, another thought occurred to her, one that made her freeze in mid-air, balanced on a tree branch. Her eyes widened with sudden realization. "RYOU!!…" she whispered, her voice hushed and urgent.
It was only then that she remembered the moment when she had heard her teammate's desperate cry for help. The memory flooded back in a rush, filling her mind with guilt and regret.
"I have to go get him. What has he been up to anyways!"
Lei pivoted with a sudden burst of urgency, her feet bare and silent as she leapt from branch to branch. She knew that finding Ryou would expedite her mission to locate Lian, and her mind raced with the possibilities. As she navigated the forest, the moon's dim light filtering through the leaves above, she mentally retraced her steps from her time with Lian and Ryou.
"Where could you be, Ryou?!" Lei gasped, her breath catching in her throat as a vision flashed before her eyes - Ryou, beaten and bruised, being dragged away by a rival warrior. Her heart raced with a mix of fear and determination.
Just then, a figure emerged from the shadows, catching Lei off guard. "Elia?!" Lei exclaimed, her voice laced with surprise and a hint of suspicion.
"Lei?" The figure replied, stepping forward, the light of the moon illuminating her face. She was indeed Elia, the Hanzo prodigy warrior from a rival academy who Lei had encountered in the past.
Lei narrowed her eyes, her hand instinctively dropping to the hilt of her weapon. "What are you doing here? And don't play games with me, Elia. I don't have time for your tricks."
Elia raised her hands in mock surrender, her smile oddly unassuming. "No tricks, Lei. There's no need for that, that is, if your willing to give me your relic to me with no trouble."
Lei's expression hardened, her eyes flashing with a hint of danger. "My relic? Are you kidding me?" She let out a sharp, humorless laugh, her hand gripping her weapon tighter. "First of all what happened with my teammate over there? And you of all people knows I won't give it up so easily!"
Elia's smile widened, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Oh, come now, Lei. Of course you know you're outmatched against me. Your friend tried to pull a stunt, so we dealt with him!"
"Outmatched?" Lei scoffed, her free hand gripping the handle of her sword. "You're as delusional as you are arrogant, Elia." Her gaze hardened, her eyes fixed on Elia's. "And if you or your team has hurt Ryou, I'll make sure you pay for it."
Elia's smile only grew wider, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Oh, so feisty. I always did love that about you, Lei."
With a sharp inhale, Lei reined in her emotions, her sharp gaze softening ever so slightly. She began to reason with Elia, telling her about the perilous situation her team was facing. "Xaphan, a rogue warrior, has captured one of my teammates, and I need your help to save her," she stated, her words carrying a hint of desperation.
Elia listened with a cool expression, her demeanor exuding a detached air. "Lei, we're rivals in a fierce competition here," she replied. "How can you expect me to leave that behind? If you genuinely want to rescue your friend, you'll have to do it without me," Elia said, her arms crossed and eyes narrowed. "But don't think you're getting off that easily – I'm still claiming that Jade Amulet."
Elia's words dripped with sarcasm. "Besides, I thought you preferred flying solo. Why beg for my assistance? Aren't those Iron Fist lackeys just weighing you down? I've known you long enough, Lei. You've never been this soft on someone who isn't Hanzo. And didn't you always complain about being forced into the Iron Fist academy? I shared your resentment, Lei. In my eyes, you're far more talented than that brother of yours, Rhett."
Lei's jaw clenched, her grip on her weapon tightening. "Not now, Elia," she snapped, her voice low and even, but with a hint of venom.
Ryou's eyes flickered open, his voice barely above a whisper. " Really, Lei... You said that about us.."
Elia sneered, her words dripping with venom. "Silence, weakling! If your pitiful fighting skills are the best Iron Fist has to offer, I'd pity Lei even more. She deserves better than to be dragged down by the likes of you!"
Ryou's face twisted in anger, but his frail body betrayed him, unable to muster the strength to retort. A faint "Tsk!" escaped his lips, a mere whisper of defiance as he lay helpless on the ground.
Lei's eyes dropped, her gaze heavy with guilt as Elia's words echoed in her mind. "Just a person to complete my squad, huh. Pains me to say you're right, Meili, tsk." She recalled Meili's voice from her earlier argument with her. She hadn't realized it until now, but it was true. She hadn't really connected with any of her teammates, including Lian. She had been so focused on her own goals, her own ambitions, that she hadn't taken the time to build meaningful relationships.
Lei's anger turned inward, directed at herself for proving Meili right. She was angry at her own selfishness, her own failure to form genuine connections. But beneath that anger, a spark of determination flickered to life. She wanted to save Lian, not just to prove Meili wrong, but to prove to herself that she was capable of caring for someone beyond herself.
Lei's jaw clenched, her resolve hardening. "But no matter what you think Meili, I'll save Lian, no matter what it takes. Not for your sake, not for anyone else's sake, but for mine." She exclaimed. The fire of determination burned brighter within her, fueling her quest to rescue Lian and redeem herself.
With a determined look on her face, Lei gazed up at Elia and asked for her help. "Elia, I need your assistance. Will you help me save Lian?"
Elia raised an eyebrow, seemingly taken aback by Lei's sudden change of demeanor. "I wouldn't wanna battle it out with you! And the matter your faci... . So What's in it for me?" she asked, her tone laced with skepticism.
Lei hesitated for a moment before responding, "If you help me, I'll give you the Jade Amulet."
Ryou, who had just regained consciousness, eyes widened in shock. "No, Lei!!" he exclaimed, but Lei swiftly silenced him with a stern glance.
"Lei, you can't be serious!" Ryou protested, but Lei's expression remained resolute.
"I am," she said firmly. "I'll do whatever it takes to save Lian or you if I had too. Even if it means giving up the tournament." Ryou's eyes shone with admiration, his cheeks flushing a soft pink.
Elia's eyes sparkled with intrigue, and a sly smile spread across her face. "Very well, Lei. I'll help you. But I'm only doing this for your say, and you owe me."
Lei nodded, her jaw set in determination. "Let's do this."
As Lei and Elia rushed off into the night, Ryou lay on the forest floor, his body still weakened from the encounter with Elia's team. Despite his pain, he felt a flicker of hope as he watched Lei and Elia disappear into the darkness.
"She'll save Lian," he thought to himself, a small smile forming on his face. "And that comment she made earlier... I hope she didn't notice my face burning up like a wildfire..!"