Lerna's fingers intertwined, knuckles turning white with the force of her grip. Her eyes, usually warm and full of life, had turned to chips of ice. "Curse release", she whispered, her voice barely audible yet carrying a weight that seemed to still the very air around them.
"Lerna, no!" Vano's cry tore through the silence, raw desperation etched across his face. But as their eyes met, he saw the resolve hardening in her gaze. In that moment, he knew pleading was futile.
Time seemed to slow. Vano's body moved on instinct, muscles coiled and ready. He lunged towards the elderly woman who had accidentally drenched Lerna earlier, scooping her into his arms. The woman let out a startled yelp as Vano's momentum carried them both away from the impending devastation.
