I was still reeling from whatever Xier had just done—fire still coursing faintly through my veins—when a gruff voice echoed across the training hall.
"Well, well... Would you look at that."
Marshal Decker strode over, arms crossed, his battle-scarred face twisted into what might've been amusement... or disbelief. His sharp gaze flicked from me to Xier, who was still slumped against my chest, breathing unevenly.
"Ten years' worth of power," he drawled, shaking his head in mock astonishment. "You really went all in, didn't you?"
Xier stirred weakly, her hand still lightly gripping my arm as she fought to regain her strength. Her breathing remained shallow, but her eyes flickered open, sharp and defiant despite the obvious pain.
"It… was necessary," she rasped, voice still hoarse. "He needs to survive."
Decker snorted, his scarred lips twitching into a half-smile. "Necessary, huh?" He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "You know, most demons wouldn't spare a single drop, let alone something that potent."
He leaned in slightly, his sharp eyes gleaming with something halfway between admiration and curiosity.
"But you…" His voice dipped into something almost approving. "You didn't just give him a drop... You gave him everything. That's ten years of power, easy." He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Hell of a commitment… even for a genius succubus."
Xier's jaw tightened, though she didn't deny it. Her fingers twitched faintly, still resting against my wrist, as though silently anchoring herself to me.
"He's worth it," she said quietly but firmly, her voice steady despite her exhaustion.
---
I blinked slowly, still feeling the faint warmth pulsing through my chest, though my body remained drained and weak. My breathing was still uneven, but the searing pain from before had faded into a strange inner heat, steady and constant.
Decker's words hit me like a hammer, shaking me out of my haze.
"Ten years' worth of power...?" I rasped, my voice rough from exhaustion. "What… does that even mean?"
I shifted awkwardly, struggling to process what had just happened. Power? Ten years? It sounded like something out of a fantasy novel, but the serious expressions on both Xier's and Decker's faces told me this was very real.
---
Decker snorted and crossed his arms, his scarred face twisted in mild amusement.
"Means exactly what it sounds like, rookie," he said bluntly. "She just gave you enough raw strength that most demons would kill to keep. If anyone else had done that, they'd be as good as dead right now."
I stared, my mind struggling to catch up. I turned to Xier, still slumped against me, her breathing shallow. Her tired eyes met mine, soft but resolute, as though daring me to argue.
"Why?" I whispered, voice hoarse with disbelief. "Why would you… do that?"
Her fingers trembled faintly but still clung to my arm, anchoring herself as much as comforting me. "You needed it..." she murmured, barely audible. "To survive."
---
Decker grunted again, stepping forward. "She's stubborn, I'll give her that." He studied me with critical precision, as though evaluating whether I was worth what Xier had done.
"You weren't dying," he explained flatly, his voice firm but instructive. "You were shattered, pushed to your absolute limits, which is exactly where we needed you."
His gaze hardened, intense and unyielding. "Potential only shows up when you're broken. Weakness has to be burned out."
He gestured sharply toward me. "She saw exactly where you were—on the edge. And instead of letting you fall, she threw you back in the fight."
Decker paused, his tone turning rougher, almost begrudgingly respectful.
"That wasn't just stupid loyalty," he admitted. "That was faith."
---
My heart pounded in my chest as I tightened my grip around Xier's trembling form. She was cold, far colder than I'd ever felt her before. Her breathing was shallow, barely more than faint gasps, and her fingers weakly clung to my arm, as if holding on was the only thing keeping her grounded.
"Xier…" I whispered, my voice still hoarse from exhaustion. "Stay with me... please."
Her half-lidded eyes fluttered open, their usual smoldering intensity dulled to a fragile softness. For the first time since I'd met her, she looked... breakable.
"You shouldn't have done that..." I murmured, anger and fear twisting inside me. "You gave me too much— you could've…"
I couldn't even finish the thought, the possibility too terrifying to speak out loud. Did she shorten her life? Lose her powers? My mind spiraled, grasping at worst-case scenarios.
Her lips twitched faintly, as though she was trying to smile but lacked the strength.
"You're… such an idiot..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.
I shifted, carefully cradling her against me, feeling every shallow breath she struggled to take. My stomach clenched painfully.
"What happens now?" I pressed, desperation creeping into my voice. "What did you do to yourself? Are you... are you going to be okay?"
Her gaze softened—fond but weary, like she wanted to reassure me but couldn't quite find the words.
"I'll be fine..." she murmured, though there was no conviction behind it.
Not convincing enough, not when she looked so fragile and small.
---
Before I could spiral deeper into my racing thoughts, Xier let out a soft, pitiful sigh, her eyes fluttering half-closed.
"So… weak…" she murmured breathlessly, her hand loosely falling from my arm, leaving me cold with panic.
"Xier!" I shouted, gripping her delicate shoulders, feeling her body slump against me as though she'd lost all strength.
Her breathing hitched, her face twisted in mock agony. "Everything… fading… so dark…"
I could barely breathe. My chest tightened, thoughts spinning out of control. Did I really push her too far? Did I just… ruin her life?
"Stay with me!" I begged, shaking her gently, desperation clawing at my voice.
Then... she snorted.
Not a weak gasp or a pained breath, but an audible snort of barely contained laughter.
I froze.
Her shoulders shook slightly, and before I could process what was happening, she collapsed into giggles, burying her face into my chest to muffle the sound.
"You should've seen your face…" she wheezed, still laughing softly, though her arms tightened around my waist, clinging fondly.
"What—" I stammered, staring down at her in bewildered disbelief.
She lifted her head, still giggling, her eyes sparkling with mischief and delight.
"Did you really think I was dying?" she teased, gently flicking my nose with one finger.
"I…" I gaped, mortified, heat rushing to my face. "You were— you looked—!"
"Pathetic?" she supplied, grinning slyly.
"You were messing with me?!" I groaned, feeling equal parts relieved and outraged.
Before I could say more, a loud scoff echoed across the room.
"Will you two stop flirting already?!"
I whipped my head around, finding Marshal Decker standing with his arms crossed, glowering at us like a disapproving teacher.
"This is a training facility, not a romance drama," he barked. "Save the soap opera for after you stop sucking at combat."
---
I stared at Xier, my breath still unsteady, heart pounding from the whirlwind of emotions she'd just put me through. Despite her mocking smile and mischievous glint, I couldn't shake the lingering fear that something serious had happened to her. She still looked pale, her slender frame appearing delicate in a way that made me feel like I could scoop her up with barely any effort.
Before I could voice my concern, Marshal Decker let out a deep, irritated sigh, stepping forward with his arms crossed. His scarred face twisted into something halfway between frustration and grudging respect.
"Relax, kid," he growled, eying me critically. "She's not dying, not even close."
His eyes flicked toward Xier with something approaching admiration. "She just dropped a rank, that's all."
"Dropped a rank?" I stammered, still trying to process what that meant.
Decker snorted, clearly amused by my lack of understanding. "She's still high-tier, you idiot. In fact…" he glanced toward Xier, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. "Even at her current level, she could walk through this entire base and probably distract nine out of ten of our operatives... and that's with all our anti-mental interference tech running full blast."
I gaped, stunned by the casual declaration. The idea that Xier, this teasing, elegant girl, could still mentally overwhelm a place designed to resist her kind was mind-boggling.
---
Xier sighed softly, running her slender fingers through her long, flowing hair, still catching her breath but clearly recovering.
"He's not wrong," she admitted lightly, her voice smooth but tinged with weariness. "I… might've burned through more energy than I expected… but I'm fine."
She gave me a wry smile, half-apologetic, half-reassuring.
"I'm… still stronger than I look." She winked playfully, though her tone carried a hint of honesty beneath the flirtation.
I swallowed hard, still processing everything.
"So you're… okay?" I asked tentatively, still not fully convinced.
Xier's soft laughter filled the air, melodious and warm. "Of course." She leaned closer, her smoky eyes locking onto mine with undeniable intensity.
"Did you really think a little thing like this would break me?" Her voice dipped into something sultry, sending a faint shiver down my spine.
---
Marshal Decker groaned loudly, throwing his hands up in mock exasperation.
"For hell's sake, can you two keep it together?" he grumbled, rolling his eyes. "We're in a military facility, not a romance drama set!"
He jabbed a finger at Xier. "And you! You burned a decade's worth of power like it was candy. You think that's something to be proud of?"
Xier shrugged gracefully, still leaning against me. "It was worth it," she said simply, utterly unapologetic.
Decker snorted, disbelieving but impressed. "Damn crazy succubus..." he muttered, shaking his head. "Still scary as hell, even when she's running low."
---
Xier gasped dramatically, placing a delicate hand over her chest as if mortally wounded, her plush lips forming a perfect pout.
"Marshal Decker!" she cried, her voice dripping with mock indignation and feigned hurt. "How could you be so... heartless?!"
She leaned back gracefully, her long, silky hair cascading down her shoulders like a dark waterfall. With an exaggerated sigh, she pressed her fingertips to her temples as if overcome by distress.
"I just sacrificed so much... poured my very essence into saving him…" Her smoky eyes glistened melodramatically, half-lidded with feigned vulnerability. "And you... yell at me?"
Her voice dropped into something low and velvety, practically purring the words.
"I'm so frail now… so weak..." She shifted slightly, letting her slender figure move with an effortless grace, her every gesture intoxicatingly fluid.
For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
---
Decker snorted loudly, rolling his scarred eyes with extreme exasperation.
"Don't even start with that succubus crap," he growled, waving her off like she was some annoying bird. "Save your theatrics for someone who doesn't know you can snap a man's will like a twig."
Xier giggled softly, covering her mouth with delicate fingers.
"Oh, Marshal," she cooed sweetly, batting her long lashes. "You flatter me…"
Her smirk widened, equal parts charming and wicked, as she shifted closer to me, her fingers grazing my arm playfully.
"I'm helpless now," she whispered, barely audible, her voice a gentle, teasing hum.
---
Decker threw up his hands, grumbling loudly.
"I'm too old for this." He pivoted sharply, stomping away while muttering, "Damn charming demons..."