"What?" Calver's voice carried clearly across the platform. "Are you mad that your teammate forfeited?" He let a breath out through his nose. "Pathetic. That's how it is. Weak gets filtered out. Always has been."
Arthur fired.
The marble was half-size, his output barely holding, but it crossed the floor fast and Calver sidestepped it without raising a wall. The ease of it was the point. He wasn't taking cover from Arthur anymore.
"Brat." Roz's voice at his ear was low. "Your reserves are thinning. Slow down."
"I'm fine, master." Arthur fired again. Felt the channels in his forearm strain. "I just hate pricks like him." The next shot formed smaller than the last. "Guys who walk over people because they're a bit stronger."
Vexis said nothing.
Calver looked at the second missed shot, then dropped his arms and planted both feet wide. The platform groaned.
Then it shook.
