-

The air was thick with the aftermath of destruction. The icy winds of Snezhnaya howled through the ruins of the battlefield, carrying embers from where Yoshika's flames had clashed against Capitano's sheer force. Blood, sweat, and exhaustion weighed on both fighters, but neither yielded.

Capitano, though heavily armored, bore the marks of their prolonged battle-his armor scorched and dented, his breathing steady but labored. Meanwhile, Yoshika, her spear glowing faintly with residual Pyro energy, stood defiant, her mind echoing Kimika's voice from beyond.

"This is what you were meant for. Not just survival, but victory."

Yoshika exhaled sharply, shaking off the lingering voice. This was her fight, not Kimika's.

Capitano's stance remained unbroken. "You are formidable, but you are still incomplete," he said. "Your flames are not yet honed to their fullest potential."

Yoshika clicked her tongue. "You talk as if you've already won." She launched forward, flames bursting from her spear as she aimed for his unguarded flank. Capitano met her attack with brute force, his greatsword striking down in an arc.

The impact sent a shockwave through the ice beneath them, fracturing it. The battlefield quaked as flames and frost clashed violently.

In the distance, Arlecchino watched silently, her crimson eyes narrowing as she gauged Yoshika's progress. Columbina, on the other hand, hummed softly, seemingly unfazed by the chaos.

The final clash came swift and sudden. Yoshika's spear, imbued with a last surge of Pyro, pierced through the cracks in Capitano's armor, sending an explosion of heat through the battlefield.

Capitano staggered back, his blade sinking into the frozen ground to steady himself. For the first time, he did not counterattack. Instead, he slowly straightened, nodding once.

"You've proven yourself," he acknowledged. "But war is not about individual battles. The true fight is still ahead."

And with that, he turned away, disappearing into the storm.

The silence left behind was deafening. Yoshika steadied herself, her breathing ragged. It was over. For now.

Columbina, still humming, began to fade into the mist, her presence vanishing like a dream. Arlecchino approached Yoshika, arms crossed.

"You survived," she stated simply.

Yoshika smirked despite her exhaustion. "Of course I did."

Arlecchino didn't press further. Instead, she glanced toward the direction of Fontaine. "Then it's time to prepare. Celestia won't wait."

Yoshika exhaled, nodding. The fight had ended, but the war had just begun.

-

Meanwhile, in Fontaine, preparations continued. Neuvillette, Furina, and the forces of the nation braced for Celestia's inevitable move.

The sky above Fontaine remained eerily clear... for now.

---
𝖠𝖭 𝖭𝖮𝖳𝖤: 𝖥𝗂𝗇𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗏𝗌 𝖾𝗇𝖽𝖾𝖽