It Begins

"What!..." Talon shouted, his face etched with shock. He, too, looked upward, eyes wide in fear, and instinctively took a step back, bumping into Steel Maiden behind him.

"Hmm?! Do you want to die?!" The unexpected touch startled Maiden, who swiftly withdrew her weapon and pointed it in his direction.

"It was an accident!" Talon shouted, finding the sword dangerously close as he raised his hands in surrender.

Both of them exchanged wary glances, while the rest of the group turned their attention to the unfolding scene, realizing a fight was about to break out.

"So it begins..." Lucius muttered, turning his head around and observing similar scenes as people realized that the mechanism had stopped working.

Walking in between the two of them, he slowly placed his hand on Maiden's sword, lowering it, before speaking deliberately.

"Put that away; he didn't do it on purpose," he said, shaking his head toward her.