Olt felt it instantly. A stunning pressure washed over him with a distinct sense of raw power radiating outwards from Fiona. He saw the intensity, and the stability of her glow. It was a solid core of energy, controlled and potent.

  She's powerful. This is the real thing.

  It was different to the fleeting, localized surge he had experienced himself.

  From the sidelines, Ganjo nodded grimly. He recognized the display. It was a standard, full-body Aether activation. For any seasoned veteran, what he witnessed was the mark of a properly trained and awakened user.

  Rebecca watched intently, her expression serious, assessing Fiona's capability. Mariah's eyes widened slightly, as her scientific curiosity piqued.

  "Standard full-body activation," she murmured softly, almost to herself. "Wait to they see, Olt…"

  Veronica observed with acute interest, as a slight, knowing smile formed on her lips.

  How will Olt react?

  With her Aether now active, Fiona moved. Her speed increased dramatically, blurring slightly as she closed the distance. She launched a swift, powerful roundhouse kick aimed at Olt’s head. Olt reacted, twisting away, bringing his arms up, but he wasn't fast enough to completely evade the Aether-enhanced strike. The side of her boot connected sharply with his temple and cheekbone, sending a jolt through his skull. He stumbled back several steps. Stars momentarily exploded behind his eyes. Dust puffed up from the concrete mat where his feet dragged. It wasn't a full-force blow, because he sensed Fiona had held back significantly. She most likely knew a direct hit could have caved his face in. The impact, however, was still jarring and painful. Anxiety and adrenaline surged through him with an intense thrill beneath the immediate fear.

  70 RP… that hurt. Not good.

  The internal calculation was instantaneous, and sharper this time. 95 down to 70. That glancing blow, even pulled, had cost him 25 Resilience Points. The pain brought back the terrifying memory of the red-haired woman pinning him. He remembered the crushing feeling of helplessness. That vulnerability, coupled with the sudden, significant drop in his perceived resilience, acted like a key turning in a lock.

  Gotta… gotta use it, now!

  He didn't consciously will it, not entirely. It was more like an instinct taking over, like a desperate biological imperative. He felt the familiar pressure build, the cool tingling sensation, but it didn't flood his entire system. It focused, powerfully, solely within his left arm, from forearm to fingertips.

  Olt looked down, bracing for another attack. His left hand and forearm flared with a soft, ethereal blue light. It wasn't the bright, steady radiance of Fiona's Aether. Instead, it was gentler, pulsing softly, outlining the bones and veins in his limb with an otherworldly glow. The rest of his body remained unchanged.

  The effect on the onlookers was immediate and profound.

  Fiona, who had been flowing into her next attack, stopped abruptly mid-motion. Her own blue Aether flickered almost imperceptibly, reacting to the unexpected, localized energy signature. Surprise registered clearly on her usually composed face.

  Ganjo's jaw dropped slightly.

  "What the…?" he muttered, staring at Olt's glowing limb. "Only half his arm?" He looked from Olt to Rebecca, then back, bewildered. "That’s…odd."

  Rebecca's eyes widened with awe and a deep concern. She knew Olt had taken the potion, but this partial manifestation was completely unexpected.

  "His left arm?" she whispered.

  Mariah leaned forward, almost vibrating with scientific fascination, her earlier concern momentarily eclipsed.

  "It's a localized anomaly!" she breathed, as her eyes remained fixed on Olt's arm. "It’s definitely bizarre, but I’m assuming it might have to do with the Dormant Gene! Olt has the gene, and this might be why the Aether manifests… partially? But I’m not sure.”

  Veronica's slight smile vanished, replaced by a look of fierce intrigue. She leaned forward in her seat. She was locked onto Olt's glowing hand with rapt attention.

  "Interesting…very interesting. But how the fuck is he going to use it?"

  Lyona looked confused, maybe even a little frightened by the strangeness of the display. Carl Winger, watching from the side, seemed to lose some of his earlier smug relief. His expression shifted towards unease as he witnessed the unpredictable power now in play. The warehouse held a new, electric tension, focused entirely on the fighters.

  The initial shock of his own anomalous power gave way to a surge of adrenaline, sharpened by Ganjo's tactical advice. Olt, despite the strangeness pulsing through his left arm, focused on Fiona. He remembered Ganjo’s words.

  Stay grounded. Use your base. Look for openings.

  Fighting with only one enhanced limb felt deeply unnatural. His movements were hesitant, almost lopsided, as he tried to integrate the glowing power into the defensive stances Jeffrey and Ganjo had drilled into him. His right side felt vulnerable and slow.

  Fiona, recovering quickly from her surprise, pressed her advantage. Her own blue Aether flared brighter as she launched another attack. She released a swift, spinning kick aimed high. Olt reacted instinctively, bringing his glowing left arm up. He didn't just block. Driven by Ganjo’s advice to use the power, he clamped his enhanced hand around Fiona’s ankle as it connected with his forearm.

  The impact was solid, but the force that surged through Olt’s left arm was unexpected, even to him. Fiona let out a sharp gasp, her eyes widening in pain as Olt’s grip tightened with unnatural strength. The blue glow around her own leg flickered momentarily at the point of contact.

  "Are you sure you're just a novice?" Fiona grunted, wrenching her leg free.

  Olt released her abruptly. Thrown off balance by the unexpected resistance and the lingering ache in her ankle, Fiona stumbled back a step. Her professional composure was momentarily ruffled.

  Okay, that one landed. Did I see her flinch?

  Seeing her momentary disadvantage, Fiona didn't hesitate. With a sharp intake of breath, her Aether flared intensely. She seemed to vanish, her form blurring with impossible speed. Olt barely had time to register her disappearance before she reappeared directly behind him, already mid-spin, launching a powerful back kick aimed squarely at his spine.

  Remembering Ganjo’s warning about her speed, Olt twisted, bringing his glowing left forearm around just in time to intercept the blow. The impact slammed into his arm, jarring him. Fortunately, the damage felt lessened.

  Down to 65 RP…

  The calculation was instant. He was still not used to the numbers running through his mind. The hit still cost him, but only 5 points this time. It was significantly less than the glancing blow to his head earlier.

  My Aether… it absorbed most of it. And maybe… maybe she’s weakening too?

  He could see her Aether glow wasn't quite as blindingly intense as it had been initially.

  20 seconds left… gotta make it count.

  The internal timer pulsed in his awareness, reminding him of his limited window.

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  Seizing the moment after the block, while Fiona was resetting her stance, Olt lunged forward awkwardly. He swung his glowing left hand not in a punch, but an open-palmed slap aimed at the side of Fiona’s head. The movement was clumsy, lacking finesse, but the Aether behind it gave it surprising force.

  The slap connected with an extreme crack. Fiona staggered sideways, as her head snapping back. Her eyes lost focus for a split second, and crucially, the steady blue radiance of her Aether sputtered, shimmering like a faulty lightbulb.

  "Now's your chance, Olt! Hit her!" Ganjo roared from the sidelines.

  Olt didn't need telling. Seeing Fiona momentarily stunned, and her Aether unstable, he pushed forward. He couldn't coordinate a powerful Aether-enhanced punch with his enhanced hand, yet. The limb felt alien. Instead, he used his normal right arm, throwing a quick flurry of punches aimed at Fiona’s chest and shoulders. They lacked the force of his left, serving more as distractions, keeping her off balance while he tried to regain his own footing. He needed to figure out how to use the strange power still thrumming in his left arm before the timer ran out. He felt vulnerable using his right, acutely aware of its comparative weakness. But, it was all he could manage in the chaotic moment.

  Olt’s flurry of right-handed punches, though lacking Aether-enhanced force, served their purpose. They kept Fiona off balance, her blinking Aether struggling to maintain its steady radiance under the barrage. Then, he saw it. A slight stumble flashed before him, as she absorbed a blow to the shoulder. This caused a more pronounced dimming of the blue light pulsing beneath her skin.

  Now!

  The thought coincided with the insistent pulse of his internal timer.

  10 seconds left… it has to be now.

  Remembering the single takedown rule, Olt knew this was his only chance. He couldn't rely on wearing her down with his anomalous, time-limited power. He needed a decisive move. He launched himself forward and slightly upward, channeling the remaining energy pulsing in his left arm into a desperate superman punch. His glowing fist shot out, aimed high towards Fiona's head. He hoped to stun her enough to initiate the DDT Jeffrey had taught him.

  Fiona, despite her momentary disorientation, reacted with the speed of a trained professional. Her own Aether flared, not as brightly as before, but enough. She twisted, ducking partially under the arc of the punch. Olt’s glowing knuckles grazed her temple rather than landing flush, but the impact was still enough to make her grunt and momentarily stagger.

  Seeing her reel, Olt pressed the advantage, closing the distance, trying to wrap his arms around her head and neck, setting up the DDT. For a fraction of a second, he felt like he had her. His fingers brushed against the back of her neck.

  But Fiona wasn't down. With a sharp cry that reverberated slightly in the hollow space, she unleashed a concentrated burst of Aether. It wasn't an attack, but a forceful expulsion of energy outwards from her core. The blue light around her flared brilliantly for an instant. Olt felt the push like a physical blow, throwing him backward off balance. His grip slipped, the DDT setup broken before it could be fully locked in. He stumbled back several steps, landing heavily on the dusty concrete mat. The impact worsened his already sore ribs.

  Damn it! Burned it! Only 5 seconds left on the Timer...

  The internal perception was frustrating. He had used his one takedown attempt, and it had failed. He scrambled back to his feet, slightly winded, watching as Fiona quickly regained her footing. Her Aether glow stabilized, though still noticeably less fierce than before. He was vulnerable, and his best shot was wasted.

  Fiona, having weathered Olt's desperate, anomalous assault and defended his only takedown attempt, pressed her advantage. The brief flicker of surprise was gone, replaced by the focused intensity of a seasoned combatant recognizing a wounded opponent. Olt felt the precariousness of his situation acutely. His left arm, the source of his fleeting power, felt heavy, as the cool tingling energy rapidly drained away.

  Fiona moved in. Her attacks came faster now, and more powerful. A strong jab snapped past Olt’s weakening guard, connecting with his jaw. A quick sidekick slammed into his already bruised ribs. He grunted, stumbling back, trying desperately to defend with his normal right arm and body, but the Aether-enhanced blows were taking their toll. The pain throbbed, less buffered by his own fading power. Each impact sent a shock through his system.

  Almost out of time...down to 30 RP... 20 RP... I can't take many more...

  The memory of the red-haired woman’s overwhelming strength, the feeling of being pinned and helpless, flooded back. He knew this feeling; it was the prelude to incapacitation. He was being pushed back across the concrete mat, his feet shuffling, struggling to maintain his balance against Fiona’s relentless assault.

  Then, it happened. The faint blue glow that had clung to Olt's left hand and forearm vanished completely. It wasn't a gradual fade. It was like a switch being flipped, plunging the limb back into mundane reality. He felt the abrupt loss, the absence of the energy, and the sudden return of normal weight and vulnerability in his arm.

  Fiona, hyper-aware, didn't miss a beat. Seeing his power extinguish, she capitalized instantly. She drilled two quick, Aether-charged punches into Olt's chest, forcing the air from his lungs with sharp gasps. The impacts sent him staggering backward.

  Then, with startling speed and control, Fiona did something unexpected. The steady blue radiance surrounding her own body winked out. She deactivated her Aether. In the next instant, she launched forward, delivering a powerful, unarmed kick squarely into Olt’s midsection.

  The force of the kick doubled Olt over, lifting him slightly off his feet as he fell backward. As he dropped, Fiona moved with blinding speed. She ducked low beneath his falling trajectory, wrapping her arms swiftly around his neck from behind. In one fluid, brutal motion, she executed a reverse stunner. Olt’s neck snapped down hard onto her shoulder, the impact resonating across the warehouse. His body went limp, momentum carrying him forward as he crashed face-first onto the hard, unforgiving concrete floor.

  Olt lay sprawled on the floor. The impact had knocked the wind out of him, and a raw, physical agony radiated from his neck and chest. The shocking sensation of his Aether completely shutting down was replaced by a new, equally strange internal perception.

  Cooldown: 1 hour... RP: 0...

  The numbers, or rather the knowing of them, were stark and absolute. He was drained, powerless, and locked out of his own strange ability for a full hour.

  Veronica stepped forward, her voice clear and measured, cutting through the stunned silence.

  "One..."

  Olt groaned, the sound muffled against the floor. He tried to push himself up. His muscles screamed in protest. His left hand twitched. It was an instinctive, useless gesture towards the power that was no longer there. His body refused to obey.

  "Two..."

  He could see the concerned faces of Rebecca and Ganjo and Mariah, blurred at the edges of his vision.

  "Three..."

  Damn it... can't move...

  Frustration warred with the overwhelming pain and exhaustion.

  "Four..."

  He squeezed his eyes shut, the rough texture of the concrete pressing against his cheek.

  I lost.

  "Five!" Veronica's voice declared, finality ringing in the word. "The trial is concluded. The winner, by incapacitation, is Advocate Fiona."

  Veronica's voice was final. Olt remained sprawled on the concrete. Fiona, her Aether glow extinguished, gave a crisp, professional nod towards the downed Olt, then a respectful acknowledgment towards Veronica. She stepped back from the designated combat area, as her breathing steadied.

  Across the space, Carl Winger, who had been watching with morbid fascination, allowed a smug, relieved smile to spread across his face. He visibly relaxed, rubbing his hands together slightly. Lyona, however, took an involuntary step forward, her expression worried for Olt.

  Before Lyona could reach him, Ganjo and Rebecca rushed onto the mat.

  "Damn Olt," Ganjo muttered, kneeling beside Olt. He carefully slid an arm under Olt's shoulders. "You alright? That was... something."

  Rebecca knelt on Olt's other side, her eyes quickly scanning him for serious injury.

  "Olt! Are you okay? Are you hurt bad?"

  She glanced briefly towards Mariah, who was already hurrying over.

  Mariah dropped to her knees beside them, her professional instincts taking over.

  "Olt, can you hear me? Where does it hurt most? Neck? Chest?"

  Without waiting for a full answer, her hands began to shine with the blue light, as she gently probed the area around his neck and ribs where Fiona's final blows had landed.

  "Hold still, let me see..." Mariah commanded, as she directed her attention to Ganjo and Rebecca. “I need you to help me sit him up so I can better transfer my Aether.”

  As Ganjo and Rebecca carefully helped Olt into a sitting position, Veronica walked over. She stopped a few feet away, observing the scene with a detached assessment.

  "An interesting display, Mr. Bartholomew," Veronica said, her voice cool and analytical. "Potential, certainly. And an anomaly I haven't encountered before."

  She paused, letting her eyes linger on Olt's pale, sweat-streaked face.

  "Your advocacy was strong, your courage... commendable. But experience prevailed today."

  She waited a beat, then her expression hardened slightly, shifting back to the business at hand.

  "And as per the rules of this proceeding," she announced, her voice carrying clearly, ensuring Winger heard, "since the Defense was incapacitated in the Trial by Combat, the sentencing reverts to the terms proposed by the Prosecution during the negotiation phase."

  She looked pointedly at Winger, then Lyona.

  "Therefore, the final judgment stands. Mr. Winger will establish the Community Restoration Fund in the amount of 25,000 Synoran Dollars. Not the 40,000 previously discussed."

  Winger's smugness solidified. Lyona's relief visibly deflated, replaced by a weary disappointment. Ganjo seemed indifferent, focused on Olt instead. Rebecca simply sighed, helping Olt remain still so Mariah could continue the healing process.