Arthur checked the timer while Mel moved through the obstacles.
The weight still slowed her down, but it no longer disrupted her rhythm as badly.
When she finished, Arthur looked at the time again and a small smile appeared on his face.
"…Faster."
Lyra nodded. "I expected that."
Arthur glanced sideways at her. "Not this fast though."
This time, Lyra didn't disagree.
"…No."
So they kept going.
Run after run, Mel improved little by little. Her movements became smoother, her footing steadier, and her recovery quicker each time.
Arthur tracked everything quietly while the bond fed him every detail. He could feel the strain in her body, the effort behind each movement, and the constant adjustments she was making to keep up.
But beneath all of that, he felt something stronger.
The determination to keep going.
At one point, he finally spoke again.
"You can stop if you need to."
But Mel didn't.
She kept moving.
Arthur smiled faintly. "…Thought so."
