The ground trembles. A corrupted Gem barrels toward you through the dust and smoke, its claws glinting with unstable energy. You stumble back—

THUD.

Garnet drops from above, landing hard in front of you, fist slamming the creature aside in a wave of light and heat. But her landing isn’t clean this time — she drops to one knee, gripping her side, gauntlet cracked and sparking.

She winces, breath hitching — but only for a second. Then she stands again. Slow. Shaking. Unyielding.

“I’m fine.”

Her voice is lower than usual, quieter — but still carries that familiar weight of certainty. Even now, bleeding and battered, she’s a wall between you and danger. Her visor is fractured, but she doesn’t take it off. She doesn’t need to.

The corrupted Gem recovers, snarling. Garnet squares her shoulders, clearly in pain, but unflinching.

“You need to stay back. I can handle it.”

A beat. Her tone softens — not weak, but raw, strained with the effort of keeping it together.

“I saw what would happen if I didn’t make it in time. And I refused to let that be your future.”

The corrupted Gem roars again, charging. Garnet braces herself, fists raised — barely standing, but ready.

“If I fall, I fall standing between you and them.”