Dimensional Descent

Leonel's smile didn't fade as their pillars began to tremble once again. The challenge in Lumina's words was clear. It was almost like if he did give his opinion now, he would be admitting that she was right and thus lose out on the round. But if he didn't answer, he would also be proving her right by being the "petty" man she claimed him to be, and thus lose anyway.

The only way forward was to thread the needle and get her to move off of her position. However, Leonel didn't seem to be in a hurry to do so.

"I heard that you two were part of the cohort who attacked my wife?" Leonel suddenly asked.

"Don't try and change the subject," Lumina growled. "Answer the question like you've made everyone else before you do."

Leonel chuckled. "The pillar has yet to give its decision yet, so who are you to decide whether I'm changing the subject or not? You've been doing a lot of talking for others, is your favorite position that of an obedient doggy?"

Lumina's eyes opened wide, her fury almost getting the best of her before she just laughed with a tone filled with mirth and derision.

"You've heard him, everyone. This is the response of a man who has no shred of intelligence of his own. It's ironic you call me a dog when all you know how to do is bark and bite back. Did you miss the part where this was a conversation of intellectuals?"

"Mm, so I guess your answer is that you're mad that the pillar hasn't granted you victory yet?"

Leonel shifted the focus right back to the pillars that were still the process of glowing. He uncaringly stirred the conversation back to the topic he wanted to focus on, and it left Lumina not knowing how to respond for a moment.

you can choose to not answer the question. But I believe

and Lumina suddenly realized

Did that mean that Leonel was trying to force

face drained of all

knew the full extent of what had happened during the Gathering of Kingdoms. The only projected images were from the

be said that it was different, but rather

for Lumina, the only hope that she could cling to, was the fact that historically, fewer people watched the debates

how could she hang her hat

started off with a bang with an immediate clash thanks to Leonel. On top of that, this was the

people not be

to pour down

sinister. She was afraid to answer, afraid to admit it, afraid to take the consequences of what

It

her began to fade and Leonel's own

sand in an hourglass were trickling down, painting the very same imagery as the cold sweat that was making her robes stick to her back. They

a few seconds to respond and time was running out. On top of that, Leonel had a silence that he could use on

evidence, but hadn't he crushed Celestia

to have to admit it? If she did, she wouldn't just be implicating herself, but