"It's been protecting me," Steven explains in a half daze, until the relevance of that occurs to him. It had helped him feel safer before, but maybe it's still with him for this. He saw what Creation was capable of. Maybe there's more to this, now?

As Yuya speaks, he feels his resolve finally begin to harden. He has to try. He has to try...

He starts pushing against the tug of the vines, leaning into Yuya's hold and pushing further down, until they're held taut. The weight against them makes them easier to tear, and even though the pressure resonates sickly deep beneath his shoulders and spine, he tries to keep going.

His eyes are closed with exertion as the first tether snaps.