Minutes stretched into an eternity, each exchange a test of will and skill. Kael adapted, his Crescent Requiem Dao honing his perception, finding the rhythm in Amara's movements.
He shifted his stance, his blade spinning with brutal grace, a silver arc slashing through her guard, drawing a thin line of blood across her arm.
Amara backflipped, skidding through the mud, her laughter bright and unyielding. "Good. Very good," she said, her voice tinged with genuine delight, her qi flaring brighter despite the wound.
Kael didn't chase, his breath steady, his silver eyes cold and unyielding. He pointed Abyssal Fang at her, the Lotus Flame pulsing along its edge. "Leave. Now."
Amara bowed once more, her gesture mocking yet respectful. "We'll meet again, Warden of the Lotus," she said, her voice a promise that lingered in the fog. "Don't die before then."
