"The rules are simple, Lucien," Darius's voice boomed effortlessly over the howling wind, silencing the entire courtyard. "I will not use my full strength. I will not even use half. You have five minutes. If you can land a single, solid blow on me, you have my permission to ride North. If you cannot, or if you yield, you will stay in this Keep until you return to the Academy."
"Understood," I said, dropping into a low combat stance.
Darius didn't move. He just looked at me with his lone eye. "Begin."
BANG!
I didn't hesitate. I aimed the Reaver and fired a kinetic slug directly at his chest, instantly triggering my spatial footwork to close the distance behind the projectile.
Flash!
Darius didn't even step back. He simply swung the heavy wooden greatsword with a flick of his wrist. A condensed wave of dense, icy aura exploded from the wood, slicing my compressed kinetic slug completely in half mid-air.
I reappeared on his left flank, driving my combat knife toward his ribs.
