Xander had barely landed from the first clash and had no time to build momentum. He braced, pivoting the Halberd horizontally to block.
The impact drove him backward toward the edge of the roof, tiles splintering beneath his boots as he skidded. His heels stopped inches from open air.
Then Noah raised his left hand.
A second dagger formed instantly.
He hurled it toward Xander's chest.
The speed of the throw broke the rhythm. Xander had anticipated a blade strike, not a projectile.
At the final instant, he forced ether outward, condensing it into a defensive layer across his torso. The dagger struck.
It pierced.
But instead of behaving like normal energy, the blade dissolved upon contact, spreading like ink into water.
Xander felt it immediately.
His ether armor began to destabilize. Corruption spread along its surface in jagged patterns, devouring structure with alarming speed.
