Kael's eyes locked onto Elira's emotionless gaze, the faint silver moonlight giving her an almost spectral presence. He exhaled slowly and whispered to Cynthia without taking his eyes off Elira.
"Alright. You handle Matthew."
Cynthia didn't argue. She nodded once, and in a blur of movement, vanished.
Matthew's smug grin vanished the moment a boot slammed into his chest. "Hrk!"
The force launched him through the forest like a cannonball, crashing through trees with violent force.
"I'll take my fight somewhere else," Cynthia said calmly, brushing her hair aside before disappearing after him.
Kael stayed still for a beat, listening to the distant echoes of wood snapping and mana clashing in the distance.
Now it was just him and Elira.
The Sword Queen tilted her head, loose strands of black hair falling across her face as she lazily swung her blade by her side. Her very presence gnawed at Kael's instincts, like the air itself was afraid of her.
Kael put on a sarcastic smirk to mask the cold sweat forming at his temple.
"Didn't realize I was good enough for you to save for later," he said dryly.
Elira's smile didn't reach her eyes. "You weren't. Just another weakling with a nice face. But now…" Her blade hummed ominously. "You've gotten stronger. Strong enough for me to kill with a shred of satisfaction."
Kael forced a laugh. "Wow. I'm handsome and slightly stronger than trash. That's a huge compliment especially from someone like you."
Shit, he thought silently, can I beat her without going all out?
She was calm. Too calm. Her bloodlust wasn't even fully released yet. That slash earlier was just a warm-up. Her real strength hadn't shown itself.
Elira took a step forward, aura rippling like heat around her.
"If you're stalling for Cynthia to come save you," she said flatly, "it's pointless. That Matthew guy might act casual, but he's no joke. She'll have her hands full."
Kael's smirk faded just a little.
"I wasn't stalling," he said, voice cooler now. "I was thinking."
He slid into his stance one leg behind the other, body low, hand hovering just above the hilt of his blade. The ground beneath him shimmered subtly as shadows coiled up around his boots.
Elira's eyes sharpened. Her lips curled into a faint smile.
"Good," she whispered. "Show me what makes you worth my blade."
Kael's aura pulsed. The cold night wind cut through the trees.
This wasn't a spar. This was war.