Chapter 49: The Gypsy's Challenge
Pov Aria
I ducked just in time to dodge Luna's whip. I felt the sharp air of her attack brush against the back of my neck—a piercing chill that threatened to paralyze me. But I couldn't succumb to fear. With an instinctive movement, I raised an energy barrier that crackled around me, buying a few precious seconds to regroup.
"Well done, young one, but that won't be enough," Luna murmured in a calm yet authoritative voice. She extended her hand toward the ground, and instantly, thick roots emerged from the forest floor, attempting to entangle my ankles. I quickly recalled the techniques I'd been taught: I focused my mind and materialized energy swords that sliced through the vines, dissipating their assault.