The sun hangs high above the training grounds, casting long shadows across the dirt as Rika moves through the air, her magic pulsing with each calculated movement.
She lands lightly, twisting her wrist as energy crackles at her fingertips before she releases it toward Max.
He deflects it with ease, his stance steady. "Too predictable," he calls out. "Again."
She grits her teeth, adjusting her stance before sending another strike.
This time, she feints left before shifting her weight, sending a second blast toward his side. Max barely dodges in time.
A smirk tugs at her lips. "Not predictable anymore, huh?"
Max exhales, shaking his head. "Not bad."
But just as he's about to reset his stance...
A shift. A disturbance in the air.
Rika's entire body stills.
The hair at the back of her neck stands on end as something unseen coils in the space between them.