Dancing with shadows

The gong's echo hadn't even faded before Ying Yue moved.

She was a blur, her black mist trailing like ribbons as she closed the distance between us in an instant. My instincts screamed at me to dodge, and I barely managed to activate Flash Step, reappearing a few feet to her left.

Her blade sliced through the air where I'd been standing, the air itself hissing in protest.

"Fast," I muttered, gripping my katana tighter. But Ying Yue didn't stop. Twisting mid-strike, her movements were fluid, as if time itself bent to her will. Her blade arced toward me again.

I parried, but the force of her attack sent vibrations up my arms, and my stance faltered. I quickly steadied myself.

"Too slow," she whispered, her voice calm and unnervingly soft.

She lashed out again, her strikes like a relentless tide. I couldn't keep up. Every time I tried to create space, she was there, her blade a flickering shadow dancing inches from my skin.

I couldn't let her control the pace. My body screamed for space, but Ying Yue had already anticipated every movement. She was too fast, and every attack felt like it could be my last.

Fighting defensively wasn't an option. I needed to turn the tables.

As her blade came at me again, I poured mana into my gravitational magic, channeling it through the katana. The moment the blade touched her, the magic activated. For a split second, her movements slowed as if she was wading through thick mud, the weight around her feet doubling.

That was my opening.

With all the force I could muster, I swung my katana in a wide arc. The blade grazed her shoulder, leaving a thin line of blood. Ying Yue's eyes narrowed, the black mist around her thickening.

"Impressive," she said, her tone colder now. "But it won't be enough."

Before I could react, the mist surged toward me like a living thing, coiling and twisting around my legs. I leaped back, but the tendrils were faster, wrapping around me and pulling me off balance.

"Got you," she said, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

I hit the ground hard, my katana clattering out of my grip. The mist tightened, pinning me in place as Ying Yue approached, her blade gleaming.

Panic surged through me. I struggled, but the mist was like iron chains. My breaths quickened as the blade rose in her hand.

"Any last words?" she asked, her voice icy.

"Yeah," I spat through gritted teeth, focusing all my mana. "Gravity's a pain."

I reversed the spell, lightening my body and the mist around me. The tendrils loosened just enough for me to roll away. The moment I was free, I grabbed my katana and sprang to my feet.

I channeled the last of my strength into a desperate move. My katana glowed faintly, the air around it shimmering with concentrated mana as I prepared to strike.

Ying Yue's eyes widened slightly as I closed the distance between us, aiming for her center. But just as my blade was about to make contact, she sidestepped with impossible grace. Her blade flashed in retaliation, and pain exploded in my side as her blade found its mark.

I stumbled back, blood staining my uniform as I tried to keep my footing.

"You're persistent," she said, her voice almost admiring.

"Yeah, well," I panted, gripping my side, "I'm allergic to dying."

Ying Yue tilted her head, the mist swirling around her once again. "Let's see how long you can keep that up."

I couldn't let myself get trapped again. But she was already moving, the black mist curling around her like a storm. She lunged, her blade aimed straight for my chest.

I barely managed to parry, the force pushing me back as my feet dragged across the dirt.

"Getting tired?" she asked, her tone mocking.

"Not even close," I lied, sweat dripping down my face, but my body was slowing down. Every movement felt like dragging a weight.

Ying Yue's mist began to shift. The air thickened as the tendrils formed into sharp, dagger-like points, hovering menacingly.

"Focus, Amon," I muttered to myself, forcing my body to respond. "You're not done yet."

The daggers shot toward me in a blur. I threw myself to the side, barely avoiding the first wave. One of the daggers sliced past my leg, leaving a shallow cut, but I forced myself to stand.

"You're running out of tricks," she taunted.

"Yeah?" I shot back, trying to sound confident despite the blood dripping from my side. "You haven't seen all of them yet."

I raised my free hand and channeled mana into the ground beneath us. The air around me grew heavy as I pushed my gravitational magic to its limit. The ground cracked, and Ying Yue staggered, her balance faltering.

The moment I saw her hesitate, I surged forward, my katana glowing with mana. I aimed for her midsection, desperate to land a decisive blow.

But she recovered faster than I expected. Her blade met mine with a resounding clash, and the shockwave sent me reeling back. For a brief moment, we were locked in place, our blades pressed against each other.

"You've got spirit," she said, her dark eyes meeting mine. "But spirit alone won't save you."

Suddenly, the mist around her exploded outward, forcing me back. I shielded my face as the black tendrils lashed at me, ripping into my clothes and leaving shallow cuts across my arms and legs.

I stumbled, barely keeping my feet beneath me, when I saw Ying Yue already moving again. Her blade flashed toward me, and I barely managed to block, the force of the strike sending me to one knee.

I was running out of energy, out of time.

But I couldn't stop now. Not here.

As Ying Yue prepared her next attack, I closed my eyes for a split second, focusing all my remaining mana into one final surge. The ground beneath us trembled as I unleashed the force of gravity, targeting everything within a ten-foot radius.

Ying Yue faltered, her movements grinding to a halt as the weight around her doubled, then tripled. The mist thinned, and her control over it weakened.

This was my chance.

"Sorry, Shadow Lotus," I said, my voice barely more than a whisper. "But this dance is over."

I lunged with everything I had left.