A shadowy blur fell, and in the very next second, Terry was gone long before the curved blade could cleave him in half.
Only an obsidian crown that had been perched on the dumpy boy's head was left behind. It fell, clattering onto the ground before Casey.
But before she could even think about reaching for it, Casey saw Alexia dashing toward her. In her right hand was a menacing warhammer that she swung toward Casey's ribs.
Breathing hard, Casey parried the incoming hammerhead with her blade. A shockwave was discharged when her sword hit the heavy iron face, throwing it aside.
With a sharp twist of her wrist, Casey then pivoted off her back foot, turning the parry into a smooth, circular sweeping slash aimed straight at Alexia's exposed waist.
…But what she saw next made her gasp. "What—!?"
Alexia had used the recoil from the deflection to flick the hammer upward… then brought the heavy iron face down on Casey's head.
