The blast tore the air apart.
Blue energy erupted from Elias's chest, detonating outward in a violent, expanding dome of heat. Sound followed a half-second late—a concussive crack that kicked pulverized glass and coarse gravel high into the dark.
Kikaru threw her arms up, crossing them over her face as the golden light of her Ikona snapped into a rigid barrier. The shockwave slammed into the shield, driving her backward. Her boots carved deep trenches through the dirt before she hit the ground, sliding to a rough halt on her knees.
The heat washed over her, singing the edges of her gi.
She dropped the shield. The golden plasma receded into her skin, leaving her in the dim, unsteady light of the arena.
She dragged a ragged breath into her lungs and looked up.
