CLANG!
Steel rang through the empty hall as Aurora's longsword crashed against Gray's rapier. She immediately pressed forward, boots scraping across the wooden floor.
"You're slower than last time," she said, already cutting again.
Gray's blade met hers calmly, angling the parry so her sword would slide off.
"Or maybe you're just impatient."
Aurora clicked her tongue and stepped in closer.
Her next cut came low, aiming for his front leg.
Gray pulled the foot back and dropped his point, knocking her blade into the floor.
CLAANG!
Before she could recover, he thrust straight at her shoulder.
She twisted aside.
The tip of the rapier tore a thin line through the air where her arm had been.
"Close," she muttered.
"Not close enough."
Aurora reset her stance and came at him with three quick successive swings, one at the head, ribs, then a rising diagonal.
Clang... cling!
