The clash between George, Daniel, Peter, and Varyn had already stretched on long enough for the battlefield around them to change into destruction.
Their movements carved through the ground again and again, weapons colliding in sharp bursts that sent sparks and fragments of Ether scattering into the air, yet neither side had managed to fully break the other.
Each exchange met with equal resistance, each attempt to push forward halted by precise counters and relentless pressure in return.
At a glance, the fight looked balanced.
But Daniel knew better.
His feet slid back slightly as he deflected another incoming strike from Varyn. His twin bluish daggers caught the smaller blades with a sharp metallic ring before he twisted his body and forced some distance between them.
His breathing remained controlled, but his eyes moved briefly beyond the immediate fight to scan the battlefield in quick movements.
What he saw made his chest tighten. Their numbers were dropping fast.
