Eizan PoV
"Alright, Eizan, you got me," Vadim said, his voice a little hoarse, but still with a hint of that maddening playful tone. He raised Aventine, its blade now dull and lacking its former gleam. "But don't think for a second I'm done."
I narrowed my eyes. He was putting on a brave face, again. Always hiding behind that smile of his.
"Give up, Vadim," I stated, my voice devoid of emotion. "You're at your limit."
He laughed, a short, sharp bark that held no humor. "And you think you're not? You just subjected me to your domain, Eizan. That takes a lot out of you, even for a steadfast warrior like yourself."
He was right. My own reserves were depleted, the aftertaste of my domain a metallic tang on my tongue.
We both stared one another down as we gathered mana from our surroundings, replenishing our emptied reserves as fast as possible to gain an upperhand against the other.
