The collision of holy fire and void shadow turned the district square into a battlefield between realities. Arthur's darkness rose to meet David Kim's purifying flames, and where they touched, existence itself screamed.
But something was wrong with the attack patterns.
Arthur ducked a lance of white fire that should have been aimed center mass, rolled aside from a pillar of flame that telegraphed itself seconds in advance. Kim was good—too good to be making such obvious mistakes. Unless...
"You're pulling your punches," Arthur observed, shadow tendrils lashing out to test Kim's defenses.
The Purifier smiled grimly, deflecting the void attack with a barrier of sacred light. "Am I? How disappointing if true."
Another wave of holy fire, but Arthur noticed Kim's stance—aggressive but not lethal. The flames burned hot enough to hurt, to push him toward desperation, but not to kill. Not yet.
