Luna struck first—a barrage of frost shards hurtling from her staff. He spun his sword in a blur, deflecting them with clangs that sent ice scattering. He closed the gap faster than she anticipated, blade arcing down brutally.
She threw up a barrier just in time; the impact jarred her arms, drove her back a step. He pressed without pause—strikes coming calculated, probing her blocks, punishing any delay in her chants. Luna's mana drained quicker than she'd like, each defense chipping away at her reserves.
She shifted strategy.
Luna retreated suddenly, feigning a stumble on the carpet's edge. Rantou lunged, sword thrusting for her chest.
"Umbra fallax."
Her form split into duplicates. The blade passed through empty illusion. Luna materialized behind him, staff already blazing.
"Glacies corda."
