I quickly tap into my earth magic, forcing the stone beneath my boots to instantly drop by several feet. My body sinks into the newly made depression just as her blade whistles through the empty air, barely missing my eyes by a hair's breadth. Before she can adjust her arc, I vault sideways, kicking off the subterranean rock to land firmly back on the solid hallway floor.
She spins on her heel to face me. The murderous ice in her eyes seems to smile as she speaks, her voice entirely flat. "As the rumors said... the highest battle IQ among humans. Impressive."
