The hall fell silent, every eye fixed upon the scene. Menias barely noticed as he struggled to draw breath back into his lungs.
When he finally managed it, he lifted his head and glared at Zephyrion with burning eyes.
"Is this how you intend to bring the sinner to his knees?" Zephyrion wasn't loud, yet his voice carried effortlessly through the silence. "By kneeling first?"
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
Menias gnashed his teeth.
"I'll kill you."
He exploded forward. His blade moved faster this time. The thrusts sharper. More desperate. Steel screamed through the air. Yet Zephyrion's blade met every attack. Clashing. Clashing. Clashing.
The ringing of steel became unending. Jagged bursts of sparks scattered across the arena, dancing through the air like embers caught in a storm. Every strike was blocked. Every feint seen through.
