Black Snake moved so fast that only an afterimage remained, appearing before the old man in an instant.
The sword tip drew out a wisp of gray vapor. There was no time to consider where the strike had landed; instead, Black Snake used the terrain to plan the next two movements.
In ordinary times, Black Snake might have been naïve.
But once battle began, attacks poured forth as naturally as breathing.
The old man wrapped in disheveled clothes was not slow either. He drifted several feet sideways and opened his mouth again.
Suction erupted from the mouth containing only a few rotten, yellowed teeth.
Black Snake felt the pull sweep in like a whirlpool and immediately maneuvered around tree trunks and rocks, rapidly circling the old man and changing positions, avoiding the space directly before that sinister mouth as much as possible.
Two blurred shadows darted through the woods, clashing and separating in an instant.
Black Snake feinted.
A deceptive sway, then a sudden reversal brought Black Snake abruptly within striking distance.
Sword light twisted, slicing an opening through the layers of ragged robes. The severed pieces dissolved into black vapor.
The old man whipped around and inhaled!
Black Snake leaned aside, startled to discover several strands of spiritual essence spilling from the body and being sucked into the old man's mouth.
Black Snake swung the sword, anticipated the dodge, and lashed out with a fierce kick.
The old man flew backward, his gray silhouette shuddering violently. Rage flared in his eye sockets, and he opened his enormous mouth to unleash a string of strange, sobbing cries. Countless jumbled whispers assailed Black Snake, attempting to throw the mind into chaos.
The ghostly cries stopped abruptly upon impact. He had evaded the blade, but not Black Snake's charge.
The gray shadow