The morning wind rose again, carrying the scorched scent of Dragon Lightning and a love steeled by resolve.
Vyke looked at Tarnished and Lansseax standing side by side. The last flicker of hesitation in his eyes gave way to cold fighting intent. Deprived of the blessing of Dragon Lightning, the storm power around him remained wild, but it had lost that heat capable of burning everything to ash.
"Come on." Vyke shook his spear and broke the stalemate first. A compressed gale gathered around its tip as he thrust straight at Lansseax-he knew he had to break their newly formed partnership first.
But the shield was faster than his spear.
Clang! The Fingerprint Stone Shield stood squarely in the spear's path like a moving mountain. The storm exploded against the heavy stone slab without shifting it an inch. Behind the shield, Tarnished's gaze remained calm.
The instant Vyke's strike was stopped, Lansseax moved. Lightning-fast, she traced an elegant arc rather than charging straight in, circling to his flank. She extended the crystal-clear Dragon Scale Blade lightly, without a whisper of wind or any show of force. Only the lightning flowing within the blade suddenly flared!
Vyke's extensive combat experience showed itself as he immediately drew back his spear to block. Its shaft struck the Dragon Scale Blade with a clear ring. He stopped the blade, but not the red Dragon Lightning clinging to it-Lansseax's own lightning, not a blessing she had bestowed!
Crackle! Tiny serpents of lightning raced up the spear shaft and into his arm, briefly paralyzing it.
That instant was enough.
The shield jerked back, then surged forward! This was no defense, but an attack-a shield bash! The heavy stone edge slammed into Vyke's breastplate, sending him staggering.
Lansseax's attacks followed one after another, dense flashes of steel