The moment the word left his mouth—
The air snapped.
Elara's escorts moved instantly.
Three of them.
All Tier 2.
Fast.
Coordinated.
Deadly.
Kael didn't retreat.
"Dren."
One word.
Dren moved.
Intercepting one of them.
Liora stepped forward without hesitation, her blade flashing as she clashed with another.
Steel rang.
Energy surged.
The courtyard erupted into chaos.
But Kael—
Remained focused.
On Elara.
She hadn't moved.
Not yet.
"Still confident?" she asked softly.
Kael stepped forward.
"Let's find out."
He attacked first.
Direct.
No hesitation.
Elara raised her hand—
Blocked.
Their energies collided.
A shockwave rippled outward.
The ground cracked beneath them.
Elara's eyes narrowed.
"You've grown fast."
Kael didn't answer.
He pressed forward.
Faster.
Sharper.
Every movement precise.
Calculated.
Elara matched him.
Effortlessly.
Their fight—
Different.
Controlled.
Deadly.
Two minds calculating several moves ahead.
"You're wasting potential here," she said, deflecting his strike.
"You could rise far beyond this place."
Kael's eyes were calm.
"I will."
A shift.
He changed angle.
Struck low.
Elara twisted—
Barely.
The edge of his attack brushed her robe.
For the first time—
She stepped back.
A flicker of surprise.
Interesting.
Kael didn't stop.
He advanced again.
Relentless.
Pressure mounting.
Behind them, the battle tilted.
Dren was holding.
Barely.
Liora—
Dominating.
Of course she was.
Kael focused.
One opening.
That was all he needed.
Elara saw it too.
Their gazes locked.
Then—
They moved at the same time.
Clash.
Energy exploded outward.
Dust filled the air.
When it cleared—
They stood apart.
Neither injured.
But no longer testing.
Now—
Serious.
Elara exhaled slowly.
"…You're dangerous."
Kael tilted his head slightly.
"And you're still holding back."
A pause.
Then—
A faint smile.
Elara stepped back.
Raising her hand.
Her escorts disengaged instantly.
Disciplined.
Trained.
"Enough," she said.
Silence returned.
Tension remained.
She looked at Kael one last time.
"This isn't over."
Kael met her gaze.
"I didn't expect it to be."