Ethan had no intention of standing there and waiting to die.
He hurled the energy orb forward. White lightning raced across its surface as it shot toward the sword that had breached his shield. But the moment he released it, he realized the blade was coming in at the wrong angle and immediately ducked.
The orb skimmed the inside of the shield overhead. The curved barrier deflected it to the side, sending it straight into the incoming blade.
To Ethan's surprise, Valric didn't press the sword any farther.
The point stopped just inside the shield, only inches from Ethan's body. Valric's free hand was already raised, palm facing him. Dense golden threads poured from between his fingers, slipped through the breach, and wound toward Ethan's wrists, shoulders, waist, and legs.
The deflected energy orb struck Valric's palm.
It didn't explode.
