Rion's eyes snapped open, and he thrust forward.
His spear reached Haden's arm, and he parried it with a clean strike right above Rion's grip.
Rion's spear flew aside before he pulled it back, planted his left foot a step forward and drove the spear towards Haden's side.
Haden watched him with a calm gaze and struck his spear to the side, throwing it away from its path.
Clang!
Sparks flew as the shafts of their spears clashed with one another.
Rion's palm stung, and the muscles of his arms strained as he twisted them in a way they had never been twisted.
Crack!
Spiderweb fractures raced across the stone beneath Rion's feet as he lunged for Haden's chest. Yet before Haden, the attack was no more than a worm's futile wriggle.
Clang!
He countered as easily as before.
Rion didn't care and attacked again.
He ignored the sting in his palms and the searing in his arms. He ignored everything. He just swung, slashed and thrust — over and over.
