The shattered moon's fragments drifted apart in lazy orbits, glowing faintly with residual heat and the occasional crackle of dying lightning.
Chunks the size of cities spun end over end, trailing streams of dust and molten rock that froze in the vacuum.
Yuliya floated amid the debris, one arm hanging limp, the other still gripping her katana.
Her coat was in rags, crimson flames flickering weakly along the torn edges.
Blood trickled from multiple wounds, freezing into dark rubies that drifted away from her.
Yet her eyes burned brighter and dashed toward him, closing the distance in a heartbeat.
Zhao Tian met her without retreating, and their swords clashed mid-void.
Clang-!
The first impact was pure edge-on-edge.
Yuliya's katana slid along his blade with a screech that vibrated through bone.
Sparks of white and red exploded outward, igniting nearby dust into brief, silent fireworks.
