The collision between Maxwell's golden sword and Amanda's black-lightning whip split the mist apart in a blinding burst of crimson fire and thunder. Shockwaves rippled outward, shaking the marble tiles beneath their feet. But the courtyard itself—surrounded by an invisible seal of Asher's making—remained untouched. Every tremor, every flare of blood and lightning was contained within his carefully woven barrier. The air shimmered faintly around the edges, the distortion revealing the immense magic field Asher had formed to allow them full freedom to fight without restraint.
He stood at the center, calm and motionless, hands clasped behind his back. Not a speck of dust reached him. Even as the air howled with power, the grass at his feet didn't move. The space around him had become a null-zone—a silent eye within a storm of blood and fury.
