Nyx
The clearing fell silent. Not even the crackling fire seemed willing to interrupt what was about to happen. Every eye locked onto us, the weight of dozens of stares pressing down like invisible hands. Tension thickened the air, making each breath feel heavier.
I slipped one twin blade from its sheath, the steel whispering against leather. Then the other. The familiar weight settled comfortably into my hands, cool and balanced, grounding me. My fingers flexed around the hilts, muscles remembering every hour of training that had brought me to this moment.
Across from me, Kaelara slowly unsheathed her sword. Steel scraped against leather, the sound sharp in the quiet.
"You really think you can beat me?" she asked, her lips curling into a mocking smile as she shifted her stance, shoulders squared with arrogance.
"I think we'll find out," I replied evenly, meeting her gaze without flinching.
