Ashes Whisper

Chapter 90 : Pride of the Assassins

"Mikaela!" Imzyh called

Mikaela didn't look back.

"Don't worry about me," she said, while focused. "Just get ready to prepare your whistle knives."

Imzyh understood immediately.

For the right moment.

Lightning surged and Mikaela moved. In an instant, her body dissolved into a streak of gold white light, vanishing from where she stood and reappearing in front of Hassan with a blinding strike.

Clang!

Their weapons collided then vanished again. She darted in and out, her blade cutting through faster than the eye could follow. But Hassan he adapted his tentacles lashed wildly, yet with terrifying accuracy, intercepting every her movements, at the same time, his daggers moved with equal speed, clashing against her blade again and again.

Clang, Clang, Clang!

The sound echoed endlessly.

Imzyh narrowed her eyes, trying to track them. But he couldn't because all he saw were afterimages flashes of light, sparks scattering across the bloodstained hall, fragments of motion too fast to follow.

"...I can't even see them..." he whispered under his breath.

Another clash.

Mikaela twisted mid-air, deflecting a tentacle that came from her blind side, then immediately blocked a dagger strike aimed for her throat.

Her body reacted instinctively.

Perfectly.

"He's getting faster..."

Her thoughts sharpened as she moved. Each time she struck he was already ready and each time she dodged he adjusted.

"Then I just have to be faster." Mikaela on her thoughts.

Lightning surged again around her body and she pushed forward to becoming faster, her blade strike every attack in rapid succession, forcing Hassan to step back for the first time, his tentacles snapping defensively to block her advance.

But her breathing broke just slightly the used on Kirin lightning her chest tightened and muscles burned. Another clash happened and she blocked but the force pushed her back farther than before.

"If I keep this up..."

She dashed forward again, refusing to slow down and their blades met once more.

Clang!

But this time her arm trembled.

"I won't last."

Across from her, Hassan noticed and his smile returned wider.

"You're burning yourself out," he said.

His dagger pressed harder against her blade.

"How long do you think you can keep that up?"

Mikaela's breathing became heavier her body screamed at her to stop but she didn't because she couldn't then lightning surged violently around her once more, stronger than before, wilder, less controlled. The air itself crackled as she drew deeper into the essence Kirin had lent her.

Even it hurt, every movement burned through her muscles, through her lungs, through her very core she ignore it and moved again. This time she faster than Hassan. Their blades clashed

Clang!

But the difference was clear. Mikaela pushed forward. Her strikes became sharper and heavier, Hassan's expression shifted slightly as he was forced to adjust, his daggers moving quickly but no longer effortlessly. Another strike, then another and Hassan suddenly faltered just for a second.