thin arrows of light danced forward into the air, each one hitting the thick stone great sword and spilling ethereal radiance into the air.
when it cleared, the area opposite the stone knight that had once been blocked by Adara was empty. The stone knight, perplexed by the sudden disappearance of Adara, spun around, his massive great sword cutting through the air. The alleyway remained empty, and uncertainty flickered in the creature's fiery eyes.
From the shadows, Adara emerged with grace, her bone dagger gleaming in the dim light. Before the stone knight could react, she lunged forward, delivering swift and precise strikes. each hit on the armour revealed an empty space.
Retreating a few steps Adara grimaced, she had expected that the silent knight was some kind of golem, a magic beast born through repeated experiments.
Its eyes glowed with an inner fire as it locked onto Adara. The stone knight, though lacking a voice, emanated an aura of hostility. Without hesitation, it charged, its heavy great sword swinging downward with force.
Adara, agile and quick-witted, evaded the attack with a nimble sidestep. She countered with a series of slashes, aiming for the joints and weak points in the stony armour. The bone dagger, enchanted with magical properties, proved effective against the magical construct.
The stone knight, relentless in its pursuit, swung its great sword in wide arcs. Adara continued her dance of evasion, weaving between the powerful strikes. Thin arrows of light erupted from her fingertips, each one finding its mark on the stone knight's body, unravelling the magical essence that bound it together.
It was then that the creature stopped, not because of Adara attacking its joints. no it stopped for another reason, because upon admiring its stone great sword, they're was a thin line where blood had been spilt.
Checking herself, Adara felt a graze on her semi pointed ear, perhaps the stone goliath had swung with better skill than she gave it credit for. still, her mana reserves were high enough to finish this fight before an actual serious blow was dealt.
But, to her surprise, the stone knight abruptly ceased its assault. It turned, its fiery eyes meeting Adara's gaze, and without uttering a word, it retreated. The massive great sword, stained with both stone and blood, dragged along the alley floor as the creature moved away.
Adara hesitated for a moment, watching the stone knight retreat into the shadows of the alley. The echoes of its heavy footsteps gradually faded, leaving her alone in the quiet darkness.
"Strange," she murmured to herself, her senses still on high alert. Adara cautiously approached the spot where the stone knight had stood, inspecting the lingering traces of magic and blood.
The alley remained silent, the stone goliath nowhere to be seen. Adara, though curious about the sudden retreat, decided not to pursue the mysterious creature. Instead, she retraced her steps to the main street, keeping a vigilant eye on her surroundings.
The air in the alley seemed to hold a residual tension, and Adara couldn't shake the feeling that the encounter with the stone knight was just a glimpse into the challenges that awaited them on their journey. With a deep breath, she steeled herself for whatever lay ahead, the enchanted dagger still gripped firmly in her hand.
As Adara emerged from the alley, the bustling sounds of the town enveloped her once again, masking the secrets that lingered in the shadows.