From the sidelines, the crowd erupted in cheers as the match entered its most intense phase. Adrian felt the strain building in his muscles, the toll of maintaining his precise movements and spells. But his expression betrayed none of it.
Celia's advantage in Aether reserves was undeniable, but Adrian knew how to turn a disadvantage into an opening.
'One mistake,' he thought, 'and this fight is over.'
Celia seemed to sense the same. Her movements grew sharper, her attacks more desperate. The air between them crackled with tension, a storm of magic and skill that neither seemed willing to relent.
And then, Adrian smiled again, his gaze steady as he murmured under his breath, "I see now..."
---
Celia exhaled sharply, sweat glistening on her brow. She could feel her reserves dipping, but she wasn't about to falter.
