The air was thick with tension, each breath I took felt heavy, laden with the weight of anticipation. Zeke stood across the room, his eyes locked onto mine, a silent challenge issued with every steady gaze.
We were about to spar, and though I knew his reputation as a formidable combatant, I couldn't suppress the flicker of excitement that danced within me.
"Ready, Lydia?" Zeke's voice cut through the silence, a low rumble that seemed to resonate with the very walls of the training room. I nodded, my resolve hardening.
"Always," I replied, my voice steady despite the rapid drumming of my heart. The distance between us closed in a heartbeat, our bodies moving in a fluid dance of strikes and parries.
Zeke's movements were precise, each attack a testament to his skill and experience. I found myself struggling to keep up, my muscles burning with the effort of countering his relentless assault.
