In a flash that would have made lightning itself envious, Gladius moved. To the untrained eye, he might have seemed to teleport, his speed defying normal human perception.
His sword, a streak of electric blue, sliced through Kalthrius's flaming clouds as if they were no more substantial than morning mist.
'Chi!'
The sound of shattering magic filled the air, a discordant symphony of destruction. The flaming clouds, once an impenetrable defense, disintegrated beneath the full might of Gladius's strike. Sparks of fire magic danced through the air like fireflies, creating a mesmerizing yet deadly lightshow.
Gladius readied himself for another devastating slash, but something made him pause. His battle-honed instincts screamed a warning as he sensed an overwhelming surge of power emanating from Kaltharius.
Waves of intense flames roared to life around the mage, resembling nothing so much as a raging inferno given form.
