The woman's lips twitched into something like a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. Without warning, she moved.
Her speed was impossible to track. One moment, she was standing still, and the next, she was right in front of Maris. Before Maris could react, the woman's arm shot out, and a vine-like whip lashed at her.
Maris's instincts kicked in. She raised a barrier of light magic just in time. The whip collided with the shield, but instead of bouncing off, the whip wrapped around the barrier, constricting it like a snake tightening its grip.
Maris gritted her teeth, concentrating. She could feel the pressure from the whip increasing, but her magic held steady.
The woman pulled back with a flick of her wrist, and the whip lashed again, faster this time. The light barrier flickered, weakening under the relentless attack. It was clear that the woman wasn't just fast—she had power behind her strikes.
