Looks like you've finally landed a hit

Elira's relentless grin was carved into her face as she advanced again, her aura blazing with confidence and raw power.

Every step she took radiated menace, and the weight of her presence made the air feel thick. I tightened my grip on the fiery bow in my hands, every nerve in my body screaming that I was outmatched.

But giving up wasn't an option.

I dodged another of her devastating blows, the ground cracking beneath her fist. The shockwave sent me stumbling back, but I caught myself, gritting my teeth against the exhaustion setting into my limbs.

If I kept fighting like this reacting to her overwhelming speed and strength I wouldn't last much longer.

There had to be another way.

"Running again, Ren?" Elira taunted, her tone light, but her eyes sharp.

I didn't answer, my mind racing. Think, think! She was using reinforcement magic to enhance her speed and strength. If that gave her an edge, then why couldn't I use my magic to even the playing field?

The thought sparked something within me. During my training with Valeria, I'd learned how to manipulate my fire magic in more nuanced ways creating weapons, barriers, tools of precision. What if I could use it to augment myself?

My breathing steadied as I focused inward, feeling the fire coursing through me. The heat was familiar, a comforting inferno that had become an extension of myself. Slowly, I directed it to my legs, imagining flames wrapping around them, surging with energy.

Elira tilted her head, noticing my change in stance. "What's this?"

"You'll see," I muttered, planting my feet firmly in the sand.

Then I moved.

The world blurred for a moment as the flames propelled me forward, faster than I'd ever thought possible.

Elira's eyes widened, her smirk faltering as I closed the gap between us in an instant. She raised her arm to block, but I shifted at the last second, pivoting to her side and striking with a blade of fire.

She twisted away, narrowly avoiding the hit, but I saw the flash of surprise in her expression.

"Not bad," she admitted, turning to face me again. "You've picked up some tricks."

"More than you think," I said, pushing the fire further into my limbs. The heat buzzed under my skin, almost overwhelming, but it gave me the speed I needed.

I darted around her, firing arrows mid-motion. Each one streaked toward her with blistering speed, forcing her to block or dodge.

The grin returned to her face as she batted them away, but there was a new edge to her movements a cautiousness that hadn't been there before.

"Impressive," Elira called out, deflecting another arrow with a wave of her arm. "But you'll have to do better than this to land a hit."

Her words stung, but they also fueled my determination. I thought back to my training how I'd lit two hundred candles, how I'd learned to channel my magic with precision and control. If I could create a single arrow, why not more?

The idea was crazy, but so was this fight. I'm sure I could do that with no problem if I can concentrate.

I skidded to a stop a few paces away, my bow blazing in my hands. Closing my eyes for a split second, I concentrated on the memory of those candles, each tiny flame a testament to my will.

I drew on that image, shaping my magic into countless arrows, each one burning as brightly as the next.

When I opened my eyes, the air around me shimmered with heat. Two hundred arrows hovered in a loose formation, their fiery tips pointed directly at Elira.

Her grin vanished, replaced by a look of genuine surprise. "Well, this is new."

"Try dodging this," I challenged, releasing the arrows with a flick of my hand.

The sky seemed to erupt as the fiery projectiles streaked toward her, filling the air with heat and light.

Elira moved like lightning, her reinforcement magic pushing her to incredible speeds as she dodged and deflected.

Some arrows exploded against the ground, sending sand flying in every direction, while others grazed her, leaving faint scorch marks on her clothes and skin.

She was fast, but there were too many.

I poured everything I had into the assault, guiding the arrows to anticipate her movements, cutting off her escape routes. For the first time, she seemed truly on the defensive, her movements less fluid, more frantic.

"Not bad, Ren!" she shouted over the chaos, her voice laced with exhilaration. "But let's see how long you can keep this up!"

I gritted my teeth, sweat pouring down my face as I maintained the barrage. My legs burned from the effort of sustaining the flames, and my arms trembled under the strain of controlling so many arrows at once. But I couldn't stop now not when I was so close.

Elira dashed toward me, closing the gap with terrifying speed despite the storm of arrows.

I raised a barrier, the flames roaring to life just in time to block her punch. The force of her blow sent cracks rippling through the fiery shield, but I held firm, using the brief moment to regroup.

Then I saw my opening.

As Elira stepped back, preparing for another attack, I directed a cluster of arrows to converge on her from above. She noticed too late, her eyes widening as one of the arrows struck her shoulder.

The explosion sent her skidding back, smoke curling from the singed fabric of her sleeve. She straightened slowly, brushing off the scorch mark with a wry smile.

"Well," she said, her tone almost playful despite the injury, "looks like you've finally landed a hit."

My chest heaved as I lowered the bow, the flames flickering out as exhaustion washed over me. I couldn't believe it I'd actually injured her.

For the first time, I saw something other than confidence in Elira's eyes: pride. And maybe, just maybe, a hint of respect.