The Enforcer flickered forward without warning, a blur of shadow and steel slicing toward Mikhailis's exposed throat. It was the same lethal precision he'd already witnessed, but this time, Mikhailis's body reacted instantly, honed by desperation and the fierce thrum of the brand in his chest. The Crymber Ant gauntlet surged to life on his right arm, fire and ice swirling violently as he raised it, meeting the deadly blade with an elemental blast.
Steel clashed against the roaring tempest of fire and ice, exploding into a cascade of sparks and glowing steam that lit the dim chamber like a stormy sunrise. For a split second, Mikhailis felt the raw, monstrous force behind the Enforcer's attack pressing him backward, his boots sliding over loose, crumbled stones that bit into his heels. His heart hammered painfully, adrenaline blazing through every nerve ending as he strained to hold the assassin's blade at bay.
