Evan's breathing grew sharper as the exchange continued. Each activation of his Magic tugged at him like a muscle pushed past its limit.
The time-slowing field rippled again and again, bending the flow around his body, letting him slip between moments, letting him strike harder and faster than any normal fighter ever could.
But it burned very fast on his Magic energy reserve.
"I'm always using too much," Evan realized grimly. His jaw tightened. "That's why I can't drag this out."
His ability had never been about endurance. He could slow time only in short bursts, only in narrow ranges. That limitation was why he trained harder than most. Why he was always quiet, always focused.
He knew his Magic wasn't overwhelmingly strong. It was sharp, bht also conditional and temporary.
By slowing the world, he could make himself faster than everyone else. Fast enough to land decisive blows, heavy hits that ended fights before his stamina collapsed.
But Mira was different.
