ante diem decimum Kalendas Februarias (January 23rd, eight days before February.)
Approximately five minutes before midnight.
One minute and thirty seconds after Lenko's heart had stopped.
Ninety seconds left before Muzio's would follow.
***
Keiser didn't waste a breath. He knew Aisha, knew she wouldn't go down that easily. Even half-blinded, even after taking the full brunt of the mana clash between her runes and his scarred ones, she was never the type to stay down. Her mind and her reflexes were both too sharp, too quick.
His vision cleared faster than hers, but he didn't trust that advantage for long. So he ran, straight toward little flame who was still struggling to stand, his steps uneven as the ground trembled beneath him. He threw his dagger toward the fuming mage's direction without hesitation, the blade a red streak in the blur.
The trembling gave way to a shuddering move.
