Su Ming pivoted, using the recoil to slide under its head and launch a swift upward thrust. But the Tyrant's bone-wing flared with violet light, warping the local space. The distance bent, and his sword passed through empty air where the throat had been. Simultaneously, the beast's massive tail swung in a blindside arc. Su Ming barely moved clear, the wind pressure shredding the sleeve of his robe as the heavy mass sailed past.
He landed fifty paces away, his sword tip pointing down. 'It is not fighting like a wild beast,' Su Ming observed. 'It is testing me, trying to understand how I react. The intelligence behind its actions is terrifying.' The Tyrant lowered its head, its crimson and blue eyes locked onto him. It was clear it would not let him leave alive.
