Jelo moved.
"Wing Burst!"
But not backward.
Forward.
The burst of energy from his movement didn't create distance—it erased it. The force pushed him ahead with sudden acceleration, his body cutting through the space between them instead of retreating from it.
Rath swung.
The timing was precise. Calculated. His arm moved with the same overwhelming force as before, flame compressed tightly around it, ready to crush through whatever resistance Jelo attempted.
Jelo twisted.
Barely.
The attack passed close enough that he felt it before it even touched him—the heat brushing against his skin, the air warping from the intensity. Then it grazed his shoulder.
The contact was brief—
But real.
Heat bit into him instantly. His muscles reacted, his body registering the damage—
But he didn't stop.
Didn't flinch.
Didn't hesitate.
