You Can't Keep Up
733 Words
They didn’t slow down.
Not even for a second.
The moment their pattern broke—
They adjusted.
Faster than before.
Sharper.
More precise.
“Left—!” Kael warned.
I shifted just in time, a strike grazing past where I had been a second earlier. I countered instantly, releasing a tight burst of energy that forced one back—
But another replaced it immediately.
No delay.
No hesitation.
“They’re covering each other,” I said.
“They’re compensating,” Kael corrected.
A hit came from behind—he blocked it, but the impact pushed him a step back.
Then another followed.
And another.
Too fast.
Too clean.
My chest tightened.
“They’re speeding up.”
Kael didn’t answer.
Because he was already being pushed.
I saw it clearly now.
Every move he made—
They answered.
Every opening—
They filled.
“They’re focusing you,” I said.
That was the shift.
Not both of us.
Him.
Kael stepped to the side, dodging another strike—but this time, he didn’t fully recover his stance before the next one came.
It forced him back again.
Harder.
“They’re trying to separate us,” he said.
“I’m not letting that happen.”
But saying it and stopping it were two different things.
Another wave came—
Three at once.
I reacted fast, pushing energy outward to break their formation—but they adjusted mid-movement, splitting the impact, minimizing the force.
My eyes widened.
“They’re learning even now.”
Kael exhaled sharply as he blocked again—but this time—
He didn’t hold his ground.
He slid back.
My chest tightened.
“Kael—”
“I’m fine.”
But he wasn’t.
Not completely.
Because they weren’t just testing him anymore.
They were pushing him.
Hard.
A strike slipped through—he blocked it late, the impact forcing a sharper step back this time.
His balance shifted.
Just slightly.
But they saw it.
They moved instantly.
That tiny opening became everything.
“They’re locking onto you!” I shouted.
“I see it!”
Another hit came—stronger this time.
He deflected it—but not cleanly.
The force carried through.
His stance broke for a second.
And that was all they needed.
The next attack came—
Perfectly timed.
Perfectly placed.
It hit.
Not directly—but enough.
Kael staggered back.
My breath caught.
“Kael!”
The warmth inside me surged violently at the sight—but I forced it down, forcing it into control instead of explosion.
I moved.
Fast.
Not waiting this time.
I struck first, driving a focused burst of energy straight through the nearest one, forcing it back hard enough to break their formation again.
“Stay with me!” I said.
Kael steadied himself quickly, regaining his footing—but his breathing had changed.
Sharper.
More controlled.
But heavier.
“They’re not aiming to take me out,” he said.
“They’re wearing you down,” I replied.
Because that was the real plan.
Not a quick fight.
Not a direct win.
A slow break.
And it was working.
The circle tightened again.
Closer.
More aggressive.
The pressure increased.
“They’re pushing us into a corner,” Kael said.
I glanced briefly behind us.
He was right.
Less space.
Less room to move.
Less time to react.
The warmth inside me pulsed again—stronger this time.
Not unstable.
Not out of control.
Ready.
“They want us to panic,” I said.
Kael nodded once.
“Then we don’t.”
Another wave came—
Faster than before.
This time—
I didn’t wait.
I stepped forward into it.
Not defensive.
Not reactive.
Aggressive.
The energy surged through me as I struck outward—not wide—
Targeted.
Breaking through the first attack before it fully formed.
Their timing faltered—
Just slightly.
But not enough.
Because the next second—
They adjusted again.
And this time—
They didn’t just target Kael.
They split.
Half stayed on him.
Half came for me.
My chest tightened.
“They changed strategy.”
Kael’s voice sharpened.
“Now they’re testing you.”
And that—
That was worse.
Because now—
This wasn’t just about holding the line.
It was about proving whether I could stand in it.
Alone.
And if I failed—
We wouldn’t just lose the fight.
We’d lose everything. 😈🔥
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