The doors hadn't even fully opened before the shadows in the chamber began to coalesce. Unlike the imps from the entrance, these figures were taller, leaner, and held jagged blades made of solidified darkness. They didn't breathe; they only hummed with a low-frequency vibration that made the air feel static.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PJlNaS9mO
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"Shadow Stalkers," Marin whispered, raising her shield. "I've heard of these in the royal archives. They don't have bodies—you can't cut what isn't there."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErkH91chFM
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"You can't cut them with conventional physics," Jessica corrected, her eyes darting across the room, calculating the refresh rate of the shadows' movements. "But they operate on a pulse. They solidify for 0.4 seconds every time they strike. That’s our window."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOzuAEt8iM
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Merek didn't wait for a lecture. He lunged forward, his sword trailing a golden arc. "0.4 seconds? That’s plenty of time for a Montclair!"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFUblGO8vC
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He swung at the nearest shadow, but his blade passed through it like smoke. The shadow hissed and retaliated, a jagged claw swinging toward Merek’s throat.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0El8CqFD3
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"Merek, down!" Jessica commanded.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgusQ5hC3bc
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She snapped her wrist, and a silver thread of magic latched onto Merek’s belt, physically yanking him backward just as the shadow’s claw solidified and slammed into the stone where his head had been.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojzYpVyzfa
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"Stop guessing," Jessica said, her voice like ice. "Merek, you’re the Trigger. Marin, you’re the Wall. I am the Clock."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GrBVXB0Pj
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Merek scrambled to his feet, a grin of pure adrenaline on his face. "Alright, Clock-lady. Give us the beat."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNC2ZiWhd7
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"Marin, move to the center. Full defensive stance," Jessica ordered.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEZvIstVZA
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Marin slammed her shield into the floor, her armor glowing with the white light of her knightly resolve. The shadows swarmed her, their claws clashing against her shield with the sound of breaking glass.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5Oh62FHM7
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"Merek, when I say 'Mark,' you strike the shadow on Marin's six o'clock. Don't aim for the head—aim for the core in the chest. It will be visible for a split second," Jessica directed. Her fingers moved in the air, weaving a web of light that acted as a metronome. "Wait for it... Wait for it..."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYEAX3v4YP
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The shadows lunged in a synchronized wave.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvGPYGBgvj
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"MARK!"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7r7gfiVRwA
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Merek exploded into motion. Because Jessica had timed the "Mark" to the exact moment the shadows had to solidify to pierce Marin’s shield, Merek’s sword found solid resistance. He drove his blade through the chest of the shadow, and it shattered into a thousand glass-like shards.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYH7QD2Cgeh
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"Again! Three o'clock! MARK!"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqTqLBJpli
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Merek spun, his cloak snapping. He didn't even look at the shadow; he just trusted Jessica’s timing. His blade connected again, and another stalker dissolved.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VjS87Tl0W
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The two siblings began to move in a lethal, rhythmic dance. Marin was an immovable mountain at the center, and Merek was a golden lightning bolt striking outward. But the brain of the operation stayed at the back, her eyes glowing silver as she predicted every micro-second of the battle.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZr86sW7Xc
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To Merek, it was exhilarating. He had always been told his "reckless" style was a liability, but with Jessica’s "Clock" timing, his recklessness became efficiency. He wasn't just swinging; he was executing.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZVfpFAc5s
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As the last shadow fell, Merek leaned on his sword, breathing hard, his eyes fixed on Jessica. The admiration he felt wasn't just for her beauty anymore—it was for the terrifying, beautiful precision of her mind.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzMrkXnbWG
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"That was..." Merek searched for the word. "Terrifyingly perfect. How did you know they would solidify then?"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lv7huKPzT
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"Conservation of energy," Jessica replied, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. "They need a physical anchor to exert force. If they don't solidify, they can't hurt Marin. I just forced them to choose between being harmless or being vulnerable."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sYo6juzKm
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Marin sheathed her sword, looking at her brother. "Now do you see? She doesn't just use magic, Merek. She owns the room."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0r7Nr0y0S
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Merek laughed, a genuine, hearty sound. "I see it. I definitely see it." He turned to Jessica, his amber eyes bright. "What’s the next lesson, Teacher?"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbOUceLs5K
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Jessica looked toward the far end of the hall, where a faint, orange glow began to emanate from beneath the floor. "The next lesson is Endurance. The floor is about to become a furnace."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YQJQyKubN
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