The silence in the Water Dragon Cave was deafening. My challenge hung in the air, a spark waiting to ignite an inferno. Alistair Northwood's face contorted with rage, while Asher Lane's expression shifted to cold calculation.
"You dare mock us?" Alistair snarled, his spiritual energy flaring visibly around him. Golden tendrils of power swirled like angry serpents, causing nearby onlookers to step back.
I stood my ground, unmoved. "It's not mockery if I mean it."
With a roar, Alistair thrust his palm forward. A wave of concentrated spiritual energy shot toward me – enough power to shatter stone.
I didn't even raise my hand to block it. Instead, I let my own spiritual energy form an invisible shield. The golden wave hit my barrier and dissipated like water striking a hot pan.
Gasps echoed through the cavern. Alistair's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Impossible," he muttered. "That was my Golden Dragon Palm..."
