goal? To force your opponent to miss the return while keeping the orb's unstable energy from spiking too hard and destabilizing the board. The orb gained speed and complexity with every hit, adjusting to the flow of mana in the paddles.
They squared off.
Ethan took the first serve, tapping the orb gently.
It zipped toward Mia's side, bouncing with a light "twink" off the air-barrier. She returned it with a sharp flick, spinning it diagonally and forcing Ethan to move fast.
The pace picked up rapidly.
Mana sparked slightly at the edges of the orb with each hit, glowing brighter every second. Soon, both of them were a blur—feet shifting, arms moving in perfect rhythm, eyes locked on the shimmering, aggressive light.
"Is it just me," Mia said between a breath and a strike, "or is the orb... mad at us?"
"It's escalating," Ethan agreed, deflecting a particularly fast shot. "You're putting too much mana in—calm down."
"No such thing!"
