Elizabeth moved first.
A whip of spiraling water burst from her hand, slicing through the air toward Alicia with sharp speed.
"Not holding back, huh? And here I thought we were friends," Alicia said, a hint of amusement in her voice as she dodged to the side.
Her sword gleamed as it cut through the water whip, scattering droplets into the air. But even before the water fell, Elizabeth was already closing the distance.
She came fast—her rapier thrusting straight for Alicia's chest.
Alicia tilted her body just in time, narrowly avoiding the strike. Her sword swung in a wide horizontal arc to counter.
But it didn't hit flesh.
Instead, the blade met a strange resistance—water. A thin sheet of water had wrapped around Elizabeth, and Alicia's sword moved through it like it was cutting through heavy syrup, slowing her strike.
That was all the opening Elizabeth needed.
She twisted her body with practiced grace, stepped in, and drove her fist forward.
