[center][i]Without mana, we are nothing.[/i][/center]
[hr]

Tablurath watched as his opponent turned his head back in alarm at his sudden movement. Then the mage reacted the only means he could. Activating the circle of magic at Tablurath’s feet off to his left side. Just as planned. However, the mage had overlooked one crucial detail.

Serenity.

The magic pulsed as it entered the circle, but its course was suddenly drawn into the Starlhrim blade as the energy inevitably flowed through the circle. Serenity reacted to the mana as Starlhrim often did to any magic it touched in its raw state, by storing the bolts of energy from the circle into itself thus stealing the mana needed to create the pillar of stone and dissipating it as a result. In short cancelling the effect before it even started. It was a turn of event his opponent would have no way of foreseeing, though perhaps suspected from his earlier lightning spell. 

The earlier sword throw had in actuality been aimed for the magic circle from the start, injuring the mage had been an added bonus. Serenity had simply taken that swords place as sentinel given its position in the ground set it right on the circles broader. The result would mean a delay before the effect began, as the mage would need to send even more mana to overwhelm the swords capacity assuming he understood in time what was happening to the mana’s flow, however, no such time remained before Tablurath’s sword bit into the man’s back. Should the sword fail, the sudden upheaval of stone could see Tablurath thrown off his feet, his position being just at the border of the magic circles effect.  

The path of the sword cutting through the left side of his spinal column, before shredding through his liver, left kidney, and finally the large and small intestines. Effectively cutting the lower left of his torso open. The arch of the swing ended to Tablurath’s left, as he pushed off his left leg and struck the center of the mage’s back with an open palm strike with his free right hand, the momentum behind it equal to a speeding semi-truck focused in one area. Enough to snap his spine in half and launch the mage forward. Given the man’s focus was on his now defunct sabotaged magic circle. He’d have no means of defending himself in time or avoiding Tablurath’s assault.  

[color=black][i]"Checkmate."[/i][/color]  The Cardinal breathed as his palm made contact. The force of it creating a circular wave that kicked up sand around them.