Ethan never took his eyes off him.
In the brief gap where the two surging forces whipped around and blanked out their sightlines, Ethan dropped his center of gravity. His legs coiled. Transparent lightning crawled from his ankles up his spine.
In the next breath, he shot out along the edge of the shockwave—his whole body turning into a streak of electricity as he cut through the exploding energy turbulence.
The willow man had only just managed to suppress the aftershock from the energy sphere—
and Ethan was already in his face.
His fist came down.
He didn't give the man time to rebuild his defense. Transparent lightning crushed itself onto the knuckles. White light ran up Ethan's arm into his shoulder, then poured into the exact point where the punch landed.
The fist hit dead center on the willow man's shoulder. At the moment of contact, flesh, bone, and energy all gave off the same muffled boom.
The willow man was launched backward.
