The challenge from Lord Valerius hung in the air on the bridge of the Odyssey, thick and heavy like poison gas. His enraged face, contorted with a fury that bordered on madness, filled the main viewscreen.
The remnants of his once-proud fleet were limping away in full retreat behind him, a scattered herd of wounded animals. But his flagship, the Inevitable Logic, held its ground, a lone, angry sentinel in the void.
"A duel?" Chris Magnus snorted, breaking the tense silence. "He gets his butt handed to him by space magic, and now he wants a one-on-one fight? That guy has some serious anger issues."
"It's a trap," Emma said immediately, her eyes narrowed as she analyzed the situation. "It has to be. He's trying to lure you out, Ryan. His ship is damaged, but it's still a heavy cruiser. He wants you in a small, personal craft where he can overwhelm you with superior firepower."