The red stone

Alexis continued to defend herself as much as she could against Amalu's onslaught. She even managed to send some timely ripostes through the dark robe's defence, scoring a few cuts on the man's forearms and slicing his robes.
He showed no signs of tiring.

She needed all her concentration to keep the man at bay and could not keep track of the fate of her friends.

Her eyes though, strangely, kept being drawn to the strange red stone he held in his left fist. He held it like one did a fetish of sorts. A lucky charm.

His sabre flashed from left to right, rolling over her long sword, dodging her stabbing dagger, sending the tip of his weapon slashing mere inches from her face.

She followed through with a stab with a long sword making him jump back and twisted trying to drive her dagger across his face.

Amalu bent backwards jumping out of range just barely. He lifted his left hand upwards and whispered a few words Alexis did not understand. She felt it was not Ozainae.

He opened his palm and the stone in is hand seemed to tremble before shooting forward, travelling the distance before them as it has been shot from a sling.

It hit her in the side of the face drawing blood before returning to his hand.

"Anywhere you go now, I have your scent." He said as he took the stone to his lips and licked her blood.