As Raigor and Veran stepped through the stone door, an invisible force enveloped them and the world around them changed. The sky became an immense expanse of intertwined light and darkness, as if two primordial forces were fighting for dominance.
Before them, in the middle of an arena suspended in nothingness, a colossal figure stood. The Keeper of the Balance.
It was a being with a human form, but its body was divided into two halves: the right side was made of pure light, while the left was shrouded in shadows as dense as night. Its eyes shone like twin stars, cold and inscrutable.
"Who dares interrupt the eternal flow of balance?" His voice echoed in every direction, reverberating like thunder.
Raigor took a fighting stance. "We are here to obtain the key to stopping the Greater One."
Veran nodded, placing a hand on the hilt of his weapon. "We will face whatever test you wish to give us."
The Keeper watched them in silence, then raised an arm and the arena shook. "Then prove yourself worthy. If you desire the power of balance, you must survive the test of duality."
With a wave of his hand, the ground beneath them split in two: half of the ground became dazzling light, the other half plunged into bottomless darkness.
"Raigor, warrior of strength and determination… you will fight against the light, to prove that you are not a slave to the shadow."
A figure of pure luminous energy appeared before Raigor, holding a gleaming sword.
"Veran, he who has defied death many times… you will fight against the darkness, to prove that it has not corrupted you."
From the shadows emerged a hooded being, identical to Veran, but with red eyes and a cruel smile.
Raigor and Veran exchanged a quick glance. There was no escape.
The test had begun.
Raigor vs. the Warrior of Light
The enemy's sword shone with the power of the sun, each swing strong enough to shatter stone. Raigor narrowly avoided the first blow, feeling the heat burning the air around him.
"I can't hit the light with brute force…" he thought. "I have to find another way."
He moved quickly, looking for an opening, but the Warrior of Light seemed to predict his every move. Then, Raigor understood:
The light was pure power, but also predictable.
With a feint, he leapt back and then attacked with all his strength… not the enemy, but the ground beneath his feet.
The earth exploded, sending up a cloud of debris. For a moment, the Warrior of Light's glow was obscured, and in that moment Raigor lunged, striking him with a punch so powerful it shook the arena.
The Warrior of Light dissolved, and Raigor fell to his knees, panting. He had won.
Veran vs. the Dark Double
The being stared at him with a mocking smile. "You have survived death, yet you still fear what you have become."
Veran's jaw tightened. "You are not me."
His double laughed. "Oh, but I am. I am what you will become if you give in to the power you have gained."
The shadow lunged at him, its blade wreathed in black flame. Veran parried the blow, but felt the cold run through his body.
Every swing from his double was precise, perfect, as if he were fighting himself in a mirror.
"I cannot beat him with strength."
Veran stepped back and closed his eyes for a moment. He felt his heartbeat, the flow of power within him. Then he understood.
He did not have to fight the darkness. He had to accept it.
When he opened his eyes, there was no fear in him.
"I no longer fear you," he said.
His shadow froze. For the first time, the smile disappeared.
Veran walked forward slowly, his stride confident. "I know who I am. And I know I will never be like you."
The shadow twisted, letting out a silent scream, then vanished.
Veran lowered his blade, his breathing still labored. He had won.
The Keeper's Judgement
The Keeper of Balance looked at the two warriors, his face emotionless. Then, without saying a word, he raised both hands.
From the sky, a gleaming key slowly descended, floating down to them.
"You have proven yourself worthy," the Keeper said. "Take the key and fulfill your destiny."
Raigor gripped it firmly, as Veran looked up at the sky above them.
The final battle approached.