The air still trembled from the last exchange. The walls bore the scars of battle—cracked, scorched, split by light, and worn down by wind.
Relia stood still, her breathing shorter. Her shield of light had fractured. A few beads of sweat rolled from her temple down to her jaw.
In front of her, Samuel remained upright, steady despite the blood on his hip and arm. His sword still traced faint arcs in the air, almost invisible.
No words. Just their breathing. And their eyes.
They moved again.
Relia leapt, blade raised high.
"Blade of Light."
She struck. Samuel raised his hand.
"Celestial Shield."
The impact snapped like thunder. Relia pivoted instantly, delivering a sweeping slash. Samuel slid on one knee, dodging, and drove his sword into the ground.
"Razor Wind."
A semicircle of air tore across the floor. Relia jumped back, landing atop a broken column.
She raised her hand.
"Glittering Projectiles."
Ten arrows rose in a spiral. Samuel barely moved. He watched, judging their angles.
"Awakened Speed."
He vanished. Rebounded off a wall. The arrows chased. He turned mid-air, slashing three times.
"Razor Wind.""Razor Wind.""Razor Wind."
Six projectiles burst mid-flight. Four grazed him. One struck his shoulder. He spun with the impact, planting his feet.
Relia landed in front of him.
— You're starting to keep up...
But her words faded. Something had changed.
Samuel lowered his sword slightly. A shadowy ripple coursed along the blade.
"Blade of Darkness."
The weapon absorbed black energy, like ink creeping up the steel. It pulsed silently, devouring nearby light. The floor chilled slightly.
Relia narrowed her eyes.
She struck.
Samuel blocked.
CLANG.
The clash vibrated through both their arms. But this time, Relia felt something else—a bite. She stepped back. Her sword was intact, but a cut now ran along her forearm.
She looked down.
The wound... wasn't healing.
— What is this...?
Samuel hadn't moved. His gaze remained calm. Almost absent. But his sword... breathed.
He stepped forward. One step at a time.
Relia charged again, more fiercely. She moved like a storm of light. Every step left golden streaks, each motion carving arcs of radiance. Samuel danced between her blows, boots barely touching the floor.
He struck at her shadow.
"Strike in the Shadow."
His blade pierced the shadow Relia cast on the wall. A dark wave spread instantly across her body.
She froze.
Her eyes widened. Her arms no longer moved.
Paralyzed.
— ...!
Samuel approached slowly. His sword still pulsed with darkness. He raised it.
A flash cut the space between them. Relia forced her limbs to react. She pulled back just enough to avoid her throat being sliced.
But her cheek was slashed. A black line opened. And the pain stayed.
— That blade... prevents healing...
She leapt away, crashing her blade into a pillar.
"White Explosion."
The structure shattered in a shockwave, sending up a thick cloud. She vanished into the dust. Samuel remained still.
An arrow shot out from the haze.
"Glittering Projectiles."
He deflected it.
Relia charged through the debris.
"Blade of Light."
Samuel parried.
"Blade of Darkness."
Black steel met radiant light.
CLANG. CRACK.
The floor beneath them cracked. The walls groaned. They exchanged ten blows. Twenty. Thirty. Their forms became blurs amid the ruined pillars.
Relia was panting now. Her legs trembled. Her left arm was numb. She still bled. Her skin refused to close.
Samuel, in contrast, looked ever calmer. As if he walked a familiar path. His movements grew more precise.
He pivoted. Then leapt behind her, taking advantage of a shaft of light on the ground.
He drove his blade into Relia's shadow.
"Strike in the Shadow."
The curse spread in a black shiver. Her body locked in place, frozen by the spell. Her muscles responded—but too late. One knee hit the floor, leaving her fully exposed.
Samuel didn't hesitate.
He raised his sword.He swung.
The blade, coated in darkness, traced the arc of death.
A second more, and her throat would be severed.
And then—At the very edge of certain death—She heard a voice.
A voice so familiar it froze her soul.
— Hello, my dear Relia…
Her eyes widened in shock.