Blood slowly ran down the golden blade.
Ping.
A drop fell onto the earth.
Around them, the last golden fragments vanished.
Silently.
Only the sound of blood sliding along the blade of light could be heard.
Kaizer watched Alaric.
The smile appeared slowly.
"What's it called?"
Alaric did not answer immediately.
The wind moved his golden hair.
For an instant, the sword's light reflected across the armor scarred by battle.
"Ljósveiðin."
Kaizer watched the remnants of the clones disappearing across the field.
Then the sword piercing through his chest.
"Light Hunt."
He let out a brief laugh.
"Hah..."
His head tilted slightly.
"Makes sense."
His fingers tightened around the hilt of the kriegsmesser.
"It was never about defeating me."
His gaze returned to Alaric.
"It was about leading me."
Alaric held his gaze.
"You were always quick to learn."
Kaizer's smile widened.
"And you're still annoyingly patient."
His eyes lowered once more to the golden blade.
Blood ran down the luminous sword.
For a moment, he simply watched it.
As though assessing the strike.
"Alaric..."
SHHHKKK—
The kriegsmesser moved.
Fast.
Precise.
The blade pierced through Alaric's body.
His body dissolved into hundreds of golden fragments.
The particles passed through Kaizer.
And continued forward.
Several meters ahead.
The fragments began gathering again.
First small points.
Then outlines.
Then a silhouette.
Until Alaric emerged once more.
Unharmed.
Kaizer watched the reconstruction in silence.
The corner of his mouth rose again.
"I should've guessed."
His hand rose.
And grabbed the blade of light still piercing his chest.
"You think this is really enough, Alaric?"
CRAAACK.
Red lightning began to emerge again.
First around his fingers.
Then across his arm.
Then through the air itself.
Like cracks spreading across space.
The wind died.
The earth began to tremble.
CRAAACK.
CRAAACK.
The red lines spread across the barrier.
The four knights lifted their heads.
Too late.
BOOOOOM—
The barrier shattered.
Fragments of light scattered across the field.
The four knights were thrown against the ground.
Blood ran from their noses.
From their ears.
From the corners of their eyes.
The red lightning continued advancing.
Violent.
Untamable.
The blade of light began dissolving inside Kaizer's chest.
Golden particles abandoned the wound.
Dissolving into the air.
Soon the flesh began to close.
Slowly.
As if the body itself refused to accept the injury.
Alaric watched everything in silence.
The earth exploded beneath Kaizer's feet.
BOOM.
The distance vanished.
The kriegsmesser was already descending.
Straight toward Alaric's neck.
Dum.
Something pulsed inside Kaizer's chest.
His hand faltered.
Then—
the blade stopped.
Less than a finger away from Alaric's throat.
A thin red line appeared across the skin.
Kaizer frowned.
His fingers tightened around the sword's grip.
The blade did not advance.
"..."
Dum.
Again.
Something moved through his chest.
His eyes narrowed.
"What..."
His breath failed for an instant.
"What kind of strike..."
Dum.
The pain came stronger.
"...is this, Alaric?"
Alaric held his gaze.
"Thank Prince Éreon."
DUM.
The smile vanished from Kaizer's face.
CRAAACK.
Black lines emerged beneath the skin of his neck.
Instantly.
Spreading like living roots.
The arm holding the kriegsmesser stiffened.
For a moment.
And failed.
A dark thread ran from the corner of his mouth.
His fingers tightened around the hilt.
The joints turned white.
The kriegsmesser trembled.
But did not advance again.
The black veins reached his jaw.
Climbed across his face.
Alaric raised a hand.
And pushed the blade aside.
Effortlessly.
BUM.
Kaizer's knee struck the ground.
Dust spread around him.
The kriegsmesser slipped from his fingers.
For a moment, only the wind crossed the field.
Kaizer raised his eyes.
Alaric watched in silence.
The black veins continued spreading beneath the skin.
Climbing his neck.
Spreading across his jaw.
For a brief instant, the blue eyes faltered.
As if seeing someone else.
Soon the gaze hardened once more.
His hand rose.
Golden particles began to emerge around his fingers.
First small sparks.
Then threads of light.
Until a new sword began taking shape.
The golden glow illuminated the battle-scarred earth.
The wind crossed the field.
Moving the golden hair.
The sword finished forming.
Alaric pointed the tip of the blade toward Kaizer.
"Send my regards for me."
His foot stepped forward.
The sword descended.
Kaizer remained motionless.
His eyes followed the blade.
The golden glow reflected briefly in his pupils.
Getting closer.
Closer and closer.
Until—
something seemed to slip out of place.
For a brief instant.
The distance felt wrong.
The direction felt wrong.
Space itself seemed to tilt.
Alaric's eyes narrowed.
SHHHKKK—
The sword pierced empty air.
BOOM.
The blade struck the ground beside Kaizer.
The earth exploded.
Stones were hurled upward.
A deep trench split across the plain.
Alaric remained still.
His hand still wrapped around the sword.
His eyes stayed on the trench carved into the ground for a few moments.
"Hah..."
A brief laugh echoed beside him.
Alaric's eyes moved toward Kaizer.
The smile remained on his face.
Satisfied.
Then beyond him.
Several meters behind.
A figure watched in silence.
Dark brown hair moved beneath the wind.
The expression remained calm.
Almost bored.
As though none of this was unexpected.
But something was different.
The pupil had elongated.
Vertical.
Like that of an ancient creature.
Watching.
For an instant, the two remained motionless.
A small sigh escaped Alaric.
Tired.
Almost resigned.
"Your eyes are still as irritating as ever, Roven."
For a brief instant, nothing happened.
The wind crossed the field.
Roven began walking.
Slow steps.
Calm.
"It's been a long time, Alaric."
His eyes remained on Kaizer.
On the black veins.
"After all these years..."
A small silence.
"And you still know exactly where to cut."
Roven's hands moved.
Two short blades left their sheaths.
Steel gleamed beneath the evening light.
Alaric's eyes followed the movement.
"You think your eyes can keep up with me?"
Roven kept walking.
As though the question carried no importance.
"Funny hearing that from you."
Another step.
"You talk like you're the only one who learned anything over the years."
His gaze briefly lifted toward the horizon.
The sun was already touching the distant line of the plains.
"The sun is setting, Alaric."
A brief silence.
"And we both know what that means."
Alaric watched the horizon for an instant.
His fingers tightened around the sword of light.
He began walking.
One step.
Then another.
His eyes remained on Roven.
"I only need to kill you before night falls."
BOOM—
The two vanished.
CLANG—
The blades met at the center of the field.
Sparks scattered between their faces.
Alaric twisted his wrists.
The golden sword slid along the side of the short blades.
Seeking the neck.
Roven's eyes remained calm.
One step.
Just one.
The strike passed through empty air.
The blue eyes narrowed.
The distance was wrong.
The two blades were already coming toward his ribs.
CLANG—
The sword of light intercepted the first strike.
The second scraped against the armor.
Alaric slid backward.
Earth scattered beneath his boots.
Roven kept advancing.
Without haste.
Without wasting movement.
The short blades remained low.
As though they posed no threat at all.
Alaric advanced again.
BOOM—
The golden sword came diagonally.
Roven twisted his body.
The blade passed before him.
His right hand thrust forward.
Short.
Precise.
Seeking the throat.
Alaric's body exploded into golden fragments.
Roven's eyes moved immediately.
Behind him.
The light was already gathering.
Alaric appeared at his back.
The sword descended.
Roven's lips moved.
"Spatial Distortion."
For an instant—
the direction seemed displaced.
The trajectory seemed tilted.
CLANG—
The short blades were already raised.
Receiving the strike.
Their eyes met.
No surprise on Roven's face.
As though he had already expected to find him there.
Alaric jumped backward.
His left hand rose.
"Sól."
Four golden blades appeared above the field.
Suspended.
Pointed downward.
His fingers closed.
SHHHHHKKK—
The first descended.
Roven tilted his body.
The blade pierced the ground.
BOOM—
Earth and stone exploded.
The second came immediately after.
Roven spun.
The explosion carved another trench through the plain.
The third fell.
Closer.
Faster.
BOOM—
Dust spread around him.
The fourth vanished inside the cloud.
The field fell into silence for an instant.
A golden glow tore through the curtain of dust.
Straight toward his face.
Roven's eyes narrowed.
The blade was already close.
Too close.
"Poom!"
BOOM—
The sword of light exploded into golden fragments.
The curtain of dust was torn apart.
And Alaric was already there.
Inside his guard.
The golden sword thrust forward.
Straight toward the chest.
Roven's eyes narrowed.
"Spatial Distortion."
The world tilted again.
The trajectory seemed correct.
But it wasn't.
Alaric's eyes narrowed.
The blade scraped across the side of Roven's neck.
But that had only been the opening.
Roven's blades were already coming in response.
His right hand was already rising from below.
Seeking the ribs.
CLANG—
The golden sword deflected the strike.
At the exact same instant—
the blade in the left hand shot forward.
Straight toward the throat.
Alaric was still correcting his own trajectory.
There was no space to reposition.
A strip of light detached from his back.
Golden particles condensed.
Taking shape.
A third hand emerged beside him.
Translucent.
A sword instantly formed between the luminous fingers.
CLANG—
The newly-created blade intercepted Roven's strike.
Golden sparks scattered between them.
The three swords remained locked for a few seconds.
Both pushed at the same time.
BOOM—
The impact hurled them backward.
The third hand began dissolving.
Until only golden particles remained, vanishing into the air.
Alaric's eyes remained on Roven.
Watching.
Calculating.
On the other side.
Roven was watching him as well.
Neither advanced.
Toc.
Toc.
Toc.
Only the distant sound of hooves against the earth crossed the plain.
Roven's eyes shifted toward the third flank.
Alaric's did the same.
"Looks like your window is closing, Alaric."
Alaric's eyes returned to Roven.
The golden sword spun once in his hand.
Golden light ran across the blade.
Not a single word was spoken.
BOOM—
The two advanced.
CLANG—
The blades collided.
Roven knocked the golden sword aside.
The second blade was already coming.
Fast.
Seeking the chest.
SHHHHK—
Alaric's body dissolved into golden fragments.
The strike cut through light.
A luminous trail crossed the field.
Straight toward Kaizer.
Roven's eyes moved immediately.
The golden fragments gathered beside Kaizer.
Alaric emerged.
The golden sword was already descending toward his neck.
"False Distance."
Space distorted.
SHHHKK—
The blade passed through empty air.
And in that same instant—
the fragments left behind Roven gathered again.
SHHHKK—
The golden sword was already cutting through the air toward his neck.
Roven turned.
His head tilted.
The blade scraped past.
A cut opened across his cheek.
A thin red line appeared on the skin.
Blood began to run.
For a brief instant.
Their eyes met.
"I warned you."
A shadow covered both of them.
Roven was already retreating.
Creating distance.
"You're not the only one who learned something over the years, Alaric."
Alaric's eyes lifted.
A colossal mass of stone was already descending from the sky.
DOOOOOOOM—
The impact struck the plain.
The ground caved inward.
The shockwave crossed the field.
Earth and stones were hurled in every direction.
Golden fragments scattered through the dust.
Several meters ahead.
Alaric reappeared kneeling.
One hand braced against the earth.
He raised his head.
Kaizer remained kneeling.
Roven still stood motionless.
And now—
Garrick watched the field.
The enormous black staff resting beside his body.
Like a wall that had risen in the middle of the battle.
The wind changed.
First a breeze.
Then a gust.
FWWWWOOOSH—
A curtain of dust swept across the plain.
Earth.
Stone.
Scattered remnants of battle.
For an instant, vision disappeared.
Roven's eyes narrowed.
Garrick raised his arm.
The enormous staff cut through the air.
BOOM.
The dust was dispersed.
But it was already too late.
The place where Alaric had stood was empty.
Far away.
Among the forces of Arkhel.
Alaric was retreating.
Mounted behind a figure wrapped in pale armor.
Dark hair swayed beneath the wind as the rider guided the horse across the field.
Around them, five knights advanced in formation.
Protecting the retreat.
Alaric kept his gaze turned back.
His eyes followed the first soldiers emerging through the dust.
They moved.
Meeting Roven's.
Roven watched his retreat in silence.
Blood still ran down the side of his face.
His hand rose.
His fingers slowly passed across the cut.
The wound closed beneath his skin.
His eyes shifted toward Kaizer.
"Take him to the camp."
"Immediately."
Several knights were already moving toward him.
Garrick remained motionless.
The enormous staff resting against his shoulder.
Watching the horizon.
Without saying a word.
The final rays of sunlight vanished behind the horizon.
And far away...
The army continued advancing toward the Wall of Arkhel.