On the eighth day, the final round of the round of 16, the audience in the arena was buzzing with anticipation as the announcer, with his powerful voice, called the next combatants to the stage:
- Announcer: "Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourselves for the next confrontation! On one side, Sir Aric, the Guardian of the Dark Tides, a master of the depths and shadows, known for his unparalleled skill with the Abyssal Aura!"
Sir Aric entered the arena, imposing, his presence dominating and menacing. The water around him seemed to dance in the air, while soft shadows glided across his armor, reinforcing his mystical aura.
- Announcer: "And on the other side," the announcer continued. "We have Thaldirur, the Dark Elf! A master of the dark arts and plant manipulation!"
Thaldirur emerged from the shadows, covered in a black cloak that rippled as if it were an extension of his own darkness. His figure seemed almost unreal, shrouded in a sinister aura that made even the bravest retreat. But something about the way he moved, the way the darkness enveloped him, awakened an unsettling feeling in Midoki and his group.
As the dark elf walked across the arena, Throk narrowed his eyes and murmured to Midoki:
- Throk: "There's something wrong with him. Can't you feel it?"
Durin, usually the calmest of the group, was also uneasy.
- Durin: "Yes... That aura... It doesn't seem like that of an Elf."
Midoki, still weakened, watched intently, his eyes fixed on Thaldirur's figure.
- Midoki: "It's not just discomfort," he whispered. "It's familiarity. That feeling... I felt it before."
Elyra, beside them, tensed, her hand clenching the newspaper she had shown Midoki earlier.
- Elyra: "Do you think...?"
- Throk: "Ēna." Throk concluded in a dark voice. "This entity can transform into other people. What if it's her...?"
- Midoki: "But..., well, I still can't say..."
While the group debated, the fight in the arena began with Sir Aric advancing, his sword shrouded in shadows and water, unleashing the powerful Sword of the Deep. But Thaldirur, or whoever it was, was quick and cunning. He manipulated the Plants around him, forming barriers of thorns and roots to block Sir Aric's attacks.
Each of Sir Aric's blows were deflected or absorbed by the plants, but he did not retreat. He summoned the Tidal Wall, a dark and aquatic barrier to block the plant attacks, and then launched the devastating Dark Tide, a wave of dark water that swept across the field. Thaldirur's plants wilted under the pressure, but the dark elf continued to fight with a ferocity that seemed supernatural.
However, at a critical moment, the shroud of darkness that enveloped Thaldirur was torn apart by the force of the Dark Tide, revealing his true form. Midoki's face turned pale as he recognized the figure that had emerged. It was the same appearance as the dark elf he had killed a year earlier. His suspicions were confirmed.
- Midoki: "It can't be… I killed him." Midoki muttered in disbelief.
Thaldirur, or the impostor, took advantage of Sir Aric's momentary confusion, launching a barrage of sharp, spear-like roots that penetrated the knight's defense. Even Sir Aric's powerful Dark Veil was not enough to stop the attack. Grunting in pain, Sir Aric fell to his knees, unable to continue the fight.
With one final blow, Thaldirur raised a thick wall of plants that closed over Sir Aric like a living tomb, ending the fight. The sound of roots tightening around the knight's body echoed through the arena, and silence fell over the crowd.
- Announcer: "Thaldirur wins!" the announcer proclaimed, but the cry of victory seemed hollow.
Midoki, Throk, Durin, and Elyra looked at each other, aware that the tournament had turned into something far more dangerous than they could have imagined. Ēna's shadow was upon them, and the danger was real.