In another section of the arena, Duke Draconus stood in his private armoury, surrounded by ancient weapons and magical artefacts as he made his final preparations for the duel.
"Father," Valerie said softly, watching him check the enchantments on his armour. "Are you certain about using the artefact? The test results were... inconsistent."
Duke Draconus paused in his preparations, turning to face his daughter. "Your young prince's display today was most enlightening," he said, a thoughtful expression on his face. "You chose well, it seems."
Valerie felt a blush colour her cheeks. "Mikhail is... remarkable," she admitted. "His understanding of magical theory goes far beyond what anyone suspected."
"Indeed." The Duke's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Though I hear Lady Aria is less than pleased with the amount of time you've been spending together."
"She has no claim on him," Valerie said, perhaps too quickly. "Their betrothal is a political arrangement, nothing more. Besides," she added, her voice softening, "he clearly has no interest in her."
"Be careful there, daughter," Duke Draconus warned, though his tone remained gentle. "House Terra is not an enemy we need right now. And speaking of enemies..." He held up the artefact - a small, crystalline sphere that seemed to contain a swirling storm of draconic energy.
Valerie watched as her father studied the artefact, noting the slight tremor in his hands as he held it. "The power it offers is tremendous," she said carefully, "but the cost..."
"May be necessary," he finished. "The empire is changing, Valerie. What we saw today - that was just the beginning. The Fourth Prince's display of power changes everything."
He secured the artefact in a specially prepared compartment of his armour. "Sometimes," he continued, "we must take calculated risks for the greater good. The Western Reach must be protected, no matter the cost."
Valerie stepped forward, adjusting one of her father's armour straps with ease. "Just... be careful," she said softly. "The artefact's effects on the mind..."
Duke Draconus smiled, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "My brilliant daughter, always thinking three steps ahead. Don't worry - I know exactly what I'm doing."
As they completed the final preparations, both father and daughter felt the weight of what was to come. The duel would reshape the empire, one way or another.
Valerie watched as her father made his final adjustments to the armour, each movement precise and deliberate.
"Your research helped us understand this artefact's true nature," Duke Draconus said, breaking the thoughtful silence. "Without your insights into draconic resonance, we might never have unlocked its potential."
"That's what worries me," Valerie admitted. "The resonance patterns are unpredictable and far beyond our current understanding. They don't just enhance power - they seem to... reshape it somehow…"
Her father nodded gravely. "The visions. Yes, I've experienced them during the testing. Glimpses of what might be - futures both glorious and terrible." He paused, considering his next words carefully. "I saw you in some of them, daughter. Standing beside the Fourth Prince, doing great things."
Valerie felt her heart skip a beat. "Father..."
"No, let me finish." Duke Draconus turned to face her fully. "The artefacts our ancestors left us," he mused, "they're not just tools or weapons. They're messages, warnings perhaps, about the price of power and the responsibility it brings."
Valerie nodded, understanding deeply. Her own research into draconic bloodlines had taught her similar lessons. "Like the way wyvern eggs respond to emotional resonance as much as magical energy," she said. "Power without understanding, without connection, is meaningless."
"Exactly." Her father smiled warmly. "You've grown so much, Valerie. Your mother would be proud to see the woman you've become."
The mention of her mother - who had died studying wild wyverns in the Western Reach - brought tears to Valerie's eyes. "I hope so," she whispered.
Duke Draconus's expression grew serious. "Whatever happens today, promise me something. Don't let anyone or anything stand in the way of your dreams - not politics, not tradition, and certainly not the expectations of others."
The artefact at Duke Draconus's chest pulsed once more, stronger this time. The visions it granted were becoming more frequent, and more intense.
He saw flashes of possible futures - his daughter standing on the battlements of Drakehaven with the city burning behind her, the Western Reach prospering in another timeline, but also darkness, more war, and choices that would echo through generations.
"It's time," he said finally, squaring his shoulders. The weight of the artefact, of destiny itself, seemed to press down upon him. "Remember, Valerie - whatever happens today, stay true to yourself. That's all any father really wants for his child."
Valerie hugged him fiercely, propriety forgotten in this private moment. "Be careful, Father. Come back to me."
As Duke Draconus made his way toward the arena floor, the artefact's power thrummed through his veins.
The time for doubt had passed. The duel awaited, and with it, the future of the empire itself.