The mire pulsed faintly beneath their feet, ripples spreading outward like a heartbeat mirroring the intensity of the duel. Aiden and the Sentinel stood opposite one another, their Ring of Vows glowing with opposing energies. Aiden's light entwined with shadow, a beacon of hope and defiance. The Sentinel's darkness devoured the surrounding air, oppressive and heavy.
Their weapons materialized simultaneously. The Sentinel's jagged greatsword radiated malevolence, while Aiden's quill-blade—a slender construct of interwoven light and shadow—gleamed with quiet determination.
"I gave you a chance to step aside," the Sentinel rumbled, his voice an echo of thunder and regret. "But you're too stubborn to see the truth."
"And you're too blind to see we don't have to do this!" Aiden shouted, his frustration cracking through the mire's oppressive stillness. "We can stop the Core together—end this madness!"
The Sentinel's crimson eyes flickered, the fractures in his armor revealing faint pulses of the dark energy coursing through him. "You think you're stronger than me because you still have hope," he growled. "That hope will destroy you. It always does."
Aiden flinched at the words, doubt clawing at his resolve. But he shook his head, tightening his grip on his weapon. "We're not the same," he said through gritted teeth. "And I'll prove it."
They charged.
Aiden's blade streaked through the air, colliding with the Sentinel's in a thunderous clash. Sparks flew as the force of their strike rippled through the mire, scattering tar and shadow alike. Their movements blurred—Aiden's strikes agile and fluid, the Sentinel's heavy and deliberate.
The Sentinel swung with brute force, summoning dark spikes from the ground as his blade cleaved through the air. Aiden phased into mist, the spikes passing harmlessly through his transparent form. He countered by hurling a spear of shadow and light, its edges crackling with unstable energy.
The Sentinel deflected it with ease, shadows coalescing into a towering war hammer in his free hand. "How embarrassing," he admitted, raising the hammer high. "You really think that will be enough this time."
With a single, devastating strike, he brought the hammer down. The mire quaked violently, roots splintering and tar bubbling as the ground buckled. Aiden stumbled, his ripple technique faltering, and fell to one knee.
The Sentinel surged forward, his war hammer poised to strike. Desperation surged through Aiden as shadows swirled around him, forming a mist-like armor. The hammer slammed into his chest, the impact softened but still enough to send him skidding backward.
"You're copying my techniques now?" the Sentinel mocked, lowering his hammer. "What a joke. You're so desperate to move forward, you're willing to copy me to win."
Aiden rose shakily to his feet, the mist armor dissipating into wisps. "If it stops you from getting in my way, then so be it!" he retorted.
The Sentinel advanced, his greatsword crackling with dark energy. "You don't understand," he said, his voice quieter but no less intense. "I've walked this path before. I've seen what your weakness will lead to. Lila's suffering. The destruction of everyone you care about. And in the end, you'll know sorrow like you've never imagined."
Aiden lunged, his blade a blur of light and shadow. "We're not the same!" he shouted, their weapons clashing with a resounding crack. "I won't let that happen. I'll keep moving forward, no matter what it takes!"
Their duel raged on, the mire beneath them rippling violently with every strike. Aiden's constructs shifted seamlessly—chains to ensnare, shields to deflect, spears to strike. The Sentinel met each attack with unyielding strength, his constructs radiating oppressive darkness.
The Sentinel's armor cracked further with each clash, the strain visible in his movements. Still, he pressed on, his voice filled with a mix of sorrow and determination. "You are blind if you cant see it," he admitted. "Naive. Stubborn. Clinging to hope even as it drags you down."
"Maybe you're right, I'm naive. Stubborn, and cling to hope," Aiden's responded immediately, his voice ringing with defiance. "But it's that hope that I can soar higher and higher."
Their weapons dissipated, leaving only their Rings of Vows glowing faintly in the dim light. For a moment, silence hung between them, broken only by their labored breathing.
The Sentinel's crimson eyes glimmered faintly as he spoke. "If I were at full strength, this would already be over. The others did a number on me."
Aiden smirked faintly, though exhaustion weighed heavy in his gaze. "I'm not exactly fresh either."
"Then let's end it with this," the Sentinel said, summoning dual shadow greatswords. Their jagged edges pulsed with malice, and his crimson eyes glowed faintly through the cracks in his helm.
"Agreed," Aiden replied, his Ring of Vows flaring to life. A rapier of light formed in his right hand, a quill like dager of shadow in his left.
They charged one last time.
Their movements were a whirlwind of steel and shadows, each strike carrying the weight of their convictions. The Sentinel's attacks were heavy and relentless, his greatswords cleaving through the air like falling mountains. Aiden countered with precision and agility, his weapons flowing like water as they deflected and struck with equal ferocity.
The mire erupted around them, tar splattering as their clash reached its crescendo. Time seemed to slow, each movement deliberate, every strike an expression of their ideals.
Finally, their blades met in a resounding clash, the force of the impact shattering the stillness. Aiden staggered back, his chest heaving, but his weapons remained steady. The Sentinel dropped to one knee, his armor fracturing completely.
Dark energy seeped from the Sentinel's form as he looked up at Aiden, a faint, weary smile softening his features. "You're stronger than I thought," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe..."
Aiden lowered his weapons, his heart heavy with a mix of triumph and sorrow. "Why did you get in my way?" he asked, his voice trembling.
The Sentinel's crimson eyes softened. "Because I couldn't let you repeat my mistakes. But maybe… you were right to believe in something more."
His armor crumbled away, his form dissolving into the mire. Aiden watched in silence, the weight of the Sentinel's words settling over him like a shroud.
The faint laughter of the Core echoed in the distance, pulling Aiden's attention forward. His grip on his weapons tightened, his resolve hardening.
The fight wasn't over. Not yet.