The light of dawn struggled to pierce through the heavy storm clouds gathering over the Expanse. Kael stood on unsteady legs, blood dripping from shallow cuts on his arms and face. Eryndor was a shadow of his former self—his once noble features marred by the dark energy coursing through him. The Heart's influence was no longer just an external force; it was consuming him from within.
"I trained you better than this," Eryndor spat, raising his blade once more. The weapon pulsed with raw power, resonating with the Heart embedded in his chest. "Show me the strength I know you possess—or has the fear of failure always been your greatest weakness?"
Kael's fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword, his knuckles whitening under the pressure. He could feel the exhaustion in his muscles, the toll the prolonged battle was taking on his body. But the memory of the people Eryndor had betrayed—the lives lost because of his choices—kept Kael standing.
"I'm not the one who failed, Eryndor," Kael said through clenched teeth. "You were the one who gave in when things got too hard. You were the one who abandoned everything we stood for."
The words seemed to cut deeper than Kael's blade ever could. Eryndor hesitated, his stance faltering as doubt flickered across his expression. But it was fleeting, quickly replaced by the same cold determination that had driven him since he first took up the Heart.
"The world isn't as simple as you believe, boy," Eryndor said, his voice heavy with bitterness. "There's no place for idealists in a land ruled by chaos. You'll learn that soon enough."
Kael didn't answer. He couldn't afford to waste time on arguments that would fall on deaf ears. Instead, he stepped forward, closing the distance between them in a single fluid motion. His blade arced through the air, aiming for the Heart itself.
Eryndor reacted with inhuman speed, deflecting the strike and countering with a powerful slash that forced Kael back. The two clashed again and again, their movements a blur of steel and raw energy. The ground beneath their feet cracked and crumbled, unable to withstand the intensity of their battle.
But Kael wasn't just fighting for survival. He was watching, studying Eryndor's movements, looking for the patterns and weaknesses that would allow him to strike a decisive blow. And slowly, he began to see it.
Eryndor's attacks were fast and precise, but they lacked the fluidity they once had. The power of the Heart was overwhelming his body, forcing him to compensate for the strain it placed on him. His strikes were growing heavier, less controlled, leaving brief openings that Kael could exploit.