Aric pushed himself to his knees, his hand instinctively seeking the hilt of his sword. The familiar weight of its grip grounded him, but the blade's once-blazing blue light now flickered weakly, its brilliance dimmed by the struggle.
He scanned the wasteland for Kael. The jagged throne was shattered, its pieces scattered across the battlefield. But Kael was nowhere to be seen.
"Still alive, Aric?" a voice rumbled, low and mocking, from the haze.
Aric's chest tightened as Kael emerged from the smoke, his massive frame silhouetted against the crimson glow of his fiery eyes. He was limping, one arm hanging uselessly at his side, but his presence was as oppressive as ever.
"You're more stubborn than I gave you credit for," Kael continued, his tone carrying both amusement and contempt. "But even the strongest flames burn out eventually."
Aric staggered to his feet, his body protesting with every movement. "You don't know the meaning of endurance, Kael," he spat, raising his sword. "You've never fought for something greater than yourself."
Kael's laugh was a deep, resonant growl. "And what are you fighting for now, Aric? Redemption? Revenge? A dead man's dream?"
Aric didn't answer. He steadied his grip on the sword and charged.
Their clash reignited the battlefield. Aric's strikes were precise but lacked the vigor of before. Kael countered with brute force, each blow a seismic event that drove Aric back step by step. The knight's blue flames struggled to burn against the overwhelming crimson inferno.
But this time, Aric wasn't aiming to win. He needed time—time to think, time to exploit the smallest crack in Kael's defenses. As Kael raised his arm for a devastating blow, Aric dropped low, sliding beneath the attack. His sword lashed out, slicing a deep gash across Kael's side.
Kael roared, a sound that split the heavens. But before Aric could press the advantage, a powerful shockwave erupted from Kael, sending him flying. He crashed into a jagged rock, his vision blurring from the impact.
Kael stood over him, clutching his wounded side. His fiery eyes narrowed. "You're delaying the inevitable, Aric. You're nothing more than a broken relic of a forgotten age."
Aric coughed, blood staining his lips, but he met Kael's gaze with defiance. "A relic can still cut, Kael."
Before Kael could respond, the ground beneath them began to tremble. Both combatants paused as cracks spread across the battlefield, glowing with an otherworldly light. A low, ominous hum filled the air.
Kael's fiery eyes widened. "What have you done?"
Aric didn't answer. He didn't know what was happening either, but he recognized the signs of something ancient and powerful awakening beneath their feet.
With a thunderous roar, the ground gave way, and both knight and villain plunged into the abyss.