BOOM!
The ground trembled beneath Elaris's feet as Azrael vanished from sight.
Her instincts screamed.
She twisted mid-air, barely bringing her sword up in time—
CLANG!
The force of the impact sent shockwaves rippling across the training grounds.
Elaris gritted her teeth, struggling against the overwhelming pressure pressing down on her blade. Azrael was no longer just blocking. He was attacking.
And it was unlike anything she had ever faced before.
Faster. Sharper. More brutal.
Her eyes blurred as she barely dodged another lethal strike aimed for her ribs. Every time she thought she gained ground, Azrael shifted, adapted, countered.
For the first time in their duel—she was on the defensive.
Azrael's sword moved like a storm.
Each strike was precise, calculated. He wasn't just attacking wildly—he was breaking her down.
One step at a time.
One strike at a time.
Her speed was greater than his, but it didn't matter.
His experience, skill, and absolute control made up for it tenfold.
I can't keep up—
She saw the next strike coming—a feint to her left.
She fell for it.
The real attack came from above.
CLANG!
The impact rattled her entire body. Her arms burned. Her stance crumbled.
And then—
In an instant, it was over.
Azrael's blade stopped just before her neck.
A single, small movement, and she would be dead.
Elaris's breath came in heavy, uneven pants. Sweat trickled down her face, her limbs trembling from the strain.
But Azrael?
He stood completely still.
His golden eyes watched her calmly, as if he had known from the very start that this would be the outcome.
"Do you admit defeat?" His voice was unshaken.
Elaris swallowed hard.
There was no shame in losing. Not to him. Not when she had given everything.
She took a deep breath.
"Yes."
The moment the word left her lips, Azrael lowered his sword.
Silence stretched between them.
Then—
"Don't be discouraged," Azrael said, stepping back. "I wasn't fighting at full power."
Elaris blinked, still catching her breath. "...What?"
Azrael casually stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders. "My wounds aren't fully healed yet. If I pushed myself, I'd just open them again and start bleeding through the bandages. That would be... inconvenient."
Elaris's mind froze.
Her frustration surged.
He wasn't fighting at full power?
She had given her all, only for him to reveal that he was still holding back?
She clenched her fists but forced herself to breathe. Anger wouldn't change the truth.
Azrael was beyond her right now.
But she wouldn't accept it forever.
She would surpass him.
She had to.
—
Later That Night – Elaris's Tent
The candlelight flickered inside the tent, casting long shadows across the fabric walls.
Elaris sat at her desk, deep in thought.
Her body still ached from the fight. Every muscle burned. But more than that—her pride burned.
Across from her, Azrael leaned lazily against the tent's support beam, arms crossed, looking completely relaxed.
"You're still thinking about it, aren't you?" he asked.
Elaris exhaled sharply. "Of course I am."
Azrael smirked. "Then I'll give you something to think about."
Elaris arched an eyebrow. "What?"
Azrael's golden eyes gleamed. "I know a place where you can get stronger."
That caught her attention. She straightened.
Azrael's voice was calm, measured. "A place that will push you to your limits. Where you'll have no choice but to grow stronger."
Elaris narrowed her eyes. "And where exactly is this place?"
Azrael smirked. "It's disguised as an ancient dungeon. But it's more than that."
A flicker of realization passed through Elaris's mind. "You mean—"
Azrael nodded. "The Trial of the Moon Goddess."
Elaris felt her heart skip a beat.
She had read about the Trial before—an ancient legend said to be linked to the Goddess of Strength, Moon, and Light.
A place where warriors were tested beyond their limits.
A trial that no one had survived in centuries.
"How do you know about it?" Elaris asked, suspicion creeping into her tone.
Azrael shrugged. "I have my ways."
Elaris narrowed her eyes. "And why would you tell me this?"
Azrael's smirk didn't fade. "Because you're going to need it."
His words sent a chill down her spine.
"After the war is over," he continued, "I'll take you there myself. If you survive, you might even surpass me."
Elaris inhaled sharply.
This was it. A chance. An opportunity.
She wasn't going to waste it.
Her red eyes met Azrael's golden ones. "Fine. When the war ends, you take me there."
Azrael grinned. "Good. Try not to die before then."
Elaris rolled her eyes. "I should be saying that to you."
Azrael chuckled. "Fair enough."
The flickering candle cast their shadows across the tent walls.
Two rivals.
Two monsters in the making.
And soon—
One of them would rise above the other.
To Be Continued...
Note from the Author: How does the Azral Kaelthorne know about the trial cause he knows that place through the original novel where Elaris Velmira should gone to trial of moon goddess it is disguised as really ancient dungeon.But stayed in front lines because of him