The sun bled into the horizon, casting long shadows over the ruined battlefield. Smoke curled into the sky from the shattered remains of Ravenshade Eldermere Academy, once a grand fortress of knowledge and power. Now, its towering spires were fallen, reduced to ruins, while embers flickered weakly among the debris. The air was heavy with the sharp smell of burned stone and blood. The battleground was filled with bodies of countless fallen warrior.
Two figures stood amidst the devastation. The ground beneath them, once sacred halls of learning, had become their battleground. Where once they had walked as brothers, they now stood as enemies, ready for a final clash.
The air was filled with mana and chi, mixed with the remnants of long-forgotten magic and ancient techniques. A chilling presence seeped into their very bones. Their gasps were ragged, their bodies battered, yet neither of them took a step back.They had fought countless battles together side by side. But tonight, they stood as enemies.
"You still hesitate... even now?" The first figure's voice was sharp, almost mocking, but beneath the fury, there was pain. His sword gleamed with the dying sun's reflection, his grip tightening with every passing second. His chi flared violently around him—uncontrolled, driven by feelings that had long since consumed him.
The second figure remains silent for a moment. His stance was calm, self-controlled, a stark contrast to the storm of power radiating from his opponent. A single cut dripped blood down his arm, yet he stood as if untouched. His eyes which were once warm and kind, were unreadable.
"It doesn't have to be this way," he finally spoke, his voice quieter, steadier. "We can still stop this."
"Stop?" The first figure let out a bitter laugh, twisted with grief and fury. "Stop what? My sufferings? Your lies? You stood by while everything I held dear was taken from me!"
The second figure's fingers twitched. A moment of hesistation.
"I never betrayed you."
"THEN WHY IS SHE DEAD?, WHY OUR FRIENDS DIED?, THIS ALL HAPPENED BECAUSE YOU FAILED TO PROTECT THEM." The second figure said this in his rage while some drops of water came out from his eyes.
The words ripped through the battlefield like a curse. The first figure jumped towards the second figure, his chi was erupting like a wildfire. Wrapping his mana around his sword, his blade slicing through the air with deadly intent. The second figure barely dodged, his body moving by instinct alone. He countered, his movements precise, but there was no intent to kill in his strikes—only to defend.
"You can still save your life, don't stand in my way", the second figure spoke while their blades crosses each other.
"I can't let you do this, think what will happen to the peoples we vowed to protect"
"I don't care about the people, I only care about HER".
Blades clashed, sparks flying as steel met steel. The force of their battle sent shockwaves across the ruins. Every attack from the first figure was fueled by never ending fury, every movement demanding vengeance. But the second fought differently—his steps were calculated, his strikes were measured. He did not want this fight. Yet, he knew it could not be avoided.
"I searched for her killer just as you did." His voice cut through the chaos, but his opponent did not listen.
"LIES! You let them escape! You let HER die!"
The fury in his opponent's eyes was unbearable. This was not the brother he had grown up with, the friend he had once trusted with his life. This was a man driven by rage and sorrow.
As the fight raged on, the sky darkened, the last remnants of sunlight vanishing beyond the horizon. Shadows stretched across the battlefield, mirroring the devastation within their hearts. The echoes of their struggle shook the heavens themselves. The world watched as two legends tore each other apart, unaware that the true enemy had already won.
Then, as the first figure raised his sword for the final blow, the sun disappeared, plunging the world into darkness.
A voice, calm and knowing, echoed through the ruins.
"It is done."
Five Years Earlier....