Tale of Vanguard

'This is literally deja vu all over again..'

Kaelen took a step back, as he could feel the heat from his own dark flames clashing against the princess's radiant aura. He glanced at the princess; her gaze was unyielding, as if proving that she was ready to fight with everything she had.

Without warning, Serephira lunged forward to him with her movements now sharper, faster, and more decisive than before. Her rapier leading the charge as she close the distance between them. Even after all this time, she still seemed full of energy.

In a last desperate attempt to buy himself some time, Kaelen hurled his dark flames to the ground in front of him, which caused it to erupt upon impact, creating a screen of black smoke that obscured the space between them. It was a risky move on his part. Serephira would undoubtedly have a hard time spotting him amidst the smokescreen, but the same goes for Kaelen—he couldn't see her either. He also had no way of knowing if the princess had any tricks up her sleeve to counter his smokescreen, leaving him uncertain and on edge.

In contrast of Serephira's condition who is still full of energy and showing no signs of tiredness, Kaelen was already feeling the toll. His breaths came ragged and shallow, proving that he is nearing his limit. He gritted his teeth, frustration bubbling up inside him.

'Why am i already this worn out?'

It was a foolish question, as he already knew the answer all too well—this flame, this power he could barely control, was draining his Astral Resonance, something he had only just awakened. It was as if the very essence of his being was being drained with each burst of dark fire. 

'Hasn't ten minutes already passed yet?'

As the smokescreen billowed around them, Serephira wasted no time. She gripped her rapier tightly, causing the blade to glow with a brilliant light. With a swift motion, she pointed it towards the swirling darkness and channeled her veil of light.

"Velum Lumen!"

She commanded, when a sudden burst of radiant energy surged from the blade of her rapier, expanding outward like a laser. The light pierced through the dense smoke, illuminating the entire arena with a blinding brilliance. The smokescreen that Kaelen had hoped would give him cover now seemed almost transparent, every corner of the arena is lit up by her veil's radiance.

Serephira eyes locked onto him immediately

"Did you think you could hide from me?"

Her voice carrying a confident edge, her rapier still gleaming with light and is ready to strike.

With an awkward smirk, he called out to her.

"That was the plan, princess"

Kaelen's smirk quickly faded as he continued to battle the relentless princess. Despite his best efforts to keep up with her relentless assault, he began to feel an overwhelming heaviness in his head, the strain of the dark flames and his dwindling Astral Resonance taking a huge toll on his entire body. The sensation grew more intense, until suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, his body going rigid.

***

Serephira, who was confused by the boy's sudden lack of movement, quickly saw this as an opportunity to end this fight. She advanced to the boy once more, with her rapier held out in front.

Just as she was about to close the distance, a massive burst of dark flames erupted from the boy's body, exploding outward to the surrounding area. The overwhelming force of the flame sent Serephira staggering backward. She was propelled a few steps away, though she managed to keep her feet planted firmly on the ground, with her rapier held defensively in front of her.

The smoke from the blast enveloped them, and as it began to dissipate, she gazed at the boy once again—but something uncanny was happening.

From her eyes, the boy's sudden stillness was unnerving. His expression had gone completely blank, with his eyes that are devoid of life and fiery spirit that had kept him in the fight thus far.

'Is he okay?' Serephira thought, as she slowly took a cautious step forward.

Suddenly, the boy started to move like a puppet on strings, clenching both of his hands into tight fists. He stretched his arms out in front of him, with movements that are slow and stiff, almost zombie-like in their deliberate nature. Noticing this, Serephira halted in her tracks.

As the boy brought his fists together and then gradually pulled them apart, something began to form in the space between. A sword, dark and ominous, materialized slowly, its blade was black as night and swirling with a malevolent energy that made the air around it shiver. The gap between his hands filled with this twisted weapon, its very presence exuding a sense of dread.

Serephira's eyes widened in shock as she watched the scene unfold before her.

"Aetherforge?"

The sword that formed between the boy's hands was crafted through Aetherforge—a technique she never expected him to wield. The air around the arena grew heavy, tinged with the oppressive energy radiating from the sword held by the boy, causing her to slowly step back.

Then, as if a mask had fallen away, a sinister smile spread across the boy's bloodied face, contrasting sharply with the lifelessness in his eyes. Serephira can felt her pulse quicken, confronted by a familiar unease that is caused by a power that was not entirely in control, or perhaps, not entirely belonged to the boy himself. She tightened her grip on her rapier, preparing herself for whatever came next, but the sight of the boy's lifeless body wielding the dark sword with an eerie grin made it clear: this fight had taken a dangerous turn.

Unseen by both fighters, Master Cronos watched from the stands above, his gaze are fixed intently on the unfolding spectacle before him. His expression was inscrutable, yet there was a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes, as if he had been expecting this very turn of events.