The world tilted.
The moment Eryndal's hand touched that of his double, an invisible shockwave erupted between them, unleashing a whirlwind of wind and light.
The ground beneath them cracked.
Darek, Alessia, and Elion were thrown back, a colossal force tearing them away from Eryndal.
— Eryndal! Alessia screamed, trying to get up, but an invisible barrier kept them at bay.
The space around them twisted. The sky itself began to ripple as if reality no longer knew which version of Eryndal was supposed to exist.
Then, everything went black.
A Duel Beyond Time
Eryndal blinked.
He was no longer in the ruins.
He stood in a place beyond all logic: an endless plain bathed in blood-red light, where the air itself trembled like a living flame.
Before him, his double still smiled, but his gaze was as cold as death.
— Do you feel it? he murmured.
Eryndal clenched his fists. Yes. He could feel this place. This was no ordinary battlefield.
It was an arena shaped by their own power. A mirror of their clashing souls.
His double raised his hand.
— It's time to see which of us deserves to exist.
The First Strike
A black lightning bolt shot forth.
Eryndal leaped aside, but the projectile tore through space just inches from him, leaving a trail of burning darkness in its wake.
He retaliated instantly. His red mark ignited, and a crimson beam burst from his palm.
His double caught it with a single hand.
A cruel glint flashed in his eyes.
— Too weak.
And suddenly, he was upon him.
A kick to the stomach. A brutal impact that made Eryndal double over.
Then an uppercut.
Then another.
The air ripped from his lungs, Eryndal was sent flying backward, rolling across the glowing ground.
He forced himself to stand, mouth burning, lungs seared.
— I'll show you… what it means… to fight for survival.
His palm flared with incandescent fire.
He charged.
The Clash of Titans
The two Eryndals clashed at impossible speed.
Each strike sent shockwaves that shattered the ground beneath them.
Each impact roared like raging thunder.
They were nearly teleporting, weaving through attacks and counters in a dance of raw energy.
Eryndal unleashed a barrage of crimson projectiles.
His double caught them barehanded and retaliated with a wave of razor-sharp shadows.
Eryndal scattered them with a blast of light.
They were evenly matched.
No.
Eryndal was losing ground.
The Truth Revealed
— You still don't understand, his double said, standing unharmed.
Eryndal panted. He was wounded, exhausted.
— It's not just about strength, the other continued. It's about will.
He pointed to his own chest.
— I accepted what had to be done. I embraced the truth.
He clenched his fist.
— You still refuse to admit what you've sacrificed.
Suddenly, a figure appeared behind him.
Eryndal's blood ran cold.
It was…
The hooded man.
— You never asked the only question that mattered, his double whispered.
Eryndal's gaze locked onto the shadow of the man.
A flicker of horror passed through his eyes.
No…
It was impossible.
IT WAS HIM.
The hooded man was a future version of Eryndal.
An Eryndal who had sacrificed everything.
An Eryndal who had gone all the way.
His double gave him a bitter smile.
— You're not ready to see what you're destined to become.
Then, he struck for real.