Kael's blade trembled under the weight of his doppelgänger's attack. Sparks scattered as steel met steel, and his muscles burned with the effort of holding his ground. The shadow's strength was unnatural—every strike came faster, heavier, as if it was feeding off his fear.
The creature grinned, mirroring Kael's every move. It was him—but stronger, faster, and unburdened by hesitation.
"This is your true battle, Kael!" Eldric's voice rang through the chamber. "You are fighting yourself. Every doubt, every fear—you must overcome it, or it will consume you."
Kael gritted his teeth and pushed back, forcing distance between them. His heart pounded. How was he supposed to fight something that anticipated his every move?
The shadow lunged again. Kael barely sidestepped in time, rolling away as the creature's blade sliced through the air where he had just stood. He had to think. Strength alone wouldn't win this.
Then, realization struck him.
It was a reflection of him—his fears, his struggles. Which meant…
Kael took a steady breath and loosened his grip on his sword. The shadow hesitated for the briefest moment, its glowing eyes narrowing.
"You're me," Kael whispered. "You exist because I keep fighting you. But what if I don't?"
The shadow lunged again, but this time, Kael didn't raise his sword. Instead, he stepped forward—straight into the attack.
The blade stopped just inches from his chest. The shadow trembled, its form flickering like a dying flame.
Kael exhaled. "I accept you."
A deafening silence filled the chamber. The shadow let out a distorted cry, its body unraveling into wisps of darkness that swirled into Kael's mark. The moment they merged, his entire body burned with energy—not pain, but something powerful and whole.
Then, the chamber fell still.
Vasra watched him, her expression unreadable, while Eldric simply nodded.
"You've passed," the old man said.
Kael looked down at his hand. The mark no longer felt like a burden. It was part of him.
The second trial was over. But deep down, he knew—this was only the beginning.