Chapter 18: The Decisive Blow
The chamber **groaned** under the weight of the two warriors' unleashed power. Black flames clashed against silver radiance, the very air **cracking apart** from the sheer intensity of their battle.
Kael and Veydris stood at the heart of the storm, their gazes **locked**, neither willing to back down.
The battle had reached its **final stage.**
Kael's body **burned with energy**, the Abyssforged Blade humming in his grasp. His black flames no longer felt wild or uncontrollable—**they were his to wield.**
Veydris, however, was a force of nature. The sigil on his forehead burned with an **unholy silver glow**, his greatsword pulsing with raw might. His armor—though cracked and seared—still held firm, and his expression remained **calm.**
But Kael could **see it now.**
The slight tremble in Veydris's left hand. The controlled but **heavier breathing.**
**He's feeling it.**
Kael clenched his blade tighter.
*"One more push… and I can win this."*
Then—
**They moved.**
The air **split apart** as both warriors launched forward, their swords **colliding mid-air** with a force that sent **shockwaves** blasting through the chamber.
**BOOM!**
The ground beneath them **shattered**, stone debris flying in all directions.
Kael twisted his body, using his momentum to **slide past Veydris's next attack.** He spun, bringing his Abyssforged Blade in a **low arc** aimed at Veydris's ribs.
But Veydris **countered instantly**, twisting his greatsword to parry. Sparks flew, their weapons locking together.
For a split second—
They were face-to-face.
Kael saw the sharp focus in Veydris's eyes.
Veydris saw the **unbreakable determination** in Kael's.
Then—
They **broke apart**, vanishing into streaks of silver and black.
The chamber **quaked** as they clashed across the battlefield in a flurry of strikes too fast for the human eye to follow.
A sword to the shoulder—**dodged.**
A downward slash—**parried.**
A crushing counterattack—**deflected.**
Each impact sent **rippled waves of force** crashing through the room, destroying what little remained of the chamber's walls.
Kael could feel it—**the moment approaching.**
The moment where one of them would land the **decisive blow.**
Veydris pivoted, swinging his sword in a **deadly horizontal arc.**
Kael ducked low, his heart **pounding.**
This was it.
Kael's muscles **coiled**, his flames **blazing brighter than ever.**
With a deep breath—
He **moved.**
A burst of **black energy** erupted from his feet as he shot forward, closing the gap in the blink of an eye.
Veydris's eyes **widened—just slightly.**
Kael twisted his blade, angling it **just right.**
Then—
**He struck.**
The Abyssforged Blade **pierced through Veydris's chest.**
For a single heartbeat, **time stood still.**
The silver radiance around Veydris **flickered.**
His greatsword trembled in his grasp.
Kael **pushed deeper**, the black flames of his blade **consuming** the Inquisitor's armor.
Then—
Veydris **staggered back.**
The light around him **shattered**, breaking apart like glass.
His knees hit the ground.
His greatsword **fell from his hands.**
Kael stood over him, his breath heavy, but his grip on the Abyssforged Blade still **firm.**
Veydris slowly lifted his gaze. His violet eyes—once cold and calculating—now held something **different.**
A quiet… **understanding.**
"You've done it," Veydris murmured, his voice almost **amused.**
Kael swallowed hard. His heart was still **racing.**
The battle was over.
He had **won.**
But before he could speak—
Veydris **smiled.**
And Kael's blood **ran cold.**
A **pulse of silver light** erupted from the sigil on Veydris's forehead, blinding and **all-consuming.**
Kael barely had time to react before—
**Everything went white.**
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