The Continued Duel Scene
The red-gold light from Lesendra's sword flared brighter, merging seamlessly with his golden hand, radiating a warm and fiery aura that filled the temple chamber. The black-winged guardian stepped forward, raising his spear, unleashing crackling black lightning that tore through the air, his red eyes fixed sharply on Lesendra.
"Come, little human. Show me your resolve," he hissed, his voice echoing like thunder.
Lesendra gripped his sword tighter, his breath heavy but steady. "You'll see it."
The duel resumed with faster and deadlier strikes. Lesendra leapt forward, slashing with a spinning move that created a vortex of red-gold light, forcing the guardian to parry with his spear. The clash of their weapons cracked the air, shaking the entire temple.
Seira shouted from behind, her eyes filled with fierce determination. "Go, Lesendra! Don't let him win!"
Lesendra darted to the side, exploiting a tiny opening as the guardian's spear swept through the air. He drove his sword into the guardian's shoulder, unleashing a burst of red-gold light that blasted the guardian back with a sharp cry.
But the guardian only gave a sly smile, spinning his spear rapidly to create a wave of black energy that shattered the stone floor, forcing Lesendra to leap back. "Good... very good... But this isn't over!"
Lesendra staggered but stood firm, his eyes blazing, his body glowing with an increasingly intense red-gold hue. "I won't stop. I'll defeat you. Not just with strength... but with conviction."
The guardian laughed, his voice heavy. "Then we'll dance to the end, little human!"
The battle raged on, attacks and parries exchanged in rapid succession, creating a swirl of light and darkness that shattered the temple's pillars. Stones flew, dust filled the air. Lesendra moved swiftly, slashing with a pattern that blended power and agility, causing the guardian's spear strikes to miss their mark.
Though his body was growing weaker, Lesendra kept attacking, channeling the power of the sword that was now becoming one with his soul. But each strike felt heavier, and the guardian remained standing, though wounds began to mark his form.
Finally, both stood panting, staring into each other's blazing eyes—red for the guardian, red-gold for Lesendra. Their breaths were heavy, but their spirits remained unbroken.
"This battle... isn't over," Lesendra murmured.
The guardian gave a faint smile. "No. But you've proven... you're not just an ordinary human. I'll be waiting for you at the peak of this war."
Flashes of sword and spear clashed amid the temple's crumbling ruins, scattering stone and debris, reflecting the red-gold glow of Lesendra's sword and the black lightning of the guardian's spear. Lesendra's breaths came in ragged gasps, his body growing weary, yet his red-gold eyes still blazed with undying determination.
From the sidelines of the shattered chamber, Seira watched with labored breath as Lesendra teetered on the edge of collapse. She darted forward during a brief pause in the combat, as the black-winged guardian withdrew momentarily, wounded by Lesendra's earlier strike.
"Lesendra!" Seira cried, pulling him back amidst the swirling dust. "You need a moment's rest! Don't burn through all your strength now!"
Lesendra coughed, his sword trembling in his hand, yet he looked at Seira with eyes full of resolve. "I... I can't stop. If I falter now, he'll kill us all."
Seira gazed at him with emotion-filled eyes, her voice hoarse. "You're not a machine. You're human! I don't want to see you break from stubbornness. Remember why we're fighting—not just to win... but to survive, and destroy their injustice."
Lesendra locked eyes with her, feeling a warmth piercing through the depths of his heart. Slowly, his breathing steadied, his trembling hand on the sword stilled. The red-gold glow of his blade pulsed steadily, not wildly but with calm rhythm, as though soothing his spirit.
"I... I understand," he whispered. "Thank you, Seira. Because of you, I can still be myself."
The black-winged guardian stood not far away, watching them with glowing red eyes, his spear gleaming. "Enough resting, little human. Come, let's finish this."
Lesendra took a deep breath, rising slowly with Seira at his side. "I will fight. Not just for myself, but for everyone who cannot fight back."
Seira nodded, her eyes sparkling. "And I'll stand with you. Until the end."
Lesendra stepped forward, his sword emitting a red-gold light now steady and blazing, merging with his golden hand. The guardian lunged with his spear, sending a wave of black energy through the air, but Lesendra met it with a decisive slash, releasing an explosion of red-gold light that blasted the guardian back.
The battle reached its climax—a clash of two forces in the heart of the shattered temple, light and shadow colliding. Yet neither had won or lost; both stood gasping for breath, ready for the final blow.
The duel over the second Ruby Stone hit its peak. Lesendra and the black-winged guardian stood amidst the ruins, their breaths heavy, eyes glowing red. Lesendra's sword shone with a steady red-gold light, perfectly fused with his golden hand, while the guardian's spear trembled with increasingly erratic black lightning.
The guardian sneered, his eyes flashing. "You're stronger than I thought, little human. But this... is your end!"
He leapt forward, his spear slashing through the air with immense power, unleashing a black energy wave that shattered the temple floor, forcing Lesendra to retreat. At that moment, a rumble echoed from outside—the gods' forces had arrived, surrounding the ruins with weapons ready.
Seira turned, her eyes widening. "No... they're here!"
Eryvan emerged from the shadows, his eyes glowing. "You must end this now! The Ruby Stone can't be claimed while its guardian still stands!"
Lesendra gritted his teeth, his sword shining brighter. He slashed at the guardian with a surge of red-gold light, creating a massive blast that rocked the temple and toppled parts of the pillars. Yet the guardian remained standing, though his body was cracked and his breath labored.
"Good... very good... But your strength only excites me more," murmured the guardian, raising his spear for a final strike.
Lesendra staggered, his sword beginning to tremble wildly, a sign that his power was reaching its limits. But in an instant, he closed his eyes, recalling Seira's and Eryvan's words, and the image of his foster parents. Slowly, he released his grip on the sword, letting it fall to the ground, its red-gold glow fading.
The guardian's eyes narrowed in surprise. "Are you giving up?"
Lesendra opened his eyes, now glowing a warm red, yet filled with calm. He clenched his empty golden hand, which began to glow with a new, pure energy, free from the sword, as if Lesendra's true power was awakening from within.
"I'm... not just the sword," Lesendra whispered. "I am the fire that will burn them all. I am the strength born from wounds... and conviction."
With astonishing speed, Lesendra lunged forward, punching the guardian with his bare golden hand. The strike drew in the red-gold energy from within him, focusing all his power into a single, shattering blow. A wave of light cracked the air, smashing into the guardian's chest, causing his body to fracture and finally shatter into pieces of red light.
Seira and Eryvan could only stare in awe, watching Lesendra stand tall, his golden hand still glowing, though his breathing was labored. Outside, the gods' forces stood frozen for a moment, stunned by the power just revealed.
Lesendra gazed at the second Ruby Stone, now glowing brilliantly, as if acknowledging his strength. He looked at Seira with determined eyes. "Come on... let's take this Ruby Stone. Our journey has just begun."
Seira nodded, tears in her eyes, and Eryvan smiled faintly. "You have awakened a power that will change everything."
Outside the temple, the gods' forces began to move forward, but the red-gold light from within the temple blazed brighter, signaling that Lesendra was no longer just an ordinary human.