A Clash to Behold.

Hagen rolled his eyes, his cocky demeanor showing no signs of faltering. "Don't worry, Valeria. We'll be as quiet as mice, or at least I will be while I beat Ed here."

I shot a playful glare at Hagen. "You've got a lot of confidence, don't you? It's almost as if you've forgotten all those times I managed to pin you down during our childhood sparring sessions." I was just trying to sound strong in front of Valeria; I didn't want to let her down.

Hagen chuckled. "Oh, come on, Ed. We were just kids back then. Things have changed since."

As we reached the training grounds, the moon hung high in the sky, casting a silvery glow across the open field. The cool breeze ruffled the grass, and the rustling leaves seemed to hold their breath in anticipation.

The torches around us danced in a lively manner, illuminating the entire ground and giving it a beautiful look.

I unsheathed my own sword, a straightforward blade with no fancy extensions or tricks. I stood opposite Hagen and prepared myself for what I thought would be a quick fight.

The moonlit battleground felt charged with a mixture of excitement and tension. Hagen lunged forward, his blade flashing in the moonlight. I parried his attack, the clash of metal ringing through the night. Despite his arrogance, Hagen was skilled; his strikes were precise and calculated.

Our swords danced in a flurry of movements, each clash sending echoes through the still-night air. I focused on defense, parrying, and evading Hagen's strikes. He pressed on, his attacks unrelenting, forcing me to give ground.

It was very obvious that I was trying my best, and Hagen was just matching my pace. It was obvious that he wasn't trying.

Mixed with the adrenaline pumping through my veins was a sense of frustration. Frustration at my own limitations and at the stark contrast between Hagen's nonchalant confidence and my own struggle to keep up It was as if every blow he landed was a reminder of the gap that had always existed between us—the gap that I had spent years trying to close.

As the torchlights flickered and shadows stretched like grasping fingers, Hagen seized the moment. "Your focus falters," he taunted, his blade finding an opening and grazing my side.

The sharp sting shattered my concentration, and I staggered, gritting my teeth to suppress the pain. It wasn't a serious wound, yet it was a stark reminder that momentary lapses yield dire consequences.

As Hagen wore down my defenses, finally breaking through and about to land a decisive strike, we were interrupted by a very loud bang from the direction of the Queen's wing in the Imperial Nexus.

We instantly stopped our fight and turned in the general direction of where the sound came from.

Who could that be?

In an instant, a gust extinguished every torch on the ground, plunging us into darkness. Amidst the shadows emerged a cloaked figure, standing just beyond the moonlit fringes.

"Who's there? Show yourself, and you won't be harmed! I asked, wanting to know who this was.

I assumed that it was one of the guards. I allowed myself to gain composure and called out again.

"Hey! It's Eduardo, the prince of Heraklion!"

No response.

"And this is Commander Hagen, the second prince of Heraklion."

Nothing.

As I slowly assessed the surroundings, I felt a sudden and abrupt drop in temperature. It seemed to be emanating from this person.

I saw the shadowy silhouette drawing its weapon too.

"oraaaaaaaaaa!" Hagen instantly went in for a strike, which was promptly blocked. I could barely make out their features from the shadow. The figure instantly jumped back and put some distance between us.

Amidst the charged atmosphere, Valeria Ironheart showed up. Her arrival was impeccably timed. 

"Who are you? And what brings you here at this hour? Valeria inquired, seeking to uncover the identity and purpose of the intruder within the castle grounds.

"...."

I didn't get a response, which was more unsettling.

"Step into the light," I commanded, my voice firm but tinged with a growing sense of curiosity.

"Explain yourself and your purpose within these walls. Hagen said, his nonchalant voice replaced with a serious tone, and he took a step towards the figure.

The figure stepped into the moonlight, but they had a cloak on them. I couldn't tell who it was, but they were elves.

They still weren't saying a thing. Valeria had also had her weapon drawn out at this point.

"Very well. If you don't state your intentions of being here, I would have to consider you a threat and eliminate you right here, right now. Valera spoke, her eyes glowing and her sword starting to hum.

The intruder pointed their sword at us.

I immediately understood that if we charged in, we would be met with an equally fierce response.

The moonlight gleam illuminated our surroundings as we took our stances, ready to fight.

I weighed all the options in front of me.

More likely than not, this person in front of me has more combat experience than I do, and this will likely end up in a one-sided beatdown if I go in alone, but I have the support of Valeria and Hagen with me.

Most likely, I don't have to do anything in here. Then another thought started to gnaw at me. What if this person isn't alone? 

I caught myself in that suspended moment; the figure seemed to blur, and I blinked once. In the span of that heartbeat, they closed the distance, their blade poised inches from my neck.

My heart raced as the tension mounted, the air growing thick with anticipation. Like a thunderbolt, a metallic clang rang across the ground. In that hair-trigger instant, another blade deflected the strike with a resounding parry. The collision sent tremors through the air, and my heart surged with a cocktail of relief and astonishment.

Hagen, with his extended sword transformed into a whip-like form, had intervened just in time. The clash of the two blades created a burst of sparks, illuminating the night with their fiery brilliance. Hagen's eyes blazed with determination, and his grip on the sword was unwavering.

"You aren't going to lay a finger on him, you get that?" Hagen said his voice had the intent to kill behind that.

With one fluid movement, he immediately closed the distance and, with a kick to the torso, sent them flying. The intruder was sent tumbling, and finally they managed to regain their footing.

The collapsed assailant stood up and pulled down their hood.

It was a person with long silver hair, but I had no way to tell if they were female or male.

"It looks like it's finally time for me to get serious." It was the voice of a woman, but it was very cold and exuded an aura of absolute power.

"Before our blades clash, milady, I beseech the courtesy of knowing your name". Hagen asked. Even though it's not needed, he's a gentleman when you don't need it the most.

"Gelidra." The voice on the other end was as icy and dry as a frozen river.

"Very well, Gelidra. Tonight, the stars themselves might witness the end of one of us." Hagen's tone grew resolute.

A fierce grin played on both their faces, the anticipation of the impending duel filling the air with tension.

Both are happy to have someone who is of similar caliber and willing to fight to the death.

"Alright, prepare yourself for a taste of true ice-cold power!" Gelidra screamed out.

With that, both of them rushed in with incredible speed and a tremor that shook the ground, and I lost my footing, in awe at the power of these combatants.

The fight had begun in earnest.