Elara was watching from the stands, her heart pounding in rage and fear.
The moment Kael took his stance, she knew it was over. Her throat tore with a scream, "No! You can’t kill him! I will kill you, bastard!"
Without hesitation she jumped out from the stands, ignoring the cries of guards and the shout of "Stop her!" She lashed out with raw fury, her spells striking down those who tried to hold her back as she leapt toward the battlefield.
Her hands glowed with energy as she formed a spell, ready to hurl it at Kael. But just as the attack gathered, Kael turned his head. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novel·fire·net
For that instant, Elara’s world shattered. It was as if everything around her disappeared and she was stranded in an endless blank void. Her chest tightened with terror she could not understand.
She staggered back, clawing at the air, her voice breaking. "Where is it? Where is this place?" she roared, hysteria dripping from every word.
Then the world around her started to vibrate.
Two pairs of terrifying eyes opened in the sky above, gazes so sharp they pierced straight into her soul. Her mind erupted with unbearable pain.
A crushing force struck her like a mountain falling from the heavens. She was slammed into the ground, her body convulsing from the impact.
For a moment, darkness took her. When she regained consciousness, the taste of blood filled her mouth. She pushed herself up, but as she tried to stand, one of her arms slipped away from her body.
Blood sprayed out like a fountain. Elara froze, staring at the stump in disbelief, before her face twisted with madness.
"Kael! You bastard! You devil! I will tear you apart! I will curse your soul! I will burn your family and piss on their ashes!" she shrieked like a woman possessed.
Her voice rose higher and higher, until her screams sounded less human and more like the cries of a beast. She cursed, spat, and wailed, her hatred pouring into the air.
But then the storm of her madness was drowned out. Thunder rolled across the heavens with a sound so powerful it silenced everything else.
Elara’s whole body froze. Her eyes widened until it seemed they would burst from her skull. She looked ahead in disbelief.
A massive crack had formed in the sky itself, splitting reality open. The crack began at Vale, who stood frozen, his monstrous body locked in place like a statue trapped in another dimension.
The silence shattered.
A huge cut appeared across Vale’s body. His eyes bulged, but he could not move. Slowly, his body slid apart. With a sickening sound, he split into two halves.
Ice instantly covered his cut body, freezing them solid. When the frozen chunks hit the ground, they shattered into countless pieces, scattering like glass and turned into dust.
The crack in the sky sealed itself in an instant. The thunder faded, leaving behind only an endless silence.
The arena became still. No one moved. No one breathed. Every single person stood in shock at what they had just witnessed.
A single slash. A strike that cut space itself. A power that seemed beyond mortal hands.
It was as if a god had descended and swung a blade. Even the highest rankers in the stands began to wonder if they could survive such a technique. Fear seeped into their bones.
For a long moment, no one dared to speak.
Then, Emperor Edward broke the silence. His hands clapped together, slow and heavy, the sound echoing through the arena. His voice rang clear, filled with satisfaction. "Marvelous. What a duel. I like it. I will personally reward you."
His words snapped the crowd out of their shock. Applause erupted like thunder, waves of cheers rolling through the stands. People screamed Kael’s name, their voices trembling with awe.
On the other hand no one seemed to grieve for Vale death rather they rejoiced that the evil had been dealt upon.
Duke Serpentine narrowed his eyes, then turned to Duke Martin. Martin’s face was pale, his breath caught in his throat. He tried to mask his fury but could not stop his hands from trembling. When his gaze fell on Elara, madness still dripping from her curses, his patience finally broke.
"Knock her down. Prison her," Martin ordered coldly.
Guards rushed forward to subdue her, but before order could settle, another voice rang out from the chaos.
"It’s not over. We need to investigate."
The tension surged again, the crowd holding their breath, the shadow of Kael’s impossible strike still hanging heavy in the air.
Kael slid his sword back into its sheath and stood quietly, his eyes lingering on the shattered pieces of ice scattered across the ground.
What had once been a living body was now nothing but frozen fragments. A faint look of pity crossed his face, though it lasted only a moment. This was not the end he had wanted.
He had dreamed of breaking Vale apart slowly, piece by piece.
To crush his spirit, shatter his pride, and repay every humiliation he had suffered at his hands.
He wanted to engrave every punch, every insult, every scar burned in his memory. He had wanted to see the fear in Vale’s eyes before destroying him completely.
And when that was done, he planned to make Elara’s life a living hell, dragging her through torment until she understood despair. But things had gone differently.
Kael’s gaze shifted to Elara.
The crazed woman lay unconscious, her body limp after being struck down. For all her madness, she was still breathing. He could have ended her in an instant.
In the state he was in, with his sword drawn, if he had pulled it just a fraction further, she would have been sliced clean in two before she could even scream. Her death would have been simple, almost effortless. Instead, she was spared.
Kael let out a quiet sigh, the sound carrying a weight of frustration more than relief. He turned his head and lifted his eyes toward the stands.
Among the sea of faces, one gaze met him.
Adele sat frozen in her seat, her body tense, her eyes wide with shock. The look she gave him was filled with horror, as if she was seeing something that should not exist.
For a moment, Kael held her stare, his expression was unreadable, and his presence was heavy and cold.