The great hall of Theradrin’s castle lay in ruin. Shattered pillars, fractured stone, and the lingering embers of shattered magic painted the battlefield in eerie twilight. The air pulsed with raw energy, crackling with the remnants of unleashed Astra. At the heart of the destruction stood two figures—Nyroth Solvain and Maldrak.


    Maldrak, his body wreathed in an unnatural glow, breathed heavily, but his smirk never wavered. The scroll’s power had twisted him, reshaped him. His frame pulsed with darkened Astra, veins of crimson light coursing through his arms like molten fire. He no longer resembled the man he once was—he was something more, something monstrous.


    Nyroth remained still, crimson eyes locked onto his foe. His armor was dusted with debris, his cloak tattered, but he stood unshaken. He had tested Maldrak’s strength, felt the corruption of the scroll coursing through his opponent’s every move. Now, it was time to end this.


    Maldrak laughed, rolling his shoulders. "You finally look concerned, Nyroth. What’s wrong? Have I become more than you can handle?" His voice echoed unnaturally, distorted by the sheer power surging through him.


    Nyroth exhaled slowly. "No. I’ve simply decided you’re no longer worth my patience."


    With a single motion, Nyroth unsheathed his sword. The moment the blade was freed from its scabbard, the air itself seemed to still. A chilling silence fell over the battlefield as a pulse of power rippled outward from the weapon.


    The Blade of Duality.


    Its polished surface gleamed with a fusion of Lux and Nox Astra, the two forces intertwining seamlessly within the blade’s edge. Light and darkness, creation and destruction—opposing forces bound in perfect harmony. This was not a mere weapon; it was the embodiment of Astrae itself, forged in an age when balance still reigned over chaos.


    Maldrak’s eyes widened slightly, his smirk faltering for the first time. "So... this is the sword of the Solvain bloodline. I had hoped I’d see it before I killed you."


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    Nyroth took a step forward, the blade humming with restrained power. "Then take a good look, Maldrak. It will be the last thing you ever see."


    Maldrak snarled, extending his hand as a torrent of fire erupted around him. From the inferno, a massive sword of pure flame took shape, its edges flickering with unbearable heat. He gripped it tightly, the heat distorting the air around him. With a roar, he surged forward, striking with monstrous speed. The impact sent a shockwave through the hall, stone and dust erupting from the sheer force of his attack. Nyroth met him head-on.


    Their blades clashed, Astra colliding in a spectacle of destruction. Light and shadow clashed in violent bursts, illuminating the ruins around them. Maldrak struck again, his newfound strength making his every blow like a falling mountain. But Nyroth parried effortlessly, moving like flowing water—controlled, precise, unshakable.


    "You fight like a beast," Nyroth remarked, sidestepping a vicious strike. "Unfocused. Desperate."


    Maldrak roared, summoning a surge of raw, corrupted Astra, hurling it toward Nyroth. The Guardian raised his blade, and with a single arc, the energy was severed, dissipating into nothing.


    Maldrak’s fury deepened. "This power—this strength—! The scroll has given me more than you could ever fathom!"


    Nyroth tilted his head slightly. "And yet, you''re still losing."


    Maldrak lunged again, but Nyroth moved faster. The Blade of Duality sang through the air, cutting through Maldrak’s defenses with terrifying precision. A deep gash opened along Maldrak’s side, and for the first time, he staggered.


    Maldrak''s breathing grew erratic. His hands trembled. "No... this power is infinite! I can still—"


    Nyroth vanished.


    In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind Maldrak. A single stroke followed, and Maldrak froze.


    Blood dripped from the tip of Nyroth’s sword.


    Maldrak staggered forward, his body convulsing. The corruption within him flared wildly, struggling to hold his form together. He turned his head slightly, eyes wide with disbelief. "This... isn''t possible..."


    Nyroth flicked his blade, casting Maldrak’s blood onto the ruined floor. His voice was calm, absolute.


    "Power without control is nothing."


    Maldrak collapsed to his knees, the light in his eyes flickering. The scroll’s influence began to unravel, its dark energy dissipating into the air. His breaths came in ragged gasps as his body trembled, unable to contain the force he had foolishly unleashed.


    He looked up at Nyroth one last time, his arrogance finally replaced with fear.


    "I should have never underestimated you..."


    Maldrak''s breath came in ragged gasps, desperation flickering in his eyes. He clutched his wounded side, his voice a strained whisper. "Wait... you need me alive!"


    Nyroth paused, regarding him with cold indifference. His crimson eyes burned like embers in the dim light. "Do I?" His voice was neither cruel nor merciful—just a statement of fact.


    Nyroth stepped forward, pressing the Blade of Duality against Maldrak’s throat, its edge gleaming with cold finality. Maldrak froze, his breath shallow, his eyes locked onto the blade that could end him in an instant. The hall trembled one last time, and then—silence.