Chapter 10: The Duel of Fates
—Narrated by Eli Whitmore.
---
The sky above the Arcane Institute burned a deep, glowing orange—like fire just before it turns to ash. Crimson clouds churned inside the protective magical dome that hovered over the academy. Heavy. Thick. As if the world itself was holding its breath.
It always looked like this before a duel.
But this time… it wasn't a normal duel.
This was real. Real danger. Real stakes. Real pain.
And I was standing side-by-side with Thorne Everhart.
The mysterious boy with frost in his eyes and shadows in his voice. The legendary Dark Paladin and Spectral Seer. Thorne never smiled without reason, never wasted a word. Always sharp. Always in control.
We weren't enemies.
But we weren't exactly friends either.
Not yet.
"Are you ready for this?" Thorne asked, standing beside me on the floating platform suspended in the heart of the Magical Coliseum.
He looked completely calm. His black robes flowed like living ink. One hand hovered near the hilt of his spectral blade. His face gave nothing away.
I was sweating.
I wiped my palms on my robe and took a shaky breath. "No. Not even close."
He tilted his head slightly. A half-smile tugged at his lips. "At least you're honest."
Suddenly, the booming voice of the arena announcer echoed all around us:
> "Today's Arcane Duel features two initiates: Eli Whitmore—Gate Way Keeper, and Thorne Everhart—Dark Paladin. Together, they will face a summoned threat from beyond the Veil of Shadows… Prepare yourselves."
Wait—what?
I turned to Thorne sharply. "We're not dueling each other?"
His eyes narrowed. He scanned the trembling floor beneath us. "No... We're fighting it."
The platform shuddered violently.
A jagged crack split through the marble floor. Black fog spilled upward, thick and choking like ink from a shattered bottle. Cold air whooshed around us. The shadows twisted like they were alive. They reached… clawed… screamed.
Then it rose.
A creature. Ten feet tall. Skeletal wings. A body made of swirling rot and shadow. No face—just two hollow, sunken eyes and a mouth stretched unnaturally wide.
A Shadow Revenant.
I staggered back. "What is that?!"
"I've read about these things," I muttered, stunned. "They're born from sorrow… from ancient, cursed pain. Normal magic won't even kill them."
Thorne stepped forward, voice low but steady. "Good. Because nothing about me is normal."
---
⚔️ The Battle Begins
"Form your stance," Thorne ordered. "Now!"
I forced my shaking hands into position, closing my eyes to summon the light inside me. The Luminary Convergence—the brightness that lived in my blood. A warm, soft glow sparked from my fingertips.
"I'll distract it," I said. "You look for a weak spot."
His eyes suddenly turned silver—Spectral Vision engaged. "Its core's in the chest. Hidden behind armor made of layered shadows. We need to crack it open first."
The Revenant shrieked. A horrible, raw, otherworldly sound.
Then it lunged.
I leapt away just in time. Its claws slashed the air where I had stood a heartbeat before.
"Too slow!" Thorne shouted, ducking beside me.
"I noticed!" I gasped.
I raised a shield of light. It shimmered for a second before cracking under the force of the next blow.
"You're scattered," Thorne snapped. "You're overthinking it."
"I'm literally trying not to die!"
He didn't argue. Instead, he moved. Smooth. Silent. Deadly.
One hand drew glowing sigils in the air. The other reached toward the ground.
Tendrils of dark energy burst from the platform and wrapped around the Revenant's legs, binding it in place.
"Now, Whitmore!" he called.
I summoned every drop of light inside me. Focused. Then whispered,
> "By the Gate of the Luminous Realms… I summon the radiant chain—Converge!"
A golden beam burst from my palms. It slammed into the Revenant's chest. The shadow armor cracked—splitting as light cut through it like fire through paper.
"We're doing it!" I yelled. "We're actually—"
But it wasn't over.
The Revenant roared, breaking free of the tendrils.
It slammed the ground.
I was thrown backward, landing hard. Pain shot up my spine. My breath caught in my chest.
Thorne landed near me, groaning. He wiped blood from his lip.
"Damn… It's not enough," he muttered.
Then he looked at me—really looked.
His mask cracked.
For the first time, I saw fear in his eyes.
But it wasn't just fear.
It was… trust.
"I can sync with your light," he said. "Only once. Just long enough to finish this. But you have to let me in."
"Merge our powers?"
He nodded. "I saw it in a vision. You and me… together, we're something more."
I didn't fully understand.
But I reached out.
"I trust you," I whispered. "Let's do it."
---
🌗 Synchronicity
The moment our hands touched, I felt it.
My warmth surged into him.
His shadows—cool, ancient, restrained—wrapped around mine.
But instead of clashing, they danced.
Light and dark spinning in harmony. A storm. Beautiful. Terrifying.
Thorne's voice was barely audible. "We are the balance between shadow and dawn."
Together, we raised our joined hands.
> "Gate Way Lightstorm—Final Bind!" I shouted.
> "Spectral Chains of the Forgotten—Seal!" he echoed.
Light and shadow exploded outward in a spiral.
Golden-white chains wrapped around the Revenant, binding it tightly. It shrieked—a sound of breaking. Of surrender.
The glowing portal behind us opened.
The Revenant was dragged backward, consumed by the light.
Then—
> "Victory! Duelists Eli Whitmore and Thorne Everhart have succeeded!"
---
🌓 Aftermath
The platform lowered slowly.
I collapsed to my knees, chest heaving. "Remind me never to do that again…"
Thorne stood beside me, rubbing the back of his neck. "You didn't die. That's something."
I looked up at him. "You were enjoying that, weren't you?"
He shrugged, smirking faintly. "Maybe a little. I like a good challenge."
We stood in silence. Not awkward—just… quiet.
Then, softer, he said, "What I said up there. I meant it."
I met his gaze. "That we're stronger together?"
He nodded. "You felt it too, right?"
I gave a small smile. "Yeah. I did."
There was something different in his eyes now. Less cold. Warmer. Open.
But just as I was about to say something more, he looked away.
"We should go. Before Headmaster Alaric finds out we cracked half the duel platform."
I laughed weakly. "Thorne?"
He paused.
"Thanks… for trusting me."
He gave me a rare, genuine smile.
"Don't make me regret it, Whitmore."
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To be continued...