ECLIPSION PULSE
The sun had just crept over the edge of Lumisgrave when Arslan stepped onto the Mythic training grounds. A cool wind brushed his face, whispering through the trees like an omen. Unlike other mornings where the Mythics trained together, today he was alone—by design. After days of intense technique drilling and battles against demonic forces, Arslan knew it was time to take everything he'd learned and refine it into mastery.
He stood in the center of the wide marble circle carved into the ground, etched with symbols of the Mythic Order. Sweat already dotted his brow from the warm-up, but now came the real work. Arslan began with intense physical drills: push-ups, pull-ups from the courtyard columns, and chin-ups on the reinforced archways. His arms burned, legs ached, but he pressed through every repetition with fierce determination.
After nearly two hours of this relentless physical training, Arslan's muscles trembled, yet his spirit burned stronger than ever.
Kar'Thael stirred within his soul, voice smooth and calculated. "That's enough. Now we begin refinement. You've collected weapons and techniques, but they mean nothing if they drain you in seconds. Today, we focus on stamina control and mastery. Use every ability, one by one. Make them yours."
Arslan took a deep breath, centered his thoughts, and began.
---
Weapon Mastery Session
He conjured the Abyssal Fangs, jet-black curved blades crackling with silent menace. With each swing, he focused not on power but precision. Next came the Dark Bow—a sleek construct of void energy. He drew back the arrow and released. The aim struck with surgical accuracy. He repeated this several times, adjusting his posture to find the balance between force and fluidity.
Then came the Shadow Blades, which danced around him like whispers of night. He manipulated their orbit, speed, and density, gradually learning how to direct them with just a flicker of thought. The Dark Shield followed, summoned to absorb projected attacks from conjured energy balls. He reshaped its size and thickness, conserving stamina.
Every time he used a weapon, he repeated the cycle—again and again—until summoning them felt natural, effortless. Hours passed. His breathing grew heavier, his shirt clung to his back, soaked with sweat.
"You're close," Kar'Thael said. "But now the real test begins."
---
Technique Refinement
One by one, Arslan unleashed his core techniques:
1. Shadow Merge – Slipping in and out of shadows, striking from unexpected angles.
2. Black Halo – A draining aura field, timed now to stay active for thirty seconds without weakening.
3. Recoil Spiral – A defensive vortex redirecting force. Arslan trained to time the explosion perfectly.
4. Phantom Rift – A dimensional rip for short-range teleportation. He practiced blending it with physical dodging.
5. Shadow Vein Channeling – Infusing his limbs with dark energy to amplify speed and power.
Each technique was repeated until his control was absolute. And more importantly, until the energy usage became efficient. No wasted aura. No overcharge. He conditioned himself to endure. To become a weapon of war, forged in repetition.
Kar'Thael's voice returned, deeper now. "Well done. Now, brace yourself. It's time for something different. Something unique. This is not a technique I offer to any vessel. You've earned it."
Arslan dropped to one knee, sweat dripping from his chin. "What is it?"
Arslan inhaled slowly, his back straightening. "Another technique?"
> "Yes," Kar'Thæl said, the tone more serious than usual. "This one… I have never taught to any vessel before. Because none could handle it."
Arslan's eyebrows lifted slightly, his heart kicking. "And you think I can?"
> "I don't think," Kar'Thæl replied, "I know."
The space around Arslan subtly shifted. The wind slowed. The shadows in the corners of the field seemed to lean in closer.
> "It's called Eclipsion Pulse," Kar'Thæl said. "A fusion of energy, movement, and soul. This time, you won't just use your power… You will duplicate it."
Arslan's eyes narrowed, his stance relaxing slightly.
> "What do I do?"
> "Listen closely."
---
"First," Kar'Thæl whispered, "you must compress your dark energy into your chest. Draw it inward. But not just your aura — include your intent, your focus, even your pain. Wrap them into the center of your being."
Arslan closed his eyes. Darkness pulsed around him like a heartbeat. The black energy slowly collapsed toward his chest, swirling inward like a reversed vortex.
Sweat trickled down his face.
> "Good. Now — activate your shadow veins."
Arslan's arms shimmered faintly, dark trails rising beneath the skin like glowing ink. Energy flowed from his limbs back toward his core. He gritted his teeth — it burned.
Then — with one pulse, he released it.
A sudden wave of force exploded outward from his chest in total silence. Not a sound. Just a pulse. Black air rippled around him like the shock of a distant thunderclap.
---
Behind him, the shadows twisted.
A second figure began to form — humanoid, tall, with a mirrored stance. It shimmered like a dark ghost at first, then sharpened — matching Arslan's armor, posture, even his expression. His eyes widened.
> "It's... me."
Kar'Thæl chuckled. "Meet your Echo. This shadow is tied to your every move — but with a delay. Half a second. Just enough to strike confusion, and double the power."
Arslan raised his arm.
The Echo copied.
He summoned his Dark Bow.
So did the Echo.
He slashed with a Shadow Blade — the Echo followed.
It was like fighting with a dark twin.
--
> "Now, combine everything," Kar'Thæl said. "Your full form. All your technique. Let it become a dance of devastation."
Arslan stepped forward. Fast.
The Echo followed — trailing just a blink behind him.
He jumped and launched a phantom shot from the dark bow — the echo fired one too.
He spun with lightning blades, the Echo sliced through air, delaying half a heartbeat behind.
The air shimmered with afterimages.
Even the trees around the field shook slightly from the overlapping blasts.
Kar'Thæl's voice grew more commanding.
> "Push it to the limit, Arslan. Own the shadow!"
Arslan poured energy into his final attack — combining Black Halo, the Echo, his dark shield, and a forward dash.
The attack sequence lasted only 25 seconds.
But when it ended…
The Echo shattered into dust.
Arslan dropped to his knees, gasping, his body trembling. His heartbeat thundered in his ears, lungs pulling in thick air.
Kar'Thæl whispered in awe, softer now:
> "Twenty-five seconds. That's double what most could survive."
Arslan smiled faintly through the pain. "It felt like I fought beside… myself."
> "You did," Kar'Thæl said. "And one day… there will be three of you."
Arslan looked up, blinking.
> "What?"
Kar'Thæl didn't explain.
Instead, he let the silence speak.
Arslan slowly rose, dragging himself to the edge of the field. He didn't head back to the main camp. Not yet. He needed time to process — not just the strain, but the power.
He had never felt this sharp… this efficient. Like a weapon forged by loss, refined by solitude.
> "I told you," Kar'Thæl said, as Arslan finally sat near the stone wall at the edge of the field. "You don't need an army. Just you, and your echo."
Arslan chuckled quietly, chest still rising and falling.
"I still think you enjoy seeing me drop like this."
> "Of course," Kar'Thæl said. "That's how I know you're not dead."
The two shared a rare moment of laughter — brief, raw, and genuine.
And from a distance, Nirela watched the dust settle in the air around Arslan — unaware of the shadow twin, unaware of the godlike weight pressing on his soul.
But even from afar, she could tell something had changed.