Dance of Steel and Tears

There were no roars, no overwhelming killing intent. The duel began with a deathly silence.

Sir Kaelan moved.

He didn't charge; he glided. The speed of a legendary spirit surpassed anything Yanaki had ever faced. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Sylva. The spectral greatsword in his hand did not swing wildly. It danced. A dance of steel, each slash, each thrust was perfect, aimed directly at the joints of Sylva's wooden body and the cracks on its shield.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Sylva was forced into a frantic defense. It raised its shield to block, but the power behind each of Sir Kaelan's strikes was immense, pushing her Protector back step by step. The [Countering Vines] skill activated, but Sir Kaelan, with centuries of combat experience, could anticipate it with a mere glance and gracefully sidestep, never breaking his rhythm.

In less than a minute, Sylva was completely outmatched in terms of skill.

Yanaki realized it instantly. In a battle of strength, a battle of skill—they had no chance of winning. She had to turn this into a fight where they had the advantage. A battle of attrition and psychology.

"Sylva, no attacks!" she commanded through the covenant. "Only defend, endure, and regenerate! Stall for time!"

Her Protector immediately changed tactics. It no longer tried to counter-attack. It planted its roots into the ground, focusing all its energy on defense, letting its [Bark Regeneration] passive slowly heal its wounds under the moonlight filtering through the window.

"Elara, stop the battle hymn! Sing the [Serene Lullaby]!" Yanaki continued to command. "Don't aim at him, just let your melody fill this room!"

Elara understood. The heroic anthem faded, replaced by the familiar, sorrowful lullaby. The song wasn't meant to put Sir Kaelan to sleep, but to resonate with the very sorrow that had tormented him for centuries.

And it worked.

Sir Kaelan's attacks were still fast and powerful, but they seemed a little heavier. The pain of the past, stirred by Elara's melody, was becoming an invisible burden.

Sensing the change, Sir Kaelan decided to pick up the pace. He roared, and multiple phantoms of himself appeared, simultaneously attacking Sylva from all sides. [Phantom Blade]!

This was an overwhelming assault. Sylva couldn't possibly block everything. It was hit by multiple slashes at once, its HP bar dropping below half.

But in that chaos, Yanaki saw an opening. To maintain the phantoms, Sir Kaelan's main body had to remain stationary.

"Sylva! [Root Prison]! Right under his feet!"

Caught by surprise while channeling his skill, Sir Kaelan couldn't react in time. Sturdy tree roots erupted from the ground, wrapping tightly around his legs. The [Phantom Blade] skill was interrupted, and the phantoms vanished. For the first time in the duel, the legend known as 'The Unbeaten Sword' had been crowd-controlled.

"Attack!"

Sylva didn't miss the golden opportunity. It charged forward, using its steel-hard shield to ram straight into the bound Sir Kaelan. It was a powerful blow, making the commander's spirit tremble.

Sir Kaelan roared, and a burst of energy shattered the roots. He had taken a significant hit. He looked at Sylva, then at Yanaki commanding from afar, and a look of genuine respect flickered in his sorrowful eyes.

The fight grew fiercer. Both sides had played their trump cards. Sylva, under Yanaki's command and with Elara's support, was tenaciously holding its ground against an opponent who outclassed it in every way.

Finally, both were growing weary. Sir Kaelan let out a breath, his spectral aura misting in the air. He took his stance, preparing for one final attack, a charge carrying all of his honor.

Yanaki knew Sylva couldn't take this hit. She had to do something. She suddenly remembered the item in her pouch.

"Sir Kaelan!" she yelled, her voice full of respect. "Your captain fought bravely! He fell with honor!"

Along with her words, she threw the [Captain's Pauldron Fragment] onto the floor between them.

Sir Kaelan's charge faltered. His eyes locked onto the pauldron, recognizing the crest of one of his most trusted captains. The memory of his fallen comrades rushed back, a sharp pain striking his soul. For the first time, his offensive stance completely crumbled.

And that was all Sylva needed.

It charged, but not with a killing blow. It used a powerful shoulder check with its shield, striking Sir Kaelan's sword hand directly.

CLANG!

The legendary greatsword was knocked from his hand, clattering onto the stone floor before dissolving into light.

The duel was over.

Sir Kaelan sank to his knees, not from pain, but from an infinite release. The burden of his oath, of centuries of lonely vigil, had finally been lifted.

"Finally... it is over," he whispered, a serene smile appearing on his face for the first time. His spectral body began to glow brightly.

He looked up at Yanaki. "You are not just a warrior. You are a commander, one who understands. You are worthy."

From his chest, two objects flew out. One was a brilliant golden orb of light—the [Shard of Courage]. The other was a dark red crystal, beating weakly like a heart—the [Heart of Courage].

They slowly floated towards Yanaki, while the spirit of Sir Kaelan, 'The Unbeaten Sword,' smiled, faded into light, and vanished, leaving the chamber in peace for the first time in centuries.