Kael's pulse quickened as he faced Darius, his fingers gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. Beside him, Elara stood poised, her rapier steady in her hand. The faint hum of energy that always filled the training room seemed to rise to a crescendo, pressing against them like a silent, invisible force.
Across from them, Darius stood calm and immovable, his sword resting easily at his side. The blade was heavier and longer than either of theirs, but he wielded it with the ease of someone who had long since mastered its weight. His stance was loose, almost casual, and yet it carried an undeniable sense of control. There was a gleam in his eye—a glint of something untamed that sent an uneasy chill down Kael's spine.
"Begin," Darius said, his voice steady, his expression unreadable.
Kael moved first, surging forward with his sword raised in an aggressive arc toward Darius's left side. He threw all his focus into the strike, aiming for precision and power, but Darius's blade intercepted it with a ringing clash. The force of the parry reverberated through Kael's arm, and before he could recover, Darius pivoted smoothly, twisting his sword and sending Kael stumbling back.
Elara moved next, faster than Kael expected. The faint stir of wind around her grew into something more tangible, a burst of air propelling her forward as she closed the distance between herself and Darius in the blink of an eye. Her rapier darted forward in a series of lightning-fast thrusts, each one aimed with deadly precision. For a moment, it seemed as though she might break through his defenses.
But Darius was already there. His blade moved with effortless precision, deflecting each of her strikes as though he had anticipated them all. His eyes gleamed, and there was the faintest hint of a grin tugging at his lips.
Kael, recovering his footing, decided to change tactics. Drawing moisture from the air, he conjured a set of water arrows, shaping each one with deliberate care. With a flick of his wrist, he sent them flying toward Darius, aiming to force him to reposition. The arrows weren't fast, but their unpredictable trajectories made them harder to block outright.
Elara noticed the shift in Kael's attacks and adjusted immediately. She stepped back, the wind around her coiling tightly before erupting in a sudden burst. Her speed increased tenfold, her movements now almost impossible to follow. Kael's projectiles provided the long-range pressure, giving her the opening she needed to strike at closer range.
She changed her stance, lowering her center of gravity and aligning her body directly with Darius. Her rapier, now swirling with concentrated wind, transformed into a spinning drill of air. She darted forward, her new stance allowing her to channel all her speed and force into a single, focused strike.
Darius's grin widened as the dual assault came at him from both sides. The water arrows pelted him from a distance, while Elara's wind drill closed in like a tempest. For a brief moment, his stance shifted—still fluid, still controlled, but with an edge of excitement that hadn't been there before.
Kael's heart pounded as he watched his father react. Darius sidestepped the first arrow, his blade slicing through the next two with a single motion. As the spinning wind drill neared his chest, he brought his sword up in an arc so precise that it deflected Elara's rapier without losing any momentum. The clash sent a shockwave rippling through the room.
"Impressive," Darius said, his voice carrying an unmistakable note of approval. "You're finally thinking."
Kael didn't waste the opportunity. As Elara recoiled from the parry, Kael conjured a whip of water, lashing it toward Darius's legs in an attempt to unbalance him. Darius, without missing a beat, stepped over the whip and drove the hilt of his sword into the ground, creating just enough force to disrupt the whip's form.
Elara adjusted again, retreating momentarily to gather her wind into a condensed sphere at the tip of her rapier. The air howled as she launched forward, her movements faster and more direct. The combination of Kael's water projectiles and Elara's relentless attacks pushed Darius onto the defensive for the first time.
But even as they closed in, the difference in skill remained painfully clear. Darius parried Kael's sword with one hand while deflecting Elara's rapier with the other, his movements as calculated as ever. His blade cut through Kael's projectiles like paper, the droplets falling harmlessly to the ground. Each strike, each counter, was perfectly timed, leaving no opening for either of them to exploit.
Kael conjured a thin sheet of water in front of him, using it as both a shield and a distraction. Darius's blade sliced through it effortlessly, but it bought Kael just enough time to launch another barrage of water arrows, this time aimed at Darius's blind spot.
Darius laughed, a deep, unrestrained sound that sent a chill down Kael's spine. "That's more like it," he said, a manic gleam in his eyes. He moved faster now, his blade a blur as he deflected the attacks from both Kael and Elara. Even with their combined efforts, they couldn't touch him.
Kael gritted his teeth, sweat dripping down his brow as he pressed forward. He couldn't ignore the obvious anymore—Darius was holding back. As overwhelming as his father's skill was, Kael could tell that he wasn't fighting with everything he had. And yet, even restrained, Darius was untouchable.
Elara's expression remained cold but determined. She circled Darius, her rapier spinning with renewed force as she prepared for another assault. Kael adjusted his position, coordinating his movements with hers as they launched one final, desperate attack.
Darius met them head-on, his sword moving in a perfect arc that deflected both of their strikes in a single motion. The force of the parry sent Kael stumbling back, his sword slipping from his grasp. Elara was forced to retreat as well, her wind-drill dissipating into a harmless breeze.
The spar came to an abrupt halt, the room falling silent save for the sound of Kael's ragged breathing. Darius stood at the center of the room, his sword still raised, his posture relaxed but commanding. His grin hadn't faded.
"You still have a long way to go," Darius said, his voice carrying a note of satisfaction. "But you're learning. That's something."
Kael exchanged a glance with Elara, his chest still heaving. Despite the overwhelming gap in skill, he couldn't deny the faint flicker of pride in Darius's eyes. For a moment, that was enough.