Adrian steadied his breathing, his fiery chains flickering faintly as they coiled around him protectively. Across the cracked and scorched chamber, Marcus stood tall, his blade glowing ominously, dark energy pulsating from the runes etched into its surface.

Their auras were crashing into each other in an invisible storm of power, making the air between them crackle with tension.

"You've gotten better," Marcus admitted, his tone begrudging yet laced with sarcasm. "The old Adrian wouldn't have lasted this long."

Adrian smirked, rolling his shoulders as his fiery chains sparked to life. "The old Marcus wasn't so cocky. Let's finish this."

Without another word, Marcus lunged forward, his blade cutting through the air with deadly precision. Adrian met the strike head-on, his own weapon blazing as their swords collided in a brilliant explosion of light and shadow.

The chamber shook with the force of their battle.

Adrian's chains lashed out like fiery vipers, seeking to entangle Marcus and pierce through his defenses. Marcus moved with an unnerving agility, his dark blade deflecting the chains and striking back with equal ferocity.

Marcus grabbed his sword with both hands and hit the ground. The room was instantly consumed by a suffocating void of shadows. Adrian felt the weight of the darkness pressing against him, his fiery chains dimming under its oppressive force.

But Adrian didn't panic.

He closed his eyes, focusing on the faint flickers of energy that betrayed Marcus's movements. With a swift motion, he shouted, "Fós!" (Light), and a burst of radiant energy erupted from his chains, dispelling the darkness and forcing Marcus to shield his eyes.

"You used to love the light but look at the irony now," Adrian quipped, charging forward with his chains blazing.

Marcus snarled, recovering quickly. "And you always talk too much."

He swung his blade in a wide arc, sending a wave of shadowy tendrils spiralling toward Adrian. The tendrils coiled and snapped like living creatures, their sharp edges slicing through the air.

Adrian dodged and countered, his chains striking out to sever the dark appendages before they could reach him.

The two warriors moved like forces of nature, their attacks leaving the chamber in ruins. Pillars crumbled, walls cracked, and the ground beneath them fractured under the weight of their relentless battle.

Despite his anger, Adrian couldn't deny that Marcus had grown stronger. His movements were precise, his attacks devastating, and his use of magic far more refined than Adrian remembered.

But Adrian had changed too.

He was no longer the young king who fought with emotion clouding his judgment. Every strike, every counter, was calculated, aimed to exploit the smallest openings in Marcus's defenses.

As they fought, Marcus's voice took on a mocking tone. "Do you remember that day, Adrian? The day we returned to Meridia and found it in ruins?"

Adrian's chains lashed out, forcing Marcus to block. "Don't you dare—"

"We walked those streets together," Marcus continued, his tone dark and taunting. "The smell of ash, the bodies scattered like broken dolls. I was there when you found Elena's body." His voice softened, almost wistful. "I was fond of her, you know. She didn't deserve to die like that."

Adrian's rage exploded. "You don't deserve to say her name!" he roared, his chains igniting with an intense blue-and-purple flame. He lunged, his attacks becoming more ferocious as he pressed Marcus back.

Marcus laughed, deflecting the assault with practiced ease. "Still so emotional. That's always been your weakness, Adrian. You let your heart guide you, even when it leads you to ruin."

Adrian's breathing was heavy, his anger barely contained. "And you? You've let your hatred consume you."

Marcus's expression hardened, his blade slashing through the air with deadly precision. "Elena would still be alive if your father hadn't destroyed my kingdom! If you hadn't been so blind to the truth!"

"Petra!" (Stone)

Adrian slammed his hand to the ground. A pillar of rock shot up beneath Marcus, sending him hurtling into the air. Adrian followed, his chains propelling him upward as he prepared a devastating strike.

But Marcus twisted mid-air, his dark blade slashing through the chains and forcing Adrian to retreat. They landed on opposite sides of the chamber, both breathing heavily as they reassessed.

The battle resumed with even greater intensity.

Sparks flew as their blades clashed, each strike sending shockwaves through the crumbling chamber. But Adrian couldn't shake the feeling that Marcus was holding back, waiting for something.

Adrian gritted his teeth.

The fight needed to end now, before his anger got the best of him.

His gaze landed on the dark energy radiating from Marcus's blade, and an idea came to him.

With a burst of speed, he lunged forward, his chains flaring as he unleashed a flurry of rapid strikes.

Marcus countered, his own sword moving with inhuman speed.

The two warriors were a blur of motion, their weapons clashing in a symphony of sparks and fury.

Then, with a final burst of strength, Adrian swung his blade in a wide arc, slamming it into the flat side of Marcus's weapon.

There was a deafening crack as the metal fractured, the dark energy pulsating from the runes splintering and dissipating.

Marcus stumbled, his eyes wide with shock.

"What did you—"

Adrian didn't give him time to recover.

His chains shot forward, coiling around Marcus's body and binding him tightly.

"Alysídes!" (Chains)

Chains sprang from under the ground, wrapping and binding Marcus to the ground, restricting his movement.

Adrian's breath was ragged, his body covered in bruises and small cuts. He staggered forward, his hand gripping his sword tightly.

"It's over, Marcus."

Marcus's gaze hardened, his eyes burning with hatred.

"No, it's not. This fight is just beginning. I've been biding my time, waiting for the perfect moment. I knew with the combined powers of seven goddesses, you would eventually overpower me. So, I have a surprise in store for you, Adrian."

Adrian tensed, his senses on high alert.

With a flick of his hand, Marcus began chanting in a language Adrian didn't recognize. The ground beneath them trembled, and a section of the floor split open with a deafening crack.

From the fissure, a cage rose, its bars glowing with dark energy. Inside was Alannah, her face pale but defiant as she gripped the bars tightly.

"Alannah!" Adrian shouted, his chains snapping toward the cage, only to be deflected by a barrier of shadow magic.

Marcus's smirk widened as he saw the look of horror on Adrian's face. "You've fought well, Adrian. But this is where it ends."

Adrian's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing, Marcus?"

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