I barely had time to raise my sword.
The General moved first.
His speed cut through the air like a black lightning strike. The impact of his blade against mine exploded in a dry clash that echoed through the ruins of the fortress. My entire arm trembled.
I was still tired.
Much more than him.
Even being just a copy.
I pushed his blade aside and turned my body, trying to gain space. I jumped back, landing among broken pieces of stone. Every muscle in my body burned.
My breathing was heavy.
I knew.
My limit was very close.
The General walked slowly toward me.
"Your body is failing."
I didn't respond.
He kept advancing.
"It's impressive that you can still stand."
My vision wavered for a moment. I forced focus.
"You talk too much."
He gave a slight smile.
"And you keep resisting."
He disappeared from my field of vision.
Instinct.
I raised my sword at the same instant.
CLANG!
The clash of his blade against mine made my feet sink into the broken ground.
The pressure was brutal.
I tried to push back, but my arm no longer had the same strength as before.
He noticed.
Of course he did.
"Now it's over."
He turned his body and struck me with his shoulder.
The impact sent me flying backward like a ragdoll.
My body crashed through a broken wall of the fortress and rolled across the stone ground. The taste of blood filled my mouth.
I tried to stand.
My legs failed.
I fell to my knees.
The sword was still in my hand, but my fingers trembled.
The General walked toward me.
Unhurried.
Unconcerned.
His presence seemed to crush the air around him.
"I expected more."
I spat blood onto the ground.
My vision was blurred.
My chest burned with every breath.
I tried to stand again.
Failed.
My body simply no longer responded the same way.
"Your power was impressive."
He stopped a few meters in front of me.
"But it's over."
Silence.
The cold wind passed through the ruined remains.
I looked at the ground.
Broken stones.
Dust.
Deep marks from the battle.
Everything around me was the result of that fight.
And even so…
It still wasn't enough.
My hand tightened around the sword.
Or at least tried to.
My fingers were weak.
Heavy.
"Stand up."
His voice came firm.
"Show me more."
I tried.
But my body didn't move.
A silent anger began to grow inside me.
Not toward him.
Toward myself.
I had come so far.
Survived so many battles.
Faced absurd enemies.
And now…
Was I going to fall here?
My mind began to remember.
The first time I held this sword.
The battles that came after.
The cities I saved.
The people who trusted me.
Liriel's face.
Elara's calm gaze.
Rai'kanna's firm stance.
Vespera's silent smile.
Lyannis's composed presence.
They were fighting out there.
Believing that I would win.
Trusting that I would defeat the General.
My hand trembled.
My body screamed to stop.
But my mind refused.
"I…"
My voice came out low.
Hoarse.
"…I won't fall here."
The General tilted his head.
"Even now?"
I raised my face.
My vision was still blurred.
But my determination was clear.
"Even now."
Silence.
He watched me for a few seconds.
Then took a deep breath.
"Admirable."
He raised his sword.
"But useless."
The blade began to descend.
At that moment…
Something changed.
The sword in my hand vibrated.
At first weakly.
Then with greater intensity.
A different energy began to emerge within it.
It wasn't the same transformation as before.
It was something else.
Something deeper.
More ancient.
My hand tightened around the sword's hilt automatically.
The vibration increased.
The light on the blade began to grow again.
The General stopped his movement.
His eyes narrowed.
"Interesting…"
The energy began to spread through my arm.
Climbing through my body.
Like a warm current.
My legs began to respond again.
Slowly.
With effort.
I managed to stand.
The General watched in silence.
The light of the sword was different now.
More intense.
Denser.
Almost alive.
My breathing was still heavy.
My body was still wounded.
But something inside me had changed.
The sword pulsed again.
This time with force.
A voice echoed in my mind.
Clear.
Ancient.
"You have finally reached the limit."
My heart raced.
It was the sword's voice.
"Now…"
The energy on the blade burst into light.
"…it is time to surpass it."
I slowly raised the sword.
The General watched me with interest.
"So it's not over yet."
I took a deep breath.
The pain was still there.
The exhaustion too.
But now there was something beyond that.
Something new awakening.
"No."
My voice came out firm.
I took a step forward.
The sword's light illuminated the ruins around us.
"Now…"
The energy began to grow even more.
"…is when the battle truly begins."
The General smiled.
And raised his blade once again.
The air between us grew heavy.
The next exchange would decide everything.