Saland had sought refuge within the embrace of a cavern, where the flickering dance of a newly kindled fire cast long shadows upon the rough-hewn walls. The savory aroma of roasted game, a recent conquest of his own making, hung heavy in the air as he savored his meal. It was in this moment of quiet sustenance that a figure emerged from the cave's mouth, their voice cutting through the stillness.
"So, it is you," the voice echoed, laced with a curious drawl. "The one they say never engages in battle. I've never had the chance to observe you this closely before, and look at that, you're even eating! Hehe, so you can manage to kill something after all."
Saland, his senses instantly on high alert, turned towards the speaker. His gaze locked onto the figure standing silhouetted against the brighter world outside. "Who are you," Saland's voice was low and steady, betraying none of the sudden tension that coiled within him, "and what is it you desire?"
The figure stepped fully into the cave's dim light, revealing himself to be an officer, his bearing confident and his eyes sharp. "I see you value directness," the officer remarked, a hint of amusement in his tone. "My name is Saruth, an officer of the Executors. And I am here to challenge you to a duel. I wish to ascertain the extent of your strength."
Saland rose to his feet, his movements fluid and silent. He met Saruth's gaze unflinchingly. "Very well," he conceded, his hand instinctively resting near the hilt of his unseen blade. "If it is a fight you seek, then fight you shall."
A grin stretched across Saruth's face, a flash of something eager and perhaps a little cruel. He gestured towards the outside. "Then follow me." He led Saland away from the sheltered confines of the cave and onto a breathtaking vista – a seemingly endless expanse of glacial ice, its surface shimmering under the cold light. "This," Saruth declared, his voice gaining an edge of excitement, "shall be our arena. Now, let us stand face to face."
The two warriors moved with a primal understanding, each retreating until the distance between them stretched, making their forms almost indistinct against the vast white canvas. Saruth's appearance was striking: skin the color of a deep twilight sky, piercing azure eyes, sharply pointed ears, and hair as black as a starless night. He was clad in a sleek black leather jacket and matching jeans, an ensemble that spoke of both practicality and a certain flair.
In the next instant, the air around Saruth shimmered, and intense blue flames erupted across his entire being. With a burst of incredible speed, he closed the distance between them. Saland, reacting with lightning reflexes, drew his legendary blade, Mountain Splitter, in a swift arc, aiming to cleave his opponent. But Saruth, now wreathed in his incandescent aura, moved with an uncanny agility, the blue flames seeming to aid his evasion.
"These blue flames you witness," Saruth announced, his voice resonating with power, "are my innate ability, Blue Burns. I possess complete control over them, and they enhance my strength and speed considerably. Furthermore," he added with a hint of pride, "blue flames burn the hottest of all!" As he spoke, he unleashed a rapid-fire barrage of scorching projectiles, each one a miniature comet of azure fire. Saland, his movements a blur, danced through the fiery storm, deflecting and slicing apart the incoming attacks with precise swings of Mountain Splitter.
Saruth pressed his assault, closing in once more. He lashed out, his hand striking the flat of Saland's blade with surprising force, sending the warrior skidding backward across the icy ground. Saland retaliated, his sword a silver blur as he unleashed a series of powerful strikes. Yet, Saruth, empowered by his Blue Burns, weaved through the deadly dance of steel with effortless grace. In a swift counter, he lunged forward, his fist engulfed in blue fire, and slammed it into Saland's chest. The impact sent Saland hurtling through the air, crashing heavily against a jagged outcrop of ice.
A triumphant laugh escaped Saruth's lips. "Hehe, it seems you are not as formidable as the rumors suggest. You haven't even managed to land a single blow!" With a flourish, he gathered a vast amount of blue fire, shaping it into a colossal wave of incandescent energy and unleashing it towards the downed Saland.
In that moment, facing what seemed like certain defeat, a primal instinct for survival ignited within Saland. A surge of raw power coursed through his veins. With a roar that echoed across the frozen wasteland, he swung Mountain Splitter, the blade slicing through the impossible heat, cleaving the massive wave of blue fire in two. He pushed himself back to his feet, a strange energy thrumming within him. He gripped Mountain Splitter tighter, feeling an unfamiliar strength awakening within his core.
Saruth barely had time to register the impossible feat before Saland moved. With a single, earth-shattering strike, he cleaved the very ice beneath their feet, two colossal slabs of the frozen ground rising up like monstrous shields. The energy that had fueled the cut, now shimmering with an ethereal light, was then unleashed horizontally, hurtling towards Saruth with terrifying speed.
Desperate to avoid being crushed, Saruth propelled himself upwards, his Blue Burns flaring intensely. But Saland was relentless. With a burst of newfound power, he struck Saruth mid-air, the force of the blow sending him plummeting back down between the two massive walls of ice. The frozen behemoths collided with a cataclysmic boom that reverberated through the desolate landscape.
Saland stared at his own arms, a sense of awe washing over him. His body was now visibly imbued with a radiant magical energy, a tangible force that had granted him such incredible strength.
From the shattered remnants of the icy collision emerged Saruth, his body bearing numerous wounds, his confident demeanor now tinged with surprise. "I… I underestimated you," he admitted, his voice strained. "You are not weak. Were you deliberately concealing that power? Or is it something… involuntary? No matter. Now that I know your true worth, I will no longer hold back. I will unleash my full power to defeat you. Blue Burns… Awakened!"
With this declaration, a dramatic transformation swept over Saruth. Two sharp, black horns erupted from his temples, wreathed in an even more intense blue flame. His aura surged, becoming palpably stronger, casting an oppressive weight in the air. He seemed to have transcended his previous form, taking on the menacing appearance of a demon. A colossal eruption of blue fire erupted from his body, instantly melting the surrounding ice, creating a swirling vortex of heat and light.
Saruth lunged once more, a blazing inferno of blue fury. Saland met the attack head-on, his blade clashing against the fiery assault, creating towering columns of incandescent flames that threatened to engulf him. But Saland, now empowered by his own mysterious energy, sliced through the inferno as if it were mere silk, and charged towards Saruth.
With blinding speed, Saruth retaliated, his fist a streak of blue fire that slammed into Saland's flank, sending him spiraling through the air. Yet, Saland, with remarkable control, used Mountain Splitter to right himself mid-flight, digging the tip of the blade into the ice to halt his momentum. Saruth unleashed a relentless barrage of fiery blasts, each one a searing projectile aimed to incinerate his opponent. But Saland moved through the fiery storm with surprising resilience, the strange energy shielding him from the worst of the heat.
Both warriors gathered their remaining strength, channeling their power into a final, decisive blow. Saland focused his newfound energy into his fist, a radiant glow emanating from it. Saruth mirrored his action, his fist crackling with the intensified Blue Burns. Their fists collided with a force that ripped through the air, creating a shockwave of immense power that sent both combatants flying in opposite directions.
Saland landed heavily, his body aching, the magical energy that had surged through him now rapidly dissipating. He gripped Mountain Splitter, his resolve unwavering. With a final, desperate surge of adrenaline, he launched himself forward, determined to end the battle.
But just as he closed the distance, a shadow fell from the sky. A figure descended with alarming speed, landing with a ground-shaking thud. It was a being of immense size, towering over both Saland and Saruth. Four powerful arms extended from its massive torso, and a single, cyclopean eye glowed with an unsettling intensity. Its features were vaguely humanoid, yet it exuded an aura of overwhelming power.
Saruth, his voice barely a whisper, choked out a single word: "Commander…"
The gigantic figure spoke, its voice a deep rumble that seemed to vibrate through the very ice. "Enough of your nonsense. Your aura was so potent it could be sensed for kilometers. I had to deal with the local magical creatures myself to prevent them from descending upon you. And what do you think you are doing? Attempting to slay one of my subordinates? I never anticipated that Saruth would encounter such a formidable adversary. You managed to narrowly defeat him, but your strength… it will be useful in the arena. My name is Morgar, and I am the commander of the Executors. Prepare yourself for utter defeat."
With a movement faster than the eye could track, Morgar blurred into motion and struck Saland, the force of the blow instantly plunging him into unconsciousness. The battle was over, but a new, far more ominous chapter had just begun.