The air above them shimmered from the heat of Albrecht’s mana. Each slow step he took radiated authority—the kind born from decades of battle and the weight of a name feared across the continent.
Across from him, Noel rolled his shoulders, Revenant Fang humming faintly in his grip. Sparks of lightning crawled up his arm, flickering between arcs of blue and orange flame.
Neither spoke for a long moment.
"When you fight," Albrecht said at last, his tone calm but sharp, "don’t hesitate. Hesitation kills faster than any blade."
Noel’s mouth curled slightly. "Then you’d better not blink."
He moved first—mana flaring in an instant. "Ignition Surge!"
Flames erupted along Revenant Fang’s edge as he dashed forward, the ground cracking beneath his boots. Their swords met with a flash of molten light, heat spilling outward in a wave that shattered nearby tiles.
Albrecht didn’t move an inch. His blade absorbed the impact with perfect precision before he twisted, countering with a single, effortless strike that nearly tore Noel’s stance apart.
The younger Thorne regained his footing and spun with momentum, sparks gathering along his arm. "Fire Arc!"
A burning crescent of flame sliced through the air, colliding midflight with a wall of red fire from Albrecht’s sword. The two waves detonated violently, shaking the entire courtyard and painting the sky in blazing orange.
Smoke rolled across the field. Noel slid backward, boots screeching against the stone, eyes narrowed through the haze.
Albrecht stepped through the flames unharmed, his expression unreadable. "Stronger," he said, lowering his sword slightly. "But your control is lacking."
Noel grit his teeth, lightning beginning to crackle from his shoulder down to his fingertips. ’He hasn’t even used half his power yet.’
Albrecht raised his blade again, his voice cutting through the smoke. "Again."
Noel inhaled sharply, his mana surging. "Voltage Needle!"
The air split with a piercing flash of light as he charged forward, defiance burning in his eyes.
The heat between them thickened—flames bending, lightning hissing.
Noel’s boots dug into the cracked stone as he lunged again. "Fire Arc!"
The burning slash met Albrecht’s blade head-on, scattering embers across the courtyard. Before the sparks faded, Albrecht was already moving, his sword a blur of red light. Noel barely blocked, metal screaming as the impact numbed his arm.
"Voltage Needle!"
A streak of lightning shot forward, but Albrecht twisted aside, the bolt grazing his shoulder before he countered with a brutal kick that sent Noel sliding backward.
Noel steadied himself, biting down on the pain, Revenant Fang trembling in his grip. "Glacialis!"
A spear of ice shot from his hand—shattered instantly by Albrecht’s flaming swing. The explosion of steam blinded them both for a second, and Albrecht’s silhouette appeared through the mist, already closing in.
Their swords collided again and again—Noel faster, Albrecht heavier. Every clash sent shockwaves across the courtyard.
Noel ducked under a sweeping arc and countered with a burst of lightning along his blade. "Chain Flash!"
Electric light branched between them, striking in wild bursts—but Albrecht’s mana flared, the bolts dispersing harmlessly against his fiery aura.
The older Thorne stepped through the crackling storm, his sword cutting down with terrifying weight. Noel blocked, knees buckling under the pressure. Heat bit through his clothes; his arms burned from strain.
"Stormpiercer!" Noel vanished in a flash, reappearing at Albrecht’s flank, Revenant Fang thrusting forward like a streak of thunder.
Albrecht turned just in time—one clean parry, one explosion of flame. The force sent Noel flying across the courtyard, crashing against the wall.
He coughed, tasting blood, but his eyes still blazed with defiance.
Albrecht stood in the center of the smoke, untouched, sword gleaming red like molten iron—his silence saying everything Noel didn’t want to hear.
Noel pushed himself off the cracked wall, every muscle in his body screaming in protest. His vision swam from the heat, the air itself shimmering from the lingering fire.
Albrecht stood in the middle of the courtyard—still, calm, utterly in control.
Noel tightened his grip on Revenant Fang. "Ignition Surge!"
Flames roared back to life along the blade’s black edge, and he dashed forward, leaving a streak of fire in his wake.
Their swords collided again—one blow, two, ten. Albrecht’s movements were sharp, deliberate, each strike heavier than the last. Noel countered as best he could, weaving through every attack with desperation, sparks and ash bursting around them.
"Fireball!"
Noel fired at point-blank range; the sphere of flame exploded against Albrecht’s sword, but the man stepped through the blast unharmed, his coat barely singed.
The older Thorne’s mana flared, fire rushing from his blade like a wave. Noel barely had time to react. "Frost Wall!"
The barrier of ice rose before him—melted instantly under the pressure.
The explosion hurled him backward. He hit the ground hard, Revenant Fang skidding from his grasp.
For a moment, all he could hear was his own breathing—shallow, uneven. He tried to move, but his arms trembled too violently to lift the sword again.
Albrecht approached, his shadow stretching long under the dying light. Flames flickered off the edge of his sword as he spoke quietly, without pride or cruelty.
"Not bad."
Noel’s gaze lifted, teeth clenched. "You call that a pliment?"
A faint smirk tugged at Albrecht’s lips. "For someone your age, it’s more than that."
The courtyard had fallen silent—only the faint hiss of dying embers and the hum of Revenant Fang cooling in the dust.
Noel stayed on one knee, chest rising and falling, every breath sharp and heavy. His body screamed to stop, but his eyes refused to drop from Albrecht’s figure.
The older Thorne stood still for a moment, his sword lowered, the flames on its edge fading to nothing. "Enough," he said simply. His tone was steady—not warm, not cruel—just absolute.
Noel didn’t move. "So that’s it?" he rasped. "You wanted to see if I’d survive?"
Albrecht wiped his blade clean with the back of his glove, gaze unreadable. "I needed to see if you could still stand after facing me."
Noel let out a strained laugh. "And?"
Albrecht turned, the sunlight glinting off the dark steel. "You can."
He paused, glancing back briefly. "Stronger than I expected. Far stronger than before."
Noel blinked, caught between confusion and fatigue. For a second, there was something almost... human in his father’s eyes. Then it vanished.
"Get up," Albrecht ordered.
Noel forced himself to his feet, gripping Revenant Fang tightly for balance. "What now?"
Albrecht sheathed his sword, his tone returning to that cold, manding timbre. "Now, you e with me."
Noel frowned. "What for?"
Albrecht’s gaze hardened. "To prove your strength wasn’t wasted. There’s work to do—something that concerns the future of this house."
The younger Thorne stood silent for a heartbeat, then finally nodded once. "Fine."
As they walked toward the mansion gates, the wind carried the faint scent of scorched stone and steel. Noel’s mind raced, but one thought lingered above all:
’If this is what it takes to save this house... I’ll play along—for now.’
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