Tale of Vanguard

After Serephira's dominating performance in the opening match, the crowd is still buzzing with excitement with their cheers echoing throughout the arena. The next match is set on bracket C. Thane slowly walked into the arena ground with a nervous but poised expression showing on his face, his opponent is a representative of Veridonia Academy.

As Thane Victor faces off against the boy from Veridonia Academy, the tension in the arena thickens. The crowd is on the edge of their seats, eager to witness the clash between these two formidable fighters. Thane, with his Veil of the Netherworld swirling around him, can't help but think:

'Can't believe I actually got picked as a representative. Surely that dumb master of mine didn't pull some strings from behind, right?'

But he quickly pushes the thought aside, focusing on the fight at hand.

Across from him, Vlad, a boy from Veridonia Academy, is clad in armor adorned with the insignia of his homeland, he glares back with a determined expression. The air between them grows tense, charged with the promise of a fierce battle. Vlad's stance is solid, he looks like a practiced warrior ready to unleash his power, but Thane's mind is already calculating.

The boy from Veridonia grins, a cocky smirk crossing his face as he readies his lightning blade.

"I heard about your shadow tricks, Thane. But let's see if they're as impressive as everyone says, or if you're just another dark pretender."

Thane narrows his eyes, the shadows around him growing darker.

"Careful what you wish for, Veridonian. You might find yourself lost in the dark."

The signal to start is given, and the two launch at each other. Thane's shadows move like living creatures, slithering across the ground, aiming to ensnare the boy. The Veridonian counters with a bolt of lightning that cuts through the darkness, but Thane's form dissolves into the shadows, avoiding the strike.

"You're going to have to do better than that"

Thane taunts, with his voice echoing eerily from within the swirling shadows.

Vlad snarls, he then summons a barrage of lightning bolts that light up the arena. The shadows sizzle and dissipate under the onslaught, forcing Thane to stay on the move. Thane retaliates, sending tendrils of shadow to wrap around the boy's legs, but the Veridonian slashes them away with his lightning blade.

"Maybe it's you who should be careful, shadow-dweller. Don't get too comfortable in there"

The Veridonian retorts with his eyes gleaming with confidence.

The fight intensifies as Vlad presses the attack, with his quick and aggresive movement. Thane's shadows are fast, but Vlad is faster, dodging and countering with precision strikes that force Thane on the defensive. For every shadow that lunges at him, a bolt of lightning meets it, dispersing the darkness and chipping away at Thane's defenses.

Thane grits his teeth, frustration building as he realizes he's slowly being pushed back. The Veridonian's relentless assault begins to wear him down, the lightning strikes coming closer and closer to finding their mark. Thane's movements become less fluid, causing the shadows to be less effective at hiding him from his opponent.

"Is that all you've got, Thane?" the boy taunts, his voice laced with smugness.

"I expected more from someone representing Calaria."

That last comment strikes a nerve. Thane's eyes flash with determination. 

'Fuck this!'

As the boy closes in for what seems to be the finishing blow, Thane makes a quick decision. He focuses his energy, calling upon the power of Aetherforge.

"Velum Mortis!"

The shadows around him pull inward, coalescing into a dense, dark mass. In a flash, the darkness takes shape, solidifying into a massive, ominous claymore. The blade radiates a cold, otherworldly energy, crackling with power from the Netherworld.

The Veridonian's eyes widen in surprise as Thane held the massive weapon.

"Impressive trick, but let's see if that oversized blade can keep up."

Thane smirks, feeling the weight of the claymore in his hands.

"You'll find out soon enough."

With renewed vigor, Thane charges forward, swinging the claymore in a wide arc. The boy leaps back, narrowly avoiding the blade, but the sheer force of the swing creates a shockwave that disrupts the lightning around him. Thane follows up with a series of powerful strikes, each swing of the claymore pushing the boy further back.

The tide of battle begins to shift. Thane's attacks grow more precise, each one chipping away at the Veridonian's defenses. The boy struggles to keep up, his lightning blade barely managing to parry the heavy strikes from Thane's claymore. Sparks fly as the weapons clash, the sound of metal against energy ringing through the arena.

"You talk too much."

Thane says between strikes, his voice was cold and focused.

The boy grits his teeth, trying to summon more lightning to fend off the relentless assault, but Thane's claymore cuts through the storm like a blade through water. With each clash, Vlad's movements become more desperate, making his confidence wavers.

Finally, Thane sees his opening. The boy from Veridonia hesitates for just a moment, and Thane capitalizes on it. He swings the claymore with all his might, causing the blade to carved through the air in a devastating arc. The boy raises his lightning blade to block, but the force of the claymore is too great. The impact sends the boy flying back, and his blade has shattered into sparks.

The boy lands hard, skidding across the ground, his energy is already spent. Thane approaches slowly with the shadows of his Veil of Netherworld curling around him once more. He stands over his fallen opponent, and he rests the massive claymore on his shoulder.

"Looks like you couldn't keep up after all."

Thane says with a low and victorious voice.

The boy from Veridonia groans, struggling to rise, but the fight has been drained from him. The referees rush in, signaling the end of the match. Thane lets out a breath, allowing the shadows to dissipate as the claymore fades from existence. The crowd erupts into a cheer as the battle ends.

As Thane walks away, he glances up toward the stands with a smirk on his face.

"Maybe i earned this after all."