"When her blade clashed with his scythe... the recoil sent them both stumbling back.
Suddenly, the world around Aether and Victoria changed."
"Aether stood surveying his surroundings in astonishment: a vast arena, a dark crimson sky, broken spears and swords scattered everywhere. The scene resembled the ruins of an ancient battlefield."
Victoria looked at him, her eyes glowing with a sharp light, a treacherous smile spreading across her face:
"This is my domain... You're now in my grasp."
"She began circling him like a predator stalking its prey, waiting for the right moment to strike. But Aether remained calm, his eyes scanning the area with intense focus. Suddenly, Victoria attacked with terrifying speed."
"The blades collided again, releasing a shockwave that forced them apart. Without wasting a moment, Aether threw his scythe toward her and charged recklessly. She blocked the attack, so he shouted:
"Vanish!"
He slid toward her, aiming for her legs, but she jumped to evade the blade. They passed each other mid-air as she smirked mockingly at his failed attempt. But before her feet touched the ground, she saw the scythe descending from above, hurtling toward her. She moved to block it, but Aether recalled the scythe and struck while she was still in a defensive stance."
"He swung his weapon at her, and she narrowly dodged the blow. Both leaped back into defensive positions, gasping for breath while watching for the other's next move.
The darkness around them deepened as the battle raged on..."
---
"Meanwhile, the scene appeared strange to Emily.
Aether and Victoria seemed isolated from the world, as if inside an invisible bubble. With each clash, her anxiety grew. Before she could utter a word, Scar said"
"He can't see any of us... He's inside another warrior's domain. What Aether is seeing now is Victoria's domain."
"Inside her domain? What do you mean?"
Scar pointed to Victoria's eyes, glowing with a deep red light, and continued:
"You see that glow in her eyes? That's the domain. When a warrior activates their domain, their eyes glow, and they pull their opponent into a space called the 'domain'—a place governed by the host's rules. When a opponent is trapped inside their enemy's domain, the outcome is one of three possibilities: either they die inside the domain, kill the host, or activate a stronger domain to overpower the host's. In rare cases, the host may be forced to deactivate their domain for some reason... but that's an unlikely scenario."
"But... doesn't that mean Aether is doomed here? I don't think he knows anything about domains."
Scar replied:
"True, but we are a special case. Victoria doesn't kill recklessly. Doing so would tarnish the royal family's reputation, making them appear bloodthirsty."
"Despite this reassurance, Emily's heart remained uneasy as she watched her only friend in this world fighting someone with such abilities."
...
"Both combatants were panting as they stared each other down, each maintaining a defensive stance. Strangely, Aether smiled warmly, which puzzled the warrior, who couldn't understand how anyone could smile like that after such an intense fight. She straightened proudly, tightening her grip on the hilt of her sword."
"You're strange. What could possibly make you smile like that?"
"He shook his head without answering, leaning on his scythe to catch his breath while keeping that gentle smile on his face. Victoria grew somewhat anxious, as enemies rarely reveal their intentions before attacking. What was even stranger was that her instincts failed to detect any hostility from him. She cautiously took a step back, calculating every possible scenario."
"On the other side, where King Aris, Queen Rose, and the young prince Leonard were seated, the king raised his hand from the armrest, stopping Leonard from interrupting the duel."
"No need. He's just a young man. She's likely toying with him for her own amusement."