Chapter 80: Trial of Sequences – Silent Wind vs. Moon Blade
I. A Breath Before Combat
The sun was declining, tinting the plaza in shades of gold and violet. The breeze was cool, carrying the scent of greenery and promises of change. Following the battle of steel and shadow, the atmosphere vibrated with expectation: the next duel would be a display of speed and precision—the dance between the wind and the moon.
The System announced:
[Next Duel:
Joren, Silent Wind (Transcendence Realm, Stage 8; Wind/Speed, Morningstar minor branch)
vs.
Lirael, Moon Blade (Transcendence Realm, Stage 8; Blade/Light, Morningstar descendant)]
Both ascended the platform. Joren dressed in blue and gray, a scarf tied around his neck and a serene gaze, though a slight tremor in his fingers betrayed his nerves. Lirael, with silver hair and green eyes, carried two short swords; her posture was elegant, almost dancer-like, and her Qi oscillated gently between light and shadow.
In the crowd, Lys and Bren chanted Lirael's name, while Maren and Elian cheered for Joren. There was no animosity: only the hope of seeing both break their limits. Kael, from the shadow of a pillar, murmured: —"Today we shall see if the wind can split the moon… or if the moon can cut the wind."
II. Greeting and Respect
In the center, the two contenders looked at each other and, instead of words, bowed their heads with respect. —"Thank you for accepting me in this combat," Lirael said in a low voice. "Without rivals like you, I never would have made it this far."
Joren smiled timidly. —"Thank you. I always thought I was only good at running away from danger. Today, I want to learn to face it."
The gong resonated. Silence became absolute. The breeze ceased. The duel began.
III. First Bout: Dance of the Wind and Moon
Lirael was the first to move, sliding forward in a step that was almost invisible. —"Moon Art: Silver Shadow."
Her sword left behind a trail of cold light, cutting the air in perfect arcs that sought Joren like moonbeams. Joren, remaining calm, spun on one foot and vanished in a whirlwind of wind. —"Step of the North Wind."
He appeared at the edge of the platform, dodging the first cut. Lirael did not stop; she spun, attacked with her second sword, and launched a rain of rapid thrusts, each accompanied by a flash that blinded for an instant. Joren felt the edge in the air, but also the void between the thrusts. I am not faster, he thought, but I don't have to be. He opened his arms and channeled his Qi. —"Mantle of the Silent Wind."
The air around him became gelatinous, dampening Lirael's movements. Her sword grazed Joren's sleeve but failed to cut. The audience gasped. For the first time, the moon was unable to touch the wind.
IV. Second Bout: Strategy and Bravery
Lirael shifted her rhythm, retreating. She closed her eyes and channeled light around her. —"Moon Art: Reflected Blade."
Her figure duplicated, then tripled, until the platform was full of fleeting images. Each Lirael attacked from a different angle. Joren, surrounded, took a deep breath. —"I won't let myself be caught by illusions…"
He felt the Qi of each copy: only one was real, and he identified it by a slight change in the wind's flow. —"There!" He lunged like a gust, colliding head-on with the true Lirael. Their swords and his arm clashed in a flash of light and sparks. Both retreated, with minor cuts on their clothes and skin, but smiling. —"That was better than I expected!" Lirael laughed. —"I haven't shown my best card yet," Joren replied, panting.
V. Third Bout: The Limit of the Storm and the Light
Joren raised his Qi to its peak. —"Supreme Art: Blue Gale Burst."
The air exploded in a series of rotating gusts. Leaves, dust, and fragments of pure energy flew across the platform. Joren vanished and reappeared, each time a little closer to Lirael, each time a little faster. Lirael, instead of defending or dodging, closed her eyes and lowered both swords. —"Final Art of the Moon Blade: Aurora Slash."
A silver light spread in a semicircle from the ground, forming a luminous barrier. Every gust from Joren crashed against the light and was absorbed, weakened, and rejected. But the gale continued. Instead of trying to win by force, Joren changed tactics. He let himself be carried by the gust, spun around, and appeared behind Lirael just as the moon aurora weakened.
With a slight twist, Joren touched Lirael's back, channeling wind Qi into a gust that destabilized her. Lirael, surprised, dropped one of her swords, but spun on one foot and responded: —"You won't beat me that easily!" She slammed the second sword into the ground, channeling light upward. The platform filled with flashes, and both combatants were blinded, forced to fight by instinct alone.
VI. Climax: The Whisper and the Flash
In the confusion, both combatants moved like shadows between light and air. The spectators only saw flashes and heard the whistling of the wind and the clinking of metal. Joren, guided by Qi, decided to risk everything on one final maneuver. —"Art of the Silent Gale: Song of the North Wind!"
He propelled himself forward, spinning like a tornado, surrounded by a halo of blue wind. Lirael, still blinded, felt the pressure and raised her sword in a defensive arc. The clash was dry and pure. Both were sent flying toward opposite sides of the platform, rolling across the floor.
Silence reigned for a long second. Then, Lirael sat up, bleeding from the shoulder, and Joren, with labored breathing, propped a knee on the ground. They looked at each other, and both smiled. There was no resentment. Only respect.
VII. The Judgment: Two Paths Meet
The System shone:
[Result: Draw Declared.
Sequence Status:
Joren retains Rank 17 (Silent Wind).
Lirael rises to Rank 18 (Moon Blade).
Shared Reward: "Dance of the Wind and Moon"—a synchronization technique for group combat.
Joren: Spiritual advancement; understanding the limit of the wind.
Lirael: Ascension to Transcendence Realm, Stage 9; mastery of the True Moon Blade.]
The audience erupted in applause. Lys was the first to run toward Lirael and embrace her. Maren hugged Joren, whispering words of encouragement. —"You did it, Wind," Maren said. "You're not running away anymore. Now, you dance." Lirael, with tears in her eyes, raised her sword. —"The moon does not fear to shine in the night," she whispered.
VIII. Sunset and the Promise
As the sun fell, Samael descended to the platform. —"Today we have seen more than just technique," he said, his voice warm. "We have seen the courage to take risks, to not run away, to move forward with the breeze or the light, even when the path is uncertain."
Aylin, Elowen, Torian, and Bren joined the circle of applause. The entire clan celebrated the victory of both: the victory of will and beauty, the promise that every root, every shadow, and every flash has a place in the tree of the Morningstar legend.
In the shadow of the plaza, the spy from the Sect of the Purple Light clenched his notes, frustrated: —"How do you fracture that which does not fear breaking just to unite again?"
But the wind carried the answer far away: In Morningstar, all paths—even opposing ones—end in the same aurora.
[End of Chapter 80]