Kael stood silent.
His illusion laughed. "You think you're doing this for them? For your past? For Mira? For your pride? No. You're chasing ghosts. And this path…"
A single step forward from the double cracked the ground.
"…leads to nothing."
Kael's fingers curled into fists. "I'm not you," he said.
The illusion tilted its head. "You will be."
Kael didn't wait. He stepped forward, blade drawn. This wasn't a trial of strength, but he was done standing still.
Kael surged forward.
He didn't charge recklessly like a fool by making battle cries or displaying an unnecessary burst of power. He just did a clean, swift dash, feet sweeping across cracked tiles as if his weight barely existed. His blade gleamed coldly in the fog.
The illusion—his double—moved in sync.
Clang!
Blades met. Steel rang.
Kael spun low, aiming for the legs. The double mirrored the move, catching the strike with a backhanded parry. Their auras crackled in unison, identical in weight and tempo.
