The sun was slowly setting over the palace of Élindor, painting its towers with hues of gold and blood. In the vast inner courtyard, the kingdom's nobility had gathered to witness an event awaited with feverish curiosity: the intellectual duel between Kaelian, the young royal bastard with a budding genius, and Prince Théor, his arrogant and cruel half-brother.
For several weeks, tensions had been rising around Kaelian. His extraordinary intelligence, calm demeanor, and daring maneuvers at the academy were beginning to unsettle the nobility, especially Théor, the legitimate heir, who could not tolerate the rising power of this illegitimate rival he considered a parasite.
The Context of the Duel
The duel was not a physical battle but a confrontation of mind, strategy, and magic — a popular tradition at court where nobles competed to prove their superiority without shedding blood, or at least not directly.
The stakes: intellectual supremacy, prestige, and an honored place at court. Théor, to assert his authority, had challenged Kaelian, confident of victory. He believed a bastard could never match him, especially before the gathered aristocracy.
Kaelian, however, knew he was risking much. Defeat would mean permanent disgrace, perhaps ostracism, or worse — elimination disguised within royal intrigues.
Arrival on the Stage
Kaelian entered with calm, controlled steps, eyes fixed straight ahead. His outfit, though simple, was impeccable — a deliberate strategy to draw attention not by appearance but by mind.
Théor, by contrast, wore his rich, gold-embroidered robes, his face marked by arrogance and barely restrained anger. Beside him, several supporters sneered, convinced the duel would be a mere spectacle to crush this troublesome bastard.
Around the stage set in the courtyard, the crowd held its breath. Some nobles whispered, intrigued by Kaelian's meteoric rise; others smiled, betting on the bastard's expected defeat.
The Beginning of the Duel
Master Elgorn, the respected archmage, was appointed to preside over the contest. He laid down the rules: each candidate must solve a series of magical riddles, demonstrate strategic thinking and mastery of the arcane arts.
The first challenge was an analytical test: a complex illusion to decipher. Théor stepped forward with a confident smile and unleashed flamboyant magic. But his approach, though spectacular, lacked finesse and quickly hit a wall.
Kaelian, watching quietly, analyzed the hidden details of the illusion, exploiting modern knowledge of perception principles and spell subtleties. With a few precise moves, he neutralized the illusion and revealed a coded message hidden beneath, to the astonishment of the audience.
First Public Humiliation
Théor's smile froze, then anger surged within him like a storm. He tried to regain control by attacking with a logic challenge, aiming to trap Kaelian in a labyrinth of nested puzzles.
But Kaelian, gifted with prodigious memory and methodical reasoning, quickly unraveled the traps. He even added a touch of irony by responding with a sharp metaphor that made the crowd murmur:
"The true heir is not the one born wearing a crown, but the one who conquers it with his mind."
This biting remark flushed Théor's face red, and some nobles exchanged surprised looks, admiring the bastard's wit.
The Stakes Rise: Forbidden Magic
As the duel seemed to tilt in Kaelian's favor, whispers rose among the spectators: the young man appeared to be using unknown forms of magic, arts forbidden to commoners.
Théor retaliated with a brutal magical attack, a blue flame lighting up the stage, attempting to catch Kaelian off guard. But Kaelian dodged with calculated grace and countered with a complex blood magic spell he had discreetly perfected.
This display of rare power increased the nobles' wonder and unease. Kaelian had just demonstrated not only his intelligence but also his ability to transcend the limits imposed by his status.
Betrayal Revealed
In the heart of this confrontation, a murmur ran through the crowd: some nobles had bet on Kaelian's defeat and arranged to sabotage his magical tools before the duel.
Lyssa, the young healer and loyal friend, hidden among the servants, noticed the sneaky maneuvers. Without hesitation, she discreetly intercepted a suspicious servant attempting to plant a harmful enchantment on Kaelian's equipment.
But the saboteur was quickly discovered and arrested, causing a scandal that strengthened sympathy and compassion for Kaelian, while isolating Théor further, accused of being the indirect mastermind.
The Final Humiliation
The duel ended with a final challenge: solving a magical puzzle of unparalleled complexity. Théor, exhausted, lost his composure and tried to cheat by using an ancient family relic.
But Kaelian, thanks to his modern knowledge and Olympian calm, uncovered the cheating and demonstrated it publicly. He neutralized the relic and completed the puzzle with masterful elegance.
The crowd erupted in cheers, while Théor, humiliated, let out a stifled roar of rage. The prince was forced to leave the stage under mocking glances.
Consequences at Court
Théor's humiliation shook the court like an earthquake. His credibility plummeted; his supporters began to doubt him. Kaelian gained prestige and influence but knew the war had only just begun.
Queen Virella, furious, intensified plots to eliminate Kaelian. Counselor Dorn Valek watched closely, intrigued by this unexpected rise in power.
Kaelian himself remained cautious, aware that every victory attracted new enemies and that he must double his vigilance to survive in this ruthless world.
Chapter Conclusion
This duel was not just a victory for Kaelian: it was a declaration. He was no longer a despised bastard. He was now a key player at court, capable of rivaling the most powerful.
But behind the applause, in the shadow of the colonnades, betrayals were already brewing, and the royal court was a deadly trap where every smile could hide a dagger.
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