The clash of metal rang sharp against the cold wind, echoing through the jagged cliffs of Mt. Ordeals. Moonlight spilled across the battlefield, casting the two figures in stark contrast, light and shadow, paladin and dragoon.
Cecil growled, steadying his stance, sword angled defensively.
“this isn’t the way. You talk of honor, but you're chasing ghosts in the name of vengeance.”
Kain’s lance thrust forward, forcing Cecil to parry hard. Sparks flew from their weapons, and the shock of impact jarred Cecil’s arms. Kain’s eyes glinted behind his helm, fierce and bitter.
“You think dressing yourself in white absolves you? You rose from darkness and claim the moral high ground, but I never had that chance. I was left in the shadow of your legacy!”
Cecil stepped back, breathing heavily. His voice was low.
“I never wanted that. We were brothers once,not by blood, but by choice. Why does that mean nothing to you now?”
Kain’s stance faltered for a heartbeat. The wind carried his silence before he spoke again.
“Because I was always second. To your strength. To your nobility. To her!”
He launched forward with renewed fury, but this time, Cecil didn’t strike back. He caught the lance with the flat of his blade and held it, forcing Kain to look him in the eye.
“You think I don’t know guilt? I carry the weight of Mysidia, of Baron’s sins. But I chose to face it. You’re running, Kain. From pain. From yourself.”
Kain snarled, jerking the lance away.
“And what if I want to run? The darkness is the only place where I feel... free. Where I’m not your shadow.”
Cecil’s expression softened, though he didn’t lower his sword.
“Then let me walk with you through it. Not above you. Beside you.”
For a long moment, neither moved. Only the wind spoke, whispering through the rocks like the ghosts of their shared past. Kain lowered his lance slightly,but his gaze remained hard.
The dragoon plants his feet, offering the paladin one last look, before leaping away.