The two Nkosanas clashed in an eruption of light and shadow, steel ringing against cursed steel. The twisted doppelgänger grinned with teeth too sharp, eyes burning crimson with pure malice.
"You could have had this power without restraint," it hissed. "No guilt. No fear. Only dominance."
"I'm not you," Nkosana spat, ducking a vicious swipe and countering with a slash aimed at its midsection.
But the shadow-copy moved like liquid, bending unnaturally, absorbing the blow before retaliating with a surge of darkness that sent Nkosana crashing through a pillar of obsidian.
The real Nkosana groaned, wiping blood from his mouth as the battlefield trembled around them. From above, the Veiled King watched like a god amused by mortal folly.
Lira and Kaede tried to break through the corrupted field surrounding the duel, but the magic repelled them violently. Matsu's voice echoed faintly in the distance, "This is his fight alone."
Inside the dome of shifting energy, Nkosana stood again, panting. His double advanced, dragging its blade across the ground, leaving trails of fire and ash.
"You think you're righteous?" it mocked. "You use the Demon Seed like a leash, but you fear what happens if you let go. That's weakness."
"No," Nkosana said quietly. "That's control."
He closed his eyes briefly, feeling the mark on his neck burn—but this time, he didn't push it away. He welcomed it.
The shadows surged, spiraling around him—but unlike before, they didn't consume him. They armored him.
When Nkosana opened his eyes again, they glowed with balance—not just of darkness, but of light too. A new mark glowed on his palm—a spiral within a sun. The remnants of the First Flame had awakened.
With a cry that shook the dome, Nkosana launched forward, blade ablaze with twin forces. His strike split the air—and cleaved straight through his shadow.
The doppelgänger screamed, disintegrating into smoke, leaving behind only a faint echo: *"I'll always be in you."*
The Veiled King's smile faded.
Nkosana turned, raising his sword toward him. "Your move."
—