Finally, the long-awaited day of the Rite to Ascendancy arrives. The Divine Lords, King Xavier, and the top Generals of Eldoria are all assembled. A grand stage, forged by the hands of powerful earthbenders, rises from the ground—an arena worthy of gods. It is said that when the Divine Lords fight, the very world trembles. Today, such a clash will be witnessed.
The lineup of Divine Lords is awe-inspiring: Lord Aaron, Lord Yami, Lord Sapphire, Lord Davin, Lord Levi, Lord Daniel, Lord Finral, Lord Dexter, and Lord Shadow. Each a legend. Each a force of nature. But for the first round, the match that captures all eyes is between Lord Aeron and Lord Finral—two titans standing on equal ground.
As a safety measure, the participants are transported into a sealed battle sphere—a floating globe of ancient design, forged to contain cataclysmic forces. For when Divine Lords unleash their true powers, continents could be laid to waste.
The battle begins.
Lord Aeron, master of fire manipulation, wastes no time. His aura flares violently.
Lord Aeron: "I give you one chance to surrender before it's too late."
(He speaks in a cold, almost detached voice.)
Lord Finral (smirking): "Your flames are nothing before the storm I wield."
Lord Aeron: "Very well. You brought this upon yourself. Blight of Salamander!"
With that, Lord Aeron soars into the air, flames swirling around him. His technique, Blight of Salamander, scorches the air, threatening to consume everything.
But Lord Finral is ready.
Lord Finral: "Heh, like that would hurt. I call forth lightning from the heavens—Heaven's Roar!"
A poem of lightning dances in the sky, summoned by his will. He absorbs the power and hurls it at Lord Aeron. At that moment, Lord Aeron releases his flaming technique. The powers collide in a cataclysmic explosion, obliterating half of the globe's artificial universe. For a moment, all is smoke and silence. Then, the globe begins to heal itself, restoring the battlefield.
What follows is a breathtaking display—not just of elemental might, but of supreme swordsmanship. Their blades clash like thunder, each strike bursting with energy. Sparks fly, shockwaves ripple. It is a duel of gods.
Lord Finral: "Illusion Lightning!"
A technique born of wisdom and power. He multiplies himself—doppelgangers charged with his energy. They surge toward Lord Aeron in a storm of motion. Though Aeron defends valiantly, their sheer speed overwhelms him.
In retaliation, Lord Aeron activates Flame of Eruption—a domain-altering technique. The battlefield morphs into a volcanic wasteland. Flames surge past 500,000°C. In one mighty wave, he incinerates all the doppelgangers. The light blinds Lord Finral momentarily.
Drawing his sword, Lord Aeron activates Breath of the Salamander's Host—a breathing technique that grants him heightened speed, agility, and temporary flight. He darts toward Finral and delivers a brutal hit that sends him flying.
But Finral isn't finished.
Lord Finral: "Skylight, bring forth blight—Lightning God!"
A monumental storm erupts above. Clouds blacken the sky as lightning pulses through the heavens. His eyes glow white like twin moons. His voice, deep and resonant, echoes like thunder across dimensions. He points a single finger at Lord Aeron.
A colossal lightning bolt crashes down, tearing through the sky. It strikes Lord Aeron dead-on, sending charges surging through his body. He coughs up blood as he crashes to the ground—wounded, but not broken.
Weakly, Lord Aeron rises to his feet. He has yet to activate his god mode, and still, he endures. With great effort, he ascends skyward and invokes the Breath of the Salamander. Behind him, the faint image of a colossal salamander spirit appears, breathing a sea of scorching flame.
Finral responds with his Lightning Array, creating a barrier of pure electric force. But time is running out.
With no other choice, Lord Aeron activates his god mode.
The temperature across the entire battlefield skyrockets. His left eye turns fiery red, flames spiraling from it like a furnace. He charges at Finral in a blaze of raw, divine flame. Finral too surges forward, shrouded in divine lightning.
Their final clash is apocalyptic.
The explosion that results shatters the entire globe. Spectators gasp as the two are teleported out just in time. Lord Aeron's flames overpower Finral, launching him from the stage, weakened and unable to continue. Victory goes to Lord Aeron.
The students are stunned into silence. It was a once-in-a-lifetime battle—etched forever in memory.
After a brief break, earthbenders quickly reshape the arena and recreate the battle globe.
The next match is scheduled between Lord Yami and Lord Daniel. But as the gong sounds, Lord Yami steps down.
Lord Yami: "I forfeit."
His voice is cold and brazen. Without another word, he sheaths his sword and walks away.
Lord Daniel is now matched against Lord Dexter. As their battle commences, Theo quietly takes Klaus and Traven to Lord Aeron's personal chambers.
Lord Aeron, now among the audience, is unable to intervene.
Inside his quarters, Theo warns, "Don't touch the glowing wall." A split of light pulses on a wall of enchanted earth—clearly a hidden passage.
Using his earth manipulation, Traven silently opens it without triggering alarms. Behind it lies a vast library filled with forbidden texts on Eldoria's ancient and hidden history.
As they explore, Theo steps on a pressure tile. A secret underground passage opens. The trio descends, weapons ready.
There, tied to a chair by powerful spells, is a man clad in black, with green eyes—and he looks exactly like King Xavier.
In a cracked, desperate voice, he speaks:
Stranger: "Please... release me. I am the true King Xavier. The one you serve is an imposter."
Theo recoils, unnerved. But in stepping back, he accidentally triggers an alarm.
Sirens echo. Lord Aeron is alerted.
As the trio scrambles to escape, they stumble upon another hidden room. Inside, they discover cages of evil souls—corrupted spirits forged by dark magic.
Stranger in Black: "Lord Aeron… has been making them…"
Panic sets in. They run, leaving the chained man behind. As they glance back, they notice a faint smile curling on the stranger's lips.
Just as they near the exit, Lord Aeron appears, blocking the way.
Lord Aeron: "What are you doing here?"
Theo, heart pounding, draws his sword.
Theo: "You're hiding something. I can feel it."
Lord Aeron: "How dare you, young one..."
Theo says nothing. He activates the sword of Val'thar. Its divine glow fills the room. Traven and Klaus step forward, standing with him.
What once was loyalty has turned to doubt. The student now dares to challenge the master.