The explosion shook the Sterling Grand Arena from its foundations. Burning pieces of stone flew through the air and struck the Emerald barriers protecting the spectators. Thick dust rose from the fighting ground and spread so quickly that both sides of the arena disappeared.The force travelled backwards and covered Donald as well. His figure vanished inside the rolling cloud, although the crimson light surrounding him still appeared through the dust. Several healers lost their balance as they struggled to keep the barriers active.“Hold the northern seal!” one of them shouted while pressing both hands against the glowing wall. His uniform was already soaked with sweat. “If it breaks, that heat will enter the lower seats.”Another healer forced more Emerald Energy into the barrier. “What kind of attack did that young man release? This arena was designed to withstand battles between Dragon wielders.”The spectators who had turned away slowly looked back. They could not see David, Donal

More spectators followed the direction of his hand.“That is impossible,” a woman whispered as her cup slipped from her fingers. “David was inside the explosion.”The silence spread slowly across the arena. One section stopped cheering, then another, until Donald noticed the strange change around him.His smile weakened. He looked toward the spectators and realised they were no longer watching him. Their eyes were fixed on something behind his back.Magnus Ashford rose fully from his chair. His proud expression disappeared as he saw David standing only one step away from his son.“Donald!” Magnus shouted as he struck the railing with both hands. “Behind you!”Donald’s body became tense. Before he could turn, David’s voice reached his ear.“You celebrated too early,” David said. His quiet words entered Donald’s ears more clearly than the earlier cheers.Donald tried to throw himself forward, but David was already moving. He brought two fingers together and struck a precise point beside

David waited until the flames were close enough to heat his face. He stepped to the side, caught Donald’s wrist and twisted the arm behind his back.A sharp crack came from Donald’s shoulder. His scream spread through the arena as the joint slipped out of position.The crack silenced nearby rows. An Ashford officer gripped the barrier, unable to accept how easily David had turned Donald’s strength against him. “David used Donald’s momentum,” he insisted. A physician frowned. “Momentum explains the fall, not that control. He knew when the joint would fail.”David drove his palm into Donald’s ribs before releasing him. Donald stumbled sideways, but David followed and struck the outside of his knee.Donald’s leg folded beneath him. He fell onto one knee, but he swung his remaining fist towards David’s stomach.David blocked the attack with his forearm. He grabbed Donald’s elbow, pulled him forward and struck the weakened shoulder again.Another painful crack sounded through the arena. Do

Donald Ashford no longer resembled the proud warrior who had entered the arena beneath roaring applause. His black armour was broken across the chest, blood covered his mouth, and his dislocated shoulder rested awkwardly against the ground.He tried to move his legs, but they barely responded. His Inferno Dragon had become completely silent, leaving him helpless before the man he had promised to kill within three minutes.David looked at Donald for several seconds before turning towards the sword lying on the broken ground. The blade had been Donald’s final act of generosity, offered when he believed David would die without ever using it.David walked towards the weapon and picked it up. The movement caused every voice in the arena to fade.“What is he doing?” a spectator whispered as David tested the weight of the blade. “Donald cannot fight anymore.”The man beside him leaned against the barrier. “The rules say one of them must die. David is about to finish the duel.”Donald heard t

Alistair Sterling remained silent until the questions spreading through the arena became impossible to ignore. Thousands of spectators waited for him to decide whether David’s victory had cancelled the execution, but the Sterling patriarch was not prepared to give them an answer.He finally raised his walking stick, and the Presiding Arbiter struck his staff against the platform. The sound moved through the arena and slowly brought the spectators under control.“This duel has been interrupted under circumstances that must be investigated,” Alistair announced. His voice sounded firm, although uncertainty remained in his eyes. “Until the tribunal determines the legal effect of what happened here, David Myles will remain under Sterling custody.”Victoria leaned towards him. “Does that mean his execution has been suspended?”“It means no further judgment will be delivered today,” Alistair replied. He turned towards the guards below. “Bind David and return him to the Sterling dungeon.”Ang