A boy who didn’t know the world outside,

Found the sun was beside him, shining with pride.

Eleanor, the bright one, brought light to Yune’s days,

But beyond their story, a darker truth stays.

Children trapped, their innocence torn away,

Forced by cruel men to live in dismay.

Stuck in rooms with no clue, no voice, no fight,

While we, with the power of sunlight, stay out of sight.

Do we act, or do we stand by,

Like shadows watching as they cry?

Even I, who writes this plea,

Feel powerless to bring the change we need to see.

As the colossal doors creaked open, Yune and Thane Osiris, the first Royal Guard Captains of Thebes and Nubia respectively, stepped into the arena. The crowd, previously roaring with excitement, fell into a tense silence as the two warriors locked eyes, their mutual respect thinly veiling the intensity brewing between them. These weren’t just soldiers—they were the highest-ranked warriors beneath their generals and commanders. This was the fight everyone had been waiting for.

Renjiro, watching from his seat among The Vanguard, leaned forward, his voice sharp with focus. "Ru, don’t miss anything. We need every detail on their powers."

Ru nodded, eyes wide, her gaze fixed on the battlefield. This was no ordinary match. These two were legends in their own right.

Yune unsheathed his sword, his demeanor calm yet serious. Across from him, Thane Osiris mirrored the motion, but with a smirk tugging at his lips. "Good luck," Thane called out, his voice laced with confidence.

Yune’s reply was clipped, determined. "You’ll need it."

Old Man Jules, standing on a high platform, raised his hand, then brought it down in one swift motion. The signal was clear: Begin.

In an instant, both Yune and Thane launched into action, dashing toward each other with blinding speed. Yune made the first move, muttering under his breath, "Teleport." A shimmering portal opened at Thane’s feet, aiming to trip him up, but Thane was quicker. With a fluid jump, he vaulted over the portal, his sword glowing with a menacing dark energy.

Slash! A wave of dark energy erupted from Thane’s blade, hurtling toward Yune like a roaring tidal wave. The crowd gasped as the power crackled through the air.

But Yune was already thinking several moves ahead. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned another portal, redirecting the dark energy right back at Thane. The Nubian warrior barely had time to react as his own attack curved back towards him. Just as Thane moved to intercept the redirected strike, Yune cunningly conjured not one, but two more portals, which he called Voids. The first void swallowed the energy slash whole, while the second consumed Thane’s sword mid-swing.

Thane’s eyes widened for a split second, his weapon vanishing from his hand. Before he could react, Yune opened another portal right behind him, releasing both the energy attack and Thane’s sword in a devastating combination. The dark energy hit Thane like a sledgehammer, slamming into his back and sending him flying into the colosseum wall with a deafening crash. The force was so intense, blood splattered from Thane’s mouth as his body made impact, the stone cracking from the sheer collision.

Thane brushed the dust from his armor, his breathing still labored from Yune’s last attack, but his eyes gleamed with renewed resolve. The Anubis observed. “Yune, the Royal Guard of Thebes, is clever. He combined the two attacks and sent them back at his enemy without Thane realizing.”

Meanwhile, Ru, standing with The Vanguard, explained to the young Atom, “He used his other portals as distractions. Thane couldn’t keep track of what Yune was up to.”

“YES!” Ramon clenched his fist in excitement as the battle unfolded, the intensity gripping the audience.

The Nebian Kingdom’s balcony, however, remained eerily quiet. They understood the depth of their Royal Guard Captain Thane’s abilities, and Kairo watched, unfazed, calculating the next move.

Setka’s sharp eyes caught something in the debris. “Damn it,” he muttered under his breath. “That brat’s still up.” His gaze locked onto Thane, who stepped out of the rubble with a grin wider than ever.

Thane’s voice rang out across the arena, taunting Yune, “Oh, Yune. We go way back, don’t we? In terms of our rivalry? But you have no idea of the power I’ve gained.”

Yune, his expression hardened, responded coolly, “It doesn’t matter how far back we go. The goal is victory. My kingdom’s respect is on the line.”

Thane’s smile only grew wider as he took slow, deliberate steps toward Yune. He spread his arms wide, as if embracing the very air around him, whispering to the world, "Time’s End."

In the next millisecond, without any sign or warning, Thane was right next to Yune, his breath warm against Yune’s ear as he whispered, “Victory no longer exists for you.”

Boom!

The impact sent Yune flying backward, his body slamming into the coliseum wall with a thunderous crash. The same dark energy-filled sword strike Thane had unleashed at the beginning of the fight now struck Yune with ten times the force. Dust and debris clouded the air as Yune slid across the ground, his sword barely in his grasp.

Akhet, watching from above, was stunned. His eyes widened as his mind raced to comprehend what had just happened. "Wait, no... what did I just witness?" His thoughts spun as he looked over at the Anubis, confused. "I can always slow down time in my head, I can analyze the enemy's moves... but this time, there was no move. Not a single step. How did he get next to Yune without me even realizing it?"

Menes and Henu exchanged bewildered looks. "What did he do? My dark energy didn’t pick up anything. All it detected was Thane suddenly appearing next to Yune, out of nowhere."

Kamil, the strategist, pieced together a theory. "To trick dark energy like that... either he can conceal his energy to perfection and possesses a teleportation ability similar to Yune’s, or it’s something far greater, something I hope it isn’t..."

Thane was relentless. As Yune slid back, struggling to regain his footing, Thane unleashed another wave of dark energy, slashing through the air. This time, Yune couldn’t react fast enough. The attack hit him square in the chest, sending him crashing to the ground with a dull thud.

“What do you mean?” Ramon questioned Kamil, panic seeping into his voice.

Kamil’s expression grew grim. “He can stop time itself.”

Everyone stared at Thane in disbelief.

Kasib, ever the observer, added, “Most powers have a range. We’re about 70-90 meters away from him, so why couldn’t we see him move?”

Jack, still stunned by the events, answered, “His power… it doesn’t have a limited range. Thane’s ability can stop time for this entire world.”

The weight of those words sank in. If Thane truly had the ability to halt time itself, the balance of power in the entire region had shifted.

Henu, still baffled, asked, “How can you be so sure, Jack?”

Jack, catching his breath, explained, “From the training I had with Yune, I learned to connect to Steller’s domain. I still can’t fully communicate with Steller by my own will, but I can feel it—the connection. When Thane appeared next to Yune, I sensed something... a disturbance in time. It lasted about ten seconds. That’s how I know. Steller’s domain isn’t of this world—it’s something entirely different.”

Ramon, his eyes darting back to Yune, muttered under his breath, “How’s he going to win against Thane...?” Sweat dripped down his forehead as tension gripped the air.

Yune, knowing he was running out of options, dashed toward Thane once again, sword drawn, desperate to land a hit. Just as Yune swung his blade, he created a portal right beside Thane, trying to outmaneuver him once more.

Thane smirked, shaking his head. “How desperate... This trick won’t work twice.” He whispered, "Time’s End."

This time, everything became clear. The world around Thane slowed to a crawl, as if the gears of a clock had ground to a halt. It was as if time itself bent to his will. The surroundings drained of color, replaced by deep shades of dark ocean blue. It was like looking through a distorted lens where reality itself warped under Thane’s control.

As he walked, he could hear faint ticks—a clock winding backward. Each tick signified a second, and with each second, Thane used more of his life energy. The louder the ticks grew, the more the toll increased on his body. But in those ten seconds, he had all the time he needed.

He moved effortlessly toward Yune, positioning his sword with deadly precision. He swung, but instead of finishing the attack immediately, he left the slash frozen in the air, hovering next to Yune’s body. Then, Thane stepped away, exiting the range just as the tenth tick echoed loudly in his ears.

The world around him began to move once more. Thane could hear the gears of the clock spinning back into action, the distorted ticking noise fading into the background as time resumed its natural flow. Yune’s attack hit nothing but air, as Thane had already moved from that location.

Then came the delayed strike—Thane’s frozen slash, perfectly timed, connected with Yune. The force of it sent Yune hurtling back across the colosseum, slamming hard into the wall once again. Dust and debris clouded the air as Yune crumbled to the ground, blood dripping from his lip.

The crowd gasped. Even those who had seen countless battles were left speechless.

Thane’s voice echoed through the coliseum as he taunted, “Those who control time, Yune, control the flow of the battle. There is no victory without mastering time itself.”

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Yune, his body trembling and struggling for breath, was lost in his thoughts—his life energy waning. His mind drifted into a distant memory, pulling him deep into a place he hadn’t visited in years...

A pitch-black room, square and suffocating, with windows that stretched to the ceiling. Everything about the place was rigid, cold—no warmth, no life. The only light that dared to seep into the room was an eerie orange hue, casting a dim glow through the windows. Inside, faceless children stood, their figures just black silhouettes, frozen like statues. Among them was Yune, much younger, staring blankly ahead.

The silence was unbearable, heavier than space itself. Not a single word, not a single thought.

Suddenly, a shrill whistle broke the stillness, snapping the children into action. They lined up by the doors, awaiting their instructor. When the door creaked open, it wasn’t a person that Yune saw, but a looming figure that resembled the grim reaper himself. The man’s aura made Yune’s skin crawl, and he could feel the fear radiating from the other children around him.

The instructor spoke, his voice cold and detached, “Today, you’ll be joined by a new boy. His name is Eleanor. He will be with you now. Treat him well.”

Yune and Eleanor quickly became inseparable, though it was Eleanor who did most of the talking. His smile, unlike the others, was full of life—a glimmer of hope in a room devoid of any joy. Yune noticed it but dared not question why, fearing the consequences of such thoughts.

One day, in a rare moment of trust, Yune had confided in Eleanor, sharing something simple yet personal: "I like red apples."

The next day, Eleanor surprised Yune by bringing him a red apple, exactly as he had imagined. Yune’s eyes widened, and he stammered, “How did you get this?”

Eleanor grinned, “Before they brought me here, I stole it from a tree,” he laughed, carefree in a way that Yune had never experienced.

For the first time in his life, Yune smiled. It was a new sensation, a warmth he’d never known. From that moment on, Yune and Eleanor would sneak out of their dormitory, finding refuge in a hidden chimney where they could talk freely.

“You know what I’d really love?” Eleanor said one night, his voice hushed. “A toy. Something to play with.”

Yune raised an eyebrow. “How could you play with a toy when there’s hardly any light in this place?”

Eleanor’s smile never wavered. “Why don’t you become the light, then? Save us all.”

Yune, skeptical and bound by the only life he’d ever known, replied, “I’ve been here since I was born. We’re trained to become warriors for the nation. I don’t know the outside world... I don’t even know what kindness feels like, except from you. How could I be the light when I’m stuck as a shadow?”

Eleanor’s voice softened, “Yune, there may come a time when you become the light for many shadows. And don’t worry—I’ll always be there for you.”

Yune laughed it off, believing it to be nothing more than a child’s dream. But he didn’t know that their time together was already running out.

One day, Yune crafted a small replica of the sun using wood and scraps he had collected, eager to gift it to Eleanor. The sun, just as Eleanor had described it, with wavy flames, glowing with hope. But when Yune arrived at class, Eleanor was nowhere to be found.

He waited. And waited. Days passed, but Eleanor never returned.

Then came the dreaded announcement. The instructor smirked cruelly as he told the children, “Eleanor has been punished for breaking the rules.”

Yune’s heart sank. He knew what “punished” truly meant. Eleanor was gone—wiped from existence like the others who dared defy the rules of that cold, hollow place.

That day, something inside Yune snapped. Fueled by anger and despair, he decided to escape. He ran through the windows, bolting for the gates of the facility, but the world outside was not the paradise he had dreamed of. Instead of a blue sky, he was greeted by towering fires and flickering candles. He was in a massive underground cave.

Still, Yune pressed on, sprinting through the Sahara Desert beyond the cave, but his body soon gave out. Starving, thirsty, and utterly defeated, he collapsed into the sand. As he looked up at the night sky, Eleanor’s words echoed in his mind, “Become the light.”

“I’m sorry, Eleanor,” Yune sobbed. “I’m too weak to be a light... I’m not even a shadow. I’m... nothing.”

Suddenly, a haunting howl pierced the night. A wolf, prowling nearby, sent shivers down Yune’s spine. Just as he braced for the end, a shadowy figure appeared before him. Cloaked and commanding, the figure spoke in a gruff voice, “Husk, what did you find now? Oh, it’s just a boy. Men, help him. Get him food and water.”

The voice belonged to none other than Henu Safir, the man who would later become Yune’s mentor.

Yune’s eyes fluttered open, the sound of crashing waves pulling him back to consciousness. His body swayed gently with the rocking of the boat beneath him. As he sat up, he was met with a sight he had only ever dreamed of: the vast blue ocean stretched out before him, meeting the endless blue sky with its soft, white clouds.

As he looked out at the serene scene, a voice from his memory came alive—Eleanor’s voice. "The birds, white and free, flying up above. And in front of you, the sun…"

Tears welled up in Yune’s eyes. The beauty of the world, the one Eleanor had described, was real. It was more breathtaking than he could have ever imagined. Tears streamed down his face as he wept, the emotions overwhelming him. He had finally seen it—the truth, the world beyond the darkness of his past. The words Eleanor had shared with him were true.

Just then, Henu approached, watching the boy with a mix of curiosity and concern. "You’re one of those kingdom’s test children, aren’t you?" Henu said, his voice rough but filled with sympathy. "Well, it’s good you escaped. The neighbouring army raided the camp yesterday killed everyone in those underground caves. I don’t know how, but you made it out."

Yune wiped the tears from his eyes, still gazing out at the sky and sea. "I did… and I’ve seen what I wanted to see. Thanks for helping me fulfil my purpose and my wish."

Henu looked at Yune with worry, his tone softening. "Hey now, kiddo, you’re still young. You’re not done with life just yet. There’s more for you than just this. Come with me, back to my city. We’ll find you a new purpose there," he said with a playful grin, trying to lighten the mood.

Before Yune could respond, a sailor shouted from across the deck, "Commander Henu! Husk is eating all our food again!"

Henu rolled his eyes and ran back towards the ship’s quarters, his voice filled with mock anger as he yelled, "Husk! Stop soiling all our food, you brat!"

Yune smiled faintly, the warmth of the moment pushing away the pain of his past, even if just for a little while. For the first time, he began to wonder if there could be a future for him beyond the shadows of his childhood.

As Yune opened his eyes within the familiar pitch-black room of his life energy, he found himself once again in the strange place that haunted his inner mind—the same black walls, the same square windows, and the same suffocating silence. A figure stood in front of him, a silhouette that smiled, though Yune still had no idea who or what this figure truly was.

"I’m still here," Yune muttered, confused as to why his life energy form always returned to this eerie room. But he had no time to dwell on it. He snapped back into reality, opening his eyes to the brilliant blue sky and the blazing sun overhead.

"Time is a bitch," Yune growled as he rose to his feet, his face smeared with blood, his hair wild and untamed. He raised his hands and commanded, "Void."

In an instant, the rubble and debris scattered across the battlefield disappeared, only to reappear above Thane, falling down like an avalanche. Thane, unfazed, activated his time-stopping ability, "Time's End," freezing the rubble in midair. The stones fell harmlessly in random directions as Thane smirked at Yune's futile attack.

Renjiro scoffed from the sidelines. "What is Thebes’ Royal Guard doing? Has he given up already?"

Kairo, from the Nubian Kingdom's balcony, sneered. "Pathetic. He’s resorting to useless tricks. He’s already accepted defeat."

Meanwhile, Henu Safir’s face was tight with worry as he gauged Yune’s injuries, his heart heavy with concern.

Thane mocked, "What is this? Have you truly run out of ideas, Yune?"

Yune’s voice rang out in response. "No, Thane. The figure in my head gave me the solution to my problem."

Thane raised an eyebrow, confused. "What? Have you gone mad, Yune? It looks like you’ve completely lost it."

From the stands, Ramon furrowed his brow. "What does Yune mean by that?"

Henu sighed, trying to explain. "Yune… isn’t just one person. There’s something in his mind, a figure dressed in black. It’s almost like another part of Yune himself."

Jack interjected, "Does he have split personality disorder?"

Kamil looked puzzled. "What’s that?"

Jack explained, "It’s when a person has multiple personalities inside one body."

Henu nodded, confirming. "It might be that, but Yune’s other self doesn’t control him. It’s only present in his life energy form. I know it’s weird, but Yune’s a child whose dreams were stolen from him. Now, he carries the weight of many."

Yune’s voice roared across the battlefield, his conviction unbroken. "Thane! You really think I’ll give up so easily in front of the people of Thebes? These are my people! I’ll be there for them—I’ll always be there to protect them, no matter what!" He raised his sword one last time, determination burning in his eyes. "I’ll become the light for the shadows left behind."

Yune charged at Thane once more, sword in hand. Thane, though smug, was visibly strained, breathing heavily from his excessive use of life energy. As Yune drew closer, Thane thought to himself, I don't have enough energy left. This may be my last move, so I’ll make it count.

"Time’s End!" Thane shouted, freezing time yet again. But before time could stop fully, Yune activated his own ability—"Infinite Void."

Thane paused, confused. Did he do something before I stopped time? As he looked around, he brushed aside his doubt. "No matter," he muttered. "After this, it’ll all be over."

Thane unleashed his dark slash, freezing it mid-motion next to Yune as time stopped. Confident in his victory, Thane allowed himself a smirk. It’s over, he thought.

As time resumed, Thane’s dark energy attack connected with Yune, sending him crashing into the coliseum wall. Yune’s body slumped against the bricks, barely standing, bloodied and on the brink of unconsciousness. But despite his injuries, he managed to speak through ragged breaths. "You… you haven’t won yet. You may stop time itself, Thane, but what you can’t handle… is infinity."

Suddenly, the rubble scattered across the battlefield began to move again. Yune had created a portal for each piece, sending them through an infinite loop of portals, increasing their speed exponentially. This was Yune’s technique—Infinite Void. The debris flew through the portals faster and faster until they became blurs, slashing through the air like invisible blades.

Thane’s clothes were torn, and his arms bled as the rocks cut into him. Desperation set in. "I’ll have to squeeze out the last bit of my life energy to stop time again."

"Time's End!" Thane bellowed, stopping time once more. As he walked towards Yune, intent on finishing him, Thane unknowingly triggered a trap within the Infinite Void. Stepping on a small piece of debris, Thane set off a domino effect. The debris launched into more portals, gaining even more speed and momentum. One piece shot out of a portal and smashed into Thane’s stomach, causing him to spit out blood. His power deactivated—he no longer had the life energy to maintain his time-stop ability.

Time resumed for both fighters, and they stood, staggering on their feet. But the damage was done. Thane, clutching his wounded stomach, and Yune, barely conscious, both collapsed to the ground at the same exact moment, their battle ending in mutual defeat.

Renjiro, with his jaw practically on the floor, stammered, "R-Ru... tell me this is real!"

Even Ru, usually composed, was in shock. "First, the attack from above—it was just a setup! The scattered rocks were meant to trap Thane all along."

while from the Anubis, Akhet nodded as he analyzed the scene. "Yune forced Thane to waste energy dodging the rocks, and then used his ability to increase their speed. They became like invisible blades, cutting through the air."

Kamil, standing on the Royal Army’s balcony, shook his head in disbelief. "He got Thane to stop time one last time, knowing that his life energy was nearly drained."

Menes smiled knowingly. "Yune set up traps on the rocks so that when Thane stepped on them during his time stop, they triggered. Brilliant."

Henu, in his typical upbeat fashion, let out a laugh. "He found a flaw in Thane's power. Any attacks made during the time stop that Thane doesn’t personally control don’t freeze. Yune exploited that perfectly."

In his mind, Henu cheered silently, You’ve done it, Yune. You really did it.

Kairo, seething with frustration, clenched his fists. "I can't believe this! He figured out that only Thane’s own attacks can be frozen in time, but other attacks made by external forces aren’t stopped. How... how did he even realize that?"

Amon and Drexel, from the sidelines, watched the chaos unfold with calm admiration. "Experience," Amon said simply. "That young man, Yune, has gained a wealth of experience on the battlefield. He’s learned how to adapt and outthink his opponents."

Drexel nodded in agreement. "It’s not just power—it’s strategy. And Yune used every bit of it today."

Old Man Jules, standing tall in the center of the arena, announced, "This fight... is a draw! Both fighters have fallen at the exact same moment!" The crowd erupted into cheers, the outcome thrilling them even if unexpected.

Commander Isabella Rossi, observing from her balcony, leaned back with a slight smirk. "Now that was an outcome I wasn't expecting," she remarked, her tone carrying a mix of surprise and intrigue.

Old Man Jules raised his voice again, addressing the excited crowd. "The next fight will commence after a one-hour break!"

As the crowd began to disperse, heading towards the food stalls outside, leaders of the various organizations quietly slipped away, blending in with the people.

Ramon, sitting quietly among his comrades, felt his heart begin to race. His thoughts spiraled towards the future, towards the next battle. "The next fight... it’s me versus Kairo, a commander."......................