Final Battle

Final Battle
TRIAL OF SKILL AND FURY

The afternoon sun continues to shine merciless over the training arena, glinting off sharpened weapons and the eyes of hundreds of watching wolves. The air vibrated with anticipation, every breath held as Liam stepped forward.

Liam stepped forward “THE FIRST TEST—ARCHERY—BEGINS!” The crowd cheer.

Wooden targets were set at three distances: short, mid, and far. At the final distance, a tiny circle no bigger than a coin gleamed in the center—nearly impossible to hit.

Damon stepped forward first, drawing his bow with easy confidence.

Ella whispered beside him, “He makes it look simple.”

Thrum—thrum—thrum.

Three arrows flew like streaks of polished silver, slamming dead center on all targets.

The crowd applauded as Damon lowered his bow with a shrug. “What can I say?” he muttered. “Perfection likes me.”

But Liam raised his hand. “Next—Elina.”

Every head turned. Elina moved forward with a deadly focus.

She lifted her bow and drew the string back slowly. Her breathing calm while her aura compressed into something sharp, something hawk-like. Damian leaned forward slightly.

Thrum. The first arrow landed dead center.

Thrum. The second pierced the same spot.

Gasps echoed.

The final, farthest target shimmered under the sun. Hitting it at all was an achievement. Splitting the center was near impossible.

Elina exhaled— THRUM.

The arrow didn’t just hit the bullseye.
It struck with such precision that the target burst into a cloud of brilliant red powder.

A shower of crimson dust drifted across the field like falling petals.

The crowd ROARED.

Damon laughed under his breath. “Well damn…”

Elina turned her head and winked at him.
“Try to keep up.”

Liam lifted the red flag high, "WINNER OF THE SKILL TEST IS ELINA!” The crowd went crazy as cry of excitement roll out.

Next was WEAPON MASTERY...

Wooden practice swords glowed softly under the sun as Damon and Elina stepped into the circular arena.

The audience leaned forward, breath held, as Liam announced:

“Same rules as before " Liam said, while
Damon rolled his shoulders and offered Elina a grin. “Go easy on me.”

Elina raised her blade. “No.”

The sound of their swords clashing cracked through the air like thunder.

Clack—CLACK—CLACK.

Damon moved with a disciplined elegance—every swing calculated, every block purposeful. His footwork was a perfect rhythm, trained to perfection under Damian's watchful eyes.

But Elina— She was a wildfire.

Her steps were quick, unpredictable.
Her strikes were sharp, slicing through the air with a dangerous edge.

She pushed Damon back step by step, forcing him into real combat mode.

“Since when did you get faster?” Damon grunted.

“Since I decided you weren’t allowed to keep winning,” Elina shot back.

She dodged his overhead strike, spun under his arm, and in a single fluid motion— She TWISTED his wrist and kicked his sword out of his hand.

The blade skidded across the dirt. The arena BURST into cheers.

Damon stared at his empty hand, offended.
“…You disarmed me.”

Elina flicked his forehead playfully. “Try harder next round.”

Liam immediately lifted both hands dramatically. “WINNER OF WEAPON MASTERY—ELINA!”

The crowd shouted her name like a rising storm.

Meanwhile... Theo has his eyes were fixed on Elina. Each time she moved, something tugged at his chest. Something painful. Something old.

It reminded hom of Rina… His late wife’s name drifted through his mind, soft and heartbreaking.

Her eyes... That fire.... that strength.

Theo had leaned forward unconsciously when Elina claimed her second victory, his breath hitching— Then he caught himself.

He straightened sharply, face going blank, but Mina saw it all.

Her jaw clenched while her eyes hardened.
A storm brewed inside her.

“So that little brat wants attention? We'll see about that,” she whispered darkly, glaring at her.

"Quit That Nonsense in your mind Mina! Not Even is like you!" Theo said when he heard her thoughts. Mina face went red. She had almost forgotten about the mindlink.

"Next.. is the OBSTACLE COURSE which includes: Massive swinging logs thrashed back and forth, Jagged climbs, A rope bridge, A sprint across narrow beams, And the final challenge—a long, swinging rope meant to carry them across a pit.

“OBSTACLE TEST—BEGIN!” Liam said

This was Damon’s world.

He launched forward like lightning, he leap over the first beam, rolled under a swinging log, and climbed the jagged rock wall with flawless efficiency. His body moved like it had memorized the entire course years ago.

Elina wasn’t far behind.

She matched his speed through the logs, ducked and leapt with fierce determination. Sweat gleamed on her brow, but her eyes stayed focused—burning.

“Look at them!” the crowd shouted.

“They’re monsters!”

“No—future leaders!”

Damon reached the rope first. He swung, landed perfectly and Elina grabbed the rope next, but her grip slipped. She slammed into the dirt with a grunt, rolled to a stop, and pushed herself up with a growl.

Damon dashed across the finish just seconds ahead.

“WINNER OF THE OBSTACLE TEST—DAMON!” Liam said with a smile, and the cheers for both were thunderous.

Even the elders leaned together whispering:

“This year… the pack is blessed.”

“Either one could rule the North.”

Liam’s voice sliced through the air “THE FINAL TEST—COMBAT—NOW BEGINS!” The arena fell silent.

Damon and Elina stepped forward, both grinning like wolves ready to tear each other apart.

Liam lifted his hand “BEGIN!”

At first, Damon held back. His strikes were light, almost playful.

when Elina took note if it, her expression changed instantly. “Damon,” she snapped mid-block, “stop treating me like I’m weak!”

Before he could respond, she sank her fist into his ribs with brutal force.

Damon stumbled, eyes widening, then slowly—slowly—grinned." Oh. You want that Milady?.” His aura snapped open like a storm.

Elina’s grin matched his.“Better! Come on then.” And the fight exploded.

BAM. CRACK.THUMP.

Fist flew at all direction.... it was Punch. Block. Elbow. Counter... The dust beneath their feet swirled like a miniature tornado.

Their bodies blurred with speed—too fast for normal eyes.

“Gods…” someone whispered.

“They’re killing each other.” Ella clutched her dress in panic.

Damian, however, sat relaxed, smiling faintly. He wanted this. He wanted to see all their hidden power.

Like a flash, Elina whipped around and FLUNG Damon into the ground with a sharp twist of her hip. He hit the dirt hard. The crowd screamed.

She satbon him and continues pouncing, raining strikes down, but Damon blocked it, rolled, and flipped her, pinning her under him.

Elina snarled— Then she BIT his hand hard.

“OW—HEY!” Damon yanked back, shaking his hand. “You feral little—”

Elina wiped her mouth. “Don’t hold back, then.”

They circled each other again—grinning like unhinged wolves.

Liam stepped forward, voice booming, “LAST TEN SECONDS!”

Their smile vanished and their eyes sharpened.

Damon’s aura surged like a storm brewing.
Elina’s power tightened, fierce and bright.

They stepped forward, ready to tear each other apart. Both preparing the final, decisive strike— the air tightened.

The crowd held its breath. Even the wind stilled as Damon and Elina squared off, each radiating raw energy that made the ground tremble under their feet.

Liam’s voice echoed, “FINAL STRIKE!”

Elina moved first. She charged, her footwork is light, deadly, yet precise. Dust spiraled behind her as she launched a spinning kick aimed at Damon’s jaw.

Damon blocked with his forearm— THUD!

The force vibrated through the arena.

“Not enough!” he gritted out.

Elina smirked and launched again, fists flying, her movements wild and fiery.
She landed a sharp uppercut that made Damon stagger back, teeth clenched, eyes blazing.

The crowd gasped.

“She’s doing it—she’s pushing him back!”

“Elina is incredible!”

But Damon only wiped the blood from his lip…and smiled.

“I warned you,” he breathed, voice low, “if you ask me to go all out…” He vanished.

One moment he was in front of her.
The next, he was behind her.

Elina barely spun in time— CRACK!

Damon’s knee slammed into her stomach with brutal precision.

She coughed out air, choking on the impact, but she didn’t fall— So Damon followed through.

He grabbed her arm, twisted, and swept her legs in a single flawless motion.

Elina hit the ground hard. The dust exploded around them.

Still, she tried to rise—because Elina never quit— But Damon placed a firm hand on her shoulder and pinned her down long enough for the count.

Liam raised his hand IMMEDIATELY “FINAL STRIKE! COMBAT WINNER—DAMON!”

The arena ERUPTED.

Wolves howled. Warriors banged their fists against their chests. The elders stood in shock and awe.

Damon breathed heavily, chest rising and falling, sweat dripping down his temples.
He extended a hand toward Elina.

She looked at it for a moment… then smirked and grabbed it.

“Nice hit,” she hissed, wincing as she stood.

“Nice bite,” Damon shot back, flexing his still-reddened hand.

They both laughed breathlessly, leaning on each other for support as the cheers swallowed the arena.

Damian leaned back in his seat, a subtle smirk curved on his lips. “Good,” he murmured. “Very good.”

Ella exhaled shakily beside him, relief washing over her as Damon and Elina left the field alive rather than in pieces.

Theo couldn’t look away. Not from the way she stood tall even after defeat, chin raised in pride.

His heart twisted. Rina would have smiled like that.

He swallowed hard, the memory hitting him like a fresh wound. Seeing this strange look of longing in Theo’s eye, Mina’s nails dug painfully into her palm as she glared at Elina like she wanted to strike her down on the spot.

Lambert stared wide-eyed, amazed.“She’s… cool,” he said loudly without thinking.

Theo snapped his head toward him.

Lambert flinched. “I—I mean—she fought well, Father…” Theo exhaled slowly, forcing himself to stay composed.

After a brief words with the selected judges, Liam stood once more, voice booming above the cheers:

“THE FINAL SCORES ARE BEING TALLIED!
PLEASE REMAIN SEATED FOR THE OVERALL ANNOUNCEMENT!” The crowd quieted in anticipation.

Elina and Damon exchanged one last grin before walking off the arena ground together— battered, bruised, exhausted…

Yet shining with pride...