Conqueror of Daylight

Chapter 30: Mudslinging

In the early morning embrace, as the first light delicately breaks the grip of the night, Jim's backyard is awash in a gentle hue of sunrise. The world is still, the air fresh with the promise of a new day. The two friends, Y/N and Jim, face each other, their eyes reflecting the soft light, their forms casting long, calm shadows on the dew-kissed grass.

Draal stands aside; his powerful form is solemn in the tranquil morning, his keen eyes observing the duel about to unfold. Y/N grips his transformed blade, feeling its vibrant energy pulsing in sync with his heartbeat, the fragments bound by an ethereal red force.

"You weren't kidding about the sunrise workout, huh?" Jim says with a light chuckle, readying his blade, the glinting metal contrasting Y/N's ethereal weapon.

Y/N can't help but smile back, "The best way to start the day, right?"

As they engage, the silence of the morning is cut by the song of clashing metal. The dance begins, their movements a harmonious choreography of attacks and defenses. Y/N's strikes, powered by the new blade, carry an amplified force, each collision sending a resonant vibration down Jim's arm, who skillfully parries despite the enhanced onslaught.

"This new blade of yours," Jim grunts amidst the duel, "It's something else."

The acknowledgment brings a slight smirk to Y/N's face. "Feels like it's alive," Y/N replies, his every movement imbued with the augmented might of the reconstructed blade.

Their sparring intensifies, a seamless blend of power and precision, the air around them alive with the energy of their strikes. Draal observes, his approval evident in his stoic, focused gaze.

In a synchronized pause, their blades lock, a standoff under the expanding light of the morning. They lock eyes, sharing a silent communication of respect and mutual understanding. Both are aware of the unspoken, hidden elements of their encounters in the realms beyond, yet their bond stands resilient, a beacon in the uncertainties ahead.

As they disengage, the calm returns, their breaths heavy but steady in the quiet dawn. The backyard, bathed in the warm light, holds the echoes of their clash.

They position themselves again, their silence filling the air as they prepare for a second round. With a mutual nod, they surge into movement, blades clashing in a harmonious dance of steel and strength. Y/N's newly enhanced blade vibrates with ethereal energy, each stroke exuding an unprecedented power that pushes against Jim's blade with remarkable force.

Amidst their synchronized dance, Jim suddenly falters. His eyes widen in alarm as a vivid vision of Gunmar abruptly pierces his consciousness, breaking his focus and leaving him vulnerable. Y/N's blade halts just beside Jim, who stumbles back, shaken and breathing heavily.

Draal's voice echoes through the early morning air. "Are you alright, Young Trollhunter?"

Jim pulls himself upright, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. "The visions... Gunmar," he pants, confusion and fear tangled in his words.

Y/N, lowering his enhanced blade, wears a concerned expression. "I heard you scream in your sleep last night," he admits, recalling the haunting echo of Jim's nightmare that permeated the night's silence.

A heavy air of mutual concern weaves between them, binding their fates and struggles even tighter. "That's enough for today," Y/N decides, his voice a soothing balm to the turmoil within and around them.

The resolute words echo through the peaceful backyard, grounding them in the tangible reality of the coming day. "We have school to get ready for," Y/N adds, extending a steady hand to Jim, who accepts the supportive grip with gratitude.