The Only Son Amongst The Daughters Of Eros

Luna gasped as she tried to move, but her limbs felt heavy. Movement was impossible because the frost on her armor was too thick, binding her like invisible chains, weighing her down completely. "You... you cheated! I defeated you!"

Aeric tilted his head. "Did you? A veteran like you should know better, Daughter Luna. A duel ends only with death, incapacitation, or surrender. I didn't surrender."

The dome was silent except for Luna's panicked breathing.

Melina's heart began to beat now. She was so confused with what was happening. The rest of the Daughters watching outside stared, their disbelief palpable.

"What... what is this?" Luna struggled, her voice rising in panic. "Why can't I move?!"

Aeric's wicked smirk grew wider. "The power of a Swordbearer, Luna. This truly was an opportunity to test the idea I came up with a while ago."

"You see, like other Swordbearers, I can infuse elements into objects. Your armor is no exception." He gestured at her, almost mockingly. "It's stronger now, yes, but me empowering it with ice also means it's also under my control, as I also control the element itself."

Luna's rage boiled over, but her body refused to obey her commands. She turned around, searching for Faeryn in the dome but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Where— where is she?" She looked outside the dome, only to see Faeryn standing where she had been before, watching with an expression of silent confusion. "Faeryn! Look at what you've d—" She saw the confusion in her eyes.

"Some— something is wrong..." She turned to Aeric. "What did you do!"

Aeric's expression hardened, then he outstretched one hand. Luna felt the armor stiffen around her, binding tighter to her skin. He pushed his arm up and she went flying, crashing into the wall of the dome, and was shocked by the poles.

Before she fell, he pushed her crashing over and over, then allowed her to crash one last time on the ground.

"You came into this duel knowing all too well that you would defeat me," he said, his voice venomous like someone speaking from raw hate. "Well yes, I knew that too! I knew I stood no chance! And I knew that you intentionally chose this moment because if I refused I would look like a coward! You looked right in the box and you knew there was no way I would defeat you."

He raised his sword, pointing it at her. "And you were right."

He controlled Luna's armor and brought her to her knees. "Except you forgot that I'm an outside of the box thinker!"

Pushing his fingers forward with the force of his wrists, Luna's frozen armor dragged her backwards, slamming her into the dome's edge. The magical barriers crackled with energy as the impact sent multiple shocks through her body.

Luna cried out in frustration. "You coward! Fight me properly!"

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Hoo! Haaaa!! Ha!" Aeric laughed madly, eyes wide as his voice echoed inside the dome. "Properly? Like you, who brought all your strength and divine power to crush an opponent who's barely scratched the surface of his potential?"

"How inspiring. I almost gave up my advantage just to pick up my sword and play hide and seek with you!"

"Get out of here, bitch!"

He manipulated the ice-infused armor again, slamming her to the ground. The impact reverberated through the dome as Luna groaned in pain.

When she was forced to her knees again, he saw her open her lips, trying to conjure an attack through speech.

Aeric smirked. "Your armor has an inbuilt retractable helm doesn't it?"

Having control of the armor, he forced the helm to activate and it completely covered Luna's face, just before she could complete the chant.

Boom!

The attack exploded right inside the helm, and Aeric topped it off by slamming here to the walls three brutal times.

Luna of Moonlight was completely restrained. Her armor which was supposed to be her protection was now her prison. She needed her limbs and her mouth to summon attacks, but she had access to neither.

And even worse, Aeric had a Mind Shield so her Class skill was useless as well.

Somehow... he had got her.

Aeric retracted the helm and smoke billowed out of her head and the insides of the armor. He sped towards her, fists burning with red Divinity as he reigned blows on her face.

Each one causing Melina to wince and draining every single strength Luna had left. When he struck a final one, she fell and slammed on the ground, jaw first.

Everyone gasped, squeezing their body in disgust.

That has to hurt, Nyx thought.

Then Aeric appeared behind her, now the one standing over with sword raised high to finish her off. "You see it now, Moonlight Princess. Our stars are stronger than your moon. And no matter how many ranks or levels you are higher than me, I'll still be better than you."

He stepped on her head with his leg. Ngh!Crack! Crack!

Those were the cracks of her jaw breaking the ground below, while his feet smashed into her jaw. "I win, Luna!" he tightened his grip, ready to finish her off. "I win!"

"Stop it!" she yelled, her voice breaking. "I surrender!!!" Her voice was awful, despaired, and desperate. "I surrender!"
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Aeric paused, his sword still raised. He looked down at her, his mad eyes scanning her pitiable face.

"Say it again," he demanded.

Tears streamed down Luna's face as she choked on her own words. "I surrender," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Louder now. "Please!"

Aeric lowered his sword, the tension in his body releasing. "That's right," he said quietly, stepping back. "I win."

Ding!

The resonant dime echoed through the dome, followed by the ethereal voice:

<The winner of this duel is Aeric of Starlight>

The magical barrier dissipated, and the Daughters outside stared in stunned silence as Aeric sauntered out of the arena. His body was surprisingly not battered or bruised, and he didn't give any of them a single gaze.

He just walked to a chair and sat.

Luna lay on the floor, heaving, her fists clenched in the aftermath of her defeat. She watched him walk away, her face a mix of anger, humiliation, and something else.

Something a person might call fear.