Eclipsed

Chapter 35

Ren and Valen
Ren leaned casually against a stone wall, watching the fight from the shadows. His sharp eyes tracked every movement on the battlefield, while Valen stood nearby, arms crossed, an amused smirk tugging at his lips.

Ren broke the silence. "I thought he said he didn't want to reveal his powers."

Valen stretched lazily, rolling his shoulders. "Yeah, I don't know why either. Maybe someone bribed him?"

Ren shrugged. "Probably."

---

Scene Shift: Alric's Thoughts and Aftermath
As the dust settled, Alric wiped sweat from his brow, muttering internally: Shit, shit, shit—I went a little overboard.

The commentator's voice echoed across the arena. "The match is over! Alric wins!"

Alric sighed in relief but quickly realized his predicament. "Uh... could I get a shirt, please?" he asked a nearby attendant, who nervously handed him one while sneaking glances at his well-defined muscles.

Donning the shirt, Alric approached Katsuo, scratching the back of his head. "Uh, so... sorry I didn't tell you about my abilities earlier. I kinda wanted to keep them secret for as long as possible."

Katsuo, still catching his breath, muttered, "I always had a hunch. Turns out I was right."

Alric chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah, guess so."

Katsuo grinned. "You weren't even trying, were you?"

"Well... maybe a little near the end," Alric admitted, leaning in closer. "But could you, you know, make it seem like it was a really close fight? Pretty please?"

Katsuo laughed weakly, extending a hand. "Yeah, whatever, kid."

Alric pulled him up and escorted him toward the medics before turning back to face the roaring crowd. A pang of annoyance hit him—he hated how everyone now knew about his abilities. And this isn't even half of what I'm capable of...

---

Harudan's Entrance
Descending from the royal balcony, King Harudan strode toward the field, flanked by two guards. His expression was unreadable until he saw Alric. Clearing his throat, he suddenly beamed with pride.

"That's my son! Why didn't you show this sooner?"

Alric's expression darkened. "Oh, now you decide to talk to me? After ignoring me my whole life? Weird."

Harudan's face stiffened. "I misjudged you. I thought Taven was the only capable one, but clearly, I was wrong."

Alric scoffed. "So, you only care about us based on how 'useful' we are. Nah, not buying it. I've got places to be."

As Alric walked away, Harudan smiled to himself. "No matter. He'll make an excellent weapon."

---

Kaelen's Concern
Near the exit, Kaelen appeared out of nowhere. Without warning, she slapped Alric hard across the face.

"Ow! That hurt!" Alric protested, holding his cheek.

Kaelen immediately pulled him into a tight hug. "Don't scare me like that again."

Alric sighed. "Sorry. The only reason I did this fight was because Taven promised me a week's control of the military if I won."

Kaelen released him, crossing her arms. "You could've just asked Father. You didn't have to go through all this."

"Yeah, but Dad doesn't listen to me, so..."

Kaelen looked down, her voice softening. "I'm just glad you're okay."