The mirror image of RiFat had glowing purple eyes and a dark version of the Spiritual Sword that dripped with black liquid instead of light. Before RiFat could draw his weapon the shadow stepped out of the glass and stood before them on the snow and the temperature dropped even further. This was the 'Shadow Clone' created by the Shadow King using the stolen memories of Sinbad's past life and it knew every move RiFat was going to make before he even thought of it.The Shadow Sinbad spoke with a voice that sounded like grinding stones and he told RiFat that the light was a lie and only the darkness was eternal. He raised his dark. sword and a wave of black ice crystals shot forward and it froze everything it touched including the white sand and the nearby trees. RiFat jumped back and used his own sword to create a shield of fire but the cold.was so strong that his flames started to turn blue and flicker out. Ayon tried to help by casting a light spell from his staff but the Shadow Sinbad simply waved his hand and Ayon was thrown back into a snowbank by?
an invisible force. RiFat was now alone against himself and he realized that this was not a battle of strength but a battle of will and soul. He, closed his eyes and tried to connect with the Sulemani Tabiz but the shadow did the same and the power in the air became so heavy that the ground began to crack. The shadow charged forward with incredible?
speed and their swords met with a sound that echoed through the entire mountain range like thunder. Every time RiFat tried to strike the shadow parried perfectly and every time the shadow attacked RiFat felt the cold steel of death grazing his skin. The Myna bird suddenly flew out and tried to,
strike the shadow parried perfectly and every time the shadow attacked RiFat felt the cold steel of death grazing his skin. The Myna bird suddenly flew out and tried to distract the shadow but it was caught in a small cage of black ice and fell to the, ground. RiFat screamed in anger and his sword began to glow with a golden light that was brighter than the sun and he prepared for the final clash of the mirrors. The golden light from RiFat's sword began to burn through the black mist but the Shadow Sinbad only laughed because he was a part of RiFat's own heart and fear. 'You cannot kill what is already a part of you!' the shadow.. cried as it swung the dark blade in a wide arc that created a circle of black fire around RiFat. The heat was gone and in its place was a cold that felt like needles entering RiFat's bones and he could feel his heartbeat. slowing down as the shadow magic began to drain his life. RiFat realized that the shadow was feeding on his doubt and his fear of failing the people of Nigari and the widow's son he had promised to save.
He stopped fighting with his muscles and stood perfectly still in the center of the dark circle and he lowered his sword to the ground which made Ayon scream in terror.The Shadow Sinbad saw this as a chance to finish the fight and he lunged forward with his dark blade aimed directly at RiFat's heart with all his power. However at the very last second RiFat did not dodge but instead he touched the Sulemani Tabiz and thought of, the warmth of his home and the love for his friends. The dark blade hit RiFat's chest but it did not pierce his skin because the Tabiz turned his body into pure light for a split/
second. The shadow's sword passed right through him and the shadow stumbled forward because there was no solid body to hit anymore. In that moment of balance RiFat grabbed the shadow's arm and he channeled all the light of the Fire Temple through his own soul and into the darkness. The shadow began to scream as the purple glow in its eyes turned to white and its body started to crack like a, broken mirror in the sun. The black ice cage around the Myna bird shattered and the bird flew back to RiFat's shoulder while Ayon stood up and used his staff to push back the remaining mist. The Shadow Sinbad looked.at RiFat one last time and he saw the true power of the real Sinbad who was not just a warrior but a protector of life. With a final explosion of light the shadow vanished into the wind and the giant mirror in the valley broke into a million pieces of harmless ice.
The victory was won but RiFat was exhausted and he fell to his knees in the cold snow as the Phoenix returned to check on them with a worried cry. They had defeated the first true weapon of the Shadow King but they knew that the Frozen Kingdom was still, under the control of the dark magic. As the sun began to rise over the white peaks they saw a giant ice castle in the distance that was built entirely of frozen tears and human souls. The Ice Queen was waiting there and" she was the only one who held the key to the next land of the Nigari world. RiFat stood up and wiped the frost from his face and he felt a new strength in his heart because he had faced his darkest self and survived. The true. journey into the heart of the North had only just begun and the challenges ahead would require more than just a magical sword.?