Osmond could not believe what his eyes were showing. It felt like a vivid fever dream. Or was it a nightmare? The young knight was not so certain anymore. He had expected this from the Telrehav's, but not his. Not the El Larum. Osmond could only watch in mute horror as the siblings aimed for one another's neck again.

  Thrice they clashed and thrice he and the others unknowingly held their breath. And once more, they parried the blow just in time as they ruthlessly resumed their song and dance. Each passing second, another injury would appear. Nothing lethal by any means but no less grim.

  A deep gash, just above the right eye, had marred Elias's once flawless face. While for Emma, a terrible cut that traced from her jaw to the chin was the wound Elias made sure to return. They were just one of the many injuries they inflicted on one another.

  "Why is this happening?" A soft mutter escaped from one of the house guards. Their charges, the young master and the young lady they swore to serve were bitterly fighting tooth and nail. Each seeking ones blood to whet their blades. A scene that would have undoubtedly broken the heart of the duke and the late lady.

  Osmond hadn't seen the family. Such news were rare in the country side. Bandits and monster tides were far more commonplace than the intrigue of the aristocrats. And yet Osmond knew it was wrong. Family should never fight like this. Never.

  "What are you doing?" Osmond stiffened. He paused, turning to one of his sword brothers who was holding his arm.

  "Isn't this enough?" Osmond said, bordering on pleading as the others could only look back in grim silence. "A brother and his sister are tearing each other apart, and we are supposed to watch? We-"

  "Can't do anything." Osmond flinched as another cut him off.

  "But-"

  "Just look at them Osmond, Kalva be damned, we are not champions. Even if we want to help, we would only get in their way."

  B-but.... Osmond turned back in as he watched the two screaming for each other's blood. We can't just stand here. This... this isn't right. The knight thought, powerless and helpless from stopping the two from killing each other.

  ?

  Again! You got hit again! Emma was at her wits end as Lucy kept screaming in her head. Her rage was dark, demanding blood from a man she once called a brother. Just let me do it! I can kill him in this instant! I-

  'Absolutely not.' Came her swift reply as she narrowly parried another blow that would have cut her ear. 'You would consume all our reserves before we could get so much a nick from him.'

  It is because you lack initiative that we remain at a stalemate! Emma grunted as she took a rough kick in the abdomen. You are too cautious! Too-

  'I said no, damn it! Be still and guard my back.' Emma thought as she renewed her pace. "Nera." Power coursed through her arms. She had underestimated Lucy. The blood lust the younger one had shown proved to be far more daunting than realized. While Emma was glad to find Lucy growing some backbone, it was out of control. Nothing more than a savage brute.

  Mercifully, Lucy finally held herself back as Emma shifted her entire focus back to the battle. It was going poorly. While there were cuts here and there, it was not substantial. Worse, she had nothing but the uniform the sisters gave. Unlike her brother, who at least had leather, Emma felt naked as the battle raged on.

  A shallow cut in her leg, a bruise from a vicious kick, the exhaustion and pain slowly accumulating. Their reserves are now half, slowly being drained despite Emma's best effort. It was truly an unfavorable position.

  'There!'

  But it did little to dissuade the two as Emma slipped past Elias's guard and stabbed him in the shoulder. Elias reacted quickly, pushing Emma back with a swipe and forcing her back, but the deed was done. The wound was deep, and blood began to bleed out.

  It was not fatal, but in a battle between champions, it might as well be. Elias struggled to hold his blade properly, as his dominant arm refused to move properly. "Young master!" The people cried out, some even dared to try and intervene, but Elias shot them a glare.

  Most of the time, it would silence anyone. The discipline soldiers of the north knew better than to disobey command. This time, however, it did little to dissuade them as they began to shout. "Lady Emma, please come to your senses. He is your brother!" A knight defiantly stood in between the two. Emma paused briefly, gathering her breath.

  "You... I remember you." Emma said as the knight eases slightly, hope gleaming from his eyes. Elias glanced at the knight, trying to remember his face for future discipline, but was left stunned when he realized who he was. "Osmond, was it?" Emma ghostly whispered as Osmond nodded back.

  "Yes, yes. That's me, my lady." Osmond said. "My lady please stop this. He is your brother, is he not? We can-"

  "Move." The light in his eyes died instantly as Emma held her daggers once more.

  Osmond's eyes widened for a second before it hardened akin to stone. "I would not assume that I know much. Lady Emma, but my lady, please. This is senseless. This fight, these deaths, is pointless!" Osmond cried out into the night, but it fell on deaf ears.

  "That is no concern of yours, knight." Emma said as her eyes glowed dangerously amber. Elias prepared to intercept the blow, no matter how much his body screamed in protest to save the knight when Osmond continued.

  "Is this what it means to be a nun?" Osmond snaps, forcing Emma to stop. "You take lives when words fail? Rob families of their children in blind hate?" Osmond then points at the crying children, clinging to the sisters, who stared back in horror. "Is that what you want?" For a moment, there was silence. A silence no one expected when the light in Emma's eyes died.

  It reverted back to blue. Everyone let out a sigh of relief when Emma spoke again. "You killed my family." Her voice was nothing like the cold bite of steel. No, it sounds more like a little girl, weeping in sorrow and grief. A single tear trailed down from her right eye to her chin. So vulnerable, so fragile... it was Emma.

  In that moment, Elias saw her again, his little sister. Kind and innocent little sister. Her gaze turned. It landed on him. And the hatred returned. "You killed my big sister. You killed sister Rose. That is all the reason I need." And just like that, she was gone, replaced by a vengeful champion. Her eyes twisted into cruel gold once more.

  Emma blinked before she let out a sigh. Gone was her weakness, replaced by a tired woman. "Well, you heard her." Elias blinked as the roughness in her voice returned. Before he could process what happened, Osmond shoved him back as he met Emma's blow.

  "Wait, lady Emma! It is not what you think it is! Young master Elias-" Osmond was cut off as the daggers descended once more. "N-nera!" Osmond summoned what pitiful gift he had, eyes turning to light amber, as he narrowly held her back. His muscles strained as the force of a champion, even injured, proved far more daunting that he originally thought.

  "My lady please! See reason to this madness-" Osmond met her eyes. Beneath those precious jewels of light, hate flared like a cruel sun, unrelenting and uncaring to his plea. The young knight felt his heart drop as a scowl formed on Emma's face.

  Enough! I had heard enough! Emma! Kill him! Rip his tongue out! Stab him a thousand times, I don't care! I want him dead! Dead dead dead!

  "Quiet. Her screams are growing louder." Emma snarled as she shoved Osmond aside with another blow before running towards Elias. The young man manages to lift his blade, guarding him for a moment.

  "It was not my intent!" Elias protested as he groaned from the increasing pressure. "I didn't mean to kill her! I-"

  "You stole her from me! Even in this life, you keep stealing from me!" Emma's eyes widened before she forced her mouth to clump shut. Lucy's hate would not be contained as it begins to boil over despite Emma's efforts.

  'I told you to calm down!' Emma hissed, but Lucy simply would not listen.

  "You stole a lifetime already from me. A lifetime of pain and slavery. Wasn't it enough, you greedy bastard? Give her back! I want my big sister back!" Lucy wailed as her anger and sorrow bled to Emma more and more. Emma was slowly beginning to lose clarity, when her gaze met Elias. It was filled with shock and remorse, paralyzing him. And in an instant, Emma had a plan.

  "Emma, I-"

  "I don't care if you didn't mean it! I don't care! Just give her back, damn you!" Emma let Lucy speak, she let go any control of their mouth as she focused on what is important. Finding the right opportunity. Elias was getting slower, vulnerable to Lucy's lament. So why not use it?

  "I made a mistake, all right? I admit it. I couldn't control my strength, and I killed her. But I'm sorry Emma, I cannot bring her back! I just can't! So, tell me, what do you want me to do? Whatever that wish is, I will grant it. So please, give me a chance to correct this mistake!" Elias shouted at the top of his lungs.

  His eyes still stood strong as he waited for a reply. Sadly, it would not last.

  Lucy trembled. The cruel reality just wouldn't disappear. No matter how much she tries to deny it, even the murderer confuses to it. It was... unfair. It was simply so unfair.

  "Wish? I wish you were dead." Hoarse from the screaming, her voice was barely above a whisper, but it did not matter. The still air made her voice, despite the chaos around them, rang deafeningly loud into the night. The servants of the dukedom could not believe what they were hearing.

  "I wish you hadn't come back to that northern expedition." It was a nightmare everyone was forced to watch. Helpless to aid their young lord's broken heart and soothe their young lady's hatred. "It would have been better if you have died there." Elias' eyes widened; his guard dropped. "If it weren't for you, my big sister would still be here... why did you have to come back?" The blade fell from his hands.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Finally!

  The words had struck far more potent than any injury he had endured. Even as Emma took the chance and began piercing his body with the daggers, it did not even come close as to how painful her words had been. In that moment, Elias blanked out. His body refuses to acknowledge the rift between his only sibling. That it was already too late.

  But reality was not kind to him as his eyes forced him to watch the misery within his younger sister. The pain he had personally caused, willingly or not. I'm sorry mom. Elias thought as the blade dug deeper, and yet his eyes could not help but stare at the torment his younger sister was suffering. I'm so sorry. I failed. Kalva be damned, I failed.

  She was smiling, savoring her victory. And yet her eyes cried in anguish and lost. It seems the pain of it all had finally broken her. And to think he was the one to finally pushed her to this point. The very image burned him than any fire could ever hope to do. I couldn't be her big brother. I could not keep my promise. I'm sorry mom. I'm so-

  A terrible boom forced him out of his daze. Elias blinked as the dust slowly settled down, revealing an old champion standing between him and his sister. "Sir... Dal?" Elias muttered as the old knight silently nodded back.

  "Lady Emma, it has been a while. Young lord, it seems you need to see a mender." Dal said. His voice devoid of emotion, but the slight trembling from his hand betrayed his inner thoughts. Even his gaze hesitated to look back at Emma who was now glaring with the hate a young lady should never have.

  "Move." Emma snarled; golden eyes glimmered in the night.

  "I cannot do that. Forgive me, my lady-"

  "Vekra." Emma begins to blur.

  Dal reflexively brought his blade to his guard as Emma reappeared in front of the old knight, daggers poised to strike his throat. "I don't wish to fight, but this has to end now. Vekra."

  "Ne-." Emma manages to distribute power halfway through her stomach, causing her to crash several feet away as Dal firmly landed a strike. Fortunately, the blow was not enough to knock her out. Unfortunately, it halves her already dwindling supply.

  Emma groaned from the ground, clutching her stomach with her free hand. Her vision swam, but she push through the pain. She manages to look up just in time as Elias begins shouting at Dal. She could not hear it; the pain wouldn't let her. But it mattered little to her as her vision homes in on Dal once more. The biggest threat who stood at the battlefield.

  Why is he here? Even Lucy had to weather the pain as she and Emma glared at the old knight. An old champion. What do we do? Lucy growled. Emma could not help but let out a small sigh of relief. The eminent threat and pain had finally snapped Lucy into focus.

  'Guard my back. Be still and warn me.' Emma quietly thought as Lucy began to stir.

  I will not-

  'Do you want to help or not?' Emma snaps forcing Lucy to grit her teeth. 'We'll do like we always did, in the old days.' For a moment, Lucy did not reply. Emma feared she would go back to her sheltered mind when a determined voice replied.

  Elias is mine. Lucy growled and Emma happily relented.

  'Deal. Now focus!' Emma gathered power once more. "Mintes." She whispered as she blurred and appeared before Dal once more. The old champion reacted as he did before, chanting Vekra and exploding in speed. This time, however, Emma saw through the attack, her mind racing just as fast as she slipped past Dal's guard and aimed for his chest.

  The old champion, realizing too late what had just happened, braces himself as the dagger bit through the leather armor. The cut was shallow and non-lethal, but the surprise shook the old champion. "Dual priming?" He whispered in disbelief as Emma could not help but grin. Even Elias was taken by surprise.

  Was that really worth it? Lucy asked irritably. The supply was barely a tenth now, courtesy of Mintes and its dual properties. Double the strength, double the drain. A gamble Emma had took, but it was a gamble worth far more than its cost.

  'See for yourself.' Emma could not help but revel at the grave severity carved on Dal's face. What once was a calm assurance now hesitate in taking the first move. A hesitation the two desperately needed. 'Gather some mana, no matter how meager it may be... we'll need all the power we can get.' Lucy begrudgingly did as she was ordered to as Elias spoke.

  "B-but that can't be. She just awakened this year- no wait, maybe even just this month. How can Emma..." Elias trailed off the moment he saw the focused gaze of Dal. It was as if he was fighting a dangerous monster.

  Three from behind. Careful. Emma nodded as Lucy kept her gaze from behind.

  "Young lord, I need you to focus and aid me. I cannot take her down without injuries on my own." Dal said, surprising everyone around him. "We need to-"

  Here they come. Two knights and a breaker. Lucy warned.

  'Acknowledged.' Emma replied as she deftly avoided a grab from a knight. The poor bastard could only look back helplessly as Emma slammed the dagger in between the cobalt armor plates and into his throat.

  Grab his sword!

  'No. Its too heavy. I can't swing it effectively in this body.' Emma replied as she bounded after the remaining two. Before she could continue, however, Dal was already standing in between them, blocking a strike that was meant for the other knight.

  Emma grimaces as she quickly retreats. Thankfully Dal's focus was on the bleeding knight, buying her some time just a little longer. Menders quickly rushes towards the knight; his fate is now uncertain.

  "That young man has a family of four." Lucy flinched for a moment, but Emma remained stoic, undeterred to the death she had caused. "They served our house loyally for years... do you truly not care for their lives, my lady?" Dal asked.

  "I would if they were mine." Emma replied harshly as Dal frowned.

  "They are-"

  "From the Larum dukedom. Not mine. That house had never been mine... everyone made sure of that." Hostility bleeds out from her eyes. The cobalt knights, those who were stationed at the mansion, shifted uncomfortably.

  Dal's eyes softened. His tense form relaxes slightly as he replied. "I see. It seems the duke is still terrible at being a father." Dal sighed, confusing everyone. "Lady Emma, from someone who stood side by side with the duke since he was but a lad, your father loves you." Dal said as Emma still. "He might- no, he is terrible at showing his affection, but-"

  Emma threw one of the daggers, forcing Dal to parry it. "Spare me your lies. I have no use for them." Emma coldly snapped back as Dal looked back sadly.

  "It is no lie, please, my lady." Dal said, but Emma remained unmoved. "Let us just go home. We can try and fix this. And your scars, we can-" A harsh laughter escaped from Emma.

  "Oh, you do not need to fear for that anymore Sir Dal. As you can see, I'm already beyond repair." Emma mockingly shows off her scars. She pointed at the terrible one on her cheek as she giggled. "Not a single sane man would want a product this bad." Guilt rises from the men and women around Emma, buying her and Lucy more time despite their displeasure.

  "Do not degrade yourself lower than a harlot, my lady. You are not a product, but our lady." Dal firmly replied as Emma shook her head.

  "Is that so? Then tell me Sir Dal, if the prince found my scars to be revolting, would you have them fix?" Emma said. The hesitation from Dal's eyes was all they needed to see. "Ah, so you already know? There is no need to hide it Sir Dal, your eyes are as clear as sunlight."

  Dal shook his head firmly. "That is not it, my lady. Its... it is far more complicated than that." Dal said. "But we could talk about it all day if you want. For now, please, lay down your arms and come back to us."

  Emma held her chin for a moment, as if she was contemplating the answer for a moment. "Fine, I'll come back with you." Surprise filled the air as joy began to spring. Yet it did not last even for a moment as it was ruthlessly stomped by Emma in an instant. "As a corpse perhaps."

  Dal blinked as well as the others as Emma let out a dark chuckle. "You can have my dead body when we are done, but I am not coming back to that hell alive." Before anyone could reply, Emma blurred. "Vekra." A chill ran down on Dal's spine as his shoulders flared in pain.

  "Vekra." he whispered as well, ducking just in time from a lethal strike. In an instant, Dal struck back, aiming to disarm the young maiden. Though much to his misfortune, Emma was already moving far from his reach. He gave chase, bounding after her as he blurred.

  Elias watched on. He knew his body should have moved. Should be there, helping Dal, but the words... he could not find the strength to move. He just couldn't.

  How do we kill him? Lucy spoke as Emma repeatedly tried, but failing to slip past the old the knight's guard. The decades of experience remained ever true in his eyes as he fluidly diverts and deflects numerous attempts that would have seen lesser champions bleed.

  'We don't.' Emma said as she rolled away from a kick.

  What do you mean don't? Lucy asked, surprised by her partner's confession. If we don't take him down, we will never kill Elias!

  Emma's brows furrowed, throwing a counter. 'Our reserves are almost dry. We don't have a spear, and this body hadn't been maintained! And you expect me to beat someone like Dal?' Emma gritted her teeth in frustration and strain as her strike was diverted once more.

  B-but that means... Dal quickly twisted his blade, narrowly disarming one of Emma's daggers, but it failed. Emma quickly capitalized on the mistake as she aimed for the right knee.

  'We can't win against Dal.' Emma said as Dal quickly backtracked. The blow scratched his legs, but nothing more. 'Not with this body, and certainly not with these blades.'

  Emma was forced to roll once more, avoiding another kick. ...Then we can't kill Elias... I can't avenge sister Rose. The voice echoed in dismay and defeat, but Emma simply snorted back in derision as she swiped the thrown dagger from before from the ground.

  'I never said we can't.' Lucy blinked, confused.

  But how can we do that if Dal is stopping us?

  'I thought you already know?' Emma replied, nudging Lucy in the direction of the forest.

  The young lady blinked for a moment, trying to find what Emma was hinting at when she saw him. Her heart leaped in relief before fear quickly overtook. W-wait! But that-

  'We can't take Dal down.' Emma hissed as she narrowly avoided a grab. 'But if he has just even a half of his power back then... it might be enough to buy us the time we need.'

  But he'll be dragged into this! I can't-

  'Well which one is it?? Do you want to kill Elias or not?!' Emma snapped, finally running out of patience. '...I can't do it alone flower head. I just can't...'

  ...F-fine, I will- Their eyes flickered, power was running out.

  "Vekra." Dal whispered coldly as he poured more power into his strike.

  "Vekra." Emma hissed, barely avoiding another disarmament.

  Save it! We-

  Lucy could not finish her words as the reserves ran dry. Emma had missed the timing by a mere second, but it was a second too long as she failed to preserve the last drop, eyes reverting to cold blue. Dal's eyes widened in alarm; he was in mid kick when it happened. The old champion quickly halts the flow of power from his strike, but he was too fast, and Emma was too slow to dodge.

  The strike slammed into her rib cage. The house of Larum shouts out in dismay as they watch their young lady fly. Emma and Lucy manage to hold out the urge to scream as they slammed against a wall. The blow was so strong that Emma losses control of her left hand, dropping one of the daggers.

  The world spun, her entire back flashed in searing pain as if lightning had struck them. But it wasn't enough. Through searing pain and iron will, the two manage to remain conscious, standing on their own.

  Breathing heavily, struggling to drown from the waves of trauma. Pain flared. The exhaustion from the battles strained her unprepared body. Without power, she was the backlash came in droves. The world threatened to black out, but two held on. Their legs wobbled and their body trembled from the shock.

  "W-what are you waiting for?! Help her!" Emma did not know who shouted, the blow knocked her out of the control. Lucy barely switched just in time before two figures came dangerously close. Lucy swung wildly as Emma's world returned to her eyes.

  Before them, are several menders trying to reach them. They were shouting something, but they could not hear them clearly. Emma blinked as the taste of iron flowed down from her nose and into their mouth when they approached. Emma took control this time as she swung once more, driving the menders back. Even in their broken form, the two simply refuse to yield.

  W-what now? Lucy droll out the words with difficulty. Her hands trembled as she held the remaining dagger in two hands.

  'P-prepare yourself, w-we only h-have one c-chance.' Emma slurred as they watched the menders trying to dissuade her. The soldier could not understand a word, but it didn't mattered. Her eyes trained on Dal and Elias who were quickly approaching. 'One... chance...'

  Dal was the first to arrive, trying to cautiously reach her. Elias was right behind him. The old champion was trying to take her remaining dagger from her grasp when it happened. A sharp whistle in the air heralded what they were waiting for. A moment later, a solar shard embedded deeply into Dal's shoulder.

  The bright light arrow had easily pierced the thin leather armor. Dal coughed out blood as his power roared, preventing the shard from going in deeper. Alarm and surprise exploded from the group, trying to find the hidden champion.

  Leaving Emma to her own devices.

  The moment arrived, and the two let out a scream of desperation as they slipped past Dal and raised the remaining dagger in hand. Poised to strike at the still shocked Elias, who couldn't react in time. "Die!" The two screamed as they plunged the dagger down.