My whole body felt cold as sweat dripped from my brow to the ground, and it started to rain again, mixing with the blood on my broken skin, and admittedly feeling kind of nice.

I couldn't even hear Mara's voice, I could only hear my own breath. I glanced at Lu. She was still watching, but the pride she carried in her posture had become timid. "Mom isn't that enough?" I faintly heard, muffled through the air.

Somehow it was like my mind had connected to the air surrounding me, and I sensed Mara suddenly take a heavy step towards me.

'I let my guard down!' As I turned to face her, time froze still. 'Yes! This is just what I needed.'

I analyzed her stance from every angle, reading the path of her sword and taking note of where my own body was. 'I could block this one… But she will just keep coming at me… No, I'll take the hit, and give her one in kind. At least this way I'll get in one of my own. Just one is enough…'

Time resumed and I swung my blade just over hers, slashing her face with the dull blade of my sword and taking the full weight of hers to my side, making my whole body shudder. Neither one of us moved.

'She pulled her swing for sure, but I didn't. She just took the full force of my blade against her head and didn't even blink.'

I glanced down, her knuckles had turned white. I tried to laugh, but ended up just coughing out blood instead. "You're… Holding your sword too tight…. Heh…"

Before I knew it, my nose was dripping blood again, and I even felt it coming from my ears. 'Guess I wasn't quite ready to use magic again, not in this state at least.'

Mara's face was covered with shock, but after a few moments, she recovered. Scowling even deeper and groaning as she took several steps back. "You want more?" I grinned. I had finally landed a hit, and it even looked like it drew blood, scratching her, even if it didn't phase her, that was more than Lu managed. It was impossible for anything to bring me down from that kind of high.

I turned back to my sister. "Hey, you only managed to hit her once right?" Of course, I knew the answer…

Her shoulders had slumped forward, and her eyes were filled with uncertainty as she looked at my bloodied face. Somehow her voice was calm though, and as cold as Mara's "Yeah, that's right…"

I held my sword facing back and assumed the second stance. "So if I hit her twice that means I win…" My voice suddenly turned as cold as my eyes, my vision tinting red as I blinked, 'There's no way I'll be able to hit her with my sword again though. If I use magic I'll pass out for sure. I'll have to just trick her...'

The second stance of the sword art form that we practiced, Mammoth, was a double-edged sword. It was the most powerful, but left the biggest openings. The fact I was using it sent a clear message, 'I want to crush you.' Of course, it was a bluff.

"Well!" I yelled out, "COME AT ME!"

I wiped the blood from my nose and gripped my sword with both hands, the thick blood making them stick to the leather and helping my grip feel stronger.

There was no effort at all in her movements as she stepped closer.

I felt my face twitch with anger. 'Seriously? You're not even pretending to try anymore?'

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Her eyes narrowed more and more as she got closer. Finally, she was within striking range. "NOW DIE!" To be honest… I wasn't sure why I said that of all things… If it was just because it was what she said in my dream that haunted me… Or if I really wanted that. Regardless, I swung my sword as hard as I could, throwing everything I had into it. 'There's no way she won't dodge this.' It was all too clear I was too slow to hit her with my sword, but I knew that.

Just like I thought, she ducked and slid to the side where I left the most space from my swing.

I let go of my sword, letting it fly away from me as I lunged towards her, punching her right in the nose. I coughed again as more blood dripped from my nose. "How do you like that…" I muttered.

She stood motionless, still unfazed. My punch didn't even get her to take a step back, but my only regret was that I was too weak to raise my head and see her face... 'Well… I tried…'

She grabbed my arm, swatting it to the side. She barely put any effort into moving me, but my body wouldn't move anymore and just a nudge was enough for me to fall back to the ground.

'It's over…' I could hardly breathe, much less crawl back up to my feet. I tried to grit my teeth and clench my fists one more time, but even if it was possible, I had no motivation left to stand up…

"Pick it up…"

"Mom, stop! You'll kill her!" My sister's voice had lost the cold edge, and was now pleading, almost breaking as the rain dripped down my face.

'It's not over then… It's… I got up to my hands and knees, waiting to stand up, making sure I didn't do it too fast.

"I'm waiting…" She mumbled.

I staggered to my feet. 'Maybe I could still go one more–' As I took my first step I stumbled and fell back down. 'nope, it's over…'

I tried my best to look up to her. Her whole body was turning bright red as she tensed with rage. She grabbed her sword and snapped it in half over her leg, scabbard and all. "IS THIS ENOUGH FOR YOU!"

She was looking up at the balcony on the second floor, but I couldn't see who she was yelling at. 'So this wasn't her idea?... That just makes it worse that she's doing it… I wasn't here as an example… I was here so you could show me how much of a disappointment I am. That's why we're here… Well it's fine I guess…' I slowly closed my eyes. 'It's not like that's new information…'

Despite all of it, I was grateful in a weird way. I had always thought my sister hated me, but hearing her plead for my life made it clear there was no way that was true, regardless of what she said. As for Mara… It wasn't even worth thinking about…

The next several minutes blurred into a haze. It was just me, my sister, and Mara. They were talking about something but I couldn't understand any of their words. Eventually, everything began to clear. The nosebleed stopped on its own and while I was cold and hurting, I wasn't seriously injured, believe it or not. 'No broken bones… Nothing torn or ruptured…'

'If I fall asleep here though, I'll get sick for sure. If no one has helped me by now, that means I'm probably on my own… so…' I staggered to my feet and rubbed my face.

The dull chatter between Mara and Lu stopped completely.

Mara's voice reached out to me, making me annoyed again. "So, you can stand again."

I didn't even bother responding.

Dragging my feet back to my sword, I picked it up, putting it back in its sheath, and staring at it. 'This was the first time I've ever held a real sword…' Regardless of what all happened, and how it ended, it still felt special. It was like turning 16 and having no one show up to the party. Kind of depressing… But still something special that only happens once you know.

"Sis?"

I looked up to see Lu standing right in front of me, she looked like she was about to cry. I lifted my least bloody hand and set it on top of her head… If only because she looked like she was spinning… "I'm fine."

'Maybe I'm more like my sister than I thought.'

It was funny, the same thing happened in my past life, only I was in Lu's position. I was helpless to do anything but watch. My sister ended up just as rough as I was. The only difference was that Suzuki won that fight…

I let out a sigh thinking about it. 'Guess I still have some work to do…' I turned to Mara and handed her my sword. 'I haven't taken a beating like this in a while…Ever? Actually this probably is the worst one now that I think about it…'

My weak hands gently let the blade go and dropped it into hers as she stayed frozen. "Mara… I'm done now…" For a moment, I thought I even saw a tear forming in her eye, but I didn't bother looking back, and I didn't dare look at her eyes directly.

Even if there was a tear it was probably just from me punching her in the nose… Well, that's what I hoped at least.

Neither of them called out to me or said a word as I walked away. 'I guess it really is over.'

'The order is messed up… But after I'm done with Mara, I'd normally go hang out with Air…' I raised a hand to my head as I walked towards the range, my stride straightening out as my manna continued to regenerate.

The first thing I did after arriving was light the braziers. 'I guess he isn't here yet.' I could hear the fire cracking the wood as the gentle heat filled the air around me. Softly warming my bruised skin and drying the rainwater as I huddled in closer to the fire.

No matter how endlessly my thoughts ran wild, I didn't shed a single tear. I was afraid the moment I was alone I would break down, but instead I felt almost nothing, like I was just already broken...

I gently stoked the flames before curling up again. 'I better get tomorrow off…'

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