The Crown Of Fire

Aria XVI

She'd seen what happened.

Courage. Caliburn's wielder was courageous. Alexander, one of the prophesized sons of Dagda. His bravery would be legend, she knew. Of course, to wield Caliburn meant that courage had to be a highly courageous person.

But who knew that courage would be his downfall? To save young Edward from death, he sacrificed himself. Pierced by her sister's blade.

Aria Stormrider had enough. No longer would she let her blood ties with the mage stop her from putting an end to this evil.

"Seraphina!"

The mage in question turned to face the girl. She held her blade in her hand tightly. Aria didn't glance at the boy who lay at her sister's feet. The boy who would die if she didn't win the fight.

"I told you to choose a side, sister," Seraphina spoke. "I've told you for your entire life, haven't I?" she paused, putting the point of her blade at the boy's throat. King Alexander, lay dying with her foot upon his chest. "People die without consequence. Kings and Queens, fade with the ages. Join me, sister, and you will be granted eternity."

She watched the blade for a moment. She had to be careful with her next move. But it seemed that King Alexander had different plans. He swung his blade up, knocking Seraphina's away from his throat. He disarmed her by pretending to be weak from what should have been a killing blow. He'd put her off balance and she fell away from him.

Aria rushed forward, she stopped next to him. She didn't let her guard down. But she looked to Alexander. The wound could clearly be seen, it was located between his rib cage. He was paler than usual. He was breathing more as well. "Get out of here."

"I told you it was a joke." Seraphina told her with a sick grin. "I told you his name, Alexander, was a joke. He can't even defend himself, let alone save these poor people." She tore her gaze from the dying boy. She held her axe in her hand. And then swung it hard. It clashed with her sister's blade loudly. "I said I would win this war, Aria. And I warned you, they would all die."

It was hard. Aria knew that she couldn't have split loyalties. While she shared no love for her sister, she did empathize with her. Seraphina did all of this in the pursuit of happiness. She did all of this because she yearned to be loved. And in Aria's youth, Seraphina had been loved, but it was never enough. Nothing was ever enough.

And somewhere along the way, it drove her to madness. Somewhere in the past, Seraphina was transformed into the monster she was now.

Perhaps, once she simply hated Seraphina and everything she stood for. But now, she pitied her. She pushed Seraphina back roughly. "And didn't I once warn you that your path toward evil would lead you to your doom?"

"So, this is it then?" Seraphina questioned. Her emerald eyes followed her younger sister. There seemed to be something resembling sadness in her eyes. Something Aria wasn't aware that Seraphina could feel. "This is how it ends?"

"Tha an anail a tha a 'bàsachadh gar sgaradh."

And so the fight began. Seraphina fought in grace which clashed with Aria's more aggressive nature. She wielded her axe like it was an extension of her arm, and that was Seraphina's mistake. Seraphina only saw her sword as a weapon. Nothing more than a sharp edge meant to make her enemies bleed.

Aria was tired though. Tired of the evil. Tired of the battle. The only thing she wasn't tired of was the fighting. It exhilarated her. A fight brought her some kind of purpose.

Their weapons clashed on multiple occasions. The biggest challenge of the fight was that Seraphina and Aria were on equal levels of skill. Where Aria swung her axe down in a chopping motion, Seraphina parried. And when one brought the fight to new levels, the other would raise the stakes further.