Eclipse of the Chronicles

Chapter 8: Reflection of Valor

(Scene opens at Jessica's house)

It was a quiet night at Jessica's home. The soft sound of pages turning echoed throughout her room as she flipped through an old yearbook. She had found it while cleaning her room and decided to take a stroll down memory lane. Each turn of the page brought a wave of nostalgia, memories of school days flooding back with every photo and caption.

Jessica paused on a particular page, her gaze settling on a photo that stood out. In the picture, she was in skates, standing next to a girl in a swimsuit. They were both beaming, arms around each other's shoulders, proudly displaying the medals hanging from their necks. The two had been part of their secondary school's multi-sports race team, a unique competition that combined several sports into one intense race. Teams of ten members each would compete to complete a series of challenges, from swimming to running to skating, all in pursuit of victory. The photo captured the moment of their triumph, when they had won gold and brought pride to their school.

The girl beside her in the photo was a younger version of Catherine See. Memories of their time on the school team, competing fiercely alongside one another, came rushing back to Jessica, filling her with a bittersweet longing for those simpler days.

As Jessica continued to stare at the yearbook photo, her fated chronicle card buzzed on the desk beside her. She picked it up, reading the message that appeared on the screen: Fated Chronicle of Valor VS Destined Chronicle of Reflection.

"You must be my opponent for the destined chronicle showdown... right, Catherine?" Jessica thought, her mind racing as she looked at the message.

(Scene transitions to the polytechnic)

Catherine attended the same polytechnic as Sean and Jessica, pursuing a diploma in banking and finance. She was also the star swimmer of the school's multi-sports race team, a position she took great pride in. After finishing a grueling training session with her team, Catherine walked out of the school, her frustration simmering beneath the surface.

"These losers... at this rate, we'll never make it to the top," Catherine muttered to herself as she left the campus, her thoughts clouded with disappointment.

Her mind drifted back to Jessica. If only you were on the team, Jess... Why didn't you join me? We could have made it to the top together. The memories of their secondary school days gnawed at her. Back then, Catherine had always seen Jessica as both a teammate and a rival. Despite being the skater of their team, Jessica had contributed just as much, if not more, to their victories. Catherine believed that with Jessica's skating prowess alongside her swimming skills, they could have reached the pinnacle of the sport together.

Catherine had never truly connected with her current teammates. To her, they lacked the talent and dedication that Jessica had. While she was acknowledged that she was the strongest link on the team, she couldn't shake the feeling that her teammates were holding her back, preventing her from achieving her dream of competing in the Olympic multi-sports race. The dream that Jessica and she once shared—of taking on the world together on the grandest stage—had slowly faded from Jessica's heart, but Catherine held onto it with a fierce determination.

When Catherine discovered Jessica's victory in the flying simulator challenge at Bugis Mall, a pang of bitterness struck her heart. She's out there achieving her dreams... and I'm stuck here, still fighting to be recognized, she thought. In her eyes, her current team was an anchor, dragging her down into mediocrity. The most recognition she ever received was from judges who noted her as the best contributor on a team she considered incompetent.

Jessica's decision not to join the polytechnic's multi-sports team as a skater but instead to join only the school's skate club had fueled Catherine's quiet resentment. On the rare occasions they crossed paths at school, Catherine pretended not to recognize her, even though they had once been as close as sisters.

Lilith exploited Catherine's hidden resentment. One day, after a swim, Catherine rediscovered her ability to manipulate water. Lilith took this opportunity to cast her mental pollution spell on Catherine, twisting her desires, and handed her the Destined Chronicle card—the Destined Chronicle of Reflection.

With her newfound powers, Catherine became not only the best swimmer at the polytechnic but also gained the ability to manipulate reflections, allowing her to observe others from afar, as she had done during Jessica's victory in the flying simulator challenge.

(Scene transitions to the polytechnic skate club at night)

Jessica and I were out on the basketball court, practicing our slalom moves under the cool night sky. Thanks to her excellent coaching, I finally managed to master the cyclone move—something she had been patiently teaching me for a long time. We both cheered together for my achievement, a rare, joyful moment that I hadn't felt in a while.

"Oh, by the way, Jess, you're up for tomorrow night's match, right? Do you know anything about your opponent?" I asked, curious about who Jessica would be facing in the Destined Chronicle showdown. With only two Destined Chronicle members left to fight—Amy and Catherine—and with Amy confirmed as my opponent by Lilith herself, that left Catherine as Jessica's opponent.

"Sure I do, Sean-ie. Catherine and I were like sisters back in secondary school. We were both on the school's multi-sports race CCA team—me as a skater and her as a swimmer. We worked hard together and helped the school win multiple gold awards. Although we competed in different sports, we always had a friendly rivalry over who contributed more to the team's victories. I'd say we were evenly matched. Catherine even dreamed of us joining Singapore's Olympic team together. But then..." Jessica trailed off, leaving me in suspense.

"Then what?" I asked, eager to learn more about their past.

Jessica sighed before continuing. "I had my place in the youth flying club to think about, since I aspired to be a pilot more. So, I didn't join the multi-sports race CCA like she did. That hurt her a little when she found out. We stopped talking much after that, and now, the only communication we have is through replying to each other's Instagram stories. Even then, she never fails to mention how lame her team is and how it's my fault they never reached the top." A look of guilt washed over Jessica's face, and it saddened me to see her that way. I didn't believe it was her fault at all for pursuing her own goals.

"Cheer up, Jess!" I said, trying to sound encouraging. Jessica looked up at me. "If you hadn't joined the skate club, I'd never have had the best mentor there is. Some of the juniors and I would have taken forever to learn something cool like that cyclone move." Jessica laughed a little at my statement and playfully smacked me on the back.

"Yup. And tomorrow night, I'll save Catherine, no matter what spell Lilith has her under. I'll just give it my all, as always," she cried, raising her fist in the air. I cheered her on, feeling her determination.

(Scene transition to Catherine leaving her condominium pool)

"Damn, that felt good. No useless teammates to train with, just a good swim on my own," Catherine thought as she left her condominium after a refreshing swim. She opened a portal to the dojo house where her match was set to take place that night.

The Fated Chronicle team was already there when she arrived, though Stephanie was still out on her investigation, wishing Jessica luck through a quick text. Jessica had settled in at the fighting stage, waiting for Catherine's arrival.

"So, you're the ace of your school's multi-sports race team, I see," said Jake, approaching Catherine as she stepped into the venue.

"With your talent and being the star of the team, I'm sure she's out of your league," Jake continued, referring to Jessica. His comment clearly agitated Catherine.

"Being the best in that team means nothing. And don't you ever underestimate her," Catherine snapped, giving Jake a stern side-eye.

"Struck a nerve, have I?" Jake smirked as Catherine headed toward the fighting stage.

"You seem to give talks like this before every fight," Charlie remarked, causing Jake to turn around, surprised to see Charlie behind him.

"Of course, we're teammates after all," Jake replied with a smile, though Charlie's expression remained suspicious as he looked at him.

"The score is now 2-2. If we win this, we have the upper hand!" Daisuke cried, and we all nodded in agreement.

"Catherine See... seems like she'll be a tough opponent tonight," Simon mused.

"That'll be interesting. Let's see what she's got," replied Spike.

The match was about to commence. Lilith took her place at the center of the stage, ready to start the match, with both girls on either side of her. Emily had also joined Howard in the spectator area after being freed from the curse Lilith had placed on her.

"Catherine See, Jessica Tan, raise your cards and scream your battle cry to commence the beginning of this match..." Lilith announced.

"Let's settle..." Catherine began, raising her glowing card.

"...old scores," Jessica continued, mimicking the same action.

"DESTINY!" they both cried as their cards transformed into lighted-up flags that rose into the air. Catherine's flag depicted waves of water and a giant crystal ball made of mirrors.

"The time has come for the fifth match of the Destined Chronicle showdown to begin..." Lilith declared as both girls assumed their fighting stances.

The tension on the fighting stage was palpable as Jessica and Catherine prepared to clash. The match began with both girls sprinting toward their respective weapons. Jessica retrieved the swords she had used in her previous battle, while Catherine reached for a rifle stored in the weapons compartment nearby.

With a swift motion, Catherine uncapped a water bottle, using her water manipulation powers to draw the liquid out and shape it into a tentacle around her arm. "Take this, Jess..." Catherine shouted, launching a water pulse at Jessica. In response, Jessica spread her wings and soared into the air, her wings now resembling those of a phoenix, a result of the power-up she received after the Fated Chronicle clash.

Seeing her attack miss, Jessica seized the opportunity to go on the offensive. She raised her swords and flew straight toward Catherine. "Here I come, Cat..." Jessica said, closing in. But Catherine smirked, as if she had anticipated Jessica's move.

"Water Mirror, activate!" Catherine commanded as a mirror made of water formed in her hand just as Jessica was about to strike. Jessica's attacks were nullified, and the damage was reflected back at her, forcing her to retreat. The water mirror then took to the air, enlarging and aligning with Catherine's flag.

"What was that...?" Jessica muttered as she recovered from the reflected hit.

"Interesting, isn't it? Each time you attack, I counter with my mirror. That mirror on my flag reflects water and fills it up. Once it reaches the brim... well, that's when the fun really begins..." Catherine's tone was laced with a hidden threat as Jessica tried to anticipate what she meant.

As the match progressed, Jessica found herself on the defensive. Every time she attacked, Catherine countered with the water mirror, filling up the water reflected on her flag. The more Jessica struck, the stronger Catherine's counterattacks became, each reflected hit dealing more damage than the last.

"Whatever happened to the promise you made, Jess?" Catherine suddenly asked, her voice stern and accusatory.

"What promise, Cat?" Jessica asked, genuinely confused.

"The promise of reaching the top together, of course," Catherine replied, her eyes narrowing as she watched Jessica struggle to recover from the repeated reflected attacks.

Flashback

It was right after the multi-sports race competition where Jessica and Catherine had won the gold medal. Both girls were walking out of the stadium, their prizes in hand. They reached a bus stop just as Catherine's bus arrived to take her home.

"Next time, we'll be competing in the Olympics. Keep training hard, Jess. See ya," Catherine said as she boarded the bus, leaving before Jessica could respond.

Jessica was left standing there, conflicted. She had never gotten the chance to express her own goals and how she felt about going to the Olympics.

End Flashback

"Oh, that... I dreamt of going to the Olympics one day too... but I never really promised I'd go there. You just said what you wanted and left before I could say anything," Jessica explained, her voice tinged with guilt.

Catherine's eyes flashed with anger. "I didn't just dream, Jess. I worked hard every single day to achieve it. I wanted you to follow me, for both of us to fight and reach the top together. You were my only rival... everyone else on my team was nowhere near as competent and hardworking as you. Now I'm stuck with a bunch of losers, and I may never reach my goal. When I saw you win the flying challenge in Bugis, I was so envious. It felt like you just abandoned me to chase your own dreams and forgot all about me," Catherine ranted, her emotions pouring out.

Jessica, hovering in the air, looked deeply troubled. Meanwhile, Catherine aimed her rifle and fired rapid shots of aqua jets at Jessica, who struggled to dodge the onslaught. Eventually, one of the jets struck her, causing her to crash to the ground. Her flag lights dimmed ominously.

As Jessica stared at the water mirror on Catherine's flag, she grappled with a difficult decision—whether to use her ultimate move. But with Catherine's flag lights still bright, she feared that her attack would be reflected and that her lights would be snuffed out completely.

"Unwavering courage... Unparalleled valor... Ultimate Chronicle technique: Flaming Blade Wing Phoenix!" Jessica cried out, launching herself into the sky with the aura of a phoenix enveloping her. She raised her swords and spread her wings, charging at Catherine in a blazing rush.

"Talk about desperate to win, Jess..." Catherine sneered as she raised her water mirror, attempting to neutralize Jessica's assault. Fortunately, Jessica's attack was strong enough not to be entirely reflected, but the damage to Catherine was minimal—her flag lights dimmed only as much as they would from a regular attack, not an ultimate move.

"Time's up, Jess. You lose. Waves of destiny, reflections of life, now is the time to unleash my full potential. Wave Water Mirror, unleash!" Catherine's water mirror glowed, catching everyone by surprise, especially Jessica. "Ultimate Chronicle technique: Destiny's Orb of Reflection Waters!" Catherine cried, launching a giant orb of shimmering water at Jessica. The orb trapped her, and the attacks Catherine had reflected channeled into the orb, striking Jessica relentlessly.

"JESS!" I shouted, watching in horror from the spectator area. Suddenly, the orb was shattered.

Jessica had broken through the water orb, landing on the ground, barely able to stand but stabilizing herself with the help of her wings.

"That should have been enough to finish you... unless... wait..." Catherine muttered as a flashback of the battle replayed in her mind.

Flashback

Jessica was about to unleash her Flaming Blade Wing Phoenix attack.

"Talk about desperate to win, Jess..." Catherine had said in the flashback.

The phoenix aura surrounding Jessica had apparently given her a flaming body of protection, which shielded her from Catherine's ultimate move when it was unleashed. Jessica's ultimate move had not only been an attack but also a defense against Catherine's reflection-based assault.

End Flashback

Back in the present, Jessica was standing her ground, ready to continue the fight despite the odds.

"I see... if you had hesitated to use your ultimate technique, you might not have survived that onslaught," Catherine admitted, her voice carrying a mix of respect and realization.

"In the face of adversity, we only truly know how we fare against it by giving it our all and facing it with confidence!" Jessica declared, reciting a line she remembered from their secondary school coach.

"That line sure takes me back," Catherine mused, her voice softening as she recalled their shared past. Slowly, signs of Lilith's curse began to lift from her, the dark influence wavering.

"That's why I always loved having you around, Jess. Your bravery to face the odds when they seem impossible and your ability to remain optimistic even while others are in despair. You truly are the best. I'm so pumped up right now," Catherine continued, her enthusiasm rekindled as she raised her weapon, determination gleaming in her eyes.

"Think you can still beat me? My flag is still pretty bright. You'll need a miracle to make it," Catherine challenged.

"You're wrong, Cat. As long as I believe in myself, my future will be full of hope. No matter what obstacles stand in my way, I will face them with everything I have, without fear of failure," Jessica responded confidently, her words striking a chord with Catherine, who was surprised by her friend's unwavering belief.

"Here I go, Cat..." Jessica announced, raising her swords high as she took to the skies once more.

"Come at me, Jess," Catherine replied, her weapon aimed and ready, but there was a newfound respect in her voice.

As Jessica flew down to strike, her blades ignited into bright phoenix flames. Catherine fired at her, but Jessica was too fast, closing the distance in an instant. With precise, powerful strikes, Jessica sliced away Catherine's weapon and delivered a decisive blow.
"Forgive me for striking you down..." cried Jessica.
The impact shattered Catherine's water mirror and dimmed her flag lights completely.

"The winner: Fated Chronicle of Valor," Lilith announced, her voice echoing across the stage as a point was added to our side on the holographic scoreboard. The score was now 3-2.

Catherine was freed from the curse, but unlike the others we had defeated so far, she remained standing, a wide smile spreading across her face. She let out a genuine laugh, clearly impressed by Jessica's performance. "You truly are my best rival," Catherine exclaimed, the admiration evident in her voice.

The two girls exchanged a few words, resolving the tension that had been between them. They reaffirmed their friendship and agreed to continue pursuing their respective dreams while supporting each other along the way. Watching them, I felt a surge of pride for my mentor. "That's great for you, Jess," I thought to myself, feeling genuinely happy for her.

As the match concluded, everyone headed home. The undefeated Destined Chronicles departed with Lilith's teleportation, while the rest of us returned with our cards.

(Scene transitions to Tey's condominium)

Amy sat in her room, lost in deep thought. Her Destined Chronicle card buzzed, pulling her from her reverie. The message read: Fated Chronicle of Resilience VS Destined Chronicle of Illumination.

A determined expression settled on Amy's face as she thought to herself, "I will win this... and with the power I will gain... he will finally acknowledge me..."

It was finally our turn to face each other in the showdown. The tension was palpable, and the stakes had never been higher. What would be the outcome of this destined sibling battle?

(scene cuts to black.)