10 From Prey To Predator

The echoing chamber amplified every groan of stone and clang of steel. Leto stood in its center, a lone oak amidst a whirlwind of dust, his sword slick with enemy blood. Across the dusty expanse, the Watcher brothers mirrored his stance, their silence a prelude to the storm.

The elder brother, Kai, stepped forward, his twin blades glinting like viper fangs. "Let's see," he rasped, voice laced with amusement, "if your resolve crumbles when friends become foes."

Leto's brow furrowed. The words hung in the air, cryptic and chilling. Before he could decipher their meaning, Kai lunged. A blur of silver swept towards him, faster than any man Leto had ever witnessed. He barely raised his own blade in time, the clang echoing like a gong as steel met steel.

But the attack didn't end there. With a savage grunt, Kai vaulted upwards, the force shattering a skylight, showering the arena in sunlight. Blinded, Leto braced for the inevitable follow-up. Suddenly, a hiss split the air – an arrow, launched by the younger brother, Ren, singing towards his heart.

Reacting on instinct, Leto lunged sideways, the arrow whispering past his ear. A moment's reprieve. He thought he'd earned himself breathing room, but Kai, now perched on a crumbling beam, launched himself down, twin blades dancing a deadly ballet.

Sparks flew as Leto parried each blow, sweat stinging his eyes. He felt the strain, the growing fatigue gnawing at his limbs. But amidst the chaos, his eyes caught a telltale glint on Ren's bow – a shimmering rune etched into its wood, humming with barely contained power.

Then, Kai's words clicked into place. The enhanced speed, the unnatural archery – the brothers were wielding enchanted weapons. Anger flared in Leto's chest, tempered by a cold, calculating calm. He had a plan, but it hinged on a gamble, on luring them in.

He continued blocking, deflecting, playing the part of the overwhelmed warrior. Every blow chipped away at his reserves, but in his feigned desperation, he saw the brothers exchange a wary glance. His performance was convincing.

Kai pressed harder, his attacks a tempestuous storm. A feint, a parry, a brutal kick met with a searing pain in Leto's ribs. Ren rained arrows down, each one a viper seeking his flesh. Leto's maneuvers grew wilder, erratic, pushing his body to its limit.

Finally, he saw it – a flicker of hesitation in Ren's eyes. He was not that good at aiming when his brother Kai was near The Invader. And he aimed much higher when they clashed. This showed that there was something in the arrow. Another different thing was the bow used by the archer brother, it had a magical sparkle and a strange shape. 

But Leto silenced his urge to investigate this further, as he tried to find a deficit of the younger brother.

The young brother, eager to capitalize on Leto's apparent disarray, moved in for the kill. Leto took the bait, leaping forward, his blade a silver arc, aimed at Kai. But at the last moment, he pivoted, the swing morphing into a blindingly fast slash towards Ren.

Ren barely deflected the blow, the shock sending him stumbling back. Seizing the opening, Leto spun, slamming his elbow into Kai's temple with a sickening crunch. The elder brother staggered, eyes glazed.

Leto pressed his advantage, a whirlwind of attacks aimed at Ren, forcing him on the defensive. The enchanted bow hung limp in his hand, its magic overwhelmed by the warrior's fury. Arrows clattered uselessly at the floor, the rhythm of their demise a death knell for the brothers' illusions.

As dust and smoke shrouded the arena, the air crackled with anticipation. Both enemies became invisible, under the thick fog.