Chapter 22: Battle Between Siblings (3)

The cold air entered my lungs; I felt cold, as if the temperature suddenly dropped. When exhaling, I could even see the smoke coming out of my mouth. All of this was because of one person.

My sister, standing elegantly with her blue sword, looked directly at me. Her eyes became sharper, and her pupils were identical to those of a dragon. Her presence, her aura, everything was so majestic, demanding respect and submission. It was incredibly captivating, like a flower with delicate petals that always require attention.

The horns on her head marked a significant difference; they represented the power and emblem of the dragon family, instilling fear and desperation in their enemies.

I felt as if my heart was increasing its pulsations; my blood was rushing through my veins at a rapid pace. Removing my hands from my ribs, I positioned myself again, entirely focused, looking at my sister... but she disappeared. By instinct, I moved my hand to the left without taking my eyes off her.

Clang!

A tremendous impact force sent me flying, and I felt my hands breaking. Breathing with difficulty, I somersaulted backward, only to find myself facing my sister again. Quickly defending myself, I counterattacked her with my own sword.

Clang!

Sparks flew from the swords; they hadn't broken because they were surrounded by aura. I felt my hands getting numb; the strength my sister possessed was simply brute.

My skin tingled, and my instincts activated. I observed my sister again, looking directly into her eyes. My blood heated up, my body too, and my pulsations accelerated again. Something was happening to me; it wasn't the same feeling every time I saw her; it was different this time.

Losing sight of her, I felt a kick in my stomach, sending me backward, spitting blood. I grabbed my sword tightly. I can't lose; if I win, I'll have, at least, a minimal chance against a rank 4 creature. I can't lose here; I can't give up now.

Breathing deeply, I performed my footwork to attack again....

**Pov Emily**

Activating my bloodline, my hair and eyes always changed color. A pair of blue horns grew on my head. I remember the moment I awakened my bloodline; Clear, almost crystalline ice formed around me. Then it took the shape of an egg. I felt so protected and at peace; My blood flowed through my body too fast and my body heated up. Still, I never felt uncomfortable or painful; Everything was very soothing, and I felt at peace.

Right now, in front of my brother, many things were going through my head: what he did, how he treated me, and how he pushed me aside. I resent him; he hurt me.

But I also felt my head in chaos; even though I hit him with all my strength, he never let go of the sword. The bones in his hands are broken; I'm sure of it. I did it on purpose so he would drop the sword and end this duel. His eyes still show determination and a will to win; every time I see his eyes, my blood heats up, craving something. It's as if he's waiting for a reaction.

I clear my mind of useless thoughts; during a battle, you always have to keep your mind focused on your opponent. Moving my legs, I concentrate behind his back and move my mana to my feet. To activate my footwork, I don't need to observe the place I want to go.

Putting force into my right hand, I make a cut from above.

Clang!

I watch as his feet move to avoid my sword; his footwork is three stars. Since the duel began, I focused on his movements and reaction times. Quickly, again with my footwork, reappearing to his right, I connect my sword to his arm, making a fairly deep cut. Seeing crimson blood flowing from his wound, my bloodline becomes anxious again. Shaking my head, I defend myself from his attack; I can feel his strength decreasing more and more.

Deciding it's time to end this encounter, I brace myself to attack again, but... my bloodline goes haywire. I glance at my brother, and my pupils dilate as I see his snow-white hair morphing into jet-black strands, matching the color of his eyes: one red, the other black, both staring directly at me.

But as I look at my brother, he disappears and reappears in front of me, staring at me intently.