5

Two wooden swords clashed.

Maria felt her hand numb as she stared into the boy's listless face. He had a smile, and his blonde hair hid only one of his blue eyes. His sword was effortlessly held in one hand while she used two.

The two weapons struggled against each other, and she found herself on the weaker side.

"Come on, Maria! Don't give up yet!" Her brother's yell came over. She imagined he was snacking while watching their mock battle.

Sweat rolled from her head, her red hair flapped behind her as she jumped back, removing herself from the struggle.

She held her sword to her front, breathing heavily as she stared at her opponent.

"Not bad," Layfon laughed lightly, his thin, wooden, sword held below his hips.

Seven-year-old Maria thought that was the funniest thing she'd ever heard. This 'elder brother' of hers was as livid and as free as a butterfly. Unlike her whose body had already become riddled in sweat, he was still in the same tip top shape as he were less than two minutes prior--when the spar began.

"Oh please. . ." She muttered in dissatisfaction.

Her eyes glimmered a gold trace.

[Name: Layfon Allen

Strength: A

Speed: B

Mana: C

Skills: Swordsmanship (S), Lightning Coat (SS)

Overall: A]

[Lighting Coat: Coat an Item in contact with your hand in lightning. That item gains the attribute's of the element - Pierce, Burn, and Stun. Can be kept for as long as your mana lasts.]

[Awakened Blade: <Formless>; The blade of your weapon becomes invisible to the naked eye and without presence. Negates the sound of your movement.

Auxiliary: Choose to increase one stat by a rank.]

She noticed he had finally reached S rank in his swordsmanship, unlocking an Awakened Blade form. There was no way she should have lasted a spar with him for as long as she had. It felt as if she were being looked down upon. Although Maria was a kid, she hated above all to be treated as if she were below another.

"Come on, you're going easy on me," She mounted, refusing to struggle against an opponent that was barely trying, "You won't let me win by virtue of being a kid, right? Try harder, Layfon! Or I'll follow and harass you around the castle!"

Layfon frowned, 'This kid...'

The game had been simple. It followed the rules of a traditional Apprentice level spar. Two opponents with wooden swords. The first to 5 clean hits on the other wins. Currently, they both had no hits. However, that was merely due to Layfon's ease, not her skill, and Maria knew it.

"Fine," The boy shrugged, in opposition to her, it mattered little to him whether he was to ease or ramp up.

"ready?" He asked.

She nodded, psyching herself up with held breaths, "Bring it."

He took a step forward as his pale blue robe flapped.

"<Formless>."

The blade of his weapon disappeared. The once muffed clank of his sandals against the soft, mat, floor was gone. And the small bell-like sound his earring made vanished.

Maria hurriedly raised her weapon as he took another step.

His figure blurred.

Her eyes could hardly track him and the only thing that reassured her was the clash of wood that stung through her hands.

Looking at his leisure face bearing down on her, she knew, 'He definitely increased the rank of his speed.'

His invisible blade lifted up from hers. His arms executed a smooth motion that seemed to disregard her efforts.

Her right shoulder, left leg, torso, left arm, and right thigh were each struck down in an effortless brutality.

Then,

A barrage landed upon her blade.

Her knees bent. Just as he had said, there was no form to his attacks. It was an all out storm that cleaved away at everything in its path, regardless of whatever swordsmanship the opponent chose to use. If you couldn't even discern the movements of his sword, enough to be able to defend against it, could you even win?

Maria lost all feeling in her hand as her weapon flew.

She stepped back and came face to face with the chipped tip of a wooden blade. There were scars on the weapon. It had been through many spars.

Layfon smiled, "You lose. Again. When will you stop trying to spar me?"

Maria sighed, falling onto her butt as she sat down. She was dead tired and her body ached with bouts of pain. Sweat rolled down her red hair but she smiled.

Her ruby eyes looked up, "When I win."

The wooden sword disappeared from his hand.

He extended his hand to her as he pulled her up, "With a streak of 73 to 0...I don't think you'll win anytime soon. How about waiting till you at least reach puberty, and your physique to develop in line with your Sacred Text, before trying again?"

Maria grasped that hand and stood up.

She breathed in.

Exhaled.

She smiled. He smiled.

She ruthlessly stomped on his feet.

His face dropped and twisted in pain.

Then she kicked him in the shin.

"Ow ow ow, I knew I shouldn't have helped you up you little beast-" Layfon cursed. If there was one thing he knew through these few years, Maria Springfield was a sore loser.

"Humph," Ignoring the boy that clutched his leg in pain, she walked towards the exit with puffed cheeks. She thought, 'Humph, I didn't lose...yeah, I didn't get to even use <Ruler's Path>. Next time, I'll definitely beat him black and blue then we'll see who's talking!'

There was a lingering wish in her to grow up faster. What's the point of a good physique when she could hardly access it's full potential? Everyone had praised her Sacred Text to the high heavens, but she could hardly tell why it was so special. They said S rank was definitely better than A rank, but here she was, not even a clue of what a C rank could exactly do.

Two people stood at the door. One a red haired boy that had grown taller, but still only reached to Maria's height even though he was three years older than her. And the other, a golden haired girl with an expressionless face.

Ais clapped her hand, a dead tone leaking from her lips, "That was an amazing effort."

If it weren't for the fact that she was used to her Guard's deadpanned expressions, Maria might have thought she were being sarcastic.

Arthur struggled to hide his laughter, "Oh yeah, that was amazing alright."

She did not have to guess in the least to know her brother was definitely being a sarcastic prick.

"Oh?" She laughed, "Why thank you Arthur, do you want to spar with me too?"

He snorted, "Don't try to trick me, I've been tricking you since before you could even walk. To try to trick the master is to pour boiling water on your own-"

She rolled her eyes, "I think I hear uncle calling your name."

"I won't fall for that again."

"Oh, good afternoon, mom!" Maria waved into the hallway.

"What? Where? Dammit, I didn't know she would be here." Arthur quickly scurried to hide.

"Bwahahahaha-ow ow,"

Arthur forced down a curse down before smiling, "Would you like me to give you a massage?"

Maria gnashed her teeth, remembering the time he stuffed poison ivy down her back. That day had been the worst prank he had ever pulled on her, even worse than the time he had turned her skin red.

"I'll kill you!" Her wooden sword appeared in hand as she lashed towards him.

Arthur ran with all his might, laughter escaping his lips.

"<Fireball>!"

A small ball of flame sparked into the air and flew towards her.

Maria narrowly dodged the attack. A small explosion resounded behind her, he had used as minimal mana as possible, but scorch marks still appeared at the base of her red hair.

"Come back here and let me wack you!" She yelled, shaking with rage. Her perfect hair. . .he dared to scorch her perfect hair.

"Helllllll no!" Arthur crossed into the hallway and quickly zipped right, he was even more unwilling to stop now. That girl liked her hair way too much.

She flew after him.

". . ." Ais and Layfon watched speechlessly, one, significantly cheering Arthur on.

* * *

The room was pitch black. Maria closed her eyes amidst the silent darkness, her legs crossed as she sat upon her bed. She took in a breath, holding it.

She could feel it. . .that mysterious power calling deep within her. And she sought to guide it.

She released a breath.

Her eyes opened.

It was as if a faucet had been released.

White lights wallowed into the darkness, illuminating it like stars. Countless, they occupied the room and gushed out of her body. They followed her every command as easy as a thought. Obeying her whims like servants listening to it's master's every word. And Maria's thoughts seemed to be the controller.

'Come on. . .'

She guided those balls of lights. Much of it leaked from her body, simply drifting into the air, it was just too much. For the small amount that she could actually grasp her mind around, they clumped together before her.

Slowly and surely, they took on the shape of a small sword. It floated before her. Squirming about in those little dots of light.

Then, she forced her mind as pain shot through her.

Her Mana took on a glow as those light continued to compact together, the space between them shrinking as the room glowed in a mixture of gold and white.

Finally, a blade was made. It was golden and appeared real. Cracks ran along its figure but it still stood.

It shook

It was definitely unstable, but her expression still turned to elation.

She had no idea what she was doing, but, it was as if there was something deep within her pulsing and beating, telling her this was her way to move forward. In the beginning, when she awakened her Mana during the first half of the year, she had merely thought this Mana of hers was simply light magic. . .however, no matter which way she looked at it, it didn't seem that simple.

Her finger reached out as she ran it across the blade of the weapon. It felt real, sturdy. She tapped against it. There were small tings, resounding as if she were touching glass.

She had no idea how strong it was or how strong it could be. She thought, maybe it could hold a candle to a wooden sword?

She stared at the ring on her hand.

A flash of light and her wooden sword appeared in hand.

"Here goes nothing," She grinned and swung.

There was no contest.

Her carefully created golden blade shattered.

First appearing to break like glass, fragmenting out before disappearing in coves of light.

The wooden sword disappeared.

Maria sat there slack-jawed and disappointed.

"Oh come on!" She wanted to kick something. It was even weaker than she had thought. Why had she been chasing after that creation so much then? Why did she feel as if she were being pushed to make it?

She pouted.

However, just then, a loud banging on her door drew her attention.

"Princess, princess!" Ais's voice came hurriedly from the other side. Even as emotionless as it was, it appeared rushed.

"Are you trying to break down my door?" Maria stood up, raging slightly.

The door flung open, crashing into the inner wall, as a smooth leg went back down.

Golden blonde hair rushed into the room.

"We need to move! Now!"

"What's going on?" Maria felt the tight grip on her hand, she could not even bulge.

"Move move!"

An explosion ripped through the air.

The walls around them crumbled.

Ais ran with all her might as Maria's instinct kicked in and followed.

The floor below them shook.

The inner wall fell and crumbled down. Maria was now sure she could here the incensent shouts of voices and iron clashing against iron.

"What in gae's name is going on-!"

The floor below shook and gave way, crumbling.

Her voice escaped her lungs as she found herself plunging down.

"Whatever you do. . ."

She looked up.

Above Ais's head was a mixture of darkness, flames, and the pure snow of winter. Her teeth were tightly clenched and she clutched to the edge of the broken door frame.

"Don't let go. . .and please. . ."

She dangled, grasping that warm hand.

"Don't look back."

There was no way she could ignore what she heard. And nor could she ignore the permeating smell of blood. . .

Her eyes widened in horror.

"What's, what's going on. . .?" Her voice shook, forcing its way out.

The castle ground had become a war zone.