Restart

I peered at my older self, trying to discern any noticeable differences between us. His features were a bit more weathered, with deeper lines etched into his face, evidence of the years that had passed. His eyes, however, held a familiar glint of determination, just as mine did, but he seemed to carry a hint of wisdom that came with age.

"How exactly do I... Find out?" I asked, confusion washing over me.

"Well, give me thirty seconds of your body. I ask no more." The older me replied with absolute confidence, and for some reason, I wasn't that inclined to believe him.

"Why should I?" I asked, not understanding what giving my body meant.

He tilted his head, a devious smile on his face. "You want to win, don't you?" 

"Yes," I said, my eyes glinting up to match the determination I saw in myself.

His piercing gaze met mine, and I couldn't help but feel a strange connection, as though I were looking into a mirror reflecting a future I couldn't quite grasp. But the allure of winning, of achieving my goals, was strong. I still had so many questions, but the curiosity gnawed at me.

"Well then, sit back and witness what you can truly do." My older self said, and both of his eyes started to glow an electric blue.

I opened my eyes again, and this time, it felt like I was awake, but I wasn't controlling myself.

I saw Aurelia walking away from me, probably feeling victorious.

"You think the fight is over?" I heard myself speak, but It wasn't me. The voice was a little bit deeper and listless.

My left eye was closed, and I watched as Aurelia turned around and her expression was one of pure shock.

"I thought your heart stopped for a second there?" Aurelia said, a mix of confusion and bewilderment taking hold of her face.

"Well, too bad it started beating again." I heard myself say, dripping with confidence.

"Well, I'll make sure that I will make sure that it stops beating for good now," Aurelia said, her voice resolute.

For some reason, I found that funny and started to laugh.

Aurelia though, wasn't having any of it.

"You think you can laugh!?" She screamed, malice overflowing from her voice, as she launched herself at a blistering speed towards me.

I opened my left eye and saw in the reflection of Aurelia's eyes that both of my eyes were glowing now.

In one swift movement, the tip of my sword greeted hers, and a shower of sparks erupted from the collision, illuminating our faces in a fierce, fiery dance. The ground seemed to tremble at the sheer force of our clash, and the sharp, metallic ring of steel meeting steel reverberated through the chamber like a thunderclap.

"Incompetent," I muttered under my own breath, and this pissed Aurelia off even more.

"Wha!?" Aurelia quickly pulled back and charged up her attack with so much power that its manifestation actually blinded me for a brief moment, and I covered my eyes.

In that instant, she was within striking distance of my body, and I effortlessly dodged it. Instantly, my gaze was drawn to the sky, where there was one arrow that was gleaming, and poising to come down with all its might on me.

Aurelia kept pressing, forcing me on the defensive. "All I have to do right now is charge that one arrow with all the power I have and it will rip you to pieces!" She screamed, still sounding confident but her voice was showing a hint of desperation.

Between all the fighting, and her bravado talking, I could hear her murmur chants in between, trying to complete the spell's incantation.

"Oh, how unsightly. You're trying to complete the spell's incantation in secret, but it's no big secret. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here." I said, with a voice that was asserting absolute dominance.

"By the mystic winds that twine, With a blade that gleams, divine, Triple Shot Edge, now strike!"

The arrow shone a brilliant white and made its way down with blistering speed, and I managed to dodge the arrow, its impact on the ground leaving a huge crater and a cloud of dust.

Just as I thought I had dodged the attack, the arrow emerged from the cloud of dust and caught me off guard, and it grazed my torso.

"Not a bad enchanted item you've got there, but to think you'd lean on such a crutch to deal with a lowly prince like me, how embarrassing." I found myself saying, with a mocking voice.

"Embarrassing!? I will embarrass you right here, right now!" Now, Aurelia's voice was akin to that of a cornered predator.

"All arrows, assemble." She commanded, and the other two arrows holding Zorro and Adante to the wall ripped themselves from the wall and joined the other one standing at the top of her head.

Valeria immediately went to support both of them as they started to bleed out. "Here, take a hold of me, I'll help." She removed her side guard for Adante to be able to grip onto her hips better, and she helped him up while carrying Zorro on her shoulder.

"Don't you think... Ed's demeanor has changed?" Zorro asked, a bit of concern in his voice.

"Why do you think so?" Valeria asked, tilting her head and confused.

"Well... I'm pretty sure this isn't the same person who just fought with us earlier." Adante said, his voice conclusive.

"Why do you think so?" Valeria asked, now clueless as to the thing that Adante had noticed.

"His magical energy's flow and pattern. It is totally different. Do you see that?" He said, a glint of excitement in his eyes.

"Also, both of his eyes are glowing now. Let's put some distance between us and them, in our current state, all of us may become bait and targets for Aurelia, let's move out while Ed is distracting us." Valeria said while she carried them away

I looked on in awe, as I asked "May I know what is it that you're gonna do?"

"Oh, you'll see," Aurelia said, a tinge of disappointment in her voice.

"Are you removing the pact of making the arrows indestructible to increase their maximum power? I wouldn't do that if I were you, you know." I said, now walking towards Aurelia with a confident stride.

Aurelia's face was a mix of fear and confusion as she couldn't comprehend why this was happening.

"What the hell do you think is happening? Are you even Eduardo anymore!?" She screamed, her voice overlapping with the sound of a howling wind that blew across the area.

Just then, the rain started to fall, and a bolt of lightning hit the earth behind me, casting a huge shadow over Aurelia's frame.

"What do you think I am?" I said, the wide grin returning to my face, as my sword started to sparkle with energy, and I started to as well. 

A roar of thunder soared across the sky, and thus, the bell sounding the restart of the battle began.