The fox sat comfortably atop a nearby stone, curling its tail around itself. It blinked sleepily looking at the two brothers. Apparently deciding it had found the best seat to half-watch the siblings spar.
Helther raised his sword.
The relaxed atmosphere vanished instantly and the air changed. Pressure spread across the arena. Snow lifted gently from the ground.
Atheline recognized the stance immediately. The same opening posture Helther had used for years.
It was simple, direct with no wasted movement since he was a pure swordsmanship.
His own stance shifted naturally, his sword lowered slightly. Wind gathered around his feet.
Neither moved.
The silence stretched as they gauged each other. Then, Helther disappeared. His acceleration simply exceeded what ordinary eyes could comfortably follow.
Atheline smiled.
"So that’s how we’re starting."
Their swords collided. A shockwave erupted through the arena and snow exploded outward.
Atheline twisted his blade with practiced precision. He stepped aside and the sword narrowly brushed past his shoulder.
He immediately countered with a horizontal slash. Helther ducked beneath it.
The two separated, sliding slightly away from each other. Neither spoke but both were smiling.
Helther’s eyes gleamed. They went at each other at the same time. This time the exchange became faster.
Steel collided repeatedly in a fireworks of sparks. The sounds echoed across the estate.
Their feet barely remained in one place. The attacks went on longer as they exchanged blows. Neither managed a decisive advantage.
Helther fought beautifully: every movement efficient and every strike calculated. No wasted strength and there was no unnecessary flourish.
His fighting styles showed years of discipline and refinement made into pure technique.
Atheline fought differently. His style had changed from when he had fought when they were little. His swordsmanship and magic were constantly adapted. His movements looked less elegant, far more unpredictable.
Helther immediately noticed.
"You’ve changed."
Atheline laughed between exchanges.
"I’ve heard."
Their blades collided again, releasing massive shockwaves. Helther suddenly increased his pace. The pressure intensified. His sword became almost impossible to follow.
Atheline was forced to block then block again but the third strike slipped past and tore through his sleeves.
Helther smiled.
"Too slow."
Atheline grinned.
"I wasn’t finished."
Wind exploded beneath his feet and his body vanished. Helther’s eyes widened as he tried to follow him.
Atheline reappeared above him, his sword descending. Helther instinctively raised his blade. Their blades met in a violent impact. The impact cracked the stone beneath them; snow blasted into the surrounding trees.
Helther laughed almost manically.
"There you are!"
He pushed upward and their swords separated. Atheline landed several metres away and then raised one hand. Fire, water, and earth elements started to circulate. Three different elemental circles appeared simultaneously.
Helther’s smile widened.
"I knew you’d cheat."
"They’re my abilities."
"I still call it cheating."
Three elemental projectiles shot forward. Helther charged directly through them without the slightest fear, his eyes were dilated with excitement.
The first fire lance met his sword, he swung his sword and split it apart. The water spear followed, and it disintegrated by another slash, scattering into mist in the cold.
An earth spike erupted beneath him. He jumped, landing lightly atop the stone itself before launching forward again.
Atheline couldn’t help smiling. His brother hadn’t changed either, still charging straight toward impossible situations.
Lightning crackled across the arena. Atheline disappeared once more, this time reappearing behind him.
Helther spun instinctively but it was too late. The flat of the sword tapped his shoulder.
"Dead."
He blinked then laughed.
"I’ll remember that."
The match continued. Minutes passed of continuous collisions but neither held back. Atheline gradually introduced more elements.
Wind increased his speed, earth strengthened his footing, water redirected attacks, fire forced distance, lightning accelerated his reactions and ice froze sections of the battlefield.
The arena gradually transformed. Frozen pillars erupted from the ground, walls of earth shattered beneath sword strikes, flames melted snow into thick steam and wind scattered everything again.
Despite all the setbacks, Helther simply adapted. He possessed no elements, only a sword. Yet somehow... He kept up.
His blade cut through fire, deflected ice, redirected earth, and found openings where none should exist. Atheline finally understood why his father often described true swordsmen as monsters.
Their strength didn’t come from overwhelming power, it came from absolute mastery. Every movement served a purpose; every breath, step, and swing. No movement was unnecessary and nothing was wasted in each attack or counter.
Helther suddenly accelerated again. His sword blurred with each strike, Atheline barely blocked the fourth, the fifth knocked him backwards and the sixth cut a lock of his hair.
He laughed out loud.
"I forgot how scary you are."
Helther smirked.
"You got distracted."
"I was complimenting you."
"Do it after I win."
Atheline planted his sword into the ground. Aether surged around him. The temperature dropped considerably around him. His Aether core worked harder as elements moved through the channels.
Ice spread across the arena, wind roared and lightning danced overhead.
Helther’s expression became serious.
"So that’s your full power?"
Atheline shook his head.
"No."
"Good."
Helther lowered his stance.
"I’d hate to lose too easily."
Atheline burst into laughter.
"You really haven’t changed."
"I could say the same."
They both charged simultaneously. The collision shook the entire training ground; trees bent from the pressure and snow erupted skyward like a blizzard.
Their parents watched quietly from the veranda. His mother slowly sipped tea.
"They’re destroying the training grounds."
His father nodded.
"It can be repaired."
Another explosion echoed and snow rose further. His mother sighed.
"I should have said the same thing about them when they were children. Helther was a little bit reserved but Atheline... sometimes I wished he hadn’t gotten wind as his element. "
His father chuckled.
"They’ve become stronger."
"But also become louder."
Back in the arena, both brothers landed several metres apart, breathing heavily. Sweat mixed with melting snow but neither looked exhausted, only exhilarated.
Helther rested his sword against his shoulder once more.
"One final exchange?"
Atheline nodded.
"No holding back."
Helther smiled.
"I wasn’t planning to."
The brothers smiled, then disappeared at exactly the same moment.