She is fast.

She is strong.

Swift and her movements are steady. She is not fighting but dancing to the beat of my attacks. Blocking my every move and playing her gambles. Studying my every move. I have never felt that I’ll lose but her, she is different. Confident, strong, fierce and on the top of that arrogant. She is me but in female version.

She dogged my attempt to push her down and elbow me in the stomach. I stumble back. She is too strong for a human. I observe her single move there is nothing that I could catch on to tangle her down.

I was observing her when I noticed it.

Her left leg.

She is limping.

How has I never noticed that?

I have been going hard on her with the training.

She is not only skilled with swords and her words but in her actions too. She is good at hiding. And I want nothing but now to see who is hiding behind that strong and arrogant mask of her.

I charge towards her, my sword shining in the sunlight. She is ready to strike back but she have no idea how she is opening her weak point to me.

Sparks flee as our swords clashed into each other. She tried to kick me in the stomach but before she could do anything I punch her on the face. I am satisfied but I feel piercing pain in my stomach. I look at Verena, there is mischievous smile on her face. The crowd gasp as I bring my hand back covered in blood.

I look at her but there is nothing but fire in her eyes.

But my eyes falls on someone particular.

My father behind Verena laughing at me.

He is enjoying this all.

I hate him more that I hate anything. He is the reason why mother is not here. He is the only reason why I am this way. I want him to suffer but he is always one ahead of me.

I am so caught up in my thoughts that I didn’t notice Verena approaching me. I doge her strike and elbow her in the back. She stumbles and fall back. It’s time.

I have the upper hand.

I can do it.

Maybe by doing this I am able to win.

Maybe I will win this battle with my father.

I kick away Verena’s swords.

She is helpless now but she has not given up.

She holds out her dagger from her boots. Helpless move. She knows I can crush her easily without her sword. I have upper hand and now she is bind to my forgiveness.

I give my father one last look before ending this. I know I have win but it all crumbles down the moment my eyes falls on my father. He is laughing hard more than ever.

This was all his playing.

He wants me to kill her.

He is turning me into him.

He is waiting for me to do it.

Anger rush in my veins. I can feel my blood boil with each passing second. He has been playing with my life and using me as a puppet all his life. Making decisions of my life. I can’t take it anymore.

He thinks he is writing my future.

I am nothing but a pawn in his hand.

Just like he did with my mother but it has to be stop.

I know what to do.

I look at Verena. She is holding her dagger, her eyes blazing with fire, her bottom lip torn, her cheek bleeding but she is still firm.

I envy her.

Loathe her.

I launch at her as did she. My sword dancing in the air I reach for her dagger. Her dagger meets my sword with same power as I did. She spins around me and kick me in the back. I stumble but still get my balance. I turn around only to find Verena holding my sword. I look at my hand but there is nothing.

She remembered it.

My trick.

I smirk in satisfaction.

If I am fire, she is gasoline.

I take out my dagger too.

Now it’s going to be fun.

She throws my sword away. We both look each other in the eyes. She ran towards me and so did I. Our dagger clashed while the crowd gasped. We are no longer fighting but dancing on our own.

I am no longer the great Maêl, prince of the spring court but Maêl a normal elf. The one that my mother gave birth to. For the first time in my life I am feeling alive.

Her movements are like fluid. We both spin and tries our best to have the upper hand. Our steps in a rhythm matching each other pace. And with final swift I point my dagger at her neck smirking. I have won finally. There is no great feeling but wining. And most of all seeing the satisfaction and disappointment on my father’s face.

But something about Verena is not right. She has mischievous grin. And then it strike me as a cruel realization. I look down only to find her dagger resting at my bellybutton.

I am thunderstruck.

Taking this as an opportunity Verena’s eyes focused intently on me as she calculated her next move. With a determined expression, she launched into a perfectly timed sweep kick, her leg arcing gracefully through the air before I could do anything. The force of her kick struck my legs, knocking my balance off-kilter. As I stumbled backward, my footing gave way, and I tumbled to the ground. Verena stood triumphant, claiming her victory with a satisfied smirk.

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TO BE CONTINUED........