In all truth, Amaro had not anticipated this war game to turn out as fun as it was right now. It had only taken a couple days to stomp out the other noble factions alongside Deka and Anitus. Whatever rumors had started about the weakness of the Xirxus’s eldest heir had been thoroughly stomped out with those factions too.
At the very least, Amaro doubted anyone would be starting a war with his family when they grew up, and if they did, he was confident he could destroy them. Yet no matter how many bones he broke, or wounds he opened, he could still feel that old hunger in his gut. The very same hungry monster which had been taught fear a few years ago by his father. The other nobility made for such good punching bags. Unlike most peasants, they were at least sturdy enough that he did not need to worry about accidentally killing them.
This morning, Raktus had been taken out by an ambush. His little brother had fought well, but he was no match for the Tibur captains and the Noxa who had supported them. The Noxa had gotten their hands on expensive furs which camouflaged them in the snow. That was a fact Amaro had learned as they were escaping from him and Anitus.
Leave it to a Noxa to fight in such a dishonorable way. To no surprise, they were well suited to underhanded tactics. Although, Amaro could not be too mad at them. They were playing the game just like everyone else, and Tulos’s influence on their tactics was clear.
His younger brother had always enjoyed mischief, but this was the first time Amaro had seen him take control as a leader. The Tibur had clearly had a positive effect on him. Amaro was proud of his younger brother, even if he was still going to lose.
Had Kaara not woken up today, Amaro might have been a little more worried, but that girl was a walking trump card on her own. Even though Sancta had a natural advantage with her life magic, Kaara had still defeated her in combat. Sancta had been born with a powerful soul. So powerful that her magic had often gotten out of control when she was younger. Since then, she had learned to keep it restrained and to utilize as little magic as possible for her spells.
It was a horrible sight in Amaro’s eyes. It reminded him that he had not been the only one punished on the day of his father’s coronation. Maybe if Sancta had grown up as free as a Tibur she would have magic which rivaled Kaara’s. Perhaps Sancta would have surpassed Kaara had she been allowed to freely use her magic under the guidance of someone like Shiira. Amaro loved to think that she and Kaara would be good sisters to one another.
“Chompy! Come on out!” Kaara yelled out behind him. A roar vibrated his ribcage as the monstrous water elemental crashed into existence. It lunged into the chaotic brawl swallowing the much smaller snow elementals whole.
Amaro had not witnessed such powerful magic from someone his age. The watery beast was large enough to make even the most valiant warrior afraid. Among everyone in this camp, Among Deka, himself, and all the other Xirxus, it was Kaara who stood above them all when it came to magic. Amaro’s infatuation with her at first sight had been destiny. Between the two of them, they would have the power to stand up to his family and their vile traditions. Amaro was already envisioning a world where the peasantry was treated with kindness and forgiveness. A world where they no longer feared the cruel Godslayer that ruled them. A world where-
Where had all this smoke come from?
BANG! FWOOM!
A roaring explosion rocked the ground and enveloped the battlefield in fire. It seared his flesh, and collapsed the air in his lungs. Amaro choked, dropping to his knees. He looked behind to see Kaara’s water serpent had defended the others from the blast. Even Anitus had been shaken by the blast. Such powerful fire magic. Had Tadios arrived?
“Damn! You nobles really are made out of different stuff, huh?” The winged Noxa called out from above, “I wasn’t expecting the blast to be that big. He was right, though, that type of air really is flammable as hell.”
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Amaro finally managed to gasp air into his lungs. Glass bottles shattered around them, a pink gas billowing out. Amaro tried to hold his breath, but his lungs were still begging for air. He stood and dashed, only to meet a stone wall.
He could see the evil smirk of that winged bastard. Amaro couldn’t hold his breath anymore. He gasped, choking on that poisonous vapor. These were the love potions. Why did the Noxa have them?
Anger boiled his blood. How far were these Noxa willing to go in order to win some stupid game?
“Oh Anitus, Amaro, my two wonderful brothers!” Tulos said from up above, “Ever since I was little I always wanted to know who was truly stronger between the two of you. Why don’t you have a duel right now?”
The anger in Amaro’s gut washed away, leaving guilt in its wake. His brother had been waiting so long to see a proper match between him and Anitus. How many times had his starry eyed younger brother been excited to see the two of them fight only for Amaro to lose on purpose? Amaro had been so selfish, throwing all of those matches to protect his own ego. If it was for his favorite younger brother, he would cut loose and get serious just this once.
Amaro pulled Quinrai off his back. He could not afford to hold back and use his katana. Not with Tulos expecting his best.
“Oh, and try not to kill each other will you?” Tulos pitched in.
Tulos was still looking out for their safety. What a good brother. Anitus unsheathed Duma his eyes glowing with magical power.
A blue light appeared beneath Amaro's feet. Knowing what it was, he dove out of the way as a pillar of blue fire burst up from the ground. Everywhere Amaro stepped, those flames followed, but Amaro was faster.
He sidestepped, weaved, and jumped over the pillars of fire. Anitus knew how to lead his target, so that’s exactly why Amaro made the line of his approach as chaotic as possible. Like a lightning bolt, Amaro rushed forward on his random path to clash blades with Anitus.
“You always valued your speed, Anitus, but you never were faster than me.” Amaro said, unleashing a flurry of hooking strikes and whistling jabs. Anitus parried, navigating the rush of blows. Anitus was incredibly talented, and that’s what Amaro had feared all this time. Every block Anitus made was done with intent. He slipped in a few counter strikes which garnered him surface level wounds on Amaro’s skin.
Another pillar of fire erupted at his feet, but Amaro flashed out of the way. That was exactly what Anitus had wanted, catching his evasion with a bone crunching tail swing.
Amaro had been too aggressive trying to prove himself to Tulos and he had paid for it. His bones mended along with the cuts on his skin as their first exchange came to a close in Anitus’s favor. This time, Amaro let Anitus approach. A black blur hurdled toward him like a comet. For Amaro, though, it was a highly telegraphed attack; not something Anitus would do so casually.
A feint
A blast of flames exploded in front of him. Amaro moved his sword to the side.
CLANG!
Amaro hooked Anitus’s blade with his Khopesh.
Purple lightning burst from his hand, sending his brother flying back without his weapon. Anitus landed on his feet digging trenches in the frozen ground as he slid back. “What will you do without your weapon, brother?”
Anitus snapped his fingers. Across Amaro’s body, everywhere he had been hit by Anitus now glowed a brilliant blue.
“Shit.”
One after the other, the marks exploded into smoke and fire, battering Amaro from one side to the other. He was driven down to his knees by the blasts, his flesh once again burning despite his resistances. His ears were ringing, but he could still feel Anitus coming. Amaro raised his sword out of instinct, another clang resonating in the air.
When it came to fighting Anitus, if he landed one hit, he landed a second. That enchantment magic he used to leave lingering spells on his opponent’s bodies was something he developed specifically to counter Amaro’s speed.
"That's a nasty burn, brother. Did you lower your guard that much, or have I outgrown even you?" Anitus said, picking up his greatsword and resting it over his shoulder.
Amaro grinned, showing his fangs “You’re never going to outgrow me. Not in a million years. Sometimes I enjoy boosting your confidence."
Static crackled through the air as Amaro summoned every spell he could.
“Then enough warmup.” Anitus said, doing the same.