What is the thing that differs between people of higher standing than others?
Of course, one can present quite a lot of things. But, if I want to say one thing, then that would be seeking improvement wherever you go or with whomever you are with.
In this case, Diana and Callius were also the same, belonging to this category. Since Callius would always prioritize his own growth rather than his relationship with others, Diana, who always take him as an example, also prioritizes her growth….
Yet, for her, spending time with her brother was also very important. Then, what is the most optimal thing when she wants to improve herself and spend her time with her brother at the same time?
The answer is obvious.
'All those vixens are looking for a brother.' Diana thought as she remembered the gazes the other students threw at Callius.
No matter how bad Callius' reputation was, for the case of seniors who also used this training grounds, the rumors rather fell short; neither was he that famous amongst them.
'I need to make brother only see me.' She thought as determination filled her heart. 'He can only look at me and me only.' As these thoughts filled her heart, she was presented with a simple idea.
Throwing a gaze at the young boy that was changing his clothes to his training ones, she decided to go with her idea.
*******
"Brother, do you want to spar?" Diana asked, her voice filled with determination as we stepped into the training room of the academy. Her straightforwardness caught me slightly off guard, but I couldn't help but feel intrigued by her request. 'It looks like she really wants to do it. I wonder if there is anything else that motivates her.' I thought as I looked at her determined eyes. There was more to there rather than just simply looking for a spar.
"Spar, you say?" I responded, a hint of curiosity lacing my words. "Why now? What's the reason behind wanting to test your strength against me?" I raised an eyebrow, genuinely interested in understanding her motives, also testing her if she would give her thoughts away.
Diana's piercing blue eyes locked onto mine, radiating a sense of purpose. "I want to gauge my own growth," she explained, her voice tinged with a mix of excitement and resolve. "I've been training hard, honing my skills, and I believe it's time to see how far I've come. And who better to test myself against than my esteemed brother?"
Even though she had said those with eyes filled with determination, I was able to see the faint traces of another purpose in her minimal body movements. 'This is not all there to it, isn't it?' I thought. 'But, I will play fill with it for now.'
A small smile formed on my lips, impressed by her determination and eagerness to push herself but at the same time trying to mask her real intentions with such blatant reasons. "Very well," I agreed, nodding in acknowledgment. "If you're ready to face the challenge, then I am more than willing to accept. Let us see how our skills match up, my dear sister."
In my case, sparring with Diana was not bad either, considering she was someone that had a higher skill than me in terms of magic for the time being, at least in terms of raw power. This is what I get for focusing on my sword skills which I don't even mind. Both are necessary.
'Let's see how I can improve myself, I thought.
With that, we moved to opposite ends of the training room, the air brimming with anticipation but seriousness at the same time.
In the end, no matter how we were related by blood, we were also the children of a magician that once ruled the world.
"Then, let's start, my dear brother. I won't go easy on you." Diana said as her eyes filled with determination.
"Bring it on." As we both took our positions, I instructed the room to go into a safe mood as we would mix our magic right here.
******
Two young people.
One man.
The other one woman.
Those two young figures faced each other in the training arena, anticipation shimmering in the air. The young man, with determined eyes, channeled his fiery mana, engulfing his hands in flickering flames. The young woman, her gaze focused and unwavering, tapped into the wellspring of her nature magic, a vibrant green aura enveloping her.
'I won't go easy on you.' The girl thought as she remembered the thing she had learned.
Without hesitation, the girl unleashed her power, commanding the essence of nature to respond to her call. With a swift motion, a thick vine sprouted from the ground, lashing out toward the boy with remarkable speed. Sensing the imminent threat, the young man swiftly reacted, conjuring a burst of flame that detonated upon contact, reducing the vine to ashes.
Undeterred, the girl displayed her resilience as she renewed her connection to the natural world. The training room pulsed with her energy as fresh vines sprouted forth, this time in greater numbers. They snaked through the air with agility, aiming to ensnare the young man in their grasp.
Swift as the flicker of a flame, the boy danced and weaved, evading the onslaught of vines with nimble footwork. His control over fire magic manifested in swift bursts of flame that severed the encroaching tendrils. But the girl was relentless, pouring her mana into the regenerating plants, ensuring a continuous assault.
From the looks of the fight alone, the girl looked as if she was on the lead, not giving the young boy any time to attack. And, that was true as Callius was having a hard time evading all the vines.
But, his combat experience and the instincts he had developed were already doing their work as he never got hit by the attacks once.
As the sparring intensified, the flames played and the branches of vines filled the training grounds, as the two siblings faced each other, releasing their desire to fight to maximum.
