Chapter 11

          "Lords and Ladies, we are now ready to begin the next match. Would Lady Selena and Lord Arion please enter the arena!” Lord Eien said to the crowd.
Selena and Arion both entered the arena from their entrances.
          “I guess you were right Miyuki, Armon’s waiting just out of the way for when my mother calls him in,” Selena said to her beast as she reached the center of the arena with her brother.
          “My lord and lady this is going to be a timed match, if you defeat your opponent in the time allowed you will be able to advance, but if time is called you must wait to fight again, Are you two ready to begin?” The headman asked the pair.
          “Yes.” They both said as one.
          “Alright,” He began as he raised his arm. “Ready… Set… Begin…!” He finished as he brought his hand down as a gong sounded the start of the match.
           Selena stood in the middle of the arena as she waited for her brother to get ready. They each stood there looking at each other as if deciding on what moves to make.
          “You ready sister?” Arion said as he circled around her.
          “Ready and waiting, let’s see what you’ve got brother,” Selena replied smirking.
Arion, not one to wait for an opponent to attack he raced in looking like he was going to tackle her. He was going to use his brute strength to take her out.
          “What’s he doing?” Selena asked herself
          Selena eyed what her brother was doing. He was using no particular fighting skill as he raced towards her. She waited until he was close enough, as it looked like he was going to punch her in the face. Selena ducked under his arm as her leg came out and tripped her brother making him fall flat on his face and skid to a stop. She quickly turned and was ready for another attack as she went on the defensive.
          “Hn… what was that brother? You have to do better than that if you want to defeat me.” Selena said smirking.
          “Oh, you just wait and see.” He said as he quickly got back to his feet, as he faced off with her once again. He was curious to see how strong she was and how skilled.
            This time he took a fighting stance, as he got ready to attack. He saw Selena get into a defensive stance that he couldn’t recognize. He has never seen anyone use it before, but he was determined to win.
           He moved in, as he brought his fist up ready to strike but to his amazement, his sister just blocked his attack and hit him in the chest with such force that he took a few steps back. He attacked again but this time he was ready as he conjured a weapon and immediately countering with another move, that she was sure to miss. But he never expected what happened next.
          Selena noticed that he changed his fighting stance and she was prepared. He moved in again as she blocked his attack and quickly went down into a crouch as he countered immediately. She swept his feet right out from under him as she gave an elbow hit to the stomach and quickly moved away from his next attack.
          Arion was breathing hard he had still not recovered from when he fought his previous match and was left breathing hard, as he got back on his feet and waited for her attack.
          “Oh come on Arion, is that all you’ve got?” Selena said watching him closely.
          “Not at all, sister.” He said as he raced towards her again and Selena kept dodging his attacks until she countered with her own. Selena hit him on the side of his chest as he doubled over in pain.
          Queen Azume rose quickly from her seat and called out, “Armon… Now!!!” She finished and he raced out onto the arena and headed for Selena.
          As he raced towards Selena, Selena used her powers and flung Armon away from her. Selena was watching to see what would happen. She then moved quickly out of the way as a blast came from Armon’s sword. She just barely had enough time to avoid the first attack, when she saw another black object shoot up towards her at a fast pace. She didn’t have time to react to the second threat as she was hit and she went down hard. Quickly she got back up and faced Armon growling.
           “You seem a lot different Selena why is that?” Armon said circling her and growling.
           “Hn… of course I seem different, but that’s for me to know and you to find out,” Selena replied with her own growl as she takes out Chandrahas and stands firm.
           “If that’s the way you want to finish this, alright then,” Armon said as he takes out his sword and charges a Selena
           “Hn… good that’s what I was waiting for.” Selena replied lowly.
           Selena stood her ground as she got into a fighting stance and waited for him to attack. She didn’t have to wait for long as he sent a blast her way. A chioki whip that looked like fire came out of her fingers as she batted away the attack like it was nothing, and quickly attacked him sending him flying back a few feet.
           “Incredible power.” He said as he saw a change in Selena, she had truly transformed and has mastered her powers perfectly.
           “Ugh!” She sounded as she grabbed her arm. “Now what do you say to that Armon?”
           “Well, it's like you said, "I will die when I have fallen,” Armon said smirking.
           “Fine then,” Selena growled out and stood tall with Chandrahas in her hand.
           “Selena use the Dokuken,” Chandrahas said in her mind.
           “Don’t tell me what to do.” She replied back and started to run towards Armon.
           “Hn… cleaver, no matter you will not reach me. I will destroy you before you even get close to me.” He said in his mind as he raised his sword and called out his attack. “Ryusoryuha!”
           “I knew you were going to pull that trick,” Selena said as she slides to a halt and called out her own attack. “Ryudokuken!”
          The powers from their swords collided and canceled each other out.
           “Not bad Selena, you’ve learned the fire dragon, but my attack will finish you off.
           “Oh? You really think so?” Selena asked smirking.
           “Yes.” He replied.
          “Then let’s see what you’ve got brother,” Selena growled standing firm with Chandrahas in hand.
          Armon races towards her and tries to overcome the power of the sword, but it was too much for him to handle, and with Selena's power she flings him across the arena.
           “Selena use the black crystals’ power and you will win,” Chandrahas said in her mind.
           “I won’t use any black crystal, I don’t need it.” She replied as she watched her brother.
           "If you don’t use the crystal he may kill you,” Chandrahas said as Selena felt another pull in her head.
           “Selena. Don’t let the Chandrahas take control of you. Be strong!” Atomus said in his pup's mind.
           “I already told you Chandrahas I won’t let anything prevent me from winning this match. Including using a crystal to do it. I don’t need it.” Selena growled as she watched her brother getting ready to unleash his attack.
           “Hn, don’t be so sure about that,” Chandrahas said before receding into her mind.
           “That’s it I’ve had it, sister,” Armon said as he unleashed his attack.
            Very quickly Selena takes out her other sword and combines it with the Chandrahas and shouts, “Now behold my power Ryudokuken Hi!” The power from her sword broke through the power of Armon's sword and it flung him back a few feet.
          “The power... Where did you get so much power from?” Armon asked a little out of breath.
          “Hn, I realized that I had this power all along, and now I'm strong enough to take you out,” Selena responded smirking.
          “Fine then no more games. Come at me and let me see your true power sister.” Armon said getting in his stance.
          She lunges at Armon to attack him, but Arion called to her and stopped her in her tracks.
           “Stop Selena please…” She turns and looks at Arion as he continued. “If you use your full power it might destroy you.” He said hoping to distract her from using her full power.
           “I have to brother, I have no choice,” Selena replied looking back at Armon.
           “Take him out, Selena!” Atomus stood with speed shouting to her.
           “As you wish.” She replied as she lunges at Armon once more.
            Armon knew he wouldn’t be able to hold on any longer in his current state, so after she attacked him he himself made his power increase by transforming into his second form.
            “Ah. That’s better. I am at full power. Now die!” He said coming out of the transformation and stood tall before his sister.
             “Come at me then brother. Let’s see what you've got.” She replied getting in her stance and motioning him with her hand as he took off towards her.
           Armon was coming at her full force as Selena crouched down low. When he was about to strike her, she jumped up with her sword by her side as she brought it forward, but to Armon’s surprise when he was about to attack Selena, she flipped back avoiding his attack. Armon growled and swung again, but when he did Selena had disappeared. Armon looked around to see her running towards him. He rushed in as their swords meet in midair.            The power of both swords crackled in the sky as they both fought for dominance. It seemed that they were both evenly matched, as they pushed away from each other. They landed on the ground, each staring at their opponent, as they circled around each other.
           “Selena, please stop fighting. I can see that every time you use your power you lose your energy.” Arion shouted hoping now just to protect his sister from her own powers. His mother be damned.
           “Thanks for being worried about me brother, but I'm fine. I just have one more attack to do.” She said only so he could hear her.
          “Attack? What attack?” Arion replied wide-eyed.
          “You'll see.” She said turning back to where her brother had jumped to and noticed that he was on the ground. She never hit him so she knew it would be a trick and both her brothers were a part of it. She growled and stalked forward calling out to him. “Armon... are you ok?” He still didn't move, and she walked closer. “Armon…” she crouched down. “Armon... are you ok?” She growled once more as the crowd along with the queen watches on in wonderment wondering if her plan would work. Both of her sons were playing their parts well.
          Suddenly Armon's eyes started to open as Selena got up and started to walk away. In a blast of speed, Armon got up and raced towards her.
          “Selena, watch out he’s coming for you!” Doshi screamed out in her mind from the stands.
          “Huh…” She turned quickly and jumped away to avoid the blows. Then in return attacked him head-on with her swords.
           The power of both swords crackled in the sky as they both fought for dominance as Armon took this moment to speak with her. “Selena, you may have our fathers' blood coursing through you, but you are not strong enough to defeat me.” He said pushing her back.
          “Hn yeah, you think so?” Selena said pushing back.
          “Yeah. What do you think you could possibly do to me? I’m far more powerful than you.” Armon said breaking off the contact with her jumping back a few feet when she swung at him.
          “My so confident aren’t we brother. Fine enough games let’s do this.” She said as she starts to power up and transforms into her second form. “There, much better.”
          “Hn… what power,” Armon said as he looked at her aura. It was a dark gray in color meaning she was almost to her full power but not quite.
           Selena just coming out of her transformation takes off quickly to attack her brother.               As she headed towards him. Confidently he stood perfectly still holding his sword at the ready. Suddenly she stops just a few feet away from him, and he raised a brow at her wondering what she was up too. In the stands, Azume also sat wondering what Selena was getting ready to do, for she had never seen her do something like this before.
          “What’s wrong Selena, too afraid to attack me?” He asked with a snicker.
          “Hn…” She smirked. “Nope.” Suddenly everyone in the arena looked on in amazement as she raises her hand and used her telekinesis to lift him off the ground. As she did so she charged the energy around him with her power and began shocking him. Even the queen was shocked to find out that she knew that attack for she was the only one with that ability.
          “That’s mothers’ attack, where did you learn this?” Armon asked wide-eyed.
          “I learned by watching mother when she would practice with her abilities. Now Die.” Selena said as she continues to lift him higher into the air and then throws him across the arena. She runs to him just as he hits the ground, and stabs him with her sword.
          “That was a good trick, Selena.” He said softly.
          “Thanks, but I’m sorry it had to end for you this way. I know mother wanted you to win.” Selena said as she stood up to pull her sword out of her brother.
          “It had to be this way.” He responded before dying.
          That instant the queen declared Selena the winner. Then all became silent when Selena went over to Armon and lifted him off the ground with her telekinesis. She closed her eyes and concentrated when she opened her eyes and there was a dagger in her hands. She looked at her father and was please when he gave her a smile. Then she sliced through him and they both dropped to the ground. The queen looks on in awe to see her daughter was a lot stronger than before.
          Soon after she used her dagger he began to awaken, and everyone in the arena cheered.
          “Selena!” Doshi said as he headed towards her.
          Armon looked around for Selena. She was kneeling on her hands and knees trying to breathe. Doshi goes over to her to comfort her.
          “Doshi?” She said breathing heavily.
          “Koi, don’t talk, save your energy for your next battle,” Doshi said kneeling next to her.
Selena nodded her head slowly as she looked around for her brother to find him standing a few feet away.
          “I’m glad to see you’re ok Armon.” She said standing up slowly.
          “Same here.” He said back standing as well.
          Selena nodded to her brother and walked off with Doshi following behind her.
          Queen Azume was amazed at Serena’s new strength that she almost forgot to address the crowd as she shook her head, stood up, and said, “ Ladies and gentlemen very soon we will have our next battle.” She finished sitting down.