Era was definitely a being of light. Any way you looked at it, she belonged out there in the brightness. Even when the sun wasn’t out, she seemed to have a glowing aura around her.
She could sit outside for hours just staring ahead, and not even those closest to her knew what she was thinking. From time to time, she would look up or down as if she was realizing something, and then her eyes would glaze over again.
Hexia was very familiar with this. She had been observing her younger sister since their childhood. Always from the shadows. It was where she was more comfortable.
Nothing in Era’s looks spoke strength and so, Hex felt it her duty to protect her sister. However, she was painfully aware of the difference in their strength.
Hex was more than adequate with weapons and she had trained her body to its limits. She was fast and much stronger than she looked. Nothing could get past her and still, any enemy unfortunate enough to approach the pair would likely end on their back long before they were ever in her range.
Her absolutely helpless-looking sister was the most skilled magic user in their family in a millenia. Looking at her mannerisms though, you’d never suspect it.
“I wonder where this fish scale came from” the younger sister mumbled, examining a scale she had picked up by the lake.
“Perhaps I could replicate the genetic make up and create it anew…” she wondered aloud.
The red-headed demon lifted up her heavy sword with one hand and pointed it at her sister, “Don’t you even think about it.”
“But look at it. Isn’t it fascinating? I wonder what kind of a creature it would grow up into.” her voice was full of wonder and awe.
“We don’t need a giant monster fish trashing around again,” she slid her finger against the edge of the blade, as if to make sure she was ready to fillet any such creature -should one appear before her.
“That was one time, you should let it go,” she spoke in her usual soothing manner, which irritated Hex in instances like these. “Our parents were very proud of how it was created, weren’t they?”
“That’s only because they weren’t the ones that gutted and dragged it outside for a burial.” she scoffed.
“Don’t you remember, you were the one who taught me how to do it, though?”
“No,” she turned her back on her sister: “I don’t remember the last time you’ve needed to be taught anything.”
It was true. Perhaps Hexia had been a proud big sister once, and showed Era the basics of spellcasting. But once her sister’s powers had fully manifested, nobody could keep up with her, not even the old magisters. Her frail little sister had passed everyone in just a few short years and was now more powerful than anyone she knew.
“If you won’t let me create, I wish you would join me in my hex and curse experiments at least. You have natural talent.” she commented sincerely.
“No, thank you.”
Curses, hexes… they needed so much concentration to cast successfully without backfiring. It just wasn’t for her. She had cast some on herself and been done with them. Yes, everyone told her that with training she could possibly even best her sister -in that one area. She knew more about curses than most creatures, but it was just so much simpler to slash, cut, shoot and punch enemies. It was so much more satisfying as well.
“Suit yourself, then.” she chuckled.
She’d never let this go, would she?
But Hexia didn’t want to do magic or curses. It wasn’t because she wasn’t any good at it either. She just didn’t enjoy thinking as much as she enjoyed doing. Even these bodyguard sessions with Era were an excuse for her to train her body, while maintaining vigilance on the surroundings. Era could spend all the time she wanted inside her own head, but Hexia could never do the same. She’d go crazy if she was left alone with her thoughts.
“Are you done then?”
“I guess I am.”
“Good, let’s go home before it gets dark.”
Extra:
