ASHER'S POINT OF VIEW
"How?" She faced me. "Tell me, how? How can we enter that Underworld if we do not know how to destroy Durlen's spell?" I lost my voice to answer and remained silent. "We used our powers but these are useless against it," she said firmly. "If I could only kill that traitor right away, I will do it." She clenched her fists in anger.
SCARLETTE'S POINT OF VIEW
"Tok! Tok! Tok!" I woke up in no time because of the continuous knocks on the door. I opened it immediately as I yawned and did not mind what I looked like. "What—" my mouth gaped open when I realized that it was Asher, "—the hell?" He smiled sweetly and uttered, "Cute." In a split of seconds, I became conscious of my looks. I turned my back to him.
"Why are you here?" I asked, ignoring his tease. "Your mother asked me to wake you up. She has something to tell you." I nodded. "Okay. Just wait."
I closed the door and fixed myself. When I was done, I went out and locked the door. From leaning on the wall beside the door, he stood up straightly and started walking.
I just followed him until we entered a silver double door. The huge room was empty literally. "What is this room for?" I asked. "For the sacred sword that soon will be yours." I felt nervous upon hearing that.
"Scarlette." I looked at the one who called my name – it was Mom. She was standing in the middle of this room and smiling at me. In front of her was a floating sword. "It is the Hetar Sword." I came to where she was and could not get my eyes off the glowing sword. "Enchanting, Mom."
"This sword is very powerful because of this crystal." She pointed her finger to the colorless crystal that was placed on the lower part of its holder. "This is the heart of my father and your grandfather, the late god – Od, called Odentia Crysthalias. It contains different powers in any element. And if this was broken," she moved closer to me and whispered, "the whole universe will be destroyed."
"This sword was once under your father's care and now, it will be passed to you." I gave Mom a confused look. "What? It will be passed to me now? As in 'now'?" Her eyes narrowed into slits, trying to assess why I did react in that way. "Is there any problem with that, Dear?" I bit my lower lip. "Uh, I think, it is too early, Mom. I-I am not yet ready for it," I reasoned out. Mom smiled. "I would not force you. Just tell me if you are ready." My head automatically tilted to the left because she just said it simply like as if it was nothing. She did not force me!
"But I want to see you use this before you go back to Earth." That made my eyebrows meet. "What?" I asked, unbelievably. "Use this before you go back to Earth," she repeated. Did I hear it right? "You. Want. Me. To. Use. This." I pointed at the sword. "Mom, I do not know how to."
"Your dad taught you when you were still a kid." Mom smiled. I was puzzled. I could not remember anything about it. "You cannot remember." What the hell?! How did she know what was inside my mind?! "Have you read my mind, Mom?!" She laughed softly. "No, Dear. It is written on your face." I sighed. "I cannot remember." She stopped and cleared her throat. "It is alright, still natural for you to use it." And what happened that night flashed in my head. My moves, every detail of how I used the sword were very swift.
"Enough talking." I froze. "Crap!" I cussed when I felt Asher behind me, pointing a sharp thing that I guessed was a sword. I stood still and give my mother a meaningful look like I was shouting for help. However, she just smirked and muttered, "You can do it. Defeat him." She has no mercy even though I am her daughter.
"Damn, Asher. Do you want to kill me?" I gritted in annoyance. "Of course, not but I will cut this long hair of yours," he said playfully. "You cannot do that," I pleaded. Just cut anything but not my hair for the gods' sake! "I can. Do not underestimate me." Now, he was serious. His teasing voice was gone.
"In five . . . " He started counting. My sight shifted to the Hetar sword. I gulped as my eyes roamed on its overall figure. " . . . four . . . three . . . " I clenched my jaw as I pressed my eyes closed. " . . . two . . . one . . . zero—" I grabbed the sword as I faced him. I caught his sword with mine. He was smirking as if he was enjoying fighting against me. "It is a pleasure for me to be your first opponent using your precious sword," he whispered as he got closer. His gray eyes made me drown so I pushed him away.
I attacked him but he jumped as he flipped. He landed behind me. I slashed the sword but he caught it. His free hand twisted my right hand to my back as he held me closer, causing my sword to fall on the marble floor. Then he pointed the edge of his sword at my neck.
I could feel his breath on my right ear. "You lose," he uttered. 'He is fast. I admit but I cannot lose. My mom is watching me seriously at the corner. She is standing there waiting for me to defeat my cousin.' I would not accept this. "I am the holder and no one can win against me in a battle of swords." I was shocked upon hearing myself say those words.