Page 20

After some time, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," I said, and my sister's head peeked through the small crack. Then, with her usual vigor, she swung the door wide open and stepped inside.

"Finally, I've got you all to myself!" she said, a grin spreading across her face.

Mother had left earlier, albeit reluctantly, and now I lay on the bed alone, wrapped in a white robe under the thick quilt. My sister's arrival was a welcome distraction—I had been growing restless. Boredom weighed heavily on me, but now I felt a flicker of excitement.

"Come here," I said, my voice now deeper, commanding in a way that felt foreign.

She bounded over to the bed and leaped onto it, wrapping me in her warm embrace.

I was now only a head shorter than her, my face pressing gently against her chest. Her youthful scent filled the air, a mixture of sweetness and vitality.

I hugged her back, my hands resting just above her firm hips, her figure slender yet perfectly shaped.

After a moment, I pulled away, gazing into her eyes.

"What did you want to talk about?" I asked.

"Do you want to know what power I awakened at the academy?" she whispered, her voice teasing.

My interest flared immediately. The idea of powers had become my obsession, especially now that I was nearing my own awakening. She could see the curiosity written on my face, and without another word, she grabbed my hand and pulled me off the bed.

"Come, I'll show you," she said with a playful wink.

I followed her eagerly down the white marble hallways of the castle, climbing staircase after staircase, until we reached the open-air garden on the rooftop.

The moon hung low in the sky, casting an ethereal glow over the garden.

The silver light illuminated the lush greenery, making it shimmer like something from a dream.

"I'm not really supposed to show you this," she said with a mischievous smile, "but it'll be our little secret." She moved to the center of the garden, where the moonlight was brightest. Raising her arms, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

At first, nothing happened. Then, suddenly, her hair began to stir, caught in an invisible wind.

When she opened her eyes again, there were no white pupils in them as I knew—they were a solid, glowing white, devoid of pupils.

The light from the moon seemed to intensify, bathing her in its radiant glow.

"This is my power, brother," she said, her voice now calm, serious.

Around her, the trees began to move. The branches creaked and twisted as they grew, elongating at a visible speed. The grass beneath her feet rose up, thickening and growing taller, as though answering her silent command. The entire garden was alive under her control.

"I can control plants and trees," she said, her voice resonating with a newfound authority. "I can shape them into shields."

As she spoke, the branches curled around her, weaving into a tight, protective cocoon. Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the branches, giving the shield an almost otherworldly beauty. But this was just a demonstration, a show of her power, not a real battle.

"I can also make them attack," she added.

In an instant, the surrounding trees turned their branches toward me. Each one poised like a spear, aimed at every vulnerable part of my body. It was unnerving, the precision and the ease with which she wielded such control.

Despite knowing she was my sister, my muscles tensed, and I readied myself to react. The moon essence coursing through my blood heightened my senses, sharpening every detail.

But just as quickly, the branches retracted, and everything returned to normal. Her eyes, still glowing white, softened as she smiled at me, walking closer.

I was about to speak when something caught my eye—a flicker in the shadows behind her.

"Behind you!" I shouted.

Without hesitation, thick branches shot from the trees, forming a barrier behind her.

A split second later, silver star-shaped blades embedded themselves into the wood.

She turned sharply, raising her hands, and we both saw him—a man clad in black, his face hidden behind a mask.

His eyes, pitch-black and soulless, locked onto us.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Her voice boomed across the moonlit garden, filled with fury.

The assassin moved with inhuman speed, vanishing and reappearing from different angles, launching blades with deadly precision.

Massive tree branches and thick vines shot up some formed a shield around us, while others sharp like spears attacked where ever he appeared, but the attacker was relentless, disappearing just as the branches lashed out.

Each time his blades struck, the branches shattered, only to regrow just as fast.

We were caught in a deadly dance. I hadn't awakened my powers yet, and I knew that any rash move could end disastrously. My eyes followed every movement, searching for a flaw, a weakness in his approach.

The branches protecting us were regenerating, but this deadlock had gone for to long. I could see my sister was struggling—each strike took longer to recover from. She was nearing her limit, and one mistake could cost us everything.

Frustration built up inside me, my blood boiling, making my beast roar. I felt the moon essence surge within me, my silver blood pumping faster with every beat of my heart. My muscles tightened, my senses sharpening as the moonlight bathed me in its cold, pure energy.

This was a battle of endurance, and I realized the assassin hadn't expected my sister to hold out for this long.

His speed was faltering—only slightly, but enough for me to notice.

This was my chance. I knew I had to predict his next move, anticipate where he would appear before he could strike again.

He was keeping a consistent distance, always attacking from the side near the balcony. He was ready to escape at the first sign of trouble.

"Leave a weak spot near the doors," I whispered to my sister, my voice low and dangerous. My nails elongated into sharp claws, my fangs bared, and my eyes gleamed a bright, molten silver.

She obeyed, creating a subtle gap in our defenses. The next time the assassin threw his blade and vanished, I was already moving. My body blurred as I darted toward the door, faster than I had ever moved before. I reached the spot just as the shadows condensed into his form.

He stepped out, blade in hand, but before he could release it, I was on him. I didn't bother to dodge—the blade sunk into my shoulder, but I didn't care. In a split second, my right hand closed around his throat with crushing force.